FHSU Athletics
EMPORIA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State track and field team lifted a pair of All-American trophies Thursday (May 21) on day one of the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. Annabeth Baalmann and Emily Diercks McCullough both wrapped up storied careers with one more trophy for the trophy case, helping the women sit in fifth place in the team standings with 10.5 points.
Competing in the pole vault at her sixth national championship, Baalmann earned her fifth All-American honor by finishing in a tie for third with a top clearance of 13-7.25. After passing over the first three bars, the Colwich, Kan. native easily cleared her first attempt at 13-3.5 to secure a top 10 finish. She was then one of just five athletes to make it over the bar at 13-7.25, doing so on her second try. Baalmann finishes her career with three All-American trophies and two second-team finishes while pushing the school record up by 16 inches outdoors and more than a foot and a half indoors.
Running in her fifth national championship event as a Tiger, McCullough wrapped up the day by breaking her own school record in the 10,000m. The senior crossed the line in 34:27.57, placing fourth and shaving nearly 19 seconds off her own school record. After running in the middle of the pack for the first half of the race, the Hoxie, Kan. native moved into the top eight by the midway point. She climbed as high as second with six laps to go, but found herself in sixth with 800m remaining. McCullough saved her two fastest laps for last, passing a pair of competitors to end up in fourth place. This is her second All-American trophy to go along with a pair of second-team All-American performances. She will complete her career with four school records.
Drew Tolar sits in fifth place out of 16 competitors at the halfway point of the decathlon with a point total of 3,825. He opened the day with the fastest time in the 100m, earning 915 points after crossing the line in 10.76. He then added 776 points with a long jump that cleared 22-5.25 before tacking on 541 points in the shot put with a top heave of 35-10. The Cheney, Kan. native then cleared the bar at 6-2.75 in the high jump to collect an additional 714 before finishing the day with a personal-best 48.62 in the 400m, finishing second in the field and adding another 879 points. The sophomore currently sits 161 points behind first place and is 152 points clear of ninth place.
Making her national championship debut, Liberty Booker finished in 15th place in the hammer throw with a top toss of 170-9. After a foul on her first attempt, she recorded that mark on her second trip to the circle. Her final attempt was measured at 163-11. Her top mark was less than 12 feet shy of second team All-American status.
Emma Slade also competed in the hammer throw, finishing in 19th with a top heave of 165-5. The sophomore also fouled on her first throw before posting her top mark on the second attempt. Her third and final try came in at 158-9. Slade will compete again at the national championships in the discus on Friday (May 22).
Dean Clark posted a top leap of 22-10 in the long jump, finishing in 19th place as he made his national debut. The Norton, Kan. junior was over the line on his first trip down the runway before posting his top mark on the second attempt. The school record holder at 24-11.25, Clark's third try was measured at 22-5, leaving him one foot shy of advancing to the finals.
Tolar will wrap up the decathlon with five more events starting at 9:30 a.m. on Friday (May 22), while Slade and teammate Natalee North compete in the women's discus beginning at 4:30 p.m. The weekend will conclude with day three on Saturday (May 23) when Jackson Rumford competes in the javelin, Hunter Angove and Josiah Ball both compete in the pole vault and Katie Linenberger competes in the high jump.