Sports
With Lift Ticket Prices Exorbitantly High, the Ski Industry Needs to Rethink Its Priorities
Then, Reitzell explained that it’s his job to protect ski resorts, reiterating that costs have gone up for resorts due to rising costs of operation, as if this excuses the 546 percent appreciation of lift ticket prices in North America during the last four decades. “The cost of running a ski resort has gone up […]



To gain insight into the ski industry pricing out everyday consumers, I spoke to the head of the National Ski Areas Association, Mike Reitzell. Surprisingly, Reitzell more or less repeated what Donner Ski Ranch announced to its online audience, saying, “lift ticket and season pass pricing varies greatly by region and ski area size. Typically, the lowest-priced lift tickets can be found at small ski areas.” In other words, the NSAA excuses the high prices of larger ski resorts.
While Donner Ski Ranch and the many people in the comment section are justified in their opposition to large resorts, which come with exorbitant lift ticket prices that have only skyrocketed in recent years, I would argue that the issue stems from the ski industry itself as opposed to the individual consumer. While it’s true that skiing at smaller mountains is more affordable, skiers shouldn’t be forced to pay insane amounts of money to access challenging terrain in the first place. Specifically, weekend warriors, middle-class skiers, and families who live in neighboring cities should be able to ski Palisades Tahoe without breaking the bank. Is this a radical statement? Or just common sense?
Only per run. Photo: Jeffrey Brandjes
The real challenge here presents itself for the middle ground (and the vast majority) of skiers and riders frequenting resorts. The demographic who is most affected by the rising prices, and the ski industry’s inability to address them, are those who work full-time jobs, may not have enough money to invest in a brand-new backcountry skiing or riding setup, or may not have the time to go touring instead of riding the lifts.
I’ll add that the invention of the mega pass has changed skiing as we know it. Until mega passes came into the picture, skiers and riders picked their closest mountain, spent a couple hundred bucks on a season pass, and that was that. Now, skiers and riders must choose between spending a couple hundred bucks per day or spending a thousand dollars if they’re going to ski more than five days. I’m not bringing this up to criticize mega passes or the consumers who decide to purchase them (can you blame anyone?), but to illustrate how the ski industry has changed dramatically over the past few decades.
Corporations, besides being “lame-o” or whatever the Facebook commenter said, play a notable part in this conversation. Corporations tend to homogenize resorts, so skiing’s base lodges, chairs, and even maps begin to feel one in the same. Corporations are behind mega passes such as Epic and Ikon.
In fairness, one of the obvious opposition arguments – that I’ll address – is that consumers do have a choice to opt into resort skiing in the first place. Backcountry skiing is an option for those unwilling to pay large resort prices. Plus, backcountry skiing certainly has its advantages: it offers more freedom, more connection with nature, and more pristine powder.
All in all, the real issue here is the ski industry’s unwillingness to address its high prices. With lift tickets for big-name resorts in the hundreds (up to 0 on peak days), paid parking systems, resort dining options, and equipment rentals, a single weekend of skiing can quickly add up to thousands of dollars for individuals and families who don’t live in a mountain town or own their own gear. In other words: anyone who’s not rich or willing to make their entire life revolve around skiing is barred from enjoying the mountains.
So, what’s next? It seems unlikely that prices will decrease in the next few years without some kind of mass consumer strike or protest. So, what are skiers and riders to do? It’s a tough question, and it depends on who’s asking. Beginners and families looking for the skiing experience but are willing to sacrifice challenging terrain (because you don’t need couloirs and cliffs to learn how to link turns) can go to smaller, independently operated resorts. Individuals who are extremely invested in skiing and want to challenge themselves may opt to go off-piste, take avalanche safety courses, and build their network of fellow backcountry skiers and riders.
The family-owned, Lake Tahoe-area resort Donner Ski Ranch recently threw shade at Palisades Tahoe with a Facebook photo of its nonexistent lift line on a “busy day at 11:30 a.m.,” writing that “if you are paying 0 for a lift ticket, plus parking, to be stuck in terrible traffic then stand in long lift lines, you might want to rethink your priorities.”
Mega passes have their advantages: skiing across the country is possible for those who have the time and already own the pass. Instead of spending 0 to purchase your home resort’s season pass, you can spend a little more and gain access to a slew of other mountains. But again, for everyday, middle-class consumers, is this really useful, or is this simply a ploy to push people to buy the more expensive option that they’ll never reap the full benefits of? With blackout dates on the base passes, there becomes even more pressure to spend more and more money until it’s no longer any sort of “steal.”
Facebook users commented in agreement, saying things like, “Love the small resorts. Forget the corporations,” “Don’t forget to support a local mountain and not a lame Corpo mountain,” and “there are never lift lines there, I love that.” For comparison, Palisades Tahoe currently charges between 8 and 9 for a single-day lift ticket, with prices varying depending on the day of the week. (The weekend is more, and weekdays are less.) And that’s pretty much become the standard at large resorts across the country.
