Wildcats Give Strong Performances; Men Win Team Title at Oregon Team Invite

TF women's 4x400 vanessa mercera & anastasiia kretova

Wildcats Give Strong Performances; Men Win Team Title at Oregon Team Invite

Apr 19, 2026 | Track & Field

Men scored 217 points over two days, the women scored 288.5 in 2nd place

EUGENE, Ore. – The K-State track and field teams had multiple top performers while the men scored the most team points to round out the second day of the Oregon Team Invitational on Saturday (April 18) at Hayward Field. After 19 events the men's team won with 217 points, the women finished 2^nd behind the hosting Ducks with 288.5 points.

The Wildcats had multiple top-3 performers both on the track and in the field events, including sweeps in the men's and women's triple jump. Multiple athletes also inked their names in the K-State all-time top-10 record books.

In the men's triple jump the Wildcats had strong showings starting with sophomore Selva Prabhu with a winning leap of 16.61m (54' 6"), the no. 2 mark in the NCAA currently, as well as an improvement on his no. 3 mark in the K-State outdoor records. Senior Apalos Edwards finished as runner-up with a distance of 16.53m (54' 2.75"), now the no. 4 jump in the school top-10, while fellow senior Jhavor Bennett claimed 3^rd place at 16.11m (52' 10.25").

On the women's side three Wildcats finished within eight inches of each other in the top-5. Junior Daniela Wamokpego finished as runner-up with a jump of 13.27m (43' 6.5"), the no. 8 jump in the K-State outdoor records. Freshman Destini Smith claimed 3^rd place at 13.13m (43' 1"), senior Tesia Thomas with a 4^th place jump at 13.08m (42' 11").

The men's 4x100 relay ran the 3^rd fastest time in school history in 39.68 seconds, with freshmen Jack Guthridge and Croix DaCunha and juniors Nen Matlock and Tah Chikomba.

K-State claimed the top two spots in the 400-meter hurdles, senior Vanessa Mercera won in 56.62 seconds, now the no. 4 fastest K-State time, while freshman Reese Brownlee was runner-up in 58.52 seconds. In the 100-meter hurdles, senior Jourdin Edwards clinched a win in 13.64 seconds.

A couple freshman women made their mark inside the K-State all-time top-10; Desirae Riehle while winning the 400 meters with her fastest 53.15 seconds, at no. 9 all-time and Anna Pozdeeva in the 800 meters with a time of 2:07.03 in 4^th place, shaving another second off her personal best, also a no. 9 time in school records.

Two throwers improved on their season's best, senior Gary Moore Jr. as runner-up in the hammer throw at 65.29m (214' 2") and freshman Dorian Charles in the javelin throw with his farthest distance by three feet at 68.15m (223' 7") in 4^th place.

The Cats are back on the road next week for the Drake Relays from Thursday-Saturday (April 23-25) in Des Moines, Iowa, at Drake Stadium.

FROM THE TRACK
Head Coach Travis Geopfert
On the success the team had during the weekend…
"It was a great track meet. We appreciate the University of Oregon hosting this meet. It's a unique meet, it was a scored meet, and you know, we did a really good job as a team. Our women finished second overall to Oregon, and on the men's side, we came out, we won this track, and that's a big deal. When we come out to a place like Hayward field and put on a little bit of a show, I'm excited for both of our programs."

On the rise of the sprinters on the team…
"Individual highlights, you know, there's just almost too many to name, a bunch of all time, top 10 K-State performances. I want to give a shout out to Mat Clark, our sprints coach, he's just done an unbelievable job, there was a bunch of breakthroughs. We've got a lot of compliments from fans, from coaches of other programs, talking about how our sprinters are really on the rise, and they are."

Oregon Team Invitational
Hayward Field
Eugene, Ore.

