The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat outdoor track and field teams will be represented by 13 student-athletes this week as they take part in the 2021 NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
 
The championships will be held May 27-29 in Allendale, Michigan at the Grand Valley State Track & Field Stadium. Grand Valley State University and the West Michigan Sports Commission will serve as co-hosts of the championships. The championships will be streamed live on www.NCAA.com.

A total of 566 participants, 283 men and 283 women, will compete in the championships. Student-athletes qualified for the championships by reaching the automatic and provisional standards established for each event. The complete list of qualifiers is available at https://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=2251. Heat sheets will be available at this same website by Monday, May 24.
 
Northwest will have seven men and six women sporting the Bearcat logo and wearing green and white at the championship meet. Head coach Brandon Masters and assistant coach Nick Gibson will oversee one of the largest contingents ever of Bearcats at the national level.

Bearcat Women's Outdoor Track & Field National Qualifiers (since 2004)
2021 - 6
2020 - N/A
2019 - 5
2018 - 2
2017 - 4
2016 - 1
2015 - 1
2014 - 6
2013 - 2
2012 - 3
2011 - 0
2010 - 3
2009 - 5
2008 - 1
2007 - 1
2006 - 0
2005 - 1
2004 - 2
 
Bearcat Men's Outdoor Track & Field National Qualifiers (since 2004)
2021 - 7
2020 - N/A
2019 - 3
2018 - 2
2017 - 1
2016 - 2
2015 - 0
2014 - 2
2013 - 2
2012 - 0
2011 - 1
2010 - 2
2009 - 2
2008 - 4
2007 - 4
2006 - 5
2005 - 3
2004 - 2
 
The Northwest women are projected to place 21^st in the nation according to the USTFCCCA Track & Field Rating Index.
 
MIAA Women's Teams in USTFCCCA National TFRI
4. Missouri Southern (160.41 pts.)
10. Pittsburg State (94.16 pts.)
13. Fort Hays State (89.05 pts.)
14. Central Missouri (84.69 pts.)
16. Lincoln (74.89 pts.)
21. Northwest (56.56 pts.)
26. Nebraska-Kearney (42.29 pts.)
34. Washburn (30.78 pts.)
53. Emporia State (15.92 pts.)
78. Missouri Western (3.85 pts.)
 
The Bearcat men are projected to finish 28th in the nation according to the USTFCCCA Track & Field Rating Index.
 
MIAA Men's Teams in USTFCCCA National TFRI
5. Pittsburg State (157.84 pts.)
8. Central Missouri (120.51 pts.)
10. Missouri Southern (100.98 pts.)
25. Lincoln (45.85 pts.)
28. Northwest (42.45 pts.)
33. Washburn (35.78 pts.)
34. Fort Hays State (31.46 pts.)
37. Nebraska-Kearney (27.86 pts.)
53. Emporia State (16.61 pts.)
 
Northwest Men's Qualifiers
Federico Crisci, Junior
4x400 Relay
Crisci has run on the eighth fastest 4x400m relay team in DII, running the second leg for the Bearcats. Their time of 3:11.02 is the best time in the conference and second best in the region. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 7 among the best time for the national participants and will run in the second heat of the prelims on Friday.

Prince Griffin, Redshirt Freshman
4x400 Relay
Giffin will run the third leg at nationals for the team. His best 400m dash time this season was :48.78 at the Loper Twilight. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 7 among the best time for the national participants and will run in the second heat of the prelims on Friday.

Caelon Harkey, Junior
400m
4x400 Relay
Caelon Harkey leads off for the 4x400m relay and has ran a personal best and Northwest No. 5 all-time :47.27 in the 400m dash. His :47.27 time in the 400 ranks as the ninth-best time among the participants at the championship. He and teammate Tyrell Maddox will both be in the second heat of the 400m prelims. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 7 among the best time for the national participants and will run in the second heat of the prelims on Friday.

