INDIANAPOLIS — Fifty-one Pittsburg State University track & field athletes qualified for the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships to be held May 21-23 at Francis G. Welch Stadium at Emporia, Kan. Twenty-six women and 25 men qualified for the national meet.
The Pitt State men have three pre-meet national favorites – the 4x100m relay,
Caden Williams and
Jack Haukap. Williams has the top mark in the 400 meters (45.61), Haukap is ranked No. 1 in the hammer throw (233-4) and the 4x100m relay of Kemmari Stewart,
Braylon Thompson,
Logan Davis and
Ilias Garcia sports the nation's fastest time (39.61).
The 4x400m relay of
Woyn Chatman,
Nate Watson, Davis and Williams is ranked No. 2 (3:04.56) entering the meet along with Davis in the 400m (45.85) and
Leo Chauchard in the decathlon (7282 pts).
Grayson Smith qualified third in the pole vault (18-0.5);
Tyrone Jackson qualified fourth in the 110-meter hurdles (13.65);
Drake Stapleton qualified fifth in the shot put (60-10); and
Dylan Sprecker qualified sixth in the 1,500 meters (3:40.70).
Additional men's qualifiers include: Garcia (10.19) and Thompson (10.30) in the 100 meters; Chatman (46.05) and Watson (46.64) in the 400 meters;
Eli Gilmore in the 800 meters (1:48.35);
Na'Koriyon James in the 110m hurdles (13.70);
Xavier Byers in the high jump (6-11.75);
Britton Gage in the pole vault (16-11.5);
Antwan Dawson in the triple jump (50-3.25);
Isaiah Webster in the long jump (24-6.5) and triple jump (49-9.25); Stapleton in the discus (177-10);
Brennan Boord in the discus (176-8) and hammer throw (207-6);
Trace Hanchett in the javelin (220-6); and
Matthew Malmstrom (7054 pts) and
Drew Wilhite (7001 pts) in the decathlon.
Griouard Weddington and
Amar Williams also will serve as relay alternates.
The Pitt State men are the four-time defending NCAA Division II national champions from the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 outdoor seasons. The Gorillas, who also have captured the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 NCAA-II indoor national titles, are ranked No. 2 in this week's USTFCCCA/NCAA Division II National Track & Field Ratings Index (TFRI).
For the Pitt State women,
Breanne Peters is ranked No. 1 in the pole vault (14-0.5);
Bethany Umbarger qualified second in the high jump (5-10.75);
Zyra Shivers is ranked No. 2 in the 100-meter hurdles (13.30); and
Blakelee Winn qualified second in the heptathlon (5719 pts) and third in the long jump (20-9).
Isabelle Peters (13-8.5) and
Cannon Booker (13-8.5) are tied for fourth place entering the pole vault competition.
Jazmine Williamson qualified fourth in the long jump (20-7.75) and sixth in the high jump (5-8.5).
Isabel Abdouch,
Kiara Brown,
Nikole Cozort and
Mikah Edwards qualified in the 4x100m relay (45.19), while Cozort, Abdouch,
Kinleigh Hall and Edwards qualified in the 4x400m relay (3:37.88). Edwards also qualified in the 400 meters (53.73), while Brown qualified in the 200 meters (23.47).
Lily Brown qualified in the high jump (5-7.25), triple jump (41-3.75) and the heptathlon (5103 pts), while
Makayla Pavelka qualified in the long jump (19-11.75) and the triple jump (40-0).
Additional women's qualifiers include:
Kayvon Nubine (13.51) and
McKinlee Walker (13.69) in the 100m hurdles;
Eva Williams (13-4.5) and
Quincey Turner (13-3.75) in the pole vault;
Brooklyn Baker in the long jump (20-2.5);
Alexa Binkley in the triple jump (40-2.75);
Kelci Locke in the discus (160-6);
Abby Lasiter in the hammer throw (188-9);
Alycia Cosens (162-11), Maddie Olds (154-7) and
Claire Vanderweide (148-9) in the javelin; and
Payton Phillips in the heptathlon (5251 pts).
The Pitt State women placed third at the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship and claimed the 2026 NCAA-II Indoor National Championship. The Gorillas also are ranked No. 2 in this week's D2 TFRI.