However, backcountry skiing shouldn’t be treated as a viable option for everyone. Avalanche safety courses and equipment are a must (and they come with a high price tag). Plus, it’s unsafe to backcountry ski alone and in certain conditions. Backcountry skiing requires a lot more investment, time, and expertise than resort skiing, making it potentially more expensive and even more difficult for everyday consumers to break into.
It is clear change is needed in the ski industry. I’m not opposed to mega-passes, and I’m not opposed to big-name resorts. But at the end of the day, it may be corporations driving the ski industry, and not skiers and riders, who need to rethink their priorities. When skiing risks pricing out many of its consumers by implementing prices and systems that simply aren’t conducive to the everyday rider, the industry can, and will, face the consequences. And if resorts continue to alienate those customers, the sense of community so cherished in snowsports will be dead – not to mention, there won’t be any skiers left to purchase the 0 day passes.
Sports
MIAC teams prep for another week of NCAA Championship competition
Outdoor Track & FieldThe NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Committee announced the accepted entries for the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend. Thirty-five MIAC student-athletes are listed among the qualifiers for this year’s NCAA Championships. For each individual event contested, including the […]

The NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Committee announced the accepted entries for the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend. Thirty-five MIAC student-athletes are listed among the qualifiers for this year’s NCAA Championships.
For each individual event contested, including the decathlon and heptathlon, the top 22 declared student-athletes were accepted into the competition. For each relay event contested, the top 16 declared relay teams, one per institution, were accepted into the competition.
The championships run from Thursday, May 22, to Saturday, May 24, at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
A complete list of national qualifiers from the MIAC is below.
Sports
University Northern Iowa
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The opening day of the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships got off to a strong start for the UNI Panthers on Saturday as Northern Iowa secured three field event titles at the Lew Hartzog Track and Field Complex on the Southern Illinois University campus. Josey Dunbar set […]

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The opening day of the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships got off to a strong start for the UNI Panthers on Saturday as Northern Iowa secured three field event titles at the Lew Hartzog Track and Field Complex on the Southern Illinois University campus.
Josey Dunbar set a new career-best to win her first MVC championship in the women’s long jump, while Justice Miller successfully defending his conference title in the men’s javelin throw. Additionally, Brendan Safley outlasted a competitive field to win the men’s pole vault in thrilling fashion.
The Panthers also secured 14 qualifying spots in 13 events for Sunday’s finals, recording 12 career-best marks. UNI sits in second place in the women’s team race with 31 points, while the Panther men are in third with 37.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Dunbar set the tone early in the women’s long jump, leaping for a career-best 6.09 meters on her first attempt, the second-best mark in outdoor program history. After placing 11th in the MVC indoor long jump back in February, Dunbar joins Dianna Leftridge (1994, 1995) and Allenah Marcucci (2021) as the fourth MVC outdoor long jump champion in school history, and only the fourth Panther to ever leap for over six meters.
Miller’s javelin title defense was a tight competition, but would swing his way with a 64.57-meter throw to become Northern Iowa’s first-ever thrower to win the javelin in consecutive seasons, while also being the conference’s first repeat champion in the event since 2018 and 2019. Davis Brogan also put on a strong showing in the javelin throw with a career-best 59.13-meter toss, while Zack Butcher took seventh (54.56m).
Safely’s chase of a second outdoor conference pole vaulting crown came down to the wire, edging out Indiana State’s Will Staggs with a 5.38-meter vault, tying his career-best. With the win, Safely, who previously won the MVC outdoor pole vault in 2023 and the indoor vaulting title this past winter, becomes the first UNI vaulter to sweep both the indoor and outdoor vaulting championships in the same year since Sam Kranz in 2011.
In the multi-event competitions, the Panthers flexed their muscles with Joey Perry jumping out to an early lead on day one through four events, winning the 100-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash, along with a second place showing in the high jump to record 3,199 points. Katy Hand, who won the shot put portion of the heptathlon, sits in fifth (2,939 points) with Silvana Kabolo (2,902 points) in eighth. Butcher meanwhile leads the decathlon through five events with 4,040 points, winning the 100 and 400 meters, as well as the shot put with second place showings in both the long jump and high jump. Brody Lovell sits in in seventh in the decathlon with 3,458 points.
Additionally in field action, Breanna Hackman collected a runner-up finish in the women’s discus with a 47.45-meter throw, while David Russell threw for 50.78 meters in the men’s discus, placing fifth.
In distance competition, Emma Hoins finished second in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:20.08), while Caleb Shumaker (30:53.87) and Eden Mueller (37:32.52) each recorded a fifth-place finish in their respective 10,000-meter runs.
