Welch Stadium and Witten Track to Host MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Men's Track and Field | 5/1/2025 6:00:00 PM

Emporia State Track & Field 
hosts MIAA Outdoor Championships
Friday, May 2 | Heptathlon at 1:30 p.m.; Decathlon 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 3 | Dec at 10 a.m.; Hept at 10:30 a.m.; Field at Noon; Track at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 4 | Field at 11:15 a.m.; Track at 1:30 p.m. 
Welch Stadium/Witten Track | Emporia, Kan.
Live Results: Black Squirrel Timing | Live Video: The MIAA Network 
Ticket Info | Start Lists | Complete Notes in pdf  
MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Record Book
Up Next: Last Chance Qualifiers
Friday-Sunday, May 9-11 | TBA

CHAMPIONS ARE MADE IN MAY 
The Championship portion of the schedule will get started with the MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Emporia State's Welch Stadium/Witten Track. Five top 25 men's teams and four top 25 women's teams will travel to Emporia for the three day championships meet.

NATIONALLY RANKED
The Emporia State men are ranked #17 in the latest USTFCCCA Outdoor rankings. The Hornet javelin group of Kole Manley, Brooks Lowe, Mitch Budke and Aidan Hicks are ranked second in the nation in the event squad rankings and provide a team high 42.3 points. Ty Anderson and Kinglsey Bennett combined to provide 22.25 points in the 100m. Jonah Remsberg is ranked seventh nationally in the decathlon and adds 19.55 points. Max Neeley gives the Hornets 8.48 points in the pole vault and is ranked 14th in the nation. Anderson is 18th in the nation worth 3.46 points in the long jump. Emmanuel Dukpe provides 1.32 points in the 400m to rank 25th in the nation. High jumpers Trenden Collins and Will Allen add 0.36 points while the 4x400m relay team of Bryson Turner, Braden Lipgens, Andrew Holton and Dukpe contribute 0.40 points. 

THE COACH
Seth Mischke is in his second year as the head coach for the Emporia State track and field programs. The Hornets have produced five MIAA individual champions and an All-American under his leadership. Before coming to Emporia State he spent one year at Chadron State. Eagle throwers earned five All-America awards and four RMAC Championships. Prior to Chadron State, Mischke spent 11 seasons as the head track and field coach at Black Hills State University. The Yellow Jackets produced two individual national champions, 18 All-America earners, 18 conference champions, and more than 100 All-RMAC honorees under his guidance. Mischke was the head coach at St. Cloud State for 12 years. During his tenure at SCSU, the Huskies had 44 All-Americans and one national champion.

LAST LAP
At the final tune-up before next weekend's MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Emporia State came away with five event champions, five provisional qualifiers and a top two mark all-time at ESU during the Rock Chalk Classic in Lawrence, Kan. and the J. Fred Duckett Twilight in Houston, Texas.
Max Neeley provided the highlight of the day at Rock Chalk Park when he cleared 5.06m (16-7.25) to move into second place all-time in the men's pole vault for the Hornets. He moved past Zach Rosenberger who cleared 5.02m (16-06.00) at the 2010 MIAA Championships. He is now second behind only Brandon Masters who went over 5.34m (17-6.50) at the 1997 MIAA Championships. Neeley was fifth at the Rock Chalk Classic and the second NCAA Division II finisher. He is ranked 12th in the nation this season in the event as of Saturday evening.
Ty Anderson had two individual event titles and was part of a relay championship in Lawrence.  He won the 100m with a provisional qualifier of 10.45m and went 6.94m (22-9.25) to win the long jump.
Emporia State took both men's relay championships.  Anderson was joined by Kingsley Bennett, Isaac Tarango and Alden Mollerus to run 41.03 and win the 4x100m relay.  The foursome of Bryson Turner, Israel Domeh, Braden Lipgens and Emmanuel Dukpe ran 3:14.28 to win the men's 4x400m relay.
Mason Bina got the lone individual championship for the Emporia State women.  She ran 2:21.09 win capture the open 800m championship.
Abigael Reid Harelson turned in another provisional qualifying effort in the 400m hurdles. She ran 1:01.47 to place fifth and was the second finisher from a Division II school.
The Hornets sent three men's javelin throwers to Houston, Texas for the J Fred Duckett Twilight meet hosted by Rice and all three finished in the top eight.  Kole Manley and Brooks Lowe both had provisional qualifiers in the Lone Star State. Manley threw 65.13m (213-8) to place fifth while Lowe tossed 64.27m (210-10) to finish sixth.  Mitch Budke placed eighth with a toss of 58.35m (191-5) to round out the Hornets in Texas.

