CLAREMORE, Okla. – Hillcat Track and Field is set to kick off its postseason this weekend at the 2026 MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Pittsburg, Kansas. The conference meet is scheduled for Friday through Sunday at the Pitt State Outdoor Track Facility on the campus of Pittsburg State University.
FRIDAY, MAY 1
Senior
Phillip Owens will kick things off on Friday night with the 400-meter prelims at
6:15 p.m. Owens personal-best came on April 11 at the Arkansas Spring Invitational, crossing the line at 48.37.
Quintin Powell (2016-19) notched the current school record in 2017 with a time of 47.14.
The men's 400-meter finals will take place on Sunday at
3:30 p.m.
Junior
Cade McCall and sophomore
Lee Davis will conclude action on the opening day with the 10,000 meters, set for
8 p.m. McCall set a school record in this event last year at the MIAA Championship with a time of 30:48.46. Davis recorded his personal best in the 10,000 meters last season at the Wichita State KT Woodman Classic, finishing in 32:50.91.
SATURDAY, MAY 2
Saturday will commence with the men's 800-meter prelims at
5:30 p.m. Senior
Isaac Conder (1:52.99 PR), senior
Nathaneal Gibson (1:54.80 PR), freshman
Jaxson Wheeler (1:57.39 PR) and freshman
Riley Pauley (1:59.58 PR) will hit the line for the Hillcats.
Ian Conder, who is not competing at the championships, holds the school record with a time of 1:52.07.
The men's 800-meter finals will take place on Sunday at
4:15 p.m.
Next up at
5:45 p.m. is the women's 800-meter. Representing the Red and Navy will be sophomore
Kenzie Gilliam (2:22.80 PR) and freshman
Stella Jones.
Katie Byrd (2021-25) holds the school record with a time of 2:14.66, established in 2023.
The women's 800-meter finals will take place on Sunday at
4:25 p.m.
SUNDAY, MAY 3
Sunday will open with the men's 1,500 meters at
2:25 p.m. Gibson (3:50.46 PR), senior
Blake Feron (3:56.46 PR) and Wheeler (3:59.04 PR) will hit the starting line for the Cats'. Gibson established a new school best in this event last time out at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a time of 3:50.46, after breaking it the prior week at the Arkansas Spring Invitational with a time of 3:53.70.
The women's 1,500-meter will take place directly after at
2:40 p.m. Senior
Cadence Cordova (4:29.74 PR), sophomore
Sisely Mitchell (4:44.29 PR) and Gilliam (4:57.33) will compete in the middle-distance clash. Cordova's time of 4:29.74 at the 2025 Bryan Clay Invitational resides as the current school record in the event.
The final men's race, the 5,000-meter, will take place at
5:20 p.m. Junior
Clint Stapleton (15:01.16 PR), senior
Nathan Hernandez (15:04.75 PR), freshman
Jack Morgan (15:09.65 PR), freshman
Cohen McIntosh (15:13.35 PR) and freshman
Aidan Jimenez (15:16.90 PR) will take part in the 5K. RSU Hall of Famer
Baylor Harvey (2015-18) holds the school record 14:16.55 (2017).
The women's 5,000-meter at
5:45 p.m. will be the final race for Rogers State at the conference meet. Sophomore
Brooklyn Garafola (17:08.44 PR), sophomore
Kaylee Nay (17:39.41 PR), sophomore
Emily Cruz (18:00.30 PR), freshman
Brooke Martin (18:03.53 PR), sophomore
Kiera Blumhof (18:19.20 PR) and freshman
Audrey McElhaney will put the final bow on the championships. Two weeks ago in California, Garafola crossed the line with an impressive time of 17:08.44 to break the school record.
UP NEXT
The Hillcats will return to Cougar Athletic Stadium in Azusa, California, on May 7-9 for the Franson Last Chance Meet. The 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted by Emporia State at Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, will take place May 21-23.