The following athletes all secured top finishes in their preliminary heats and will advance to Sunday’s finals:
Women’s 1,500m
Women’s 100m Hurdles
Men’s 400m
Women’s 400m
Men’s 100m
Men’s 800m
Men’s 400m Hurdles
Women’s 400m Hurdles
Men’s 200m
WOMEN’S TEAM STANDINGS (Thru Day One)
- 1st – Indiana State (66.5)
- 2nd – UNI (31)
- T3rd – Missouri State (29)
- T3rd – Illinois State (29)
- 5th – Drake (26)
- 6th – Belmont (21)
- 7th – Murray State (11.5)
- 8th – Bradley (11)
- 9th – Southern Illinois (9)
- T10th – Evansville (0)
- T10th – UIC (0)
MEN’S TEAM STANDINGS (Thru Day One)
- 1st – Indiana State (64)
- 2nd – Illinois State (44)
- 3rd – UNI (37)
- 4th – Belmont (35)
- 5th – Drake (23)
- T6th – Southern Illinois (11)
- T6th – Valparaiso (11)
- 8th – Bradley (6)
- 9th – Evansville (3)
- 10th – UIC (0)
UP NEXT
The Panthers will conclude action at the MVC Outdoor Championships tomorrow beginning at 9 a.m. CT. Live coverage of the meet can be found on ESPN+ beginning at 1:10 p.m. CT.
UNI track and field action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Track and Field), X (@UNITrackFieldXC) and on Instagram (@uni_tf_xc). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
Sports
No. 17/13 Track and Field’s Garrett and Smallwood win SEC hurdle titles
Story Links LEXINGTON, Ky. – Akala Garrett and Kendrick Smallwood led No. 17/13 Texas Track and Field with hurdle titles on the final day of the SEC Outdoor Championships. The 17th-ranked men finished seventh with 53.5 points, and the No. 13 women tied for ninth with 52 points. Smallwood became […]

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Akala Garrett and Kendrick Smallwood led No. 17/13 Texas Track and Field with hurdle titles on the final day of the SEC Outdoor Championships. The 17th-ranked men finished seventh with 53.5 points, and the No. 13 women tied for ninth with 52 points.
Smallwood became the first male Longhorn to ever win a SEC track and field title on Saturday with a school-record time of 13.13 in the 110-meter hurdles. Smallwood now owns the five fastest times in UT history and is tied for the 12th-fastest time in NCAA history. The win gave the Longhorns 10 team points.
Garrett later won the second-ever SEC track and field title for UT’s women in the 400-meter hurdles with her time of 54.84. Her time equals her eighth-fastest time in school history and she has now won back-to-back 400mH conference titles after setting the Big 12 Championship record last season at 54.73. Freshman Mackenzie Collins was seventh with a time of 58.37, and the two combined for 12 team points.
In the men’s 400m hurdles, Kody Blackwood improved his personal best by .01 second to finish in 48.78 for the silver medal. Blackwood’s time improves his spot to No. 3 on the school’s all-time performer list. Chris Brinkley Jr. was seventh with a personal-best time of 50.58. The two combined for 10 team points.
Grad transfer Elizabeth Stockman used an 80-meter kick to secure the bronze medal in the 1500-meter run with her time of 4:20.88. She scored six team points for the Longhorns.
Sophomore Osawese Agbonkonkon returned to the high jump and finished tied for seventh clearing 2.12m (6-11.5) to score 1.5 points. Kelsey Daniel was also seventh in the men’s triple jump with a season-best mark of 15.79m (51-9.75) to score two points.
Back on the track, Kenondra Davis finished fourth with a personal-best time of 22.68 in the 200-meter, while freshman Holly Okuku was eighth in 23.10. Davis later finished eighth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.35 and the two combined for seven points.
Xavier Butler added a fifth-place finish in the men’s 200m with a time of 20.28 for four points.
The women’s 4×100-meter relay of Carleta Bernard, Okuku, Davis and Nita Koom-Dadzie finished eighth with a time of 43.85 to score one team point. The men’s relay saw Smallwood, John Rutledge, Almond Small and Butler finish fourth with a season-best time of 38.81 – the seventh-best time in program history.
Isaac Alonzo added a point for the men finishing eighth in the 5000-meters with his season best performance of 13:56.61.
Texas ended the competition with the women’s 4×400 relay of Ramiah Elliott, Garrett, Carleta Bernard and Okuku finishing sixth in 3:31.90. The men’s 4×400 relay of Nabil Tezkratt, Logan Popelka, Blackwood and Rutledge were fifth in 3:04.42.
