KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced its first Track and Field Athletes of the Week from the 2026 women’s outdoor season, presented by Beynon – the official track surface of the MIAA. The 2026 NCAA Division II outdoor track and field seasons officially began last week with MIAA programs returning to competition only a week after the 2026 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships. Northwest Missouri’s Kiki Witt was named the first Track Athlete of the Week in the outdoor season, and Missouri Southern’s Allyssa Mahone was named the first Field Athlete of the Week.
 
INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kiki Witt, Northwest Missouri  
Kiki Witt captured first-place honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Spire Distance Carnival in Leavenworth, Kan., last Friday (March 20). Her winning time of 10:48.15 ranks as the nation's second-best time in Division II so far in the 2026 outdoor season. Witt's time also ranks as the fourth-best mark in Northwest school history.
 
INDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Allyssa Mahone, Missouri Southern
Allyssa Mahone captured both the shot put and discus titles at the 2026 Miner Invitational last weekend (March 20-21) with a pair of MSSU personal bests and NCAA Division II qualifying marks. Mahone registered a discus mark of 52.66 (172-9) meters and a shot put distance of 14.79 meters (48-6.25). With the discus throw, Mahone now ranks third all-time in MSSU history for the event. She also ranks second in Division II for discus and third for shot put to begin the 2026 outdoor season.  
 
NOTABLE TRACK PERFORMANCES:
Barbara Bentum, Emporia State
Barbara Bentum was a double winner for the Hornets at the Jayhawk Spring Fling. She ran the second-best time in Emporia State history to win the women's 200 meters. Her first-place time of 23.92 makes her just the second Hornet to run under 24 seconds in the event, as she trails just Courtney Bruna's 23.83 at the 2004 MIAA Championships. Bentum is currently ranked fourth in Division II in the 200 meters. She also won the 400-meter dash at the Jayhawk Spring Fling, finishing in 57.23.
 
Taylor Hoskinson, Fort Hays State
Taylor Hoskinson ran the 800 meters in 2:19.90 last Friday at the Spire Distance Carnival. Her time is the top recorded time in the MIAA so far this outdoor season and is the ninth-best at FHSU during the Division II era.
 
NOTABLE FIELD PERFORMANCES:
Lily Novacek, Nebraska Kearney
Lily Novacek was the top non-Division I finisher in the hammer throw at the TCU Alumni Invite last Friday (March 20) in Fort Worth. She placed third with a mark of 61.28 meters (201-0), which is currently the top throw on the NCAA Division II outdoor performance lists.
 
Alycia Cosens, Pittsburg State
In her first collegiate competition, freshman Alycia Cosens posted the third-best mark in NCAA Division II this season in the javelin. The Pittsburg native unleashed a throw of 162 feet, 11 inches (49.67 meters) to win the discipline at the UCM Invitational last Friday (March 20). Her mark ranks as the second-best throw in Pitt State history.
 
ALSO NOMINATED:
Track Nominations: Gabija Pukstas [Central Oklahoma], Emily Meeks [Central Missouri], Aryah Moore [Missouri Southern]  
Field Nominations: Haley Sexton [Central Missouri]
 
ABOUT BEYNON:
Beynon Sports, a Tarkett Sports company, is a leading North American company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and installing high-performance synthetic athletic surfaces, particularly for track and field, but also for tennis, pickleball, and indoor courts, known for their speed, durability, and focus on sustainability using innovative materials like cashew oil. They provide surfaces for elite venues and community facilities, and meet strict International Association of Athletics Federations standards. 
 

---

WEEK ONE INDOOR TRACK: Melanie Roland, Northwest Missouri
WEEK ONE INDOOR FIELD: Rachel Wilson, Pittsburg State
 
WEEK TWO INDOOR TRACK: Kennedi Cline, Northwest Missouri
WEEK TWO INDOOR FIELD: Dailynn VanDeren, Missouri Southern
 
WEEK THREE INDOOR TRACK: Kennedi Cline, Northwest Missouri
WEEK THREE INDOOR FIELD: Belle Peters, Pittsburg State
 
WEEK FOUR INDOOR TRACK: Blakelee Winn, Pittsburg State
WEEK FOUR INDOOR FIELD: Belle Peters, Pittsburg State
 
WEEK FIVE INDOOR TRACK: Stella Agbokpah, Emporia State
WEEK FIVE INDOOR FIELD: Dailynn VanDeren, Missouri Southern
 
WEEK SIX INDOOR TRACK: Zyra Shivers, Pittsburg State
WEEK SIX INDOOR FIELD: Breanne Peters, Pittsburg State
 
WEEK SEVEN INDOOR TRACK: Grizell Scarlett, Central Missouri 
WEEK SEVEN INDOOR FIELD: Cannon Booker, Pittsburg State
 
--
 
WEEK ONE OUTDOOR TRACK: Kiki Witt, Northwest Missouri  
WEEK ONE OUTDOOR FIELD: Allyssa Mahone, Missouri Southern