Newton Girls Track And Field Coach Expects Double-Digit State Qualifiers

Head coach Rachelle Tipton believes her team will match or exceed last year's 11 state qualifiers.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 3:56pm

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The Newton girls track and field team has competed in two indoor meets so far this season, and head coach Rachelle Tipton is already predicting that in mid-May, her team will at least match or exceed the number of events that qualified for last year's State Track and Field Meet, which was 11 events with top ten finishes in six of those events.

Why it matters

The Newton girls track and field program has established a strong track record of state qualifiers in recent years, and maintaining or exceeding that level of success is an important benchmark for the team's continued growth and competitiveness.

The details

The returning state qualifiers from last year in individual events are seniors Lauren Clarke and Tori White. Clarke finished 8th in the 200-meter and 11th in the 100-meter dashes, while White was 5th in the high jump and 9th in the 100-meter hurdles. The Cardinal girls also had three relays place in the top ten at the State Track and Field Meet last year - the 4x200 meter relay finished 6th, the 4x100 meter shuttle hurdle relay was 7th, and the 800-meter sprint medley relay finished 8th.

  • The Newton girls track and field team has competed in two indoor meets so far this season.
  • In mid-May, Tipton expects her team to at least match or exceed the 11 events that qualified for last year's State Track and Field Meet.

The players

Rachelle Tipton

The head coach of the Newton girls track and field team.

Lauren Clarke

A senior on the Newton girls track and field team who qualified for state last year in the 200-meter and 100-meter dashes.

Tori White

A senior on the Newton girls track and field team who qualified for state last year in the high jump and 100-meter hurdles.

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What they’re saying

“It's been two years now where we have had ten or more events qualify. So that has kind of been the push. We've got to keep it going now.”

— Rachelle Tipton, Head Coach

What’s next

The next event for the Newton girls track and field team is the Wartburg Indoor Meet on Tuesday in Waverly.

The takeaway

The Newton girls track and field program has established a strong tradition of state qualifiers in recent years, and maintaining or exceeding that level of success is an important goal for the team as they continue to build on their competitiveness and growth.