Texas Scorers:
Nina Ndubuisi – Shot Put (1st) – 10 pts
Akala Garrett – 400mH (1st) – 10 pts
Elizabeth Stockman – 1500m (3rd) – 6 pts
Aaliyah Foster – Long Jump (4th) – 5 pts
Kenondra Davis – 200m (4th) – 5 pts
Eva Jess – 10K – (5th) – 4 pts
Meagan Humphries – Heptathlon – (5th) – 4 pts
Elliott, Garrett, Bernard, Okuku – 4×4 (6th) – 3 pts
Mackenzie Collins – 400mH (7th) – 2 pts
Bernard, Okuku, Davis, Koom-Dadzie – 4×100 (8th) – 1 pt
Holly Okuku – 200m (8th) – 1 pt
Kenondra Davis – 100m (8th) – 1 pt
Kendrick Smallwood – 110mH (1st) – 10 pts
Kody Blackwood – 400mH (2nd) – 8 pts
Solomon Washington – Long Jump (4th) – 5 pts
Smallwood, Rutledge, Small, Butler – 4×100 (4th) – 5 pts
Brock Lewis – Decathlon – (5th) – 4 pts
Xavier Butler – 200m (5th) – 4 pts
Tezkratt, Popelka, Blackwood, Rutledge – 4×400 (5th) – 4 pts
Logan Patete – 3K Steeple – (7th) – 2 pts
Isaac Alonso – 10K – (7th) – 2 pts
Kelsey Daniel – Long Jump (7th) – 2 pts
Chris Brinkley Jr. – 400mH (7th) – 2 pts
Kelsey Daniel – triple Jump (7th) – 2 pts
Osawese Agbonkonkon – High Jump (t-7th) – 1.5 pts
Isaac Alonzo – 5K (8th) – 1 pt
Sports
Long Beach Poly Boys Win CIF-SS Title, Girls Finish as Runner-Up – The562.org
The562’s cross country and track & field coverage is sponsored by Joe Carlson & Debbie Hughes. The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial. It’s the sign of a historically dominant program when even your bad days end with gold. Despite injuries to two of their top sprinters and a DNF, nothing […]

The562’s cross country and track & field coverage is sponsored by Joe Carlson & Debbie Hughes.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
It’s the sign of a historically dominant program when even your bad days end with gold.
Despite injuries to two of their top sprinters and a DNF, nothing could stop Long Beach Poly from continuing its reign at the CIF-SS track finals on Saturday at Moorpark High School. Though the setbacks will affect their entries into the CIF State meet, the Jackrabbits still walked away as CIF-SS Division 1 champions for the boys and runners-up for the girls.
“We’re just excited to see this team have this type of success after so many adverse situations happening,” said Poly coach Crystal Irving. “Adversity makes you stronger, so I’m glad that we’re able to come out on top and move on to next week. We’re very blessed and pleased with the outcome.”
It is the 133rd CIF-SS championship in school history for Poly and the 19th for boys’ track & field. It’s also the Jackrabbits’ first time going back-to-back as CIF-SS track champions since 2007.
The Jackrabbits will be back at Moorpark next week for the Masters Meet, where they’ll look to qualify as many entries as possible into the CIF State finals. The CIF State finals will be held at Buchanan High School in Clovis on May 30–31.
Boys
The Long Beach Poly boys came into the meet without their top sprinter in Julius Johnson, who was the Moore League champion in both the 100m and the 200m. The sophomore has been nursing a foot injury that should keep him out for another few weeks.
On top of that, the boys opened their first race with a DNF in the 4x100m, where they were favored to earn at least six points for their team. The error came on the final baton exchange, bringing the Jackrabbits to a complete halt. They immediately pleaded for interference by the lane next to them — but to no avail.
The combination of setbacks left Poly trailing heading into the final race, where the Jackrabbits needed a win in the 4x400m to clinch the title. Gus Armstrong, Jarrius Hill, Darieon Shufford, and Noah Smith found that win with a 3:13.20 — 36 hundredths ahead of Rancho Cucamonga who finished second in the overall scoring.
“Just seeing my team put the work in and put me in that spot, I knew I had to close it out like that,” said Smith, who anchored a tight final leg.
Smith also came in second in the 400m with a time of 47.79. Due to injuries last year, it’s the first time Smith was able to run in an individual event at the CIF-SS finals.
“Last year it was definitely a hard year for me,” he said. “It kinda hurt me a little bit [not running in the 400m] and not being able to showcase what I can do and help my team out in different ways. So this year I knew I could put points up for the guys and I tried my best to win.”
The Jackrabbits had another second place finish in the 110m hurdles where Lynnox Newton ran a 13.96. The time comes as a new personal-record for Newton and it’s the first time he’s gone under 14 seconds.
Poly picked up another nine points in the 200m where they had a total of three different runners. Malachi Dawson came in fourth with a 21.72 and Hill finished sixth with a 21.86. Jaylen Mcneil ran as an alternative for Johnson and finished in eighth with a 21.98.
Girls
The second-place finish for the Poly girls marks the eighth consecutive CIF-SS finals in which they’ve claimed one of the top two spots. The Jackrabbits entered the day as defending champions, having won the title a year ago. They finished 32 points behind Wilson in first place, but 39 points ahead of Santiago Canyon in third.
