K-State Continues Postseason with NCAA West Preliminary

Wednesday, May 27

Fayetteville, Ark.

Kansas State University

NCAA West Preliminary

K-State Continues Postseason with NCAA West Preliminary

May 26, 2026 | Track & Field

Live Results Wednesday Live Stream (ESPN+)First Round Information

27 Wildcats will compete in individual events as well as three relay teams over four days of competition

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The K-State track and field teams' 27 qualifiers and three relay teams will continue the postseason with the NCAA West Preliminary set for Wednesday-Saturday (May 27-30) in Fayetteville, Ark., at John McDonnell Field. Tickets start at $16 for individual sessions while all-session tickets are $70.

The four days of competition are split with the men competing on Wednesday and Friday, the women on Thursday and Saturday, all four days will be streamed on ESPN+ at the start of the track events. 48 competitors in each event, 24 relay teams, will compete for a top 12 spot to advance to the NCAA Championship on June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

14 men will compete, with an event-high four men in the triple jump, junior Aaron Antoine, senior Jhavor Bennett, senior Apalos Edwards and sophomore Selva Prabhu. In the other jumps events, junior Tah Chikomba, freshman Croix DaCunha and sophomore Uroy Ryan in the long jump and freshman Alan Hanna in the high jump.

The six remaining men are split into sprinters and throwers, senior Bongumusa Nkosi and junior Tavon Underwood in the 400 meters and sophomore Thomas Canivet in the 400-meter hurdles. For the throwers, junior Ricardo Hayles in the discus throw, junior Riley Marx in the javelin and senior Gary Moore Jr. in both the discus and hammer throw.

13 women will compete, including an event-high five women in the triple jump, junior Taylor Mayo, freshman Destini Smith, senior Tesia Thomas, junior Daniela Wamokpego and senior Aaliyah Lindsay who will also compete in the long jump beside freshman Chisom Nwafor and junior Maud Zeffou-Poaty. One woman will participate in the high jump, freshman Zoey Brinker.

Also, an event-high from the Wildcats is four women in the 400-meter hurdles, freshman Reese Brownlee, senior Jourdin Edwards, freshman Reese Kasper and senior Vanessa Mercera. One more sprinter, freshman Desirae Riehle will compete in the 400 meters.

Three K-State relay teams, the men's 4x100 and 4x400 and women's 4x400, will compete in the quarterfinal rounds on Friday and Saturday.

Prior to the first round, the men's team sits in 15^th place with126.2 points in the USTFCCCA team rankings, the women are 31^st with 70.38 points. The men lead the triple jump in the EventSquad rankings and are 2^nd in the long jump. On the women's side, the Cats lead the 400-meter hurdles and the triple jump.

In the Big 12 Championship on May 14-16 in Tucson, Ariz., the men's team finished 4^th with 83.33 points while the women placed 9^th in 43.5 points. Three Wildcats were crowned champions, Chikomba (long jump; 8.27m, 27' 1.75"), Prabhu (triple jump; 17.19m, 56' 4.75") and Mercera (400 hurdles; 55.39).

With his Big 12 record and new school record, Chikomba leads the NCAA in the long jump in his first season, previously competing in the NJCAA for Meridian Community College. Mercera also set another school record in 55.39 seconds, her second outdoor school record after the 400 meters, and her fifth record this season.

During the conference championship eight more Wildcats had top-3 medal performances, Moore Jr. finished runner-up in the hammer throw with a season-high distance of 67.22m (220' 6"). Marx was 2^nd in the javelin at 68.75m (225' 7") and Hayles got a bronze medal in the discus throw with a season's best of his own at 57.84m (189' 9"), the no. 6 best throw in the K-State all-time top-10.

Four jumpers made their mark on the podium, Ryan jumped 7.94m (26' 0.75") for 3^rd place in the long jump and Lindsay recorded a personal best as runner-up in the women's event at 6.42m (21' 0.75"). In the women's triple jump Wamokpego claimed a silver medal at 13.45m (44' 1.5") and Smith was right behind by an inch to finish 3^rd at 13.42m (44' 0.5").

In the men's 400 meters, Underwood ran his fastest time of 45.30 seconds, tied for the no. 2 fastest outdoor K-State time, to claim a bronze medal. Two other sprinters recorded their fastest times during the weekend; Canivet ran 50.04 in the 400-meter hurdles prelim, tied for the no. 2 best time in school records, while Riehle clocked 52.24 in the 400 meters for 7^th place, now the no. 4 fastest time in K-State history.

West Preliminary Schedule
Wednesday, May 27 (men)
9:30 a.m.- Gary Moore Jr. (hammer throw)
2:00 p.m.- Riley Marx (javelin throw)
6:30 p.m.- Tah Chikomba, Croix DaCunha, Uroy Ryan (long jump)
7:25 p.m.- Bongumusa Nkosi, Tavon Underwood (400 meters)
8:20 p.m.- Thomas Canivet (400-meter hurdles)

Thursday, May 28 (women)
6:30 p.m.- Aaliyah Lindsay, Chisom Nwafor, Maud Zeffou-Poaty (long jump)
7:25 p.m.- Desirae Riehle (400 meters)
8:20 p.m.- Reese Brownlee, Jourdin Edwards, Reese Kasper, Vanessa Mercera (400-meter hurdles)

Friday, May 29 (men)
1:00 p.m.- Ricardo Hayles, Gary Moore Jr. (discus throw)
2:00 p.m.- Alan Hanna (high jump)
5:00 p.m.- 4x100 Relay
6:00 p.m.- Aaron Antoine, Jhavor Bennett, Apalos Edwards, Selva Prabhu (triple jump)
6:50 p.m.- 400 meters quarterfinal (Nkosi, Underwood)
7:25 p.m.- 400-meter hurdles quarterfinal (Canivet)
8:45 p.m.- 4x400 Relay

Saturday, May 30 (women)
2:00 p.m.- Zoey Brinker (high jump)
6:00 p.m.- Aaliyah Lindsay, Taylor Mayo, Destini Smith, Tesia Thomas, Daniela Wamokpego (triple jump)
6:50 p.m.- 400 meters quarterfinal (Riehle)
7:25 p.m.- 400-meter hurdles quarterfinal (Brownlee, Edwards, Kasper, Mercera)
8:45 p.m.- 4x400 Relay

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