Dodge City Community College Women's Cross Country

20th Year as Head Track Coach, 15th Year as Cross Country Head Coach   Hometown: Haviland, Kansas College: Garden City Community College & Kansas State University Cole Ballard has been coaching at Dodge City since 2004-05 working with track & field, cross country, and football. Ballard enters his 20th year as head coach for the track & field program and 15th as head cross country coach. He spent seven years on the football coaching staff for the Conquistadors as an assistant coach and also spent time as an assistant track & field coach before taking over the program.  During his time as head coach for the cross country program he has lead the men's and women's teams to strong performances in the region and on the national level. In 2020 the women's team earned fifth place at the NJCAA Cross Country National Championships behind five Top 50 individual finishes marking the best finish under Coach Ballard. In 2021, 2022, and 2023 the Conqs women's cross country team would record Top 10 finishes at Nationals; in 2021 the Conqs had a pair of Top 30 finishers including the programs first NJCAA All-American since 2001 as Edith Valdez placed 13th overall. In 2023 he coached the men to a 17th place finish the highest in his coaching tenure. The ladies also finished 12th, 13th and 19th as team at Nationals in 2024, 2016, and 2018, respectively, while men have had several Top 30 team finishes under Coach Ballard and placed 21st as a team in 2021. Women's highest finish at Regionals under Coach Ballard has been second in 2021 (two Top 10 individuals) and 2014 (three Top 15 individuals), while the women have registered finished third in 2023 and had a pair of fourth place finishes in 2020 and 2016. The men recorded a sixth place finish at Regionals in both 2015 and 2020. Individually a fourth place finish by Tera McVicker (2014) and 10th place finish by Domonic Enriquez (2020) have been highest places at Regionals under Ballard.  In track & field, Ballard has coached several NJCAA All-Americans, NJCAA National qualifiers, All-Region honorees, school records, and more. In 2021 the Conquistador men placed 18th at NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships as a team led by two-time All-American, Amanuel McDowell who finished second in the long jump and third in the high jump. Ballard in 2016 coached his women's indoor team to a 16th place team finish at the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships with a third place finish by the 4x800 meter relay team leading the performances, while Mattie Swisher placed seventh in the 1,000 meter run and Keri Banks took sixth in the high jump. The women also finished 26th as a team in 2019 at the outdoor Nationals. He coached the first decathlon and heptathlon athlete in school history to outdoor and indoor Region 6 titles in his first year of competing in the decathlon and heptathlon as Brayden Bergkamp won the region title in 2024.  Several athletes have found their way onto the podium at Nationals under the guidance of Ballard including several in the throwing events: Shade Torres (Javelin - 2022 (7th), 2021 (7th)); Ashlyn Webb (Javelin - 2019 (7th)); Deonmonique Granville (Shot Put - 2019 (7th)); Rachel Durler (Javelin - 2016 (7th), 2015 (3rd)); Darius Herl (Javelin - 2016 (6th)). Some other medalists include: Brayden Bergkamp (Outdoor: 2024 - (decathlon - 6th)); Brenden Carter (Outdoor: 2024 & 2025 - (High Jump - T-4th & High Jump - 8th) - Indoor: 2024 - (High Jump - 3rd)); Women's 4x800m relay (Indoor: 2017 - 3rd & 2025 - 6th; Outdoor: 2015 - 8th); Bailey Wasler (Outdoor: 2017 (1500m - 8th) - Indoor: 2017 (800m - 8th)); Men's 4x800m relay (Indoor: 2021 - 8th); Denise Dominguez (Outdoor: 2023 (10,000m -7th)); Olivia Leatherman (Outdoor: 2025 (Heptathlon - 7th), Indoor: 2026 (Pentathlon - 7th)); Deven Bolton (Indoor: 2026 (High Jump - 5th)); Coray Stafford (Indoor: 2026 (60-meter dash - 5th).  He earned NJCAA Head Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2014 and has also had some teams earn NJCAA Academic Team of the Year. Women's track and field team earned NJCAA All-Academic national championship in 2015-16, while the men's track and field team earned the same honor in 2017-18.  Prior to being full-time track & field, along with cross country Ballard was an assistant coach for the Conquistador football program coaching wide receivers and runningbacks during his time as an assistant from 2004-2010.  Ballard played football at Garden City Community College, where he earned academic All-American honors his sophomore year. Ballard then transferred to Kansas State where he was a member of the Kansas State football program. A native of Haviland, Kansas, Ballard earned his Bachelor's of Science in Physical Science from Kansas State. Ballard resides in Cimarron with his wife the former Rebecca Gillig, son Cord, daughter, Blaik, and son Briggs. He enjoys hunting and fishing in his spare time.

