Indoor Season Resumes In Kansas

Central Oklahoma Competing In Washburn University's Rust Buster Friday In Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. – Central Oklahoma returns to competition Friday with Washburn's Rust Buster meet that begins at 10:30 a.m. and continues into the evening.

The Bronchos competed in one Indoor meet in December – also at Washburn's Indoor Facility – and return this week for the second of five meets this season. UCO will be in Norman next week before two meets at Pittsburg State.

Central Oklahoma is sending 17 student-athletes to Washburn to compete in 10 different events this week.

Zakeirah Johnson, Jaelynne Knighton, Marley Battles, and Lauryn Thaggard are all set to compete in the 60-meter dash. Johnson and Knighton both competed in the event at Washburn in December and ran 7.74 seconds and 8.14 seconds respectively.

Those four, plus Mikayla Stephenson and Tyana Hymes, will all run the 200m Friday. Johnson (25.61), Stephenson (26.83), and Knighton (27.15) all ran this event last month. Battles, Thaggard, and Hymes will all make their season debuts this Friday.

Washburn is offering a 300-meter race as well this week. McKenna Huston, Reta Ojene, Maya Conrad, and Amiya Hill are entered in the event, which is not an NCAA Championship event.

Deriayah Lee is the only Broncho entered in the 400-meter race this week. The junior veteran is a mainstay in the hurdles but will only compete in one race this time around. She has six career appearances in the 400m with a personal best of 59.20 seconds in Pittsburg, Kansas last January. She's run the event twice at Washburn with times of 1:00.67 and 59.75.

The 60-meter hurdles isn't left void. Hymes will make her season debut in the 200m and is also scheduled to compete in the hurdles. She ran the 60-meter hurdles four times last season and her personal best is 10.09 seconds at Washburn.

Four cross country girls are making their Indoor debuts Friday. Gabija Pukstas, Asia Williams, and Kylee Smith are entered in the 1-Mile race and Arianne Williams is entered in the 3,000-meter race.

Charis Phillips is UCO's lone jumper and will compete in the long jump Friday in Topeka. She entered the triple jump last month and made her Central debut with an 11.20-meter Top 10 performance. Abigail Kelly is UCO's lone thrower and she is entered in the shot put. While Kelly did not compete in December's meet, the sophomore has thrown in eight meets in her young career already with a personal best of 11.91 meters.

Central Oklahoma also has two teams entered in the 4x400 relays that finish off the night in Topeka. UCO will compete in OU's J.D. Martin Invitational next Friday in Norman at the Mosier Indoor Center. The first Pitt State event is Jan. 31 and the second is scheduled for Feb. 13-14.

The 2026 MIAA Indoor Championships are scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 1 in Pittsburg. The NCAA National Championships are scheduled for March 13-14 in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Outdoor season follows with the West Texas Relays March 20-21 in Canyon, Texas.

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Players Mentioned

Amiya Hill: Sprints; 5' 5"; Sophomore

Tyana Hymes: Hurdles; 5' 4"; Sophomore

Abigail Kelly: Throws; Junior

Deriayah Lee: Hurdles; 5' 3"; Junior

Reta Ojene: Sprints; Senior

Kylee Smith: Distance; Senior

Mikayla Stephenson: Sprints; 5' 5"; Junior

Asia Williams: Distance; 5' 4"; Senior

Marley Battles: Sprints; Junior

Maya Conrad: Sprints; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Amiya Hill
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: Sprints

Tyana Hymes
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: Hurdles

Abigail Kelly
: Junior
: Throws

Deriayah Lee
: 5' 3"; Junior
: Hurdles

Reta Ojene
: Senior
: Sprints

Kylee Smith
: Senior
: Distance

Mikayla Stephenson
: 5' 5"; Junior
: Sprints

Asia Williams
: 5' 4"; Senior
: Distance

Marley Battles
: Junior
: Sprints

Maya Conrad
: Freshman
: Sprints