Saturday, Jan. 17
Coach Richard Alsup Open | Maryville, Mo. | Hughes Fieldhouse
Field Events: 11 a.m. - Running Events: 11 p.m.
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The Northwest Missouri State University track and field teams will continue the 2025-26 indoor season by playing host to the Coach Richard Alsup Open at Hughes Fieldhouse on Saturday, Jan. 17. Running events begin at 10 a.m. and field events will start at 11 a.m.

Entry for spectators will be through the upper East side doors ONLY. $5 admission will be taken at the door via CARD ONLY. 

ABOUT COACH RICHARD ALSUP:
Former Northwest Missouri State University head cross country/track & field coach Richard Alsup passed away Jan. 13, 2025, at the Village Care Center in Maryville, Mo., at the age of 76.

Coach Alsup took over the reins of the cross-country program in 1977 and was named the leader of the track and field program in 1986 after serving as an assistant. He would remain in those roles until the spring of 2008. Under his direction, the Bearcat track and field program produced five Div. II national champions, 48 all-Americans, 47 individuals, and nine relay MIAA titles. His 1998 cross-country team captured the Great Lakes Regional Championship. Alsup coached 52 all-conference cross-country performers and was chosen six times as the MIAA Coach of the Year in either cross country or track and field. 

He coached 15 athletes who are currently in the M-Club Hall of Fame. In addition, two of his athletes received the MIAA's prestigious Ken B. Jones Award as the overall top student-athlete in the conference. His influence is seen all over the Northwest record books. Upon his retirement, Alsup-coached athletes accounted for 48 of 57 Northwest Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Records.
 
In addition to all the fine athletic performances, Coach Alsup's teams and individuals had numerous academic accomplishments and his relationship with so many student-athletes over a 31-year career at Northwest is truly amazing.
 
Coach Alsup was inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2014. The 1992 indoor track & field team also gained induction into the M Club Hall of Fame. The 1992 squad captured the MIAA championship and placed No. 13 at the NCAA meet.  
  
2025-26 INDOOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
Starting off the season with the 2025 Mel Tjeerdsma Classic, Northwest pulled in eight separate NCAA Division II provisional nods. 
 
Senior Melanie Roland claimed a provisional time 54.45 in the 400-meter time, giving her the fastest time in the country. Roland claimed the MIAA Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week following her performance. Right behind Roland in the 400-meter was sophomore Kenndi Cline who also earned a provisional time of 55.98. 
 
One of Northwest women's 4x400M relay teams earned the fastest Division II provisional times in the nation, with Anjelena Carder, Marie Dea, Courtney Kiley, Kennedi Cline finishing with a time of 3:46.22
 
Campbell Barta, Krysta Abel, Jaurdin Mallory, and Hallie Henfling were standouts in the women's 60-meter-dash, with each breaking into the top ten in the school record book. Barta and Abel claimed provisional times.
 
Frank Sparks received two NCAA provisional recognitions with his men's 60-meter hurdle qualifying time and his men's long jump distance. Aziz Mohammed also shined with an NCAA provisional time in the men's 3000-meter run and the fourth-best mark in school history.
 
Northwest then took nine competitors to the Husker Holiday Open and brought home a trio of individual titles. Sophomore Marie Dea posted the nation's fourth-best time and an NCAA Div. II provisional time in the women's 800-meter run.
 
2025-26 Northwest NCAA Division II Provisional Marks/Times:
Campbell Barta, 7.49 – (W) 60-meter dash
Krysta Abel, 7.60 – (W) 60-meter dash
Frank Sparks, 8.13 – (M) 60m hurdles 
Melanie Roland, 54.45 – (W) 400-meter dash
Kennedi Cline, 54.45 – (W) 400-meter dash
Marie Dea, 2:10.33 – (W) 800-meter dash
Aziz Mohammed, 8:09.39 – (M) 3,000-meter run
Frank Sparks, 7.21m – (M) Long Jump
Anjelena Carder, Marie Dea, Courtney Kiley, Kennedi Cline – (W) 4x400-meter Relay, 3:45.56

Teams Entered:
Baker 
Benedictine (Kan.) 
Bethel
Central Methodist 
Central Missouri 
Columbia (Mo.) 
Dodge City CC 
Graceland
McPherson
MidAmerica Nazarene 
Midland
Missouri Baptist 
Missouri Western 
Nebraska Wesleyan 
Neosho County CC 
Northwest Missouri State 
Quincy
Rodgers State
Southwestern CC
St. Mary (Kan.) 
State Fair CC
William Woods