Smith's sixth year as assistant cross country & track and field coach at Dodge City Community College. Previously to coaching for the Conquistadors, Smith coached the hurdlers and high jumpers for the Dodge City High School Red Demon Track and Field program for three years.  Smith has been involved in track and field since the age of nine, competing in events such as the 100, 200, 400, 4X100 relay, 4X4 relay, 100 high hurdles, 300 intermediate hurdles, 800, high jump, shot put and javelin. Smith competed and placed in the top 5 for several years at National AAU and TAC (USA Track & Field) track and field meets in California, Florida, Nebraska, and Kansas.  Smith was a state qualifier three out of four years of her high school career at Dodge City High School and placed in the top five in the state in the 300 intermediate hurdles two of those years as well as competing at the state level in the Javelin her senior year. She then went on compete as a hep and pentathlete at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, as well as participating in cheerleading and athletic training while maintaining the 3.7 GPA Presidential academic scholarship. Smith to this day still holds the Southwestern School record in the Pentathlon.    Smith graduated Sum Cum Laud from Manhattan Christian College with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Management and Ethics and is working to obtain her Master's in Human Health and Performance from Fort Hays State University. She also has obtained her USTFCCCA Certification of Track & Field Technical Coaching. Smith resides in Dodge City with her husband, Andy Smith, who is also a former DCHS athlete, and two children Kylee (15) and Tucker (13). Smith enjoys spending any free time she may have being active with her family. She also enjoys all types of indoor and outdoor physical activities, attending her children's school and sport activities, target shooting and any free time spent with her husband. Melanie Smith Assistant Cross Country/Track Coach Sixth year as Assistant Cross Country & Track Coach Hometown:  Dodge City, KS  High School:  Dodge City College:  Manhattan Christian College; Fort Hays State University  This is Melanie Smith's sixth year as assistant cross country & track and field coach at Dodge City Community College. Previously to coaching for the Conquistadors, Smith coached the hurdlers and high jumpers for the Dodge City High School Red Demon Track and Field program for three years.  Smith has been involved in track and field since the age of nine, competing in events such as the 100, 200, 400, 4X100 relay, 4X4 relay, 100 high hurdles, 300 intermediate hurdles, 800, high jump, shot put and javelin. Smith competed and placed in the top 5 for several years at National AAU and TAC (USA Track & Field) track and field meets in California, Florida, Nebraska, and Kansas.  Smith was a state qualifier three out of four years of her high school career at Dodge City High School and placed in the top five in the state in the 300 intermediate hurdles two of those years as well as competing at the state level in the Javelin her senior year. She then went on compete as a hep and pentathlete at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, as well as participating in cheerleading and athletic training while maintaining the 3.7 GPA Presidential academic scholarship. Smith to this day still holds the Southwestern School record in the Pentathlon.    Smith graduated Sum Cum Laud from Manhattan Christian College with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Management and Ethics and is working to obtain her Master's in Human Health and Performance from Fort Hays State University. She also has obtained her USTFCCCA Certification of Track & Field Technical Coaching. Smith resides in Dodge City with her husband, Andy Smith, who is also a former DCHS athlete, and two children Kylee (15) and Tucker (13). Smith enjoys spending any free time she may have being active with her family. She also enjoys all types of indoor and outdoor physical activities, attending her children's school and sport activities, target shooting and any free time spent with her husband.