Men's Hammer Throw
2. Gary Moore Jr., 65.29m (214' 2")

Women's 4x100 Relay
2. K-State, 44.74
(D. Riehle, V. Mercera, A. Jackson, M. Zeffou-Poaty)

Men's 4x100 Relay
3. K-State, 39.68
(J. Guthridge, C. DaCunha, N. Matlock, T. Chikomba)

Men's Javelin Throw
2. Riley Marx, 72.84m (238' 11")
4. Dorian Charles, 68.15m (223' 7")(PR)

Men's Triple Jump
1. Selva Prabhu, 16.61m (54' 6")(1.6)
2. Apalos Edwards, 16.53m (54' 2.75")(0.8)
3. Jhavor Bennett, 16.11m (52' 10.25")(0.6)
Aaron Antoine, NM

Women's 1,500 Meters
11. Emma Baum, 4:30.15 (PR)
12. Grace Meyer, 4:30.44

Men's 1,500 Meters
10. Dylan Plath, 3:48.98
11. Julian Avila, 3:50.61 (PR)

Women's 100 Meter Hurdles
1. Jourdin Edwards, 13.64 (-0.6) (PR)
8. Lalie Pouzancre-Hoyer, 14.36 (-0.6)
14. Zoey Brinker, 16.16 (-0.6)

Women's Triple Jump
2. Daniela Wamokpego, 13.27m (43' 6.5")(-0.2)
3. Destini Smith, 13.13m (43' 1")(0.1)
4. Tesia Thomas, 13.08m (42' 11")(2.2) (PR)
6. Aaliyah Lindsay, 12.85m (42' 2")(0.3)
7. Taylor Mayo, 12.74m (41' 9.75")(0.1)
9. Kayla Goodwin, 12.39m (40' 7.75")(0.7)

Men's 110 Meter Hurdles
5. Mattix DaCunha, 14.33 (1.0) (PR)
11. Dorian Charles, 15.45 (1.0)

Women's Pole Vault
5. Taegan Olson, 3.91m (12' 10")
Claire Bybee, NH

Women's 400 Meters
1. Desirae Riehle, 53.15 (PR)
2. Anastasiia Kretova, 54.12 (PR)
4. Delaney Brinker, 55.22

Men's 400 Meters
1. Nen Matlock, 46.40
2. Tavon Underwood, 46.42

Men's Shot Put
8. Emil Uhlin, 13.48m (44' 2.75")
11. Mattix DaCunha, 12.07m (39' 7.25")

Women's 100 Meters
6. Maud Zeffou-Poaty, 11.98 (0.4)

Men's 100 Meters
3. Tah Chikomba, 10.38 (-0.6)
5. Trevon Hamer, 10.51 (-0.6)
8. Croix DaCunha, 10.73 (-0.6)

Women's High Jump
2. Shanniqua Williams, 1.74m (5' 8.5")
6. Lindsey DeWitt, 1.69m (5' 6.5") (PR)

Women's 800 Meters
4. Anna Pozdeeva, 2:07.03 (PR)
10. Angi Pondler, 2:09.4

Men's 800 Meters
7. Jackson Steger, 1:50.51 (PR)
9. Vance Krudwig, 1:51.05 (PR)
11. Heath Grant, 1:51.52

Women's 400 Meter Hurdles
1. Vanessa Mercera, 56.62 (PR)
2. Reese Brownlee, 58.52 (PR)
3. Jourdin Edwards, 59.07
6. Delaney Wright, 1:00.27
9. Reese Kasper, 1:00.76 (PR)

Men's 400 Meter Hurdles
2. Thomas Canivet, 51.68
3. Cyrus Ways, 52.32

Women's 200 Meters
5. Ariana Jackson, 24.67 (0.0)

Men's 200 Meters
2. Jack Guthridge, 21.53
3. Quenton Rice, 21.72

Women's 3,000 Meter Steeplechase
6. Cecilia Fisher, 10:34.46

Men's 3,000 Meter Steeplechase
7. Canyon Buehler, 9:37.84

Women's 4x400 Relay
1. K-State A, 3:34.19
(D. Riehle, D. Brinker, A. Kretova, V. Mercera)
3. K-State B, 3:41.17
(R. Kasper, A. Pozdeeva, D. Wright, A. Jackson)
5. K-State C, 3:43.72
(J. Edwards, R. Brownlee, A. Pondler, Z. Brinker)

Men's 4x400 Relay
2. K-State A, 3:07.62
(J. Guthrige, N. Matlock, H. Grant, T. Underwood)
5. K-State B, 3:29.76
(Q. Rice, D. Plath, V. Krudwig, J. Steger)

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