Men's Track and Field | 5/20/2026 10:32:00 AM

May 20, 2026-Over the last three weeks Emporia State Athletics has taken a look at the 21 events that make up the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.   This included a look at the reigning national champion, the top ranked competitor this season, the NCAA championships record, the Welch Stadium record and any Emporia State athletes that have provisionally qualified for the national meet.  Today's final feature will be the final event of the NCAA Championships -the 4x400m relay.
 
The prelims for the men's 4x400m relay are set for 7:50 p.m. on Friday, May 22 with the final scheduled for 7:20 p.m. on Saturday, May 23. The women will run the prelims at 8:10 p.m. on Friday, May 22 with the final set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 23 in the final event of the championships.
 
Heading into Championship week, Pittsburg State has the top time in the nation after winning the MIAA Championship in a time of 3:04.56 with three of the four runners on last year's national championship team. UT-Tyler has the fastest time in the women's 4x400m relay with a time of 33:33.85, that is altitude adjusted to 3:34.29, to win the Lone Star Conference Championship.
 
Men's 4x400m Relay Prelims Friday, May 22 7:50 p.m. | Finals Saturday, May 23 7:20 p.m.
2025 National Champion: Pittsburg State (Woyn Chatman, Caden Williams, Dapriest Hogans, Nate Watson) 3:03.95
2026 Top Ranked Competitor: Pittsburg State (Woyn Chatman, Nate Watson, Logan Davis, Caden Williams) 3:04.56
NCAA Championship Meet Record: Abilene Christian (Arthur Williams, Freddie Williams, Tommy Thompson, Mark Witherspoon) 3:03.38, 1984
Welch Stadium Record: Northwest Missouri (Prince Griffin, Gavyn Monday, Logan Arellano, Truman Hare) 3:06.41, 2024 NCAA Championships
Best ESU National Finisher: Luke Pickett, Shawn Fairbanks, Brent Smitheran, Corey Cole, 3:08.89, 1999 National Runners-Up at Welch Stadium  
ESU School Record: Bryson Turner, Israel Domeh, Braden Lipgens, Emmanuel Dukpe, 3:06.66, 2025 NCAA Championships
2026 ESU Provisional Qualifiers: Braden Lipgens, Israel Domeh, Andrew Holton, Emmanuel Dukpe 3:08.77, MIAA Championships, ranked ninth in nation
Braden Lipgens, Ezekiel Seamster, Andrew Holton, Emmanuel Dukpe 3:11.79, ESU Relays, ranked 45th in the nation
 
Women's 4x400m Relay Prelims Friday, May 22 8:10 p.m. | Finals Saturday, May 23 7:30 p.m.
2025 National Champion: Lincoln (Shaneal Clarke-Giddings, Brittney Brown, Shevanae Thomas, Shantae George) 3:32.62
2026 Top Ranked Competitor: UT-Tyler (Hannah Lakin, Kamaria Carr, Jasmine Haywood, Aerin Thompson) 3:34.29 (Adjusted for altitude from 3:33.85)
NCAA Championship Meet Record: Lincoln (Monique Robinson, Davita Prendergast, Meleshia Spencer, Carla Thomas) 3:32.31, 2007
Welch Stadium Record: Angelo State (McDaniel, Kabo, Frush, Findley) 3:32.88, 2024 NCAA Championships
Best ESU National Finisher: Magali Schneider, Kari Pittman, Jessica Oberg, Deandra Doubrava, 3:42.94 1996 NCAA Runners-Up
ESU School Record: Marqueita Marisette, Peyton Weiss, Lindsay Kunkel, Jackie Jacobs 3:42.80, 2013 NCAA Championships
2026 ESU Provisional Qualifier:  Barbara Bentum, Mason Bina, Stella Agbokpah, Isabella Davie, 3:44.78 ranked 30th in the nation.
 
Luke Pickett, Shawn Fairbanks, Brent Smitheran, and Corey Cole have the top finish for the Emporia State men in the 4x400m relay when they ran 3:08.89 to finish as the national runners-up at the 1999 National Championships in Welch Stadium. Magali Schneider, Kari Pittman, Jessica Oberg, and Deandra Doubrava were also national runners-up for the Hornets with a time of 3:42.94 at the 1996 National Championships at UC-Riverside.
 
Emporia State had two men's 4x400m relays hit the provisional mark and one women's team.  Braden Lipgens, Israel Domeh, Andrew Holton, and Emmanuel Dukpe ran 3:08.77 at the MIAA Championships and enter the national meet ranked ninth. Ezekiel Seamster ran in place of Domeh at the ESU Relays when the Hornets ran 3:11.79 to rank 45th in the nation.  The women's team of Barbara Bentum, Mason Bina, Stella Agbokpah, Isabella Davie were clocked in 3:44.78 at the MIAA Championships and were ranked 30th nationally.
 
Starting on Thursday 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 has 851 student-athletes entered with over 200 coaches representing 108 men's teams and 107 women's teams along with over 100 officials coming 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 begins 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. Welch Stadium and Witten Track are back on the schedule to host the 2027 MIAA Outdoor Championships as well.