MOUNT VERNON, IA – The Beloit College Buccaneers traveled to Ash Park this weekend for the 2026 Midwest Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Cornell College. Led by three individual conference titles and a flurry of podium finishes, the Buccaneers made their presence felt across both the track and field events.
Beloit secured three gold medals over the two-day meet, showcasing the program's strength in technical events.
On the infield, Joshua Martinez (Beloit, Wis.) captured the conference title in the Men's Discus with a dominant toss of 49.50m. Martinez Marte also contributed points in the Men's Shot Put, finishing 7th with a mark of 14.61m. Martinez now ranks 15th in the nation in Discus.
In the vertical jumps, Naomee Casey (Broken Arrow, Okla) climbed to the top of the podium in the Women's Pole Vault, clearing 3.20m to take 1st place. She was followed closely by teammate Haley Carlin (Sarasota, Fla.), who earned a silver medal with a 2nd-place height of 2.50m.
On the track, Nate Otis (Shoreview, Minn.) proved to be the class of the field in the Men's 400m Hurdles, clocking a winning time of 53.54 in the finals. Otis was a major point-scorer for the Bucs, also taking 3rd place in the Men's 400m dash with a time of 51.15. Otis sits at 15th in the nation in the 400m hurdles.
Dylan Malmgren (Loves Park, Ill.) anchored the distance squad with a stellar performance in the Men's 10,000 Meters, taking 2nd place with a time of 31.45.73. He returned later in the meet to secure 5th place in the Men's 5,000 Meters (15:07.22).
In the middle-distance events, Kembre Daniel (Chicago, Ill.) delivered a silver-medal performance in the Men's 800 Meters, finishing in 1:55.38. Daniel also placed 8th in the 1,500 Meters (4:02.81).
Beloit's speed was on display in the Men's 100 Meters, where Josh Yearby (Hollywood, FL) sprinted to a 4th-place finish in a competitive final, clocking 10.76. Yearby also took 8th in the 200 Meters (22.57).
Beyond the success in the pole vault, the Buccaneer women found success in the hurdles and sprints. Jaslyn Gama (Beloit, Wis.) fought her way to a 5th-place finish in the Women's 400m Hurdles (1:08.28) and added a 7th-place finish in the 400m dash (1:02.78). Allie Roberts followed Gama in the 400m, taking 8th place with a time of 1:04.89.
In the throwing rings, Adelaide Schmitt (Aurora, Colo.) earned a point for the team in the Women's Discus placing 8th with a mark of 36.21m.
Beloit's relay teams showcased strong coordination and depth, securing critical points toward the final team totals. In the Men's 4x100m relay, the quartet of Ayouba Sumoaro (Las Vegas, NV), Otis, Izzy Zewdie (Las Vegas, Nev.), and Yearby raced to a fourth-place finish with a time of 43.06. The Men's 4x400m team, comprised of Daniel, Anton Witzel (Erfurt, Germany), Zewdie, and Otis, followed with a fifth-place performance, crossing the line in 3:27.97. On the women's side, the Buccaneers were remarkably consistent, earning sixth place in both major relay events. The 4x100m squad, featuring Roberts, Syniyah Quenga (Urbana, IL), Cole Miller (Salem, Ore.), and Gama, clocked a time of 52.88, while the 4x400m team of Roberts, Gama, Miller, and Quenga posted a final time of 4:19.25.
The Buccaneer Men finished the championship in 6th place overall with 75 points. The Buccaneer Women finished in 7th place with 38 points. Host Cornell College and Illinois College took the top spots in the overall team rankings, but the Buccaneers' individual brilliance highlighted a successful weekend in Mount Vernon.
Numerous Buccaneers will head to Rock Island, IL on Wednesday and Thursday to compete at the Augustana Midnight Qualifier, hoping to improve their marks in an attempt to qualify for the 2026 DIII Outdoor National Championships.