HOW TOUGH IS IT?
The MIAA has five men's and five women's teams ranked in the top 30 of this week's USTFCCCA power rankings of the outdoor season representing six different schools. That is the most teams and schools represented by one conference in the top 30. Eight MIAA men's teams and eight women's teams are ranked in the top 50 nationally.
The MIAA had seven women's teams and five men's teams score, including both national championship teams, at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. There were a total of the eight women's and seven men's teams represented at the championships. The Association had 66 First-Team All-American honors with five national championships and seven runner-up finishes.

NATIONAL LEADERS
Nine of the top marks in the nation, six men's and three women's, are from MIAA schools - the most of any one conference in Division II.
Pittsburg State's Dapriest Hogans has the top mark in the men's 200m with a time of 20.13 set at the ESU Relays.
Joel Nyatusah of Pitt State ran 13.19 at the Pittsburg State Tune Up for the top time in the men's 110m hurdles.
At the John McDonnell Invitational the Pittsburg State men's 4x100m relay team was clocked at 39.59 while their 4x400m relay ran 3:05.66 to lead the nation in both relays.
Missouri Southern's Cedric Pearson has the #1 mark in the nation in the men's shot put at 18.60m (61-0.25) at the Mule Relays.
Caleb Calvin of Pittsburg State leads four javelin throwers from four different schools in the top five of the nation. He threw 78.71m (258-3) at the Southwest Baptist Invitational.
For the women Pittsburg State's Rachel Wilson cleared 1.80m (5-10.75) at the Arkansas Spring Invitational to lead the nation in the high jump.
Lily Novacek of Neb.-Kearney threw 63.92m (209-8) at the Central Nebraska Challengefor the top mark in the women's hammer throw.
Like the men the top javelin mark for the women is from the MIAA with Central Missouri's Addison Throckmorton throwing 51.25m (168-2) at the Mule Relays.

WHO'S FAVORED IN THE TEAM RACE
The Pittsburg State men and women both won the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships this year and are each ranked #1 in the USTFCCCA MIAA Conference Rankings. The Washburn men are ranked second in the USTFCCCA MIAA rankings and Missouri Southern is third.  In the women's competition Northwest Missouri is second in the USTFCCCA rankings with Washburn third.  Emporia State is ranked seventh in the conference rankings in both men and women.

