Tucson, Ariz. — Iowa State’s track and field teams delivered a strong collective performance at the 2026 Big 12 outdoor conference championships, with both the men and women finishing in the top five. The women’s team placed fourth with 72 points, their best outdoor showing since 2023, while the men secured fifth with 82.5 points, marking their fourth year in a row in the top five. Iowa State was one of only three programs in the conference to have both programs finish in the top five standings.
The weekend was headlined by Rachel Joseph, who successfully defended her outdoor 400 meter title with a record-setting time of 50.08. This performance broke both the facility and school records, marking the ninth time she has reset the school’s outdoor 400 meter mark. Joseph, who has broken individual school records 21 times during her career, became just the third athlete in the history of the Big 12 to sweep four consecutive 400 meter dash titles across the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Multiple Cyclones earned podium spots and medals on the track. Emanuel Galdino concluded his conference career as a nine-time medalist after taking silver in the 1,500 meter run and seventh in the 800 meter run. Makayla Clark also secured a silver medal in the women’s 800 meter run, her third career silver in that event. In the 5,000 meter run, Robin Kwemoi Bera and Betty Kipkore both finished as runners-up, while Mercy Kibet took fourth in her first appearance in the event. Hurdler Alec Carr, now a five-time medalist, placed fifth in the 110 meter hurdles and eighth in the 400 meter hurdles.
In field events, freshman Tyson Seeser earned a bronze medal in the high jump by matching his personal record of 7-1 (2.16m), which ranks as the seventh-best outdoor mark in program history. The men’s discus team saw Daniel Norris finish fifth with a new school top-ten mark, followed by Brandon Fischer in sixth. Betty Rosvold also reached the podium in the women’s discus, placing sixth with a season-best throw.
The championship concluded with relay success, including a bronze medal for the women’s 4×400 meter team, whose time of 3:31.30 ranks third in school history. Both the men’s and women’s 4×100 eterm teams and the men’s 4×400 meter relay also contributed points with top-eight finishes. The teams will now prepare for the NCAA West Prelims scheduled for May 27 to May 30 in Fayetteville, Ark.
