Kansas State Track and Field Set for Tyson Invitational at Randal Tyson Track Center
For the first time since the legendary 2012 football season, a Kansas State program has ascended to the very pinnacle of the national rankings. According to the latest USTFCCCA Week Three poll released February 10, the Kansas State Wildcats men's track and field team remains No. 1 in the NCAA with 138.77 points.
Let's First Decode Why Kansas State Is No. 1 in the NCAA
The Wildcats initially surged to the top in Week Two with 142.93 points. That marked the first time a K-State team has held a No. 1 national ranking since football in 2012. Now, they continue to pace the field ahead of Tennessee with 129.51 points and Oregon with 117.61 points.
NEXT UP
— K-State T&F/XC (@KStateTFXC) February 12, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/IbKj2VMg2c pic.twitter.com/vJZin6irxw
Now, the team takes that top-ranked target on the road for its only regular-season travel meet, the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Wildcats' rise to the top is built on elite event squads that are currently outclassing much of the NCAA. Nowhere is K-State’s power more evident than in the triple jump and long jump.
In the triple jump, the squad’s top four performers, led by sophomore Selva Prabhu, average an astounding 16.31 meters. That average sits nearly four feet ahead of the second-place team in the national event squad rankings.
In the long jump, the depth is equally formidable. Junior Tah Chikomba, along with sophomores Uroy Ryan and Croix DaCunha, anchors a unit that leads the NCAA in average performance. The Wildcats rank third nationally in the high jump and fifth nationally in the weight throw.
At the heart of the men's surge is junior Tah Chikomba, who was named the Big 12 Men's Athlete of the Week on February 4. He is the first Wildcat to earn the indoor honor since February 2020.
Chikomba recently recorded a leap of 8.09 meters, which equals 26 feet, 6.5 inches. That mark ranks No. 2 in the NCAA, No. 1 in the Big 12, and No. 7 in the world this season, according to World Athletics.
The Wildcats now head to the prestigious Tyson Invitational, held at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The meet doubles as a stop on the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver, adding international prestige to the weekend.
Friday will feature Championship races in the 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles, and 400 meters. Silver-level field events include the men’s and women’s long jump, the men’s high jump, and the women’s triple jump.
Four Wildcats will compete in the World Athletics Silver field events. Sophomore Uroy Ryan will compete in the men’s long jump. Junior Maud Zeffou-Poaty will compete in the women’s long jump. Senior Devin Loudermilk will compete in the men’s high jump. Junior Aaron Antoine will compete in the men’s triple jump.
This presents a rare opportunity for collegiate athletes to test themselves against international competition while wearing a No. 1 ranking on their backs.
Momentum from the DeLoss Dodds Invitational
The Wildcats last competed at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational on January 30 and 31 at Cliff Rovelto Indoor Track in Manhattan. That's where K-State hosted its own World Athletics-sanctioned Bronze events. While the men hold the No. 1 national ranking, the women are climbing as well. In the latest USTFCCCA poll, the women moved up one spot to No. 14 with 57.45 points.
Senior Vanessa Mercera delivered a standout performance in the pentathlon, winning with 4,429 points. That total still leads the NCAA. On the track, junior Vienna Lahner broke a 43-year-old school record in the mile with a time of 4:38.84. She surpassed Deb Pihl’s 1983 mark of 4:39.06, etching her name into the program’s record books.
For fans eager to watch the No. 1 Wildcats in action, the Tyson Invitational runs Friday, February 14, through Saturday, February 15, at the Randal Tyson Track Center. Friday’s schedule begins at 12 p.m. with the men’s 60-meter hurdles prelims. The men’s pole vault follows at 1 p.m. Saturday’s field events begin at 10:30 a.m., starting with the women’s pole vault. Track events begin at 11 a.m., opening with the men’s 5,000 meters.
Kansas State is not just leading the rankings. It is redefining the standard in collegiate field event excellence. The Wildcats head to Fayetteville with confidence, depth, and the numbers to back it up. Now, they get the chance to prove once again why they sit at the very top of the NCAA.
More from Kansas State On SI
Stay up to date with the Wildcats by bookmarking Kansas State On SI and follow us on Twitter.
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.