HORNETS NEAR THE TOP OF THE MIAA
There are 24 marks from Emporia State ranked in the top eight of the MIAA performance list.
Ty Anderson is defending MIAA Champion in the 100m and is ranked second in the event this year. He ran 10.17 at the ESU Relays. He is also ranked third in the long jump after going 7.44m (24-5) at the ESU Relays.
Max Neeley is ranked second in the association after clearing 5.06m (16-7.25) in the men's pole vault at the Rock Chalk Classic.
Kole Manley is ranked third with a throw of 70.21m (230-4) in the men's javelin at the ESU Relays. Brooks Lowe is sixth in the javelin with a toss of 66.98m (219-9) at the ESU Relays.
Jonah Remsberg scored 7,033 points at the Jo Meaker Classic to rank third in the MIAA in the decathlon. He is also ranked sixth in the men's long jump with a mark of 7.30m (23-11.5) in the long jump at the Jo Meaker Classic.
The men's 4x400m relay team of Bryson Turner, Israel Domeh, Braden Lipgens and Emmanuel Dukpe ran 3:14.28 at the Rock Chalk Classic to rank fourth in the league. 
Kingsley Bennett, Adam Mollerus,Isaac Tarango and Anderson are ranked fifth with a time of 40.94 at the KU Relays in the 4x100m relay. 
Emmanuel Dukpe is ranked sixth in the men's 400m with a time of 47.04 at the ESU Relays.
For the women Abigael Reid Harelson is ranked second in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:00.44 at the KU Relays.
Renee Nichol is third in the MIAA in the women's triple jump with a mark of 11.52m (37-9.5) at the ESU Relays. 
The women's 4x400m relay team of Abigael Reid Harelson, Scarlett Begley, Barbara Bentum and Isabella Davie ran 3:56.17 at the ESU Relays to rank sixth in the association.
Isabel Vikoler is sixth in the MIAA heptathlon with 4,336 points at the Jo Meaker Classic.

PROVISIONAL QUALIFIERS
So far this season the Hornets have 13 provisional qualifying marks in nine different events.
Four of the qualifiers are in the men's javelin. At the ESU Relays Kole Manley had a toss of 70.21m (230-04) at the ESU Relays and is currently ranked fourth in the nation in Division II. Brooks Lowe went 66.98m (219-9) at the ESU Relays to rank ninth in the nation. Mitch Budke had a provisional mark of 63.26m (207-6) at the ESU Relays to rank 31st nationally. Aidan Hicks had a provisional throw of 62.44m (204-10) at the ESU Relays and rank 35th in Division II.
Ty Anderson ran a school record 10.17 in the men's 100m at the ESU Relays and is currently ranked sixth in the nation. He also had a provisional qualifier in the long jump at the ESU Relays, going 7.44m (24-5) to rank 18th in Division II. 
Jonah Remsberg became the second Hornet over 7000 points in the decathlon with 7,033 at the Jo Meaker Classic Multis. He is currently ranked seventh in the nation.
Max Neeley cleared a provisional qualifying bar of 5.06m (16-7.255) in the men's pole vault at the Rock Chalk Classic and is 14th in the nation.
Emmanuel Dukpe ran 47.04 at the ESU Relays and is ranked 25th in the nation this spring.
Kingsley Bennett joins Anderson with a provisional in the 100m, going 10.37 at the ESU Relays to rank 34th in the nation this year.
Israel Domeh turned in a 21.07 in the 200m at the KT Woodman Classic to rank 55th in the nation.
Mia Manley cleared a provisional qualifying bar of 3.87m (12-8.25) in the women's invitational pole vault at the ESU Relays. She is ranked 23rd in the nation.
Abigael Reid Harelson ran 1:00.44 in the prelims at the KU Relays to rank 20th in Division II. 

