FHSU Athletics
PITTSBURG, Kan. - The Fort Hays State track and field teams delivered an impressive performance at the Rumble in the Jungle Invitational Friday, highlighted by individual victories, NCAA Division II provisional marks, and multiple point-scoring efforts. The men's team secured a fifth-place finish with 44 team points, while the women's team tied for ninth with 18 points in a highly competitive field.
The men's team showcased a balanced effort across track and field events. Christian Darrah headlined the day by capturing gold in the mile run, clocking an impressive time of 4:11.89 to earn 10 points. Teammate Brady Stegman also contributed to the team total with an eighth-place finish in 4:20.52, adding one more point.
Hayden Albright had a standout performance, finishing third in the 200m dash with a blazing time of 21.47, earning 6 points and achieving an NCAA Division II provisional mark. Albright followed up by placing sixth in the 400m dash, clocking 48.49 to add 3 more points to his tally. The Tigers' sprint crew showed their depth in the 60m dash prelims, with both Hayden and Avrey Albright narrowly missing the finals after identical times of 6.91.
The Tigers were dominant in the pole vault, where Jacob Clark claimed first place by clearing 16-8.00, securing 10 points and meeting the NCAA Division II provisional standard. Josiah Bell added to the team's success in the event with a fifth-place finish, vaulting 15-8.25 to collect 4 points, while Brady Deges placed seventh with a mark of 15-2.25, contributing 2 additional points.
The men's 4x400m relay team of Avrey Albright, Hayden Albright, Drew Tolar, and Mayan Paz delivered a strong performance, finishing fourth with a time of 3:16.81, earning 5 points for the Tigers.
The women's team was led by a stellar performance from Emily Diercks, who dominated the 3,000m run with a winning time of 9:52.99, earning 10 points. Diercks' impressive finish set the tone for the Tigers on the track as she notched a provisional mark as well. Sprinter Reba Mader and hurdler Donna Jackson both had solid outings, narrowly missing point-scoring positions. Mader finished 10th in the 400m dash with a time of 57.56, while Jackson placed 13th in the 60m hurdles, crossing the line in 9.34.In the pole vault, Annabeth Baalmann cleared 12-4.50 to finish fifth, earning 4 points and hitting the NCAA Division II provisional mark. Meanwhile, in the weight throw, Emma Slade recorded a strong fifth-place finish with a toss of 51-0.00, securing 4 more points for the Tigers.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will return to action next weekend at the Washburn Open, scheduled for Friday (Jan. 31) through Saturday (Feb. 1) in Topeka, Kan. and the Charlie Foster Classic in Kearney, Neb.