TO YOUR MARKS
The Washburn Ichabod men's and women's track and field received seven individual bids for eight events to the 2026 NCAA DII men's and women's outdoor track and field championships starting May 21 in Emporia, Kansas on the campus of Emporia State.

MEET COVERAGE
Live Results
https://bit.ly/26NCAAOutdoor
Live Video
https://bit.ly/26NCAAOutdoorVideo
Live Video - Throws
https://themiaanetwork.com
NCAA Championship Site
https://bit.ly/26NCAAMeetInfo
 
WHO IS GOING
Earning bids were Lexie Fontaine (800m and 1500m), Jake Muller (400m hurdles), Slade Smith (high jump), Justin Forde (triple jump), Adriel Holloway (hammer), Naiuri Krein (heptathlon) and Mellanie Neudinger (long jump).
Krein punched her ticket for her school-tying-record seventh NCAA championship and her fourth at the outdoor championship. Her seven championship appearances tied Rachael Mayberry for the most by an Ichabod male or female in program history. Krein has been a five-time All-American as a member of the Ichabods winning three indoor and two outdoor. At the NCAA Indoor Championship in the pentathlon, Krein has finished second in 2026, 11th in 2025 and third in 2024 and at the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the heptathlon, Krein has placed ninth in 2025, and seventh in 2024 and 14th in 2023.
Fontaine is making her third NCAA Championship appearance and her first outdoor appearance. She enters the championships as the No. 8 seed in the 800m with a time of 2:06.40 set at the Bryan Clay Invitational. She placed sixth at the indoor championship earlier this year, earning all-American honors. Fontaine is also going to compete in the 1500m as well with her time at 4:26.65 set at the WashU Distance Carnival. She is only the third Ichabod in the NCAA era to compete in two different individual events.
Holloway is making her third NCAA appearance and her second at the outdoor championships. In her first outdoor championship, Hollaway finished second in the hammer earning All-American honors.
Neudinger is making her first NCAA as an Ichabod in the long jump with a personal best 6.03m (19-09.50) at the MIAA Outdoor Championships where she finished third in the event earning all-MIAA honors.
The reigning NCAA Indoor Champion Justin Forde enters the Outdoor Championship with the top mark in the DII ranks this season at 16.64m (54-07.25) en route to the MIAA Outdoor Championship in Pittsburg. Forde became the first individual champion in the Ichabod NCAA era at the indoor meet earlier this year. The upcoming outdoor meet will be Forde's third NCAA National Championship appearance finishing second at the outdoor championships last season.
Smith is making his second NCAA Championship appearance after clearing a personal-best 2.11m (6-11.00) at the Wichita State Shocker Open to qualify. Smith finished 15th at the NCAA Indoor Championship earlier this season.
Muller is seeded 13th in the 400m hurdles after hitting a qualifying time of 51.33 at the Pitt State Almost Last Chance Invitational setting a school record in the process. Muller is making his first NCAA Championship appearance.
 
EVENT TIMES
Naiuri Krein (heptathlon) - first event, Thursday, 11 am
Adriel Holloway (hammer) - Thursday, 3:30 pm
Lexie Fontaine (1500m prelims) - Thursday, 5:25 pm
Mellanie Neudinger (long jump) - Thursday, 5:30 pm
Jake Muller (400m hurdles prelims) - Thursday, 7:40 pm
Slade Smith (high jump) - Friday, 3:30 pm
Lexie Fontaine (800m prelims) - Friday, 6:15 pm
Justin Forde (triple jump) - Saturday, 2:15 pm
 
IN THE RANKINGS
In the USTFCCCA Checkpoint No. 5 rankings, the Ichabods have the No. 9-ranked men's high jump squad in the D2 ranks and the No. 9-ranked pole vault unit. On the women's side, the Ichabod long jump squad is ranked fifth overall with the 100m group ranked seventh.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod men's and women's track and field was in action for the final time prior to the NCAA Championships bids are announced at the Pittsburg State Almost Last Chance Meet, turning in several strong performances highlighted by NCAA provisional marks, a school record, and multiple top-five finishes.
On the women's side, Adriel Holloway led the way in the throws with a pair of standout efforts. Holloway placed fifth in the hammer throw with a mark of 55.77m (183-00), an NCAA provisional qualifying mark that currently ranks 17th nationally. She followed that up with a fourth-place finish in the shot put, recording a throw of 13.83m (45-04). Jadyn Falley added a 10th-place finish in the hammer at 48.07m (157-09).
In the women's long jump, Mellanie Neudinger finished fourth with a leap of 5.58m (18-03.75). Neudinger was also part of Washburn's standout 4x100m relay, teaming with Lyric Reid, Maya Pattison, and Layla Lerus to place second in a time of 45.67 for an NCAA provisional mark.
Kereser Augustin rounded out the women's results on the track with a fifth-place finish in the 400m, crossing the line in 55.81.
The men's team was led by a record-breaking time from Jake Muller in the 400m hurdles. Muller captured first place in 51.33, setting a personal best and breaking the school record of 51.97. The time met the NCAA provisional qualifying mark and currently sits 12th nationally.
Peyton Holmes competed in both the sprints and jumps, finishing 10th in the long jump at 6.43m (21-01.25) and placing 10th in the 100m preliminaries with a time of 10.69. Gustavo Cadan added a sixth-place finish in the 110m hurdles, recording a time of 14.44.
 
UP NEXT
Up next for the Ichabod track and field program will be the start of the 2026 Washburn cross country season.