Poly opened the day with a win in the 4x100m, where Leila Holland, Jaylin Hunter, Aniyah Brooks, and Brooklyn Lee ran a 46.05. The Jackrabbits finished just ahead of Wilson in second place by nearly a second.
The Jackrabbits had their only CIF-SS individual champion in the field events, where Jillene Wetteland finished first in the high jump. Wetteland cleared 5-6 to give her team ten points.
It’s the third time Wetteland has won the high jump at the CIF-SS Finals. She also won the event as a freshman and again last year as a junior.
“I was just clean through 5-6. It wasn’t like my best day ever but that’s all I really needed,” she said. “I’m mad I didn’t win it sophomore year but I think three out of four is pretty good and I’m happy with it.”
The Jackrabbits faced another injury to Hunter during her 400m where she finished in eighth place. Hunter was carted off the field to Poly’s tent and was later a scratch in the 200m.
Kadence Bain had a pair of podium finishes for Poly in both the 110m hurdles and the 300m hurdles. Bain ran a 14.51 in the 100m hurdles in third place and finished second in the 300m hurdles with a time of 42.97.
Bain was one of three runners for the Jackrabbits in the 300m hurdles, where Joy Anderson also finished in fourth place and Miyana Gramata-Massey came in eighth. Poly came out of the event with 14 points.
Boys’ Results
4×100 – (Jarrius Hill, Malachi Dawson, Jaylen Mcneil, Donte Wright) DNF
110m Hurdles – Lynnox Newton, 2nd, 13.96
400m – Noah Smith, 2nd, 47.79
400m – Jarrius Hill, 5th, 48.35
100m – Julius Johnson, DNS
100m – Malachi Dawson, 6th, 10.76
200m – Julius Johnson, DNS
200m – Malachi Dawson, 4th, 21.72
200m – Jarrius Hill, 6th, 21.86
200m – Jaylen Mcneil, 8th, 21.98
4x400m – 1st (Gus Armstrong, Jarrius Hill, Darieon Shufford, Noah Smith), 3:13.20
Long Jump – Jonathan Weston, 7th, 21-4.25
Shot Put – Jaden Akens, 9th, 43-5.50
Girls’ Results:
4x100m – 1st, (Leila Holland, Jaylin Hunter, Aniyah Brooks, Brooklyn Lee), 46.05
100m Hurdles – Kadence Bain, 3rd, 14.51
400m – Aurya Beatty, 4th, 56.52,
400m – Jaylin Hunter, 8th, 58.37
100m – Leila Holland, 5th, 11.98
100m – Brooklyn Lee, 3rd, 11.84
300m Hurdles – Kadence Bain, 2nd, 42.97
300m Hurdles – Joy Anderson, 4th, 43.38
300m Hurdles – Miyana Gramata-Massey, 8th, 45.00
200m – Jaylin Hunter, DNS
200m – Aurya Beatty, 4th, 24.33
200m – Nevaeh Lewis, 7th, 25.08
4x400m – 2nd (Aurya Beatty, Brianna Wells, Aliyah Stokes, Nevaeh Lewis), 3:52.25
High Jump – Jillene Wetteland, 1st, 5-6
High Jump – Joy Anderson, 5th, 5-4
Sports
Texas Tech Sweeps 2025 Big 12 Track and Field Championships, Titled Indoor and Outdoor Champions
Story Links LAWRENCE, Kan. – Texas Tech swept the 2025 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championship as the men’s team tallied 136 points to claim its sixth crown, while 127 points were posted by the women’s team during its journey to its first Big 12 outdoor title. Both programs were also […]

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Texas Tech swept the 2025 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championship as the men’s team tallied 136 points to claim its sixth crown, while 127 points were posted by the women’s team during its journey to its first Big 12 outdoor title. Both programs were also the 2025 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field champions.
BYU finished second in the men’s standings with 100.66 points, followed by Houston in third place with 96 points, Kansas in fourth place with 75 points and Iowa State rounded out the top five with 71 points.
The BYU women earned 112.5 points for a second-place finish with TCU placing third with 86 points, Baylor finishing fourth with 84.5 points and Kansas’ 55.83 points earned them a fifth-place finish.
BYU’s James Corrigan and TCU’s Indya Mayberry were named the Men’s and Women’s High Point Award winners after earning 20 and 22 points, respectively, during the weekend.
After three days of action, a total of 10 meet records were reset. Headlined by Corrigan’s second record-breaking performance, seven Big 12 meet records were crushed during the Championship’s final day.
The Red Raider women led the league’s teams in the field events on Saturday as they earned the gold in the high jump, discus throw and the triple jump. TTU’s Temitope Adeshina defended her high jump crown with a meet record jump of 1.97 meters, surpassing the previous 16-year-old mark of 1.95.
Already earning the women’s hammer throw Friday, TTU’s Shelby Frank was not done at the Championship on Saturday as she collected her second Big 12 crown during the weekend with a winning throw of 62.14 in the women’s discus throw.
