HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State University track and field teams put on a dominant showing at the 2025 Alex Francis Classic today (April 25), racking up over 20 event wins, multiple provisional NCAA Division II qualifying marks, and even a couple of facility records during their lone home meet of the season.
 
The men were electric on the track, led by Toby Wahlmeier, who had a huge day. Wahlmeier won the 100m in 10.38 seconds, tied for fourth-fastest in FHSU DII history, and followed it up by winning the 200m in 20.74, setting a new facility record and again tying for fourth in school history.  He notched a pair of national qualifying marks in the events as well.
 
Teammates Eddie McVay finished second with a time of 10.53 seconds, while Avrey Albright took third in 10.55, both delivering strong performances in the 100m. In the 400m, Nakari Morrical-Palmer took second with a blazing 47.52—good for fifth in school history and a provisional mark.
 
In the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles, Nolan Churchman was dominant, winning both with times of 15.28 and 54.08—the latter being fifth-fastest in school history. 
 
Brady Deges and Kurtis McCormick tied for first in the pole vault, both clearing 15-7.75. Dean Clark leapt into the FHSU DII record book with a massive 23-8.75 mark in the long jump, placing him tenth. He also took second in the triple jump with a 46-1.5 jump. Ervin Fierro placed third in both the long jump and triple jump. Ethan Fisher led a Tiger sweep in the 5000m, winning in 15:17.01, followed by Ty Raulston and Carsyn Turpin.
 
On the women's side, Annabeth Baalmann continued her stellar season by winning the pole vault with a clearance of 13-3.75, setting a facility record and earning another provisional mark, where she remains tied for third nationally with her vault earlier this season.
 
Emma Slade delivered big in the discus, winning with a throw of 154-6, earning a provisional mark, and added a third-place finish in the hammer throw (162-6).
 
Teammate Liberty Booker took first in a pair of events including the hammer with a mark of 177-4, placing her third in FHSU DII history and earning a provisional spot. She also won the women's shot put.
 
Jessica Saunders joined Slade with a top-three finish in the discus, placing third with a throw of 146-1 feet. Patrisha Doll also earned a third-place finish in the javelin with a mark of 110-8 feet.
 
Amelia Foster won both the 200 meters with a time of 26.26 and the 400 meters in 59.92, while also placing second in the 100 meters, clocking 12.91. Elysia Kunkler secured first place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.06 and finished third in the long jump with a leap of 17-2 feet. Reba Mader clocked a winning time of 1:02.48 in the 400m hurdles, nearly a provisional qualifier.
 
In distance events, Makenzie Premer took first in the 800m, followed closely by Ashlyn Harbaugh and Kyra Nippert. Harbaugh also placed second in the 1500m, behind Emma Weiner, who won in 4:50.15. In the 5000m, Arely Maldonado led the way in 18:50.72, with Keziah Bachman finishing second.
 
Overall, the Tigers tallied 21 event victories, secured six NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks—three from the men and three from the women—and set two new facility records in an outstanding home meet performance. With just a few weeks remaining in the outdoor season, Fort Hays State looks poised to make a strong push heading into the MIAA Championships set for next weekend (May 2-4).
 
Full FHSU Results
Men:
100m
1st – Toby Wahlmeier – 10.38 # $
2nd – Eddie McVay – 10.53
3rd – Avrey Albright – 10.55
4th – Omari Smith – 10.69
6th – Rylan White – 10.86
14th – Dylan Velasco – 11.19
 
110mH
1st – Nolan Churchman – 15.28
 
200m
1st – Toby Wahlmeier – 20.74 # 
2nd – Avrey Albright – 21.40
3rd – Omari Smith – 21.63
6th – Nakari Morrical-Palmer – 21.96
10th – Alex Arnold – 22.75
11th – Dylan Velasco – 22.75
12th – Brody Burns – 22.81
15th – Cole Darling – 23.46
 
400m
2nd – Nakari Morrical-Palmer – 47.52 # 
8th – Alex Arnold – 50.09
10th – Brody Burns – 51.12
11th – Asher Wassom – 51.89
12th – Cole Darling – 52.14
 
400mH
1st – Nolan Churchman – 54.08 
2nd – Mayan Paz – 54.76
 
800m
3rd – Andrew Waller – 2:00.34
4th – Ethan Emmons – 2:01.68
5th – Braylon Moore – 2:02.13
6th – Kaiden Esfeld – 2:03.01
 
1500m
1st – Emery Wolfe – 4:08.99
2nd – Kaiden Esfeld – 4:09.38
 
3000m Steeplechase
1st – Cole Krug – 9:50.65
2nd – Ian Weich – 10:27.95
 
5000m
1st – Ethan Fisher – 15:17.01
2nd – Ty Raulston – 15:37.93
3rd – Carsyn Turpin – 15:45.98
4th – Hunter Metzger – 15:49.27
5th – Andrew Waller – 16:04.31
 
Pole Vault
1st – Brady Deges – 15-7.75
2nd – Kurtis McCormick – 15-7.75
4th – Trevor Christensen – 14-2.00
 
Long Jump
1st – Dean Clark – 23-8.75 
2nd – Kade Harris – 20-8.00
3rd – Ervin Fierro – 19-7.50
 
Triple Jump
2nd – Dean Clark – 46-1.50
3rd – Ervin Fierro – 42-3.00
 
Javelin
1st – Samuel Molt – 182
3rd – William Tice – 174-2.00
9th – Nolan Churchman – 140-8.00
 
Women's
100m
2nd – Amelia Foster – 12.91
 
100mH
1st – Elysia Kunkler – 17.06
 
200m
1st – Amelia Foster – 26.26
 
400m
1st – Amelia Foster – 59.92
 
400mH
1st – Reba Mader – 1:02.48
 
800m
1st – Makenzie Premer – 2:23.32
2nd – Ashlyn Harbaugh – 2:26.81
3rd – Kyra Nippert – 2:31.67
 
1500m
1st – Emma Weiner – 4:50.15
2nd – Ashlyn Harbaugh – 4:51.82
3rd – Madison Sutterfield – 4:56.42
4th – Alayna Cossaart – 4:58.35
6th – Abbye Hudson – 5:04.99
7th – Brenna Murphy – 5:06.87
 
5000m
1st – Arely Maldonado – 18:50.72
2nd – Keziah Bachman – 19:08.86
 
Pole Vault
1st – Annabeth Baalmann – 13-3.75 # $
3rd – Piper Robinson – 11-0.25
5th – Kaitlin Lindstrom – 10-6.50
5th – Liz Moore – 10-6.50
 
Long Jump
3rd – Elysia Kunkler – 17-2.00
4th – Abby Rueschhoff – 17-1.50
 
Triple Jump
2nd – Abby Rueschhoff – 36-2.25
3rd – Brynlee Frank – 35-9.50
4th – Jayme Hagerman – 34-11.75
 
Hammer
1st – Liberty Booker – 177-4.00 # 
3rd – Emma Slade – 162-6.00
7th – Kieran Burke – 143-2.00
 
Discus
1st – Emma Slade – 154-6.00 #
3rd – Jessica Saunders – 146-1.00
5th – Kieran Burke – 138-1.00
 
Javelin
3rd – Patrisha Doll – 110-8.00
 
Shot Put
1st – Liberty Booker – 43-1.75
4th – Emma Slade – 39-4.00
6th – Kylin Rudzik – 33-2.50
 
# indicates NCAA DII provisional mark
$ indicates facility record