PELLA, Iowa — The Nebraska Wesleyan men's and women's outdoor track and field teams wrapped up competition at the 2026 American Rivers Conference Outdoor Championships over three days at Central College. The Prairie Wolves' men's team placed fourth out of nine teams with 113.5 points, while the women finished fifth with 77 points. Wartburg swept both team championships, with the men scoring 208 points and the women posting 268 to claim the crown.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nebraska Wesleyan had several competitors earn all-conference honors for their efforts on both sides of the meet.
On the men's side, Samuel Clements delivered one of the program's top finish of the weekend, claiming the A-R-C individual title in the shot put with a throw of 18.12 meters (59 feet, 5.5 inches). Graham Peterson and Robbie Rist went two-three for the Prairie Wolves in the pole vault, with Peterson clearing 4.30 meters (14-1.25) for second and Rist taking third at 4.20 meters (13-9.25). Colin Wojtkiewicz won the hammer throw with a heave of 58.18 meters (190-10), giving NWU its second individual event crown of the meet. In the hurdles, Noah Smith took second in the 110 meters (14.30) and sophomore Jacob Young broke into the national conversation with a third-place finish and a personal best of 14.38, a new Division III No. 17 mark in the event. Reed Emsick claimed second in the 800 meters with a time of 1:52.12, and Connor Halde added a runner-up finish in the 400 meter hurdles with a personal-best 53.36, which ranks No. 22 in Division III. The men's 4x800 relay squad of Alex Ienn, Brennan Steenson, Elijah Pollard and Emsick won the event outright with a time of 7:34.75, setting a new facility record in the process. The men's 4x400 relay team of McClain Meyer, Halde, Barrett Mayfield and Emsick rounded out the conference podium with a third-place finish (3:16.23).
On the women's side, Chloe Mooberry picked up all-conference accolades with a third-place finish in the long jump (5.58 meters, 18-3.75), a new 2026 Division III No. 43 mark. Rachel Smith had an outstanding individual meet, earning a fourth-place finishes in both the 100 meter hurdles (14.55, a personal best and new Division III No. 32 mark) and a second-place finish in the 400 meter hurdles (1:02.92, a personal best and new Division III No. 25 mark). Jadah Laughlin placed fifth in the 100 meter hurdles with a personal-best 14.76. Kaelyn Means earned third in the discus with a throw of 43.49 meters (142-8), and freshman Kaylee Taylor put together an impressive heptathlon campaign, finishing 8th in the combined event.
Nebraska Wesleyan's all-conference honorees on the men's side included Clements (shot put), Colin Wojtkiewicz (hammer throw), Peterson (pole vault), Rist (pole vault), Smith (110 hurdles), Young (110 hurdles), Emsick (800 meters, 4x800 relay, 4x400 relay), Halde (400 hurdles, 4x400 relay), and relay members Ienn, Steenson, Pollard, Meyer and Mayfield. Women's all-conference honorees included Mooberry (long jump), Smith (400 hurdles) and Means (discus).
