STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State Track and Field is set to begin its postseason slate at the 2026 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships starting on Thursday morning and concluding on Saturday at maverick Stadium hosted by UT Arlington.

In the WAC pre-championship coaches poll released on Wednesday afternoon, the Texans were ranked in second in both the men's and women's competitions. Nationally, the Texan Women entered the week ranked 43rd in the NCAA, The women were ranked as high as 35 during the season on Week 5. In the South Central Region the Purple and White are ranked 12th. On the men's side, they enter this week just outside the top 100 in the NCAA at 102nd. During the year, the Texans were tabbed as high as 87th. In the South Central Region, the Texan men are ranked 14th.

"At the WAC Indoor Championships we showed who we are, but outdoors is where we make our statement," said head coach Bobby Carter. "Both of our teams have one goal — leave the WAC Championships on top. This team has built something powerful: toughness, belief, and a standard that refuses to settle. We're not just showing up hoping for good performances, we're showing up expecting to compete at the highest level. Every point matters. Every event matters. Every teammate matters. The mission is simple for us, compete with confidence, execute with purpose, and fight for each other from the first event to the final relay. This weekend, we don't defend expectations, we raise the standard." 

Live results will be provided by NTX Timing. Each day will be streamed on ESPN+, starting when the track events start each evening. For updates, highlights, results and the up-to-second latest information, follow @tarletontrackxc on Instagram and X.

Entering the weekend, the Texan men have 15 top three performers in their event. Among those 15, nine enter the championships with the best mark in the WAC this season. JayBrion Jones ranks owns the school record, ranks 17th in the NCAA and leads the WAC in the 100 meters with the fastest time this season in 10.10 seconds. David Mvundura ranks second in the conference in 10.22 seconds. Mvundura owns the top time in the 200 in 20.68 seconds entering the weekend. Ca'terrin Cox broke his own school record with the WAC's top time this season of 13.74 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles. Davi Torres and Colton Andress top the conference with the highest clearance in the long jump this season. The duo has each cleared 2.11 meters, both currently in the top 48 in the NCAA West Region. Jacob Thomas has broken his school record in the pole vault twice this season ending with his best mark of 5.21 meters. Thomas looks for his first outdoor WAC title after posting no height a season ago. Sir Jonathan Sims owns the top mark in the WAC in both the long and triple jump. In the long jump his season best of 7.73 meters top the field. I the triple jump he has the best leap of 15.92 meters.

On the women's side, seven Texans own the top mark in the WAC this season. Overall, 12 that don the Purple and White rank in the top three in their event in the conference entering the weekend. Victoria Cameron has the top time in the WAC and the NCAA West and ranks fifth in the NCAA this season in the 100 meters in 11.01 seconds. Lauren Roy owns the 17th best time in the nation in the 100 in 11.08 seconds and is ninth in the west region and second in the WAC. Cameron also owns the best time in the 200 in 23.05 seconds, followed closely behind by Roy in 23.07 seconds. Malak Rashwan leads the WAC in the 100-meter hurdles. She posted a new Egyptian all-conditions record of 13.29 seconds and ranks 20th in the NCAA West. Both the Texans' 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays top the WAC. The 4x100 meter relay set a new school record in 43.33 seconds to rank ninth in the west and 17th in the nation. The 4x400 meter relay squad clocked in a season-best time of 3:45.53 to lead the conference. Prestina Ochonogor enters the weekend with the top mark of 6.50 meters to lead the WAC and is the 10th best leap in the NCAA. She looks to defend her long jump crown as she has won the last three long jump titles in the indoor and outdoor championships. Tayler Wessely owns the best mark of 61.45 meters in the hammer throw, a toss that she broke the school record in the outdoor season opener at ACU.

The Texan women are looking to defend their title from the indoor slate at the end of February. The Texans won their first WAC Track and Field Championship in program history with a program record 180.5 points on the women's side. On the men's side, the Texans scored 157 points and placed second, both program records. Last season, the Purple and White set outdoor program records with their best performances in the D1 era. The women scored 136 points to finish in third while the men tallied 126 points to finish in fourth overall.

Last year, the Texans posted six event champions at the WAC Championships. Victoria Cameron took home Most Outstanding Performer of the Meet honors taking home the gold in three total events, 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 meter relay. Cameron also set the WAC All-time and Championship records in the 100 meters crossing in 11.05 seconds. Also returning to defend their WAC titles from a season ago are Sir Jonathan Sims in the triple jump and Prestina Ochonogor in the long jump. Lokesh Sathyanathan was the sixth Texan individual champion last year.

After the WAC Championships, Tarleton State Track and Field will head to Fayetteville, Ark., for the NCAA West First Rounds. The top 48 men and women in each event will earn a bid to the meet for the chance to punch their ticket for the NCAA National Championships in Eugene, Ore. In the first week of June. The top 12 in each event at the First Rounds will clinch a berth to the NCAA National Championships.