Kansas State Track and Field Wildcats Shine with NCAA Top Marks
The DeLoss Dodds Invitational at the Cliff Rovelto Indoor Track turned into a showcase of national-level excellence for Kansas State on Friday. It is because the Wildcats delivered one of their most impressive meets of the indoor season. With the scoring, Kansas State made it clear that momentum is building at exactly the right time.
Vanessa Mercera Rewrites NCAA Pentathlon History
At the center of the spotlight was senior Vanessa Mercera, who produced a performance for the ages in the women’s pentathlon. Mercera won the event with a staggering 4,429 points. That's a total that now stands as the collegiate record according to TFRRS. She surpassed the previous NCAA mark of 4,337 points set by Lucie Kiensat and firmly placed her name among the elite in collegiate track and field.
Multiple Wildcats performed NCAA top marks on the first day of the DeLoss Dodds Invitational, including Vanessa Mercera and Tah Chikomba.https://t.co/5XS53UKWuU
— K-State T&F/XC (@KStateTFXC) January 31, 2026
Mercera tied for first in the high jump with a clearance of 1.81 meters and capped the pentathlon by winning the 800 meters in 2:09.93. The performance represents a massive 406-point improvement over her previous personal best set in February 2024 and now ranks as the fourth-best pentathlon score in Kansas State history. For the second straight meet, Mercera proved she is redefining what is possible in the event.
The meet also carried World Athletics sanctioning in select events, placing Kansas State athletes on the same stage as Olympic medalists and world champions. In the men’s long jump, junior Tah Chikomba delivered a statement performance with a leap of 8.09 meters. That mark ranks No. 2 in the NCAA this season, set a new meet record by breaking Steve Fritz’s 1993 mark. He surpassed Chikomba’s own facility record while finishing just half an inch shy of his personal best.
Sophomore transfer Uroy Ryan made an immediate impact in his Kansas State debut. His jump of 7.87 meters earned him fourth place, came within a quarter-inch of his career best, and placed him No. 3 on the Wildcats’ all-time list.
The women matched that excellence in the sand. Junior Maud Zeffou-Poaty turned in a career-defining performance, finishing third with a leap of 6.58 meters. Nearly a foot beyond her previous best, the mark ranks No. 3 in the NCAA and stands among the best jumps in program history. Junior Aaliyah Foster added depth with a sixth-place finish at 6.17 meters.
High Jump and Weight Throw Continue K-State Tradition
Kansas State’s senior Devin Loudermilk was placed third with a clearance of 2.22 meters. That's a height that currently ranks No. 4 in the NCAA. Freshman Alan Hanna followed closely with an eighth-place finish after clearing 2.18 meters.
In the throwing events, the Wildcats were equally dominant. Senior Gary Moore Jr. claimed the men’s weight throw title with a massive toss of 23.01 meters, missing his personal best by just five inches. On the women’s side, Monique Hardy secured first place with a throw of 20.64 meters. The field success continued as senior Sharie Enoe captured the women’s high jump title with a clearance of 1.86 meters.
Kansas State’s depth was further highlighted by standout performances from newcomers. Redshirt freshman Croix DaCunha won the men’s long jump invite with a leap of 7.83 meters, moving him to No. 4 on the school’s all-time list.
In the men’s heptathlon, freshman Mattix DaCunha sits fourth after four events with 3,136 points, while fellow freshman Dorian Charles is fifth with 3,097 points. Each claimed an event win, with DaCunha taking the 60-meter dash in 6.87 seconds and Charles winning the shot put at 13.30 meters.
On the track, senior Oskars Bambals delivered a strong closing highlight by winning the men’s 800 meters in 1:48.90. That time now ranks as the fifth-fastest indoor performance in Kansas State history.
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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.