Tyrell Maddox, Senior
400m
4x400 Relay
Maddox will anchor the 4x400m relay for the Bearcats. His personal best time :47.46 also ranks sixth on Northwest's all-time best performances list. Maddox's time of :47.46 ranks as the 13^th-best time among the national participants. He and teammate Tyrell Maddox will both be in the second heat of the 400m prelims. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 7 among the best time for the national participants and will run in the second heat of the prelims on Friday.
 
Dakota Schmidt, Sophomore
Javelin
Schmidt set a new school record in the javelin on March 26 when he threw for 210-09. His throw of 210'9" ranks No. 13 among the national participants.

Reece Smith, Freshman
3,000m Steeplechase
Smith ran a new personal best in the steeplechase when he won the event in an automatic qualifying time of 8:48.49 at the MIAA Championships on May 8. His time of 8:48.49 is the fourth-best time among the national participants.

Northwest Women's Qualifiers
Bailey Blake, Freshman
800m
Blake ran a personal best and the No. 2 time all-time at Northwest with a 2:10.70 performance at the Loper Twilight to earn a spot in the national meet. Blake's time of 2:10.70 ranks as the 13^th-best time among the national participants. Blake will run in the first heat of the 800m prelims on Friday.

Tiffany Hughey, Freshman
4x400 Relay
Hughey leads off the women's 4x400m relay team that set a new school record with their time of 3:43.74. Their time also ranks fifth in DII. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 5 among the best time for the national participants and will run in the first heat of the prelims on Friday.

Hiba Mahgoub, Senior
200m
400m
4x400 Relay
Mahgoub set a new school record in the 200m dash to go along with her share of the 4x400m relay, while also running a personal best time in the 400m dash to improve to No. 3 on Northwest's all-time best performances list. Mahgoub's clocking of :23.83 in the 200m ranks as the fifth-best time among the national participants. Her 400m time of :54.59 is the fourth-best performance by the national competitors. Mahgoub will be in the first heat of the 400m first round on Thursday. She will run in the second heat of the 200m prelims on Friday. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 5 among the best time for the national participants and will run in the first heat of the prelims on Friday.

Quincy McSweeney, Senior
800m
4x400 Relay
McSweeney made her mark in her first season as a Bearcat by setting two new school records. McSweeney's time of 2:09.57 in the 800 ranks as the eighth-best time among the national participants. McSweeney will run in the second heat of the 800m prelims on Friday. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 5 among the best time for the national participants and will run in the first heat of the prelims on Friday.


Randi Overkamp, Sophomore
4x400 Relay
Overkamp will run third for the women's 4x400m relay team after they posted their best time of 3:43.74 at the Loper Twilight. The Bearcat 4x400 relay ranks No. 5 among the best time for the national participants.

Alternates:
Kaylee Harp, Freshman
4x400 Relay

Olivia Sattlefield, Freshman
4x400 Relay

Bearcat Competition Times (listed as CT)
Thursday, May 27
Men's 400 First Round - 2:10 p.m. (Caelon Harkey, Tyrell Maddox)
Women's 400 First Round - 4:55 p.m. (Hiba Mahgoub)

Friday, May 28
Men's 3,000 Steeplechase - 2:45 p.m. (Reece Smith)
Men's 4x400 Relay First Round - 3:05 p.m. (Caelon Harkey, Federico Crisci, Prince Griffin, Tyrell Maddox)
Women's 200 First Round - 4:20 p.m. (Hiba Mahgoub)
Women's 800 First Round - 4:40 p.m. (Bailey Blake, Quincy McSweeney)
Women's 4x400 Relay First Round - 5:40 p.m. (Tiffany Hughey, Quincy McSweeney, Randi Overkamp, Hiba Mahgoub)

Saturday, May 29
Men's Javelin - 8:30 a.m. (Dakota Schmidt)
Men's 400 Final - 1 p.m.
Men's 4x400 Final - 3 p.m.
Women's 400 Final - 5:05 p.m.
Women's 800 Final - 5:45 p.m.
Women's 200 Final - 6:25 p.m.
Women's 4x400 Relay Final - 7:05 p.m.