Jepkirui advances to NCAA Mile final; Multiple Cowboys and Cowgirls earn All-America honors on first day of NCAA Indoor Championships

Jepkirui advances to NCAA Mile final; Multiple Cowboys and Cowgirls earn All-America honors on first day of NCAA Indoor Championships

March 13, 2026 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Oklahoma State men's and women's indoor track & field kicked off action at the NCAA Indoor Championships with several impressive performances, highlighted by a pair of first team All-America finishes.

Cowgirl senior Olivija Vaitaityte wrapped up her storied career in the orange and black in the women's Pentathlon, placing 11^th overall with 4,064 points after entering the meet at the No. 16 overall seed. For her efforts, Vaitaityte earned second team All-America honors for the third time in her career across the indoor and outdoor campaigns. She also leaves OSU as the program record holder in the Pentathlon with a career best of 4,219 points from the Big 12 Championships two weeks ago.

Over on the track, Cowgirl junior Billah Jepkirui continued her incredible season in the Mile as she advanced to Saturday's final after grabbing an automatic qualifying spot in Friday's prelim. Jepkirui clocked a time of 4:38.64 and took second in her heat as she coasted down the final 50 meters with a qualifying position well-in-hand.

She will be looking to become the first Cowgirl to win an NCAA individual title since Taylor Roe won the 3,000 Meters in 2022 and the second Cowgirl in program history to win the Mile, with Kaela Edwards doing so in 2016.

In the men's 5,000 Meters, Denis Kipngetich earned first team All-America honors with his seventh-place finish overall to give the Cowboys two team points on the board. This is the second straight season Kipngetich has scored in the event at the national meet after placing fifth in 2025.

Rounding out the night, the Cowgirl Distance Medley Relay team wrapped up the day with an eighth-place finish and time of 10:52.79. The Cowgirls opened with three true freshmen on the first three legs of Elyse Wilmes, Elise Eikeland and Booke Beck, with senior Kaylie Politza holding down the anchor spot. This marks the third time in the past four years that the Cowgirls have earned first team All-America honors in the DMR (2023, 2024).

Jepkirui opens Saturday's festivities for OSU with the women's Mile final at 4:10 p.m. CT. She will also compete in the 3,000 Meter final later in the night at 6:10 p.m. Cowboy freshman Kevin Kemboi is the lone man competing for OSU on Saturday, as he will be making his NCAA Championship debut in the Triple Jump at 5 p.m.

The entirety of the NCAA Indoor Championships are streamed live on ESPN+ and live results for the meet can be found here.

For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back with okstate.com.

Men's Individual Results
5,000 Meters – Final
7. Denis Kipngetich –13:45.24*
Women's Individual Results
Pentathlon – Final
11. Olivija Vaitaityte – 4,064 points**
60 Meter Hurdles – (15) 9.08
High Jump – (11) 1.69m/5'6.5''
Shot Put – (11) 11.35m/37'3''
Long Jump – (12) 5.90/19'4.25''
800 Meters – (5) 2:15.05
Mile – Semifinal
10. Billah Jepkirui – 4:38.64Q
5,000 Meters – Final
16. Isca Chelangat – 16:36.08**
Distance Medley Relay – Final
8. E. Wilmes, E. Eikeland, B. Beck, K. Politza – 10:52.79*

* - First Team All-America
** - Second Team All-America