Kearney, Neb. – Sidney senior Mitchell Deer broke a 35-year-old school record in the 400 hurdles and Nebraska Kearney had two other top three finishes Sunday at the 2026 MIAA Championships in Pittsburg, Kan.

The three-day meet began Friday afternoon and ran through Sunday evening. As expected, the second-ranked Gorilla men (213.25) and second-ranked Gorilla women (208.0) took home the team trophies with the 13th-ranked Loper men fourth (86) and the women tying for sixth (61.50). The men's point total is the second best since joining the MIAA in 2012 with the women reaching 60 points for the second time. 

On Sunday, Deer came in third in the 400-hurdle finals thanks to a 51.19. That bests the 51.95 UNK Hall of Famer Travis Vallin ran in 1991 and likely qualifies him for the NCAA Championships. Next, the 4x4 relay team of Andrew Rentschler (Atkinson), Carter Diamond (Bennington), Evan Shaffer (Kearney H.S.) and Deer came in fourth with the program's fourth best effort (3:13.16). Also scoring was Gretna senior Clayton Kelly in the triple jump (3rd/49-4), Kansas senior Rylan Basart (5th/217-5) in the javelin, Beatrice freshman Josiah Quinones (6th/3:55.52) and Lincoln sophomore Carter Hohlen (7th/3:55.78) in the 1,500, Omaha senior Nick Abdalla (7th/14:44.36) in the 5,000 and the 4x1 relay team (6th/41.59). That squad included Diamond as  anchor.

The UNK women were led by McCool Junction sophomore Kassidy Stuckey who was third in the 1,500 (4:35.81) and fifth in the 800 (2:11.47). Kansas freshman Lily Brewer (7th/4:46.10) also scored in the 1,500 as did Kansas junior Charis Robinson in the 800 (8th/2:16.51). Finally, Kansas senior Lexi Liess was seventh in the 5,000 (career-best 17:46.8) with the 4x4 relay squad eighth (3:57.92); Stuckey as the lead and Robinson the anchor.

UNK hosts its annual Twilight meet next Saturday at KHS with selected Lopers also taking part in the Concordia Twilight on Friday.