The indoor track and field season began on a high note for Northwest Missouri State with eight NCAA provisional qualifying marks in the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic — the season-opening meet at Hughes Fieldhouse.
The most impressive of those performances came from Kennedi Cline.
"I just went in just wanting to shake off the dust from not being able to compete for a while," Cline said at Tuesday's Bearcat Coaches Show on KXCV-KRNW.
The sophomore ran the 400m in just 55.98 seconds, then also posted a qualifying time as a member of the 4x400m relay alongside teammates Anjelena Carder, Marie Dea and Courtney Kiley.
It was an incredible step forward for Cline, an Olathe, KS native, after not competing in a collegiate track meet in over two and a half years.
Cline burst onto the scene as a freshman, aiding the Bearcats 4x400m relay to its first national championship in the event since 1985. But then injuries hit.
Cline had six knee surgeries, including one to repair an ACL, and hadn't suited up for a collegiate track meet for the Bearcats since the MIAA Championships in May 2023.
"It's been rough. It's been really rough."
"It's been a long, mentally and physically hard journey to be able to get back, but all glory to God. He's getting me right. He got me (head coach Brandon) Masters. He knows that I will flourish under him, so I'm really not stressing."
Cline had progressed nearly to the point of being ready at the latter stages of the 2025 spring season, but ultimately held off until this indoor season. Initially she was prepared to wait until after the holidays and not run in the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic, but Masters convinced her she was ready.
"It's been a hard go, but she's been awesome," Masters said. "To have her go through two years of struggle, trust me it was a struggle for me, too...she was coming to me and I was trying to pick her up and keep her positive enough to make it through this."
Despite the setbacks and pain from the last two years, there was never a thought to not return to the track.
"I'm not a quitter," Cline said. "I can't quit. If I'm ordered to be done, someone would have to pull me off."
"I'm just very thankful and relieved that I'm finally able to run again."
Northwest track and field will be off until January 17th with the Coach Richard Alsup Open.
