Jemutai Wins Two Big 12 Titles, Jayhawks Finish Eighth at Big 12 Outdoor Championship

Saturday, May 16

Tucson, Ariz.

University of Kansas

Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships Day 3

Tucson, AZ - 05.16.2026 - Emmah Jemutai during Outdoor Big12s at Roy P. Drachman Track & Field Stadium in Tucson, AZ. Photo by Sydney Allan/Kansas Athletics

Jemutai Wins Two Big 12 Titles, Jayhawks Finish Eighth at Big 12 Outdoor Championship

5/17/2026 12:14:00 AM | Track & Field

Results Kansas Results ONLY

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Kansas track and field junior captain Emmah Jemutai won both the women's 1,500 meter run and 800 meter run Saturday, just an hour and 20 minutes apart, to help the women's team place eighth overall with 51.5 points at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship this weekend at Roy P. Drachman Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. The men's team finished with 49.5 points to also finish eighth in the conference.

Jemutai won her second straight Big 12 Outdoor 1,500 meter title Saturday with a season best and facility record time of 4:09.66. Jemutai and Oklahoma State's Billah Jepkirui battled to the end, with Jemutai pulling ahead at the end to win by 0.5 seconds while BYU's Jane Hedengren finished third.

Just 80 minutes later, Jemutai won the first Big 12 800 meters title of her career, finishing in 2:05.90. Jemutai broke the two minute mark for the first time in her career earlier this season at the Bryan Clay Invitational and held the fourth fastest time in the country entering the meet. She is the school record holder in both the 1,500 meter and 800 meter runs.

Kansas high jumper Kierson Wicks opened the day with a 2.16 meter clearance to tie for third in the conference, scoring at the meet for the first time in his career. The Kansas women's 4x100 meter relay team, composed of Kaleigh Frazier, Sky Hagan, Lillian Harris and Deshana Skeete, then picked up a point with their eighth place finish in a season best time of 45.60 seconds.

Tanner Talley finished fifth in the men's 1,500 meter run before Jemutai won her race. Michael Joseph then finished sixth overall in the men's 400 meter run and Deshana Skeete placed sixth in the women's section, tying the highest placement at the Big 12 meets in her career. Sidney Smith then finished eighth in the women's 400 meter hurdles with a season best time of 58.15 seconds.

During the women's discus throw Sofia Sluchaninova finished second with a top throw of 54.64 meters. The finish was the highest placement of her career at the Big 12 meet for the Second Team All-American.

Kori Randle wrapped up the field events in the women's triple jump, placing eighth with a season best jump of 13.10 meters. It was the third time in as many attempts that she has scored at Big 12 meets.

Kansas finished the meet with the women's 4x400 meter relays. The women's team composed of Skeete, Smith, Maureen Chepkirui and Ethel Amissah finished in a season best 3:31.48 to place fourth. The time was the sixth fastest in school history.

Throughout the Championships, the women's team won two events, the 1,500 meters and 800 meters, and scored 51.5 points to place eighth. The men's team also won two events, the decathlon and pole vault, and achieved 49.5 points to also finish eighth.

A full list of results can be found here while a list of Kansas only results is available here.

Following the conclusion of all conference championships, the top 48 individual athletes in each event and the top 24 relay teams in the region will qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary, where they will then have the opportunity to punch their ticket to the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The top 24 national multi event athletes will not compete in the regional and will qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Qualifying lists can be found on TFRRS.org and the official list will be announced on Thursday, May 21st.

UP NEXT:
Selected Kansas athletes will next be in action at the NCAA West Regional in Fayetteville, Arkansas on May 27-30. More information will be posted later, including a schedule on kuathletics.com. Fans can stay current with the team and events by following the official Kansas Track & Field and Cross Country X or Instagram account @kansastfxc.