LAST YEAR'S MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Emporia State had two event champions, a stadium record, six trips to the podium, four ESU top five performances and 12 provisional qualifiers on the final day of the MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Herschel Neil Track and Bearcat Stadium in Maryville, Mo. The Hornet men finished fifth in the team standings while the ESU women were 11th overall.
Hornet sophomore Ty Anderson ended up as the high point scorer for the meet with 19.5 points. He won the 100m, was a member of the third place 4x100m relay team and finished second in the long jump on Saturday to capture the honor.  His time of 10.33 in the 100m set a facility record and is another provisional qualifier for the NCAA Championships. He is the first Hornet to win the men's 100m dash at the MIAA Championships.
He joined Kinglsey Bennett, Isaac Tarango and Carter Cox to run a provisional qualifier of 40.33 and place third in the 4x100m relay.  It is the fourth best time in Emporia State history.
Travis Morrison completed the sweep of the indoor and outdoor titles in the shot put.  He threw 17.91m (58-09.25) to win Emporia State's fourth MIAA championship in the outdoor shot put and the first since Jim Riedesel in 1999.
Bennett joined Anderson on the podium in the 100m as he ran a provisional qualifier of 10.49 to place third.
In the final race of the day, the men's 4x400m relay team of Jack Watson, Isaac Tarango, Carter Cox and Jake Johnson pushed the Hornets into fifth place in the team standings. They ran a provisional qualifying time of 3:12.02 to finish second and pick up eight points.
Johnson turned in the second fastest time in Emporia State history in the 400m hurdles. He was clocked in 51.65 to place third and get a spot on the podium.
Xavier Hall just missed the podium as he ran a provisional qualifying time of 14.08 to place fourth in the 110m hurdles.
Trenden Collins cleared a provisional qualifying bar of 2.08m (6-09.75) to place sixth in the high jump.
Tyler Swift rounded out the Hornet scoring on Sunday, running 3:52.18 to place seventh in the 1500m.
Aidan Hicks had the final provisional qualifier for the Emporia State men. He threw 59.23m (194-04) to place ninth in the javelin.
Mele Taula scored in two events with two provisional qualifiers for the Emporia State women.  She was fourth in the shot put with a toss of 14.51m (47-07.25) after placing eighth with a throw of 42.06m (138-00) in the javelin.
Abigael Reid ran a provisional qualifier of 1:00.33 to place fifth in the 400m hurdles. It is the third fastest time in Emporia State history.
Ashley Wildeman ran the fourth fastest time in Emporia State history in the 100m as she was clocked in 11.86 tp place seventh.
Wildeman teamed with Kadaisha Mpwo, Clarice Nichols and Lauren Carlson to run 47.22 and finish eighth in the 4x100m relay to round out the Hornet scoring.
In addition to Hicks in the men's javelin, Emporia State had three other athletes finish ninth and just miss scoring. Josiah Driggers was ninth with a personal best of 14.30m (46-11.00) on his last attempt of the men's triple jump. Zach Sulzen-Watson was ninth with a 16.05m (52-08.00) in the men's shot put. And the women's 4x400m relay team of Hollie Marlow, Mackenzie Owings, Reid, and Carlson ran 3:51.94 to place ninth.
  
EMPORIA STATE TOP FIVE MARKS
Seven men and five women on this year's teams are ranked in the top five of an event at Emporia State. 
For the men Ty Anderson set the school record with a time of 10.17 this year at the ESU Relays.
Jonah Remsberg is second at Emporia State with 7,033 points in the decathlon and is tied for fifth in the pole vault after clearing 4.75m (15-07) at the Jo Meaker Classic.
Max Neeley is second in the pole vault at Emporia State after clearing 5.06m (16-7.25) at the Rock Chalk Classic.
Cole Manley threw 70.21m (230-4) to rank third all-time in the javelin at Emporia State.
Kingsley Bennett ran 10.37 at the ESU Relays to match his fourth best time in the 100m for the Hornets.
Emmanuel Dukpe has the fourth best time in the 400m in Emporia State history after running 47.04 at the ESU Relays.
Trenden Collins cleared 2.14m (7-0.25) at the Concordia Qualifier last year to rank second all-time at Emporia State.
For the women Mia Manley went over 3.87m (12-8.25) at the ESU Relays to rank second all-time at Emporia State.
Madison Vermetten is fifth all-time for the Hornets in the hammer after throwing 52.48m (172-2) at the KU Relays.
Emma Bartholome ran 11:54.30 at the Midwest Classic to rank fifth all-time at Emporia State in the 3000m steeplechase.
Abigael Reid Harelson ran 1:00.09 at the 2024 NCAA Championships to rank third in the 400m hurdles for Emporia State and scored 4,913 points at the 2022 MIAA Championships in the heptathlon to rank fourth on the ESU all-time list.
School record holder Mele Tuala is redshirting this year but is ranked in the top five of two events. She set the school record with a javelin throw of 46.84m (153-8) at last year's Gorilla Classic and is ranked third in the shot put with a mark of 15.15m (49-8.50) at the KU Relays in 2024.

