Men's Track and Field | 3/26/2026 1:28:00 PM
Emporia State Track & Field
hosts Spring Open
Welch Stadium/Witten Track | Emporia, Kan.
Friday, March 27
Field Events start at 10:30 a.m.
Track Events start at 1:00 p.m.
Live Results:
Black Squirrel Timing Live Stream: None
Up Next: ESU Midwest Classic
Emporia, Kan. | April 3-4, 2026
FIRST OF FIVE
The Hornets make their home debut at the ESU Spring Open at Welch Stadium and Witten Track. There are nearly 1,000 athletes entered representing over 30 teams from across the Midwest, including half of the MIAA along with traditional national powers Grand Valley State and Minnesota State-Mankato. This is the first of five scheduled home meets for Emporia State that will culminate with the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 21-23.
LAST LAP
Emporia State won six events and had three provisional qualifiers at the Jayhawk Spring Fling at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kan.
Barbara Bentum was a double winner for the Hornets. She ran the second best time in Emporia State history to win the women's 200m. Her time of 23.92 makes her just the second Hornet to run under 24 seconds in the event as she trails just Courtney Bruna's 23.83 at the 2004 MIAA Championships. Bentum is currently ranked #4 in the nation in the 200m. She ran 57.23 to win the 400m as well.
Israel Domeh ran a provisional qualifier of 21.09 to win the men's 200m and finished second with a time of 48.74 in the 400m.
Emmanuel Dukpe won the men's 400m in a time of 47.80 and ran 21.41 to place second in the 200m.
Brooks Lowe threw a provisional qualifying mark of 61.49m (201-9) to win the men's javelin.
Jayda Harris had the other win for Emporia State as she went 11.27m (36-11.75) to win the women's triple jump.
MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Emporia State men are picked for seventh and the women eighth in the MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Coaches Poll. The Pittsburg State men and women are the conference preseason favorites in both polls.
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 First-Team All-Americans 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.
HOW TOUGH IS IT?
The MIAA had five women's teams and four men's teams finish in the top 25 at the 2026 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Championships, hosted March 13-14 in Virginia Beach, Va. Seventeen MIAA track and field programs (nine women's, eight men's) combined for 100 individual event entries and seven relay team entries MIAA men and women combined for 49 individual All-America honors, seven All-American relay teams, five individual national champions, one national champion relay team, and two indoor team titles.
RETURNING HORNET OUTDOOR QUALIFIERS
Emporia State had 16 men and three women hit provisional qualifying marks outdoors last year. Even with three graduates and two suffering injuries the Hornets are set to return 11 men and all three women qualifiers from last season.
UP NEXT
The Hornets will return to Witten Track and Welch Stadium on April 3-4 for the Midwest Classic.
PROVISIONAL QUALIFIERS
After sending a small group to the opening weekend at Rock Chalk Park, the Hornets have three provisional qualifiers for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
Barbara Bentum ran the second best time in Emporia State history to win the women's 200m. Her time of 23.92 makes her just the second Hornet to run under 24 seconds in the event as she trails just Courtney Bruna's 23.83 at the 2004 MIAA Championships. Bentum is currently ranked #4 in the nation in the 200m.
Israel Domeh ran a provisional qualifier of 21.09 to win the men's 200m. He is currently ranked ninth in the nation.
Brooks Lowe threw a provisional qualifying mark of 61.49m (201-9) to win the men's javelin. He is currently ranked 24th in the nation.
HORNETS IN THE ESU ALL-TIME TOP FIVE OUTDOORS
A total of 15 current Hornets have a combined for 15 top five indoor marks in 13 events all-time at Emporia State with three school records.
Barbara Bentum is ranked second in the women's 200m with a time of 23.92 set at this year's Jayhawk Spring Fling.
Mia Manley cleared 3.87m (12-08.25) at the 2025 ESU Relays to rank second all-time in the women's pole vualt.
Emma Bartholome is ranked fifth with a time of 11:54.30 in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Midwest Classic.
Madison Vermetten is ranked fifth with a throw of 52.47m (172-02) in the women's hammer at the 2025 Kansas Relays.
Ty Anderson is the school record holder in the men's 100m at 10.13 at the 2025 NCAA Championships. He is injured and will likely redshirt
Emmanuel Dukpe is the school record holder in the men's 400m with a 46.29 at last year's NCAA Championships.
The 4x400m relay team of
Bryson Turner,
Israel Domeh,
Braden Lipgens, and
Emmanuel Dukpe set the school record of 3:06.66 at the 2025 NCAA Championships.
Jonah Remsberg is second in the men's decathlon with 7,033 points and is fifth in the pole vault after clearing 4.75m (15-07) both at the Jo Meaker Multis last year. He is injured and will likely redshirt
Trenden Collins is ranked second in the men's high jump after clearing 2.14m (7-00.25) at teh 2024 Concordia Qualifier. He is recovering from a football injury
Max Neeley is second in the men's pole vault after going 5.08m (16-08) at the Loper Twilight last year.
Kole Manley is ranked third with a toss of 70.21m (230-04) in the men's javelin at the ESU Relays last year.
Brooks Lowe threw the men's javelin 69.16m (226-11) at the 2025 MIAA Championships to rank fourth all-time at ESU.
Dylan Hunter is fourth in the men's 10,000m after running 31:12.23 at the MIAA Championships last year.
Israel Domeh is fifth in the men's 200m at 21.01 at the 2025 Loper Twilight.
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.
