Men's Track and Field | 2/5/2026 2:00:00 PM

Emporia State Track & Field 
at Bearcat Invite 
Hughes Fieldhouse | Maryville, Mo.  
Friday, February 6 | Multis at 12 p.m.; Running & Field Events at 5 p.m. 
Saturday, February 7 | Heptathlon at 9 a.m.; Running Events at 10 a.m.; Field at 11 a.m. 
Live Results: Black Squirrel Timing 
Live Stream: None 
Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: Gorilla Classic | Pittsburg, Kan. 
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 13-14, 2026

ANOTHER TWO DAYS  
Emporia State travels to Maryville, Mo. to take part in their second two day meet in a row at the Bearcat Invite.  Action at Hughes Fieldhouse begins on Friday at noon with the women's pentathlon. Saturday's action is set to begin at 9:00 a.m. with day two of the men's heptathlon.

LAST LAP
Emporia State had four provisional qualifiers, three top four finishers and three mark in the top five all-time at the WU Open.
Connor Deters had a provisional qualifier of 16.98m (55-08.50) to place second in the men's shot put to highlight the action.
Emmanuel Dukpe ran a provisional qualifying time of 48.28 in the men's 400m and finished in 18th place.
Ezekiel Seamster had a provisional qualifier of 6.81 to advance to the semifinals of the men's 60m dash.   
Stella Agbokpah ran 7.63 in the women's 60m semifinals to tie her personal best that ranks second all-time for Emporia State.  She ran a provisional qualifier of 24.51 to place seventh in the women's 200m.  It is the second fastest women's 200m in Emporia State history behind her own school record of 24.43 set earlier this season
Dylan Hunter ran the fourth fastest indoor 5000m in Emporia State history. His time of 14:44.44 moved him in front of ESU Hall of Honor member Ireland Sloan who ran 14:44.47 in Winnipeg, Canada in 1962.
Barbara Bentum became just the fifth Emporia State women to break 25 seconds in the 200m. Her time of 24.99 was good enough to place 22nd on Friday. 
Mia Manley cleared 3.57m (11-08.50) to place fourth in the invitational women's pole vault.
Madison Vermetten threw 16.76m (55-00.00) to place fourth in the women's weight throw.

THE COACH
Seth Mischke is in his third year as the head coach for the Emporia State track and field programs. The Hornets have produced six MIAA individual champions and seven All-Americans in the first two years 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.

PROVISIONAL QUALIFIERS
The Hornets have recorded 13 NCAA Provisional qualifying marks this season.  Seven Emporia State men have eight qualifying marks in five events.  Four Emporia State women have five qualifying marks in four events.

IN THE MIAA
Emporia State has a top four mark in the MIAA in four events from four different individual athletes.  The Hornets have a total of 21 top ten marks in the Association, 12 for the men and nine for the women.
Ezekiel Seamster is second in the men's 200m at 21.48 at the Washburn Alumni Invitational.
Israel Domeh is third in the men's 200m behind Seamster with a time of 21.55 at the Washburn Alumni Invitational.
Luke Grace scored a converted 5119 points in the UCCS Pre-Holiday to rank second in the men's heptathlon.
Stella Agbokpah ran 24.42 at the Washburn Alumni Invitational to rank fourth in the women's 200m.

LAST YEAR'S BEARCAT INVITE
Emporia State had six provisional qualifiers, an event champion and three runner-up finishes at the Bearcat Invite in Maryville, Mo.
Connor Deters continued his move up the Emporia State record books in the men's shot put.  He went 17.07m (56-00) to move into third place on the Emporia State all-time list.
Max Neeley was second in the men's pole vault, clearing 4.81m (15-9.25) to place second with a provisional qualifier.
Trenden Collins made the provisional mark for the first time this year, clearing 2.04m (6-8.25) to place fourth in the men's high jump.
Competing in the men's invitational 400m, Emmanuel Dukpe ran the second fastest time in Emporia State history.  His time of 47.79 was good for fourth place.
Israel Domeh had provisional marks in two events.  He ran 48.09 in the open 400m to place fourth and move into fifth in the event in Emporia State history. He came back with a 21.63 to place fourth in the men's 200m.
Abigael Reid won the women's 600 yard run to highlight the Emporia State women's performance on Saturday in Maryville.
Emporia State had four career bests in limited action on Friday night at the Bearcat Invite.
Savannah Stewart went over the 11-foot mark for the first time in her career as she cleared 3.36m (11-0.25) to finish tenth in the women's pole vault.
Darren Klukas ran a career best 15:07.92 to place eighth in the men's 5000m for the best finish of the evening for the Hornets.  
Cooper Schroer and Luke Gleason both had career bests in the men's 1000m.  Schroer ran 2:33.66 to place 12th while Gleason finished in 15th place with a time of 2:34.38.

TRACK TOWN USA - DIVISION II STYLE
Emporia State's Welch Stadium and Zola Witten Track will host 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 2024 with the first meet in 1995 bringing 450 student-athletes to Emporia. The 2026 meet is scheduled to bring 754 student-athletes, nearly 200 coaches and over 100 officials to the Flint Hills over the Memorial Day weekend.
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.
After playing host to the 2024 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Emporia State was the site of the 2025 MIAA Outdoor Championships. It was the seventh time Welch Stadium has served as host of the conference championships since 1997.

UP NEXT
The Hornets complete a three week tour of two day meets in the MIAA as they travel to Pittsburg, Kan. for the Gorilla Classic. Competition runs on Friday and Saturday, February 13 and 14 at the Plaster Center on the campus of Pittsburg State.

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