The women’s team title was secured by TTU following a 26-point performance from the Red Raiders during the women’s triple jump. Victoria Gorlova rounded out TTU’s event winners as she won the event with a jump of 13.66 meters, leading a quartet of Red Raiders finishing within the top eight.
The Red Raider men claimed the 4×100 with a time of 39.34 seconds, their first gold in the event since 2023. On the women’s side, Baylor claimed its second consecutive Big 12 title in the event with a time of 42.73 seconds.
DeSean Boyce would pick up the Red Raider men’s second crown of the day in the 400 meters (45.42) to claim the program’s second Big 12 title in the event since Gil Roberts was tabbed the winner in 2009.
The runners-up had a productive day on Saturday as the distance runners from both the men’s and women’s programs boasted meet records. BYU’s Meghan Hunter became the first woman to run sub-two minutes in the women’s 800 meters in Big 12 history. Her time of 1:58.99 is now the third-fastest in NCAA history.
Additionally, BYU earned another title as Corrigan posted the Championship’s fastest time in the men’s 5,000 meters at 13:25.46. It marked the second time the junior had reset a Big 12 record this week.
Lexy Halladay-Lowry rounded out record-breaking performances posted by BYU distance runners as she claimed the women’s 5,000-meter crown with a time of 15:14.93, crushing the previous record by seven seconds (15:22.42, 2010). Halladay-Lowry claimed her second Big 12 title in the event during the 2025 season, also winning the indoor title.
The KU men picked up two field events as Dimitrios Pavlidis upheld his discus throw title with a launch of 61.31 meters during his fourth throw before Ashton Barkdull’s personal-best clearance of 5.61 meters in the pole vault led a group of five Jayhawks who finished within the top eight to claim the program’s second consecutive title in the event.
In front of the Jayhawk home crowd, KU’s Emmaculate Jemutai’s kick within the final meters pushed her to a meet record time of 4:08.60 in the women’s 1,500 meters. The sophomore is the second runner from Kansas to win the gold medal, first claimed in 2010.
Houston’s Jamar Marshall Jr. reinvented the wheel in the men’s 110-meter hurdles as he outlasted a 14-year-old record (13.23) with a time of 13.13 to return the title to Houston. The Cougars reclaimed another sprinting title in the men’s 100 meters as sophomore Cayden Broadnax won the event with a time of 10.15 seconds.
Mayberry, this season’s NCAA leader in the women’s 100 meters, claimed her first Big 12 outdoor title in the event with a time of 11.03 seconds. The freshman is the first TCU woman to claim the gold in the event since the Horned Frogs joined the Conference in 2012. She later claimed the 200-meter title with a 22.47 mark. The freshman has gone undefeated in the event this season, claiming both indoor and outdoor Big 12 titles along with the NCAA indoor crown.
Lloyd Frilot swept the men’s 800 meters this season in the Conference, earning the indoor and outdoor crowns. Joining Mayberry as first-time TCU winners, Frilot is the first Horned Frog winner to clinch the men’s outdoor title.
Kashie Crockett rounded out the title winners from TCU on Saturday, winning the men’s 200 meters with a time of 20.41 seconds.
Baylor’s Nathaniel Ezekiel became the fifth Bear to claim the men’s 400-meter hurdles crown in back-to-back years with a Big 12 record-setting time of 47.89 seconds. During the week, the senior broke his Big 12 meet record twice, first surpassing his 48 seconds from last year during Thursday’s preliminary round.
K-State’s Jhavor Bennett earned the Wildcats’ first gold medal in the men’s triple jump since 2014. The junior won the event with a personal-best throw of 16.21 during his final attempt.
Safhia Hinds became the third woman from K-State to earn the Big 12 title in the women’s 400-meter hurdles as she crossed the finish line at 55.90 seconds.
OSU’s Fouad Messaoudi earned his third men’s 1,500 meters Big 12 crown in four seasons with a time of 3:37.27.
Adaobi Tabugbo secured the Knights’ second straight Big 12 title in the women’s 100-meter hurdles after the senior ran the event in 12.87 seconds.
Iowa State’s Rachel Joseph went back-to-back in the women’s 400 meters this season, adding the outdoor crown (50.81) after claiming the event during the Big 12 Indoor Championship.
The Arizona State men won their first Big 12 4×400-meter relay (3:02.87) while UCF swept the relay on the women’s side (3:33.62) during the 2025 season to conclude the 2025 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championship.
Big 12 teams will look ahead to preparing for the East and West Regions Qualifying Rounds of the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Athletes accepted into the first rounds, along with the Championship’s combined event athletes, will be announced on Thursday, May 22.
