Men's Cross Country | 7/8/2026 4:45:00 PM

July 8, 2026-Emporia State just played host to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in May and now a Hornet assistant coach will oversee the Cross Country National Championships in December. Emporia State assistant track & field coach Tim Byers has been named Meet Director for the NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships by the Kansas City Sports Commission.
 
"I've been lucky enough to be a part of several high profile NCAA meets, but to be to be tabbed as the meet director for the NCAA D2 Cross Country National meet is such an honor," said Byers. "I'm looking forward to representing Emporia State as I work with the NCAA, Kansas City Sports Commission and KU Rim Rock Farm.  Together we will host a great national meet for the athletes, coaches and spectators."
 
The championships will be contested at historic Rim Rock Farm, the nationally recognized cross country facility owned and operated by the University of Kansas, as par of the NCAA Division II Fall Sports Festival in Kansas City.
 
"Tim's experience directing championship-caliber events, combined with his deep ties to both the University of Kansas and the MIAA, make him an outstanding choice to lead the NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships at Rim Rock Farm," said Colton Spresser, Senior Manager, Events for the Kansas City Sports Commission. "His knowledge of the venue, relationships throughout collegiate athletics, and commitment to the student-athlete experience will be invaluable as we prepare to welcome the nation's top Division II programs to Kansas City."
 
Byers brings together key partners involved in the National Championships while leveraging decades of collegiate coaching, administration, and event management experience. He joined the Emporia State track and field coaching staff in October of 2025, working primarily with the sprinters and jumpers. Prior to joining the Hornets, he served as Meet Director at the University of Kansas. He oversaw all of the Jayhawks home events in track and field and cross country, including the Kansas Relays. Byers was the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Baker University from2014-2022. He led the Wildcats to nine Heart of America Conference championships including four men's track and field championships, three men's cross-country championships and two women's track and field championships. Byers was a six-time Heart of America Coach of the Year and was a two-time nominee for NAIA Coach of the Year.
 
The KC Sports Commission in partnership with the MIAA will host the 2026 NCAA DII Fall Festival in the greater Kansas City area this December. In addition to the cross country championships outside Lawrence, the Festival will include women's volleyball at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, men's and women's soccer at CPKC Stadium and women's field hockey at The Pembroke Hill School.