No doubt, going to Emporia State kindles fond memories for Pittsburg State’s track and field teams.
Two years ago, the Gorillas swept the team championships at ESU’s Welch Stadium in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.
The three-day meet returns to Emporia this week, running from Thursday through Saturday, and the Gorillas once again are among the contenders.
Both teams are ranked No. 1 in this week’s national ratings index. Grand Valley State, Minnesota State and Missouri Southern complete the top-4 in the men’s ranking, and West Texas A&M, Missouri Southern and Grand Valley State are 2-3-4 behind PSU in the women’s ranking.
The Gorilla men are going for their fifth consecutive outdoor championship and ninth straight between the outdoor and indoor seasons.
The women’s team placed third last year, marking its fourth straight top-10 finish in the outdoor meet. PSU won the indoor title two months ago.
Fifty-one PSU athletes – 26 women and 25 men – have qualified for the meet, and many will be in action on Thursday.
The men’s team has three No. 1 national seeds – Caden Williams in the 400 meters (45.61 seconds), Jack Haukap in the hammer throw (233 feet, 4 inches) and the 4x100 relay team of Kemarri Stewart, Braylon Thompson, Logan Davis and Ilias Garcia (39.61).
There are also three No. 2 seeds with Davis in the 400 (45.85), Leo Chauchard in the decathlon (7,282 points) and the 4x400 relay of Woyn Chatman, Nate Watson, Davis and Williams (3:04.56).
Grayson Smith ranks third in the pole vault with a clearance of 18-0.50, and Tyrone Jackson is fourth in the 110 hurdles (13.65).
The PSU women are led by five top-3 seeds, headlined by Breanne Peters’ top mark in the pole vault of 14-0.50.
Bethany Umbarger is second in the high jump (5-10.75), Zyra Shivers is second in the 100 meters (13.30), and Blakelee Winn ranks second in the heptathlon (5,719) and third in the long jump (20-9).
Thursday's schedule begins with the 100 meters in the decathlon at 10:30 a.m. The heptathlon starts at 11, field events at 12:30 p.m. And running preliminaries at 4:50.
The multi events resume Friday morning at 9, and the afternoon has field events beginning at 1:30 and running prelims at 5:30.
Championship Saturday has field events at noon, running finals at 3:30 and the final event at 7:30.
PSU track and field national qualifiers
Thursday’s Schedule
10:30 a.m., decathlon – Leo Chauchard, Matthew Malmstrom, Drew Wilhite; competition resumes at 9:30 a.m. Friday
11, heptathlon – Blakelee Winn, Payton Phillips, Lily Brown; competition resumes at 10:30 a.m. Friday
12:30 p.m., men’s hammer throw – Jack Haukap
2:30, men’s long jump – Isaiah Webster
3, women’s pole vault – Breanne Peters, Belle Peters, Cannon Booker, Eva Williams, Quincey Turner
3:30, women’s hammer throw – Abby Lasiter
4:50, men’s 4x100 relay – Kemarri Stewart, Braylon Thompson, Logan Davis, Ilias Garcia; final at 3:30 Saturday
5, women’s 4x100 relay – Isabel Abdouch, Kiara Brown, Nikole Cozort, Mikah Edwards; final at 3:40 Saturday
5:10, men’s 1500 – Dylan Sprecker; final at 3:55 Saturday
5:30, women’s long jump – Blakelee Winn, Jazmine Williamson, Brooklyn Baker
5:40, men’s 400 – Caden Williams, Logan Davis, Woyn Chatman, Nate Watson; final at 4:35 Saturday
5:55, women’s 400 – Mikah Edwards; final at 4:45 Saturday
6:10, men’s 100 – Ilias Garcia, Braylon Thompson; final at 4:45 Saturday
Friday’s Schedule
1:30 p.m., men’s discus – Drake Stapleton, Brennan Boord
3:30, men’s high jump – Xavier Byers
4:30, women’s discus – Kelci Locke
4:45, women’s triple jump – Lily Brown, Makayla Pavelka, Alexa Binkley
5:45, women’s 200 – Kiara Brown; final at 6:20 Saturday
6, men’s 800 – Eli Gilmore; final at 5:15 Saturday
6:35, men’s 110 hurdles – Tyrone Jackson, Na’Koriyon James; final at 4:15 Saturday
6:50, women’s 100 hurdles – Zyra Shivers, Kayvon Nubine, McKinlee Walker; final at 4:25 Saturday
7:50, men’s 4x400 relay – Woyn Chatman, Nate Watson, Logan Davis, Caden Williams; final at 7:20 Saturday
8:10, women’s 4x400 relay – Nikole Cozort, Isabel Abdouch, Kinleigh Hall, Mikah Edwards; final at 7:30 Sunday
Saturday’s Schedule
Noon, men’s javelin – Trace Hanchett
2 p.m., men’s pole vault – Grayson Smith, Gage Britton
2:15, men’s triple jump – Antwan Dawson
3, women’s javelin – Alycia Cosens, Madi Olds, Claire Vanderweide
3:15, women’s high jump – Bethany Umbarger, Jazmine Williamson, Lily Brown