EVENT SQUAD RANKINGS
Emporia State has a combined seven event squads ranked in the top 25 of the nation.  The event squad rankings use the cumulative season-best qualifying marks from a team's top-four ranked athletes on the national descending-order list.  The men have five squads in the top 25 and the women have two. 
The Emporia State men's javelin group of Kole Manley, Brooks Lowe, Mitch Budke and Aidan Hicks is ranked second in the nation. All four of them have a provisional qualifying mark this season and the top three javelin squads in the nation are in the MIAA.
The 100m group of Ty Anderson, Kingsley Bennett, Alden Mollerus and Isaac Tarango is ranked fifth in the nation with Anderson and Bennet both hitting the NCAA provisional standard. Three of the top seven 100m groups are from the MIAA.
The high jump quartet of Trenden Collins, Will Allen, Luke Grace and Jaxon Russell are ranked seventh in the nation. The MIAA has three high jump squads in the top seven of the nation.
Emmanuel Dukpe, Israel Domeh, Bryson Turner, and Braden Lipgens are ranked 11th as a group in the 400m.
Max Neeley has a provisional qualifier in the pole vault and is joined by Jonah Remsberg, Aaron Quillen and Coby Smith as the #12 group of vaulters in the nation. They are one of the three MIAA squads ranked in the top 12 nationally.
The Emporia State women's hammer group of Madison Vermetten, Rachelle Reichert, Avery Redmon and Jordan Gibson is ranked 19th in the nation. Five of the top 20 women's hammer squads are in the MIAA.
Ally Trier, Harper Schoendallar, Faith Paramore and Isabella Davie combine to rank 23rd nationally in the javelin. The top two javelin groups in the nation are from the MIAA.
As a conference the MIAA has the top ranked event squad in eight events - the 100m, 200m, 400m, high jump, triple jump, hammer throw and javelin throw for the men and the javelin throw for the women.

RETURNING HORNET OUTDOOR QUALIFIERS
Emporia State has ten individuals returning that hit the provisional qualifying mark last outdoor season, four of whom participated at the national championships in Emporia.
Trenden Collins was 12th in the nation in the high jump after clearing 2.14m (7-0.25) at the Concordia Twilight Qualifier. He competed at the NCAA Championships, but did not clear a height.
Ty Anderson ran a personal best time of 10.27 to finish 14th in the men's 100m at the national championships. He was also ranked 34th in the nation in the long jump after going 7.43m (24-4.5) at the MIAA Championships. 
Kingsley Bennett ran 10.37 at the Gorilla Classic to rank 30th in the nation in the 100m. 
Three Hornets provisionally qualified in the discus. Antonio Cooper was ranked 25th in the discus with a throw of 52.13m (171-0) at the FHSU Spring Invite. At the Rock Chalk Classic Zach Sulzen Watson threw 51.06m (167-6) to rank 34th while Connor Deters had a mark of 50.62m (166-1) to rank 39th nationally.
Aidan Hicks threw 59.23m (194-4) at the MIAA Championships to rank 48th nationally in the javelin.
For the women Abigael Reid ran a personal best of 1:00.09 to place 14th in the women's 400m hurdles at nationals.
Madison Vermetten was 25th in the nation in the discus with a mark of 46.77m (153-5) at the Rock Chalk Classic.
Mele Taula was tenth in the nation with a school record 46.84m (153-8) in the javelin at the Gorilla Classic She was also 16th in the nation in the shot put with a throw of 15.02m (49-3.5) at the KU Relays. At the national meet she was 11th in the javelin with a throw of 45.91m (150-7)  after finishing 12th with a mark of 14.64m (48-00.50) in the shot put. She is red-shirting this season after surgery this spring.

