Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl 4x800 Meter Relay squad named Big 12 Athlete of the Week following Drake Relays performance
April 29, 2026 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State 4x800 Meter Relay squad of Kadence Huck, Elyse Wilmes, Kaylie Politza and Billah Jepkirui were named Big 12 Women's Track & Field Big 12 Athlete of the Week, the conference announced Wednesday.
The quartet of Huck (2:07.35), Wilmes (2:03.28), Politza (2:03.98) and Jepkirui (2:02.05) nearly broke the collegiate record with their time of 8:16.65, the second-best mark in collegiate history and the fastest time in the world this year. The Cowgirls won the Drake Relays title by over ten seconds and shattered the previous Relays record of 8:25.25 set in 2022.
Overall, it was the fifth 4x800 Meter Relay title for the Cowgirls at the Drake Relays, with each of them coming since 2015. The Cowgirl 4x800 is the eighth individual or relay to be named Big 12 Athlete of the Week on the women's side and the second this season, joining Jepkirui two weeks ago. Each of the past seven winners are listed below:
May 6, 2015 Natalja Piliusina
April 5, 2017 Savannah Camacho
April 12, 2023 Bailey Golden
April 10, 2024 Bailey Golden
April 2, 2025 Emma Robbins
April 9, 2025 Annie Molenhouse
April 15, 2026 Billah Jepkirui
April 29, 2026 4x800 Relay (K. Huck, E. Wilmes, K. Politza, B. Jepkirui)
A true freshman and eight-time state champion from Iowa, the hometown favorite Kadence Huck led off for the Cowgirls and handed off to another true freshman in Elyse Wilmes. Wilmes then clocked the third-fastest split of the entire race and gave the Cowgirls a lead they would not relinquish. Senior Kaylie Politza delivered a fantastic third leg to extend the lead before junior phenom Billah Jepkirui dropped the fastest split of the day to bring home an emphatic, ten-second victory for the OSU women.
Both Wilmes and Politza each became second generation Drake Relays champions, with Wilmes joining both of her parents and Politza joining her father as relay champions on the Drake's Blue Oval.
For her performance in the 4x800 and later in the Distance Medley Relay, Jepkirui was named Drake Relays Most Outstanding Performer, the first Cowgirl and third Oklahoma State athlete to win the award, joining J.W. Mashburn in 1955 and Ralph Tate in 1943.
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Players Mentioned
