By: Hunter McKay
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Kennesaw State women's squad won its first Conference USA title on Saturday, the final day of the 2026 CUSA Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Meanwhile, the men finished a close second to Liberty.
The KSU women finished with 140.5, holding off Liberty by 14 points. The KSU women are the first Owl program to win a CUSA Championship on the women's side. It's the third title overall as the KSU swept the tittles in 2025.
On the men's side, Kennesaw State's put up 159 points. Liberty took home the title with 196 points and snapped KSU's bid back-to-back titles.
Tickia Sutton was named CUSA Co-Women's Freshman of the Meet after securing 10 points with a personal-best time of 8.37 seconds that she ran to win the 60m hurdles on Saturday.
Marion Clark took home the CUSA Men's Freshman of the Meet trophy after scoring 11 points in the 400m, 4x400m relay and the distance medley relay in the two-day meet.
Women's Recap
KSU picked up 23 points from four women in the 60m hurdles final. Freshmen Tickia Sutton (8.37 seconds) and Natalie Harris (8.39 seconds) captured the gold and silver medals with personal-best times respectively. Madison Maxey (8.64 seconds) and Hannah Cheek (8.70 seconds) took home sixth and seventh place.
The Owls collected 20 points in the 800m. Emma Sullivan grabbed the gold medal for the second consecutive year with a season-best time of 2:02.89. That time set a new meet and facility record and ranks No. 21 in the NCAA this season. Sullivan became the fourth person to win the 800m indoors in consecutive seasons and the first since 2017-18.
Sullivan was joined on the podium by Britney Chatfield. Chatfield ran just behind Sullivan the whole race and secured the silver medal with a time of 2:03.99. Freshman Mayson Humpert ran a personal-best time of 2:10.87 to place seventh and secure two points.
Sullivan, Chatfield, Eliana Mbadinga and Samiya Wayne ran a time of 3:37.37 to secure the gold medal. That time set a new school, meet and facility record.
Mbadinga (24.11 seconds), Wayne (24.19 seconds) placed fifth and sixth in the 200m collecting seven points for KSU.
Kenadie Singleton clocked a personal-best time of 7.35 seconds to take home the gold medal and establish a new school record in the event. Wayne took fifth with a time of 7.49 seconds.
Madison Seiler brought home fourth place in the 3K after crossing the line in a time of 9:38.98.
Riley Perlakoowski secured two points with a seventh-place finish in the one-mile run with a time of 4:53.87.
Kaylee Brown completed her collegiate career with a third-place finish in the high jump. She cleared the bar at a season-best height of 1.74m (5'8.50").
Victoria Joyce landed a leap of 12.55m (41'2.25) in the triple jump to secure the bronze medal. Kaylan McConnehead picked up a point for KSU with a season-best leap of 12.25m (40'2.25") to take home eighth.
Men's Recap
Kenyatta Bennett and Gage Voyles each cleared the bar at 2.12m (6'11.50) in the high jump. Bennett won the gold and Voyles secured silver medal due to Bennett making over the bar in less attempts.
Rickey Robins took home the silver medal with a toss of 17.25m (56'7.25") in the shot put. Teammates Braden Garrison (16.89m | 55'5") and Evan Martinez (16.80m | 55'1.50") placed fourth and fifth in the event.
KSU got nine points in the triple jump as Chinedum Ike (15.32m |50'3.25"), Cameron Dean (15.21m | 49'11.0") and Jeremiah Madison (15.03m | 49'3.75") placed fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.
Chance Cross won the 60m in a blistering time of 6.56 seconds. It marked the second consecutive event win, meet record and facility record for Cross.
The Owls 4x400m relay team of Trey Geter, Marion Clark, Justin Warner and Eric Young II clocked a facility record time of 3:09.35 to win the event.
Cameron Guadiano (7.88 seconds) and Joshua Jones (7.92 seconds) secured the silver and bronze medals in the 60m hurdles respectively. Guadiano's time was a season best, while Jones' was a personal best.
Marion Clark posted a personal-best time of 47.37 to take home the bronze medal in the 400m. Eric Young II (47.39 seconds), Trey Geter (47.40 seconds) and Justin Warner (47.54 seconds) finished fifth, sixth and seventh to secure nine points for KSU.
Eric Young II (21.39 seconds) and Chance Cross (21.98 seconds) placed fourth and eighth in the 200m respectively.
Edwin Kiprono picked up five points with a time of 4:09.75 that was good for fourth in the one-mile run.
Brian Limo (8:38.39) and Collins Kipkemboi (8:38.90) collected seven points in the 3K placing fifth and sixth respectively.
Ian Tukes (4181 points) and Darris Roberts (3779 points) placed sixth and seventh in their first collegiate heptathlons.
Quotable
Director of Track and Field Cale McDaniel
On the women's team making history…
"It's a really good time to be an Owl! These women came out firing all weekend. We were so clutch when the moments were the biggest. I have the best staff and support staff, and they crushed it all weekend. I am so happy these women were able to bring the first ever CUSA title back to the Nest."
On the men's team
"We got a little too far behind on day one and just couldn't catch back up. Ultimately it falls on me to make sure we can get back to the top very soon. I do want to make sure we recognize that there were so many great performances all weekend by the men. We are always built around the 4x400m relay so winning both the men's and women's on the way out was fantastic finish to the weekend."
Next Up
Individuals who finish in the top 16 nationally in their specific event or top 12 in relay at the end of the indoor season will head to Fayetteville, Ark. to compete in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships March 13-14. The Owls open their outdoor season on March 20-21 at the Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta.