Final Team Standings
Men’s
1. | Texas Tech | 136 |
2. | BYU | 100.66 |
3. | Houston | 96 |
4. | Kansas | 75 |
5. | Iowa State | 71 |
6. | TCU | 64 |
7. | Oklahoma State | 50 |
8. | Arizona | 48 |
9. | Baylor | 47 |
10. | Arizona State | 40 |
11. | K-State | 38 |
12. | Cincinnati | 34.33 |
13. | Colorado | 18 |
Women’s
1. | Texas Tech | 127 |
2 | BYU | 112.5 |
3. | TCU | 86 |
4. | Baylor | 84.5 |
5. | Kansas | 55.83 |
6. | Oklahoma State | 52.5 |
7. | Cincinnati | 48 |
8. | Arizona | 46 |
9. | UCF | 41 |
10 | K-State | 38.33 |
11. | Utah | 33 |
12. | Iowa State | 30 |
13 | West Virginia | 28.5 |
14. | Houston | 16.33 |
15. | Arizona State | 11 |
16. | Colorado | 8.5 |
2025 Big 12 Award Winners
Men:
High Point Winner: James Corrigan, BYU – 20 points
Discus Throw: Dimitrios Pavlidis, Kansas – 61.31 meters
Pole Vault: Ashton Barkdull, Kansas – 5.61 meters
Triple Jump: Jhavor Bennett, K-State – 16.21 meters
4×100 Meter Relay: Texas Tech (Aidan McDuffie, Johnathan Crawford, Antoine Andrews and Kimarlie Stewart) – 39.34 seconds
1,500 Meter: Fouad Messaoudi, Oklahoma State – 3:37.27
110 Meter Hurdles: Jamar Marshall Jr., Houston – 13.13*
400 Meters: DeSean Boyce, Texas Tech – 45.42 seconds
100 Meters: Cayden Broadnax, Houston – 10.15
800 Meters: Lloyd Frilot, TCU – 1:45.79
400 Meter Hurdles: Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor – 47.89*
200 Meters: Kashie Crockett, TCU – 20.41 seconds
5,000 Meters: James Corrigan, BYU – 13:25.46*
4×400 Meter Relay: Arizona State (Nicholas Ramey, Malik Franklin, Trevin Moyer and Jayden Davis) – 3:02.87
Decathlon: Ben Barton, BYU – 7,865 points
Hammer Throw: Gary Moore, K-State – 67.68 meters
Javelin Throw: Preston Kuznof, TCU – 68.32 meters
10,000 Meters: Ernest Cheruiyot, Texas Tech – 29:37.64
High Jump: B.J. Jennings, Texas Tech – 2.22 meters
Shot Put: Fred Moudani-Likibi, Cincinnati – 20.28 meters
Long Jump: Reinaldo Rodrigues, Arizona – 7.64 meters
3,000 Meter Steeplechase: James Corrigan, BYU – 8:22.20*
Women:
High Point Winner: Indya Mayberry, TCU – 22 points
Discus Throw: Shelby Frank, Texas Tech – 62.14 meters
Triple Jump: Victoria Gorlova, Texas Tech – 13.66 meters
High Jump: Temitope Adeshina, Texas Tech – 1.97 meters*
4×100 Meter Relay: Baylor (Tiriah Kelley, Hannah Lowe, Alexis Brown and Michaela Francois) – 42.73 seconds
1,500 Meters: Emmaculate Jemutai, Kansas – 4:08.60*
100 Meter Hurdles: Adaobi Tabugbo, UCF – 12.87 seconds
400 Meters: Rachel Joseph, Iowa State – 50.81 seconds
100 Meters: Indya Mayberry, TCU – 11.03 seconds
800 Meters: Mehgan Hunter, BYU – 1:58.99*
200 Meters: Indya Mayberry, TCU – 22.47 seconds
400 Meter Hurdles: Safhia Hinds, K-State – 55.90 seconds
500 Meters: Lexy Halladay-Lowry, BYU – 15:14.93*
4×400 Meter Relay: UCF (Janiah Pulliam, Twaneise Johnson, Yvette Harris and Jazmen Newberry) – 3:33.62
Heptathlon: Annie Molenhouse, Oklahoma State – 5,729 points
Hammer Throw: Shelby Frank, Texas Tech – 70.37 meters*
Javelin Throw: Irene Jepkemboi, TCU – 57.59 meters
10,000 Meters: Joy Naukot, West Virginia – 33:30.84
Pole Vault: Molly Haywood, Baylor – 4.52 meters
Long Jump: Alexis Brown, Baylor – 7.03 meters
Shot Put: KeAyla Dove, Houston – 18.14 meters
3,000 Meter Steeplechase: Sarah Tait, West Virginia – 9:44.72*
Bold denotes Saturday’s winners
* Big 12 meet record
Sports
Santa Barbara High Boys Volleyball Falls in Five Sets to Sage Hill in CIF Div. 4 Championship | Sports
Santa Barbara High boys volleyball came up just short in a five-set battle with Sage Hill in the CIF-SS Division 4 Championship match on Saturday inside J.R. Richards Gym. The Dons won two of the first three sets but couldn’t come out on top as the Lightning caught fire down the stretch to win the […]

Santa Barbara High boys volleyball came up just short in a five-set battle with Sage Hill in the CIF-SS Division 4 Championship match on Saturday inside J.R. Richards Gym.
