Completed Event: Track & Field at Bryan Clay Invitational - Multis on April 9, 2026 ,
Final
Track & Field
at Bryan Clay Invitational - Multis
Photo by: Kansas Athletics
Emmah Jemutai Named 2026 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Women’s Performer of the Year
5/21/2026 2:00:00 PM | Track & Field
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas track and field was represented in the end of year awards by junior captain Emmah Jemutai as the Big 12 Women's Performer of the Year for the 2026 Outdoor season, the conference office announced Thursday.
"We're really excited about Emmah and all of the hard work she has put in," Kansas head coach Stanley Redwine said. "She represents the program incredibly, and not just from the things she's doing on the track, but because she is such an amazing person that is always making everyone around her better. She is incredibly coachable and is always smiling and making people around her smile… She executed the race plan this past weekend to a T and was really on point with everything she did because of how coachable and easy to work with she is; her and coach Whittlesey did a great job. We're very proud of her and this is definitely a special recognition for a special kind of athlete and person."
This marks Jemutai's first Big 12 Conference Performer of the Year award of her career, as voted on by the league's coaches, after she capped off the conference season with two Big 12 titles, as she won both the women's 800 and 1,500 meter runs just 80 minutes apart at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship. She totaled 20 of the women's team's 51.5 points during the meet and was recognized as the Big 12's women's top point award winner. The 800 meter win was the first Big 12 Outdoor women's 800 meter Championship in school history.
Jemutai becomes Kansas' fourth women's outdoor Big 12 Performer of the Year and the first since Sharon Lokedi won the award in 2017. With her Big 12 titles in the 800 and 1,500 meters, Jemutai is the first individual to win both events in the same Big 12 Championship since 2001, while becoming the first back-to-back Big 12 1,500 meter champion since 2007-08.
Jemutai kicked off the outdoor season with a win in the 1,500 meter run at LSU's Battle on the Bayou before breaking her own school record in the 800 meter run with the first sub-two minute time of her career at the Bryan Clay Invitational in 1:59.88.
She then finished third as part of a 4x400 meter relay team at the Rock Chalk Classic before heading to Tucson, Arizona for the Big 12 Championship. On Thursday, Jemutai won her heat to qualify for the finals. On Friday, she qualified for the women's 800 meter run finals by also winning her heat.
On Saturday, Jemutai first ran in the 1,500 meter finals, running neck and neck with Oklahoma State's Billah Jepkirui and BYU's Jane Hedengren for most of the race. Down the final stretch, she pulled away slightly to win her second straight Big 12 1,500 meters title with a season best and facility record time of 4:09.66. Then, only 80 minutes later, she picked up her second Big 12 title of the season in the women's 800 meter run, finishing in 2:05.90. It was the first 800 meters title of her career, and through her efforts she was also recognized as the conference's women's highest point awards winner.
Jemutai's two Big 12 titles and Performer of the Year award add to her already impressive year, as she was an All-Region performer in cross country, qualifying for her first career NCAA Cross Country Championship. She also set two Kansas records in the mile and 800 meter run and was named an USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Academic recipient.
UP NEXT:
The Jayhawks will 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.
"We're really excited about Emmah and all of the hard work she has put in," Kansas head coach Stanley Redwine said. "She represents the program incredibly, and not just from the things she's doing on the track, but because she is such an amazing person that is always making everyone around her better. She is incredibly coachable and is always smiling and making people around her smile… She executed the race plan this past weekend to a T and was really on point with everything she did because of how coachable and easy to work with she is; her and coach Whittlesey did a great job. We're very proud of her and this is definitely a special recognition for a special kind of athlete and person."
This marks Jemutai's first Big 12 Conference Performer of the Year award of her career, as voted on by the league's coaches, after she capped off the conference season with two Big 12 titles, as she won both the women's 800 and 1,500 meter runs just 80 minutes apart at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship. She totaled 20 of the women's team's 51.5 points during the meet and was recognized as the Big 12's women's top point award winner. The 800 meter win was the first Big 12 Outdoor women's 800 meter Championship in school history.
Jemutai becomes Kansas' fourth women's outdoor Big 12 Performer of the Year and the first since Sharon Lokedi won the award in 2017. With her Big 12 titles in the 800 and 1,500 meters, Jemutai is the first individual to win both events in the same Big 12 Championship since 2001, while becoming the first back-to-back Big 12 1,500 meter champion since 2007-08.
Jemutai kicked off the outdoor season with a win in the 1,500 meter run at LSU's Battle on the Bayou before breaking her own school record in the 800 meter run with the first sub-two minute time of her career at the Bryan Clay Invitational in 1:59.88.
She then finished third as part of a 4x400 meter relay team at the Rock Chalk Classic before heading to Tucson, Arizona for the Big 12 Championship. On Thursday, Jemutai won her heat to qualify for the finals. On Friday, she qualified for the women's 800 meter run finals by also winning her heat.
On Saturday, Jemutai first ran in the 1,500 meter finals, running neck and neck with Oklahoma State's Billah Jepkirui and BYU's Jane Hedengren for most of the race. Down the final stretch, she pulled away slightly to win her second straight Big 12 1,500 meters title with a season best and facility record time of 4:09.66. Then, only 80 minutes later, she picked up her second Big 12 title of the season in the women's 800 meter run, finishing in 2:05.90. It was the first 800 meters title of her career, and through her efforts she was also recognized as the conference's women's highest point awards winner.
Jemutai's two Big 12 titles and Performer of the Year award add to her already impressive year, as she was an All-Region performer in cross country, qualifying for her first career NCAA Cross Country Championship. She also set two Kansas records in the mile and 800 meter run and was named an USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Academic recipient.
UP NEXT:
The Jayhawks will 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.
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