HORNET INDOOR QUALIFIERS
Emporia State had 19 provisional qualifying marks for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships from 15 different student-athletes. 
Ty Anderson was ranked 11th in the nation in the 60m after running a school record 6.68 in the prelims at the MIAA Championships. He placed 11th with a time of 6.72 to  earn second-team All-American honors.
Jonah Remsberg was ranked tenth in the nation after winning the MIAA Championship in the heptathlon with 5,265 points. He finished 11th with 5173 points to earn second-team All-American honors. 
Connor Deters was 20th in the nation with a mark of 17.38m (57-0.25) in the men's shot put at the Bearcat Invite.
Emmanuel Dukpe was 24th in the nation in the men's 400m after running 47.44 at the MIAA Championships.  
Luke Grace scored a 5,135 points at the MIAA Championships heptathlon to rank 25th in the nation.
Israel Domeh ran 21.26 in the men's 200m at the MIAA Championships to rank 26th in the nation. He turned in a 48.09 at the Bearcat Invite to rank 61st in the nation in the men's 400m. 
Max Neeley went 4.93m (16-2.00) at the Ichabod Invitational to rank 27th in the nation. 
Ty Anderson is also ranked 35th in the nation in the long jump wit a mark of 7.29m (23-11) at the MIAA Championships and 40th nationally with a time of 21.42 in the 200m at the Washburn Open. 
Trenden Collins cleared 2.04m (6-8.25) in the high jump at the Bearcat Invite while Will Allen cleared the same height at the MIAA Championships to both rank 38th nationally.
Kingsley Bennett ran 6.77 at the MIAA Championships to rank 42nd in the nation.
Jonah Remsberg is also ranked 46th in the nation in the long jump with a mark of 7.23m (23-8.75) during his heptathlon in Colorado Springs.
The men's 4x400m relay team of Bryson Turner, Israel Domeh, Braden Lipgens and Emmanuel Dupke ran 3:12.36 at the MIAA Championships to rank 17th in the nation.
Isabella Davie scored a total of 3,470 points in the pentathlon at the MIAA Championships. She is ranked 33rd in the nation.
Madison Vermetten threw 17.41m (57-1.50) in the weight throw at the Ichabod Invitational to rank 35th in the nation.
Mele Taula had a pair of provisional qualifiers before undergoing surgery and is redshirting this year. She is ranked 10th in the nation after going 15.15m (49-8.5) in the women's shot put at the WU Alumni Invite.  At the Rust Buster she threw 17.20m (56-5.25) to rank 43rd nationally in the weight throw.

TRACK TITLE TOWN
Emporia State's Welch Stadium and Zola Witten Track have been selected as the host site for the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.  It will be the fifth time that Welch Stadium has played host to the national championships.
Welch Stadium previously served as the host site for the National Championships in 1995, 1999, 2006 and most recently in 2024 with the first meet in 1995 bringing 450 student-athletes to Emporia. The 2024 and 2026 meets are scheduled to bring 754 student-athletes, nearly 200 coaches and over 100 officials to the Flint Hills over the Memorial Day weekend.
The 2024 meet saw a total of seven Championship Meet records and 22 facility records set during the three days of competition.
The 2026 Championships are scheduled for May 21-23.
During championship week, the NCAA Committee will come to Emporia on Monday with the first practice time available on Tuesday.  Wednesday of championship week will see a variety of coaches and officials meetings before the actual competition begin on Thursday.  The meet will wrap up on Saturday evening. 
Welch Stadium and Witten Track will play host to the MIAA Outdoor Championships this season.  It will be the seventh time in the last 28 years Emporia State has played host to the outdoor championships, the most of any MIAA location since the league expanded in 1989.

NEXT LAP
Hornets that are on the bubble for the NCAA Championships may travel to one of several meets across the Midwest next weekend in an attempt to solidify their qualifying marks for the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held in Pueblo, Colo. May 22-24.