Thursday, May 28
Fayetteville, Ark.
7:00 p.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 6:00 p.m.
Missouri State University
at
NCAA West Preliminary
Mo State Trio Starts NCAA Championship Chase
May 26, 2026 | Women's Track & Field
| Missouri State at NCAA Outdoor Championships First Round (Fayetteville, Ark.) | |
| Date & Event Times | Thursday, May 28: 7:00 p.m. Saturday, May 30: 5:40 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. |
| Location | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Site | John McDonnell Field |
| Follow Along | Meet Schedule | Live Results Live Stream: Thursday | Saturday |
| Missouri State | Track & Field Home Page | Record Book | Twitter | Facebook |
SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State track and field continues its postseason run this week as Olivia Rogers, Ella Cronhardt and Shiloh Cross travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field West First Round at John McDonnell Field.
The Bears will compete in three events, with Rogers in the 100-meter dash, Cronhardt in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and Cross in the triple jump. It marks the program's most NCAA event qualifications since 2021.
Keeping Track of the Bears
Missouri State enters the week after closing the Conference USA Outdoor Championships with one of its strongest team performances of the season.
The Bears finished seventh with 57.5 points in their first CUSA Outdoor Championship appearance, scoring in the sprints, distance races, hurdles, jumps, relays and multi-events. Rogers and Cross both earned podium finishes at the meet, while Cronhardt added points in two distance events.
That championship showing now carries into Fayetteville, where Missouri State will have representation in a sprint, a distance race and a field event.
Rogers Carries Sprint Momentum to Fayetteville
Rogers will open Missouri State's week in the 100-meter dash first round Thursday at 7 p.m.
The junior enters with a personal-best time of 11.39, ranking No. 39 in the West Region. She delivered the mark at the CUSA Outdoor Championships, placing third in the final.
Her trip to Fayetteville caps one of the strongest sprint seasons of her career. Rogers ran 11.55 at the SBU Bearcat Invitational, dropped to 11.50 at the SMU Invitational and saved her fastest race for the conference championship stage.
She is Missouri State's first 100-meter NCAA qualifier since Madison Meredith advanced in the event in 2021.
If Rogers advances Thursday, she will compete in the 100-meter quarterfinals Saturday at 6:35 p.m.
Cronhardt Returns to Steeplechase Field
Cronhardt will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase quarterfinal Saturday at 5:40 p.m.
The junior enters the meet ranked No. 40 in the West Region with a qualifying time of 10:20.98. She posted the mark at the John McDonnell Invitational earlier this spring, winning the event and moving to No. 2 all-time in program history.
Cronhardt is back in the steeplechase field for the second straight season after competing in the 2025 opening round where she finished 45th overall with a time of 10:57.09.
Cross Makes National Postseason Debut
Cross will close Missouri State's event schedule Saturday at 6 p.m. in the triple jump.
The freshman enters with a personal-best leap of 12.77 meters, ranking No. 47 in the West Region. She saved her top mark of the season for the CUSA Outdoor Championships, placing third to secure her spot in Fayetteville.
Cross made an immediate impact during her first outdoor season with the Bears. She won the triple jump at the SBU Bearcat Invitational, added another victory at the Mo State Invitational and continued to build throughout the spring before breaking through at the conference meet.
She is Missouri State's first triple jump NCAA qualifier since Jamilah James advanced in the event in 2022.
NCAA West First Round Schedule
Thursday, May 28
7 p.m. – Olivia Rogers, 100-meter dash first round
Saturday, May 30
5:40 p.m. – Ella Cronhardt, 3,000-meter steeplechase quarterfinal
6 p.m. – Shiloh Cross, triple jump first round
6:35 p.m. – 100-meter dash quarterfinal, if Rogers advances
All times are Central and subject to change.
Championship Outlook
Missouri State's week in Fayetteville comes with a chance to extend its season to Eugene.
The top 12 competitors from each individual event at each First Round site will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be held June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Rogers will need to move through Thursday's first round of the 100-meter dash to reach Saturday's quarterfinal, where the West Region's 12 national qualifiers will be determined.
Cronhardt and Cross will each compete Saturday, with the top 12 finishers in the steeplechase and triple jump advancing to the national meet.
With Rogers bringing Missouri State back to the 100-meter field for the first time since 2021, Cronhardt returning to the steeplechase and Cross making her debut in the triple jump, the Bears will look to turn their strongest event representation in five years into championship berths.
#WeAreMoState
 
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