EMPORIA, Kan. – The Northwest Missouri State University track and field squads opened the first day of the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships with seven athletes qualifying for the finals and two All-America distinctions. 
 
Drew Atkins put the Bearcat men on the board first, capturing fourth place in the 10,000-meter run to secure five team points. With his performance, the Northwest men sit in an eighth-place tie alongside Felician University and MIAA rival Pittsburg State. 
 
On the women's side, Melanie Roland dominated the 400-meter dash prelims, clocking the field's top qualifying time.
 
2026 NORTHWEST OUTDOOR ALL-AMERICA HONORS
First Team
Drew Atkins – Men's 10,000m Run, 4th place 
 
Second Team
Krysta Abel – Women's 100m Dash, 9th place
 
NCAA DIVISION II OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS – DAY ONE 
(W) 100m Prelim: Sophomore Krysta Abel claimed a time of 11.72, which secured her ninth place. Abel's finish earned her Second-Team All-America honors. Jaurdin Mallory placed 13th with a time of 11.79. 
 
(M) 400m Prelim: Junior Truman Hare crossed the finish line with a qualifying time of 46.49, capturing fifth. Hare will compete in the finals Saturday at 4:35 p.m.
 
(W) 400m Prelim: Melanie Roland and Kennedi Cline both qualified for finals by capturing top-five finishes in the prelims. Roland secured first place with a time of 53.05, while Cline claimed fifth with a time of 53.50. Cline's time ranks as a new personal best and reset her own fifth-fastest time in school history. Both athletes will compete in Saturday's finals at 4:45 p.m.
 
(M) 400m Hurdles Prelim: Junior Danny Jantzen crossed the finish line with a qualifying time of 51.44, earning him fifth. Jantzen is set to run in the finals Saturday at 5:40 p.m. 
 
(W) 400m Hurdles Prelim: Senior Kendall Tietjen placed 15th with a time of 1:00.36.
 
(M) 1,500m Prelim: Senior Maxime Touron claimed a qualifying time of 3:49.16, placing fourth in the prelims. Senior Aziz Mohammed secured eighth with a qualifying time of 3:49.74. Touron and Mohammed will both compete in the finals scheduled for Saturday at 3:55 p.m.
 
(M) 10,000m Run: Junior Drew Atkins captured fourth overall with a time of 29:28.19, securing his first NCAA track and field all-America distinction.
 
(W) 3,000m Steeplechase Prelim: Senior Kiki Witt qualified for the finals with a fourth-place finish in the prelims with a time of 10:27.08. Witt is set to run in the finals tomorrow, Friday, at 7:30 p.m.
 
Up Next:
Northwest will be back in action for day two of the NCAA Championships tomorrow, Friday, May 22 in Emporia, Kan. Friday's events will begin with a continuation of the combined events at 9:30 a.m., along with field events set for 1:30 p.m. and running events scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
 
Day Two Northwest Schedule of Events:
Riley Witt and Maxime Touron – (M) 800m Prelims (6 p.m.)
Marie Dea – (W) 800m Prelims (6:10 p.m.)
Kiki Witt – (W) 3,000m Steeplechase Final (7:30 p.m.)
Danny Jantzen, Logan Arellano, Christian Lanphier, Truman Hare – (M) 4x400m Prelims (7:50 p.m.)
Marie Dea, Kennedi Cline, Jadyn Barnes, Melanie Roland – (W) 4x400m Prelims (8:10 p.m.)
 
Top 10 Northwest Women's 400M Dash
Tiffany Hughey - 5/25/24 - 52.03
Melanie Roland - 5/3/26 - 52.15
Luisarys Toledo - 5/5/24 - 53.23
Chloe Saenz - 5/22/25 - 53.38
Kennedi Cline - 5/21/26 - 53.50
Venus Harris - 1987 - 53.70
Hiba Mahgoub - 5/27/21 - 53.85
Ashton Nibert - 5/2/14 - 54.36
Marie Dea - 4/18/26 - 55.37
Alexis Boyd - 5/1/15 - 55.56