The Iowa State University track and field teams are set to compete at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with six athletes qualified. This marks the third consecutive year the Cyclones have sent six or more entries to the event. Both the men's and women's teams aim to score points for the third year in a row.
The championships will take place on March 13-14 at the Randal Tyson Track Center, hosted by the University of Arkansas. Iowa State has competed at this venue in 11 meets over the past four seasons, and Arkansas last hosted the indoor nationals in 2021.
Rachel Joseph will open Iowa State's participation on Friday at 5:55 p.m. CT in the women's 400m semifinals, where she enters as the No. 6 seed. Joseph, a five-time All-American, owns the top 23 400m times in Iowa State history and is making her fifth straight appearance at NCAA indoors. She has broken the indoor school record seven times and the outdoor record six times in her career, with a season-best of 51.25 this year.
The women's distance medley relay team qualifies for the NCAA Indoor Championships for the first time in the NCAA era, though Iowa State won the national title in 1981 under the AIAW. Seeded No. 4, the relay set a school record of 10:44.11 at this venue, the sixth-fastest performance in collegiate history. Makayla Clark, who led off the relay, has also broken or reset school records in the 600y, 800m, and 1,000m this season.
In the 5,000m final on Friday at 7:05 p.m. CT, Mercyline Kirwa will represent the women as the school-record holder and Big 12 champion. The men will have Rodgers Kiplimo and Robin Kwemoi Bera in the same event at 7:25 p.m. CT, with their performances ranking No. 2 and No. 3 in Iowa State this season.
On Saturday, Betty Kipkore is scheduled for the women's 3,000m final at 6:10 p.m. CT, entering as the No. 8 seed after breaking the 2010 school record with 8:44.09.
At the recent Big 12 Championships, the Iowa State men finished third with 64 points, their best placement since winning the title in 2020. The women placed fifth with 73 points, the most since 2020. Following indoors, the Cyclones' outdoor season begins March 26-28 at the Raleigh Relays and Central College Invite.
The last time Iowa State scored at indoor nationals in three or more consecutive years was from 1989 to 1992.
