Kansas State Men’s Track and Field Takes Over No. 1 Spot in NCAA Indoor Poll
History has officially arrived in the Little Apple. On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the USTFCCCA national poll confirmed what Kansas State fans had been building toward all season. The Wildcats are the No. 1 men’s track and field team in the nation.
Kansas State Wildcats Surge to the Top of the National Rankings
This achievement carries significance far beyond the oval. It marks the first time in 14 years that any Kansas State team in any sport has been ranked No. 1 nationally. The last appearance at the top came in November 2012.
NATIONAL STATEMENT😤‼️@USTFCCCA x #EMAW👌 pic.twitter.com/0kaIBUqwQl
— K-State T&F/XC (@KStateTFXC) February 3, 2026
It's when the football program led the BCS standings. For the track and field program, the milestone is even more historic. It is because this is the first No. 1 ranking since the 1998 coaches’ poll.
Kansas State’s rise to No. 1 was fueled by a dominant second week of the indoor season. The Wildcats jumped two spots in the poll and secured the top ranking with 142.93 points. That total pushed them comfortably ahead of Tennessee. This sits at No. 2 with 130.10 points, and Oregon at No. 3 with 124.17 points.
The success extended beyond the men’s team. Kansas State’s women made one of the biggest moves in the poll, leaping 19 spots to No. 15 nationally. With 60.30 points, the women now rank third in the Big 12 Conference, trailing only BYU and Texas Tech.
The foundation of Kansas State’s No. 1 ranking lies in its unmatched performance in the event squad rankings, which calculate averages based on the top four performers in each discipline. Nowhere is that dominance clearer than in the triple jump.
Kansas State’s quartet of Selva Prabhu, Trevon Hamer, Aaron Antoine, and Jhavor Bennett owns a jaw-dropping group average of 16.31 meters, or 53 feet 6.25 inches. That margin is nearly four feet better than second-place Ole Miss, which sits at 15.14 meters. That creates one of the largest gaps in the country.
The long jump group has been just as overwhelming. Ranked No. 1 nationally, Kansas State’s average of 7.73 meters places them well ahead of Texas at 7.51 meters. Tah Chikomba leads the charge with an 8.09-meter mark, supported by Uroy Ryan, Croix DaCunha, and Mattix DaCunha.
Strength Across Jumps and Throws Sets Kansas State Apart
Kansas State’s depth extends across multiple disciplines. In the high jump, the men rank No. 3 nationally with an average clearance of 2.09 meters from Alan Hanna, Devin Loudermilk, Mattix DaCunha, and Dorian Charles. The weight throw group is also elite, checking in at No. 5 in the nation with an average of 20.11 meters from Gary Moore Jr., Kade McCall, Ricardo Hayles, and Riley Marx.
The women’s team continues to shine in the field events as well. They rank No. 2 nationally in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump, further solidifying Kansas State’s reputation as a jumps powerhouse.
This historic ranking follows an electric weekend at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational on Jan. 30 and 31. That's where several Kansas State athletes posted marks that currently rank inside the NCAA and world top 10.
The Wildcats will look to defend their No. 1 status on Feb. 13 and 14 at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.