The Dons won two of the first three sets but couldn’t come out on top as the Lightning caught fire down the stretch to win the final two sets and the CIF-SS title, 15-25, 25-13, 18-25, 25-20, 15-8.
“To get here is quite an accomplishment, but to win it, it’s even harder,” Santa Barbara High head coach Chad Arneson said. “I give our boys a lot of credit. They played hard. Unfortunately, it wasn’t one of our best overall team performances.
“I’m so bummed for our boys because they worked so hard, but they should be proud of what they’ve accomplished.”
Sage Hill’s CIF championship is the program’s second straight, as the Lightning came out on top in Division 5 last season. Meanwhile, the Dons have now been to two championship matches in five years.
Santa Barbara High’s strong playoff run came following an up-and-down regular season that featured a third-place finish in the Channel League and some struggles in marquee matchups.
“I don’t think a lot of teams or even the community thought we were going to go this far with this kind of group, so I’m really proud of our boys,” Arneson said.
“I’m proud of our guys. We did not look this good at the start of the season,” Santa Barbara High senior Jack Goligoski said. “This whole playoff run, we’ve kind of found our lineup and everyone’s just stepped up and played great team volleyball. We don’t have any real standouts, but we always play really well together.”
The Dons will learn if they will continue their season in the State Regional Tournament when brackets are released on Sunday.
In the opening set, the two teams battled to a 5-5 tie, but a kill and a block by Benicio Duarte on back-to-back points gave the Dons a two-point cushion.
Santa Barbara held onto that advantage and it grew out to 15-9 thanks to a pair of kills by Hayes Costner and a Chase Holdren ace, prompting the first Sage Hill timeout of the contest.

The Dons weren’t slowed down by the timeout, as Holdren continued to run a fluid offensive attack and find his talented outside hitters. On the final point of the set, he dished it off to Goligoski, who found Costner for the kill to take the 25-15 win and the 1-0 lead.
Sage Hill came out of the break with a sense of urgency and raced out to a 5-1 lead, forcing Arneson to call a timeout.
The Dons got two quick points out of the break on a Lightning miscue and an ace from Costner, but Sage Hill regained its momentum and continued to pull away to a 13-5 advantage that led to another timeout from Santa Barbara.
The Lightning continued to roll from there, dominating at the net to grow its lead out to as many as 12 points. Long Beach State commit Jackson Cryst finished off the 25-13 win with an ace to even the match at 1-1.
“We’d have momentum, and we’d lose momentum, then we’d win some momentum… (It is a) game of runs,” Arneson said.
Sage Hill carried that momentum over to the third set, as the visitors grabbed the early 4-0 lead and forced a Santa Barbara High timeout.
Following a service error by the Dons, they found themselves trailing 6-3. Benicio Duarte then came up with back-to-back kills on the outside to spark a 6-0 Santa Barbara High run with Goligoski on the service line to take a 9-6 lead.
The Dons found more of a groove as the set progressed, taking advantage of several Sage Hill miscues and coming up with timely kills to pull away and secure the 25-18 win, moving one set away from a CIF-SS title.
The fourth set began just like the previous two as the Lightning grabbed the early momentum and built a 5-1 lead.
The Dons battled back and cut the deficit to one at three different points, including 12-11. However, a kill by Cryst kicked off a 3-0 spurt to extend the Sage Hill lead to 15-11.
The Lightning held the slim advantage for the majority of the set, but Santa Barbara High made a late push with three straight points to cut the deficit to 22-20.

However, Sage Hill reconvened with a timeout and finished off the 25-20 victory to force a winner-take-all fifth set.
“I think winning game four would have been nice… but, that’s the beauty of sports, you know?” Arneson said. “Someone’s got to win and someone’s got to lose. Unfortunately, it was us tonight, but our guys should keep their heads high and feel proud of what they’ve accomplished this year.”
In set five, Sage Hill received the opening serve and took advantage with an ace followed by a kill for a quick 2-0 advantage.
That proved to be crucial, as the two sides then traded points until a back row kill by Cryst gave the Lightning a 9-7 lead and led to a Santa Barbara High timeout.
From there, Cryst took full control of the match by hammering down two kills and coming up with a clutch block down the stretch to lead his team to a 15-8 win and a CIF-SS title.
“We got off to a slow start, and it’s tough when you’re on your heels and you have to play against a really good team and offensive dominance over there on that side. [Cryst] definitely set the tone,” Arneson said.
Costner and Duarte led the Santa Barbara High offense with 12 kills apiece while both Luke Zuffelato and Kristian Dybdahl tallied seven kills. Holdren ended the day with 37 assists and 10 digs.
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