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In what may be a sign of more to come, WSU Athletic Director Anne McCoy this week announced that the school will eliminate all field events from its track & field program. WSU will also limit sprint and hurdle events.

Here’s the entire brief announcement:

Earlier today, WSU Athletics leadership met with members of the men’s and women’s track and field team to inform them that the program will be shifting to a distance-focused approach. This change gives the WSU Track & Field program the best opportunity to remain competitive at the conference and national levels in distance events in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. It does mean, however, that field events (e.g., jumps, throws) will no longer be supported, effective immediately, and the number of sprint and hurdle opportunities will be limited moving forward.

Impacted student-athletes will have their scholarships honored should they choose to remain at WSU. WSU understands the significant impact this decision has on Cougar student-athletes, coaches, and fans. Transition support and services will be provided to those student-athletes who choose to seek to continue their academic and athletic careers at other institutions.

That’s all we’ve heard from WSU and McCoy, as neither she nor track head coach Wayne Phipps have commented publicly.

John Blanchette, writing for The Spokesman-Review this week, talked to former athletes and legendary coach John Chaplin for their reactions. Let’s just say their feelings aren’t great, especially Chaplin’s:

“I feel like going over to the alumni center and chopping that tile with my name on it out of the floor,” former Cougars coach John Chaplin said.

And then this:

Most of the track and field alums grasp the realities of today’s college landscape, even if they don’t like it or understand. They’re more saddened than disgusted.

That doesn’t make this wholesale gutting of the program easier to swallow. Chaplin, a long-time donor as well as the builder of the program, insisted he’s taking the Rono statue project he’s ramrodded off campus.

“I don’t want my name attached to the university in any way,” he said. “I’m embarrassed to be a graduate of WSU.”

The brief statement—which, again, is all we’ve heard from anyone at the university—tries to put a positive spin on things: “This change gives the WSU Track & Field program the best opportunity to remain competitive at the conference and national levels in distance events in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.”

That’s a lot of digital ink that could have been spared and replaced with, “Look, we just don’t have the funds anymore.”

And that’s what this is all about (and why not just come out and be honest about it?). It’s not like the WSU brass woke up one day and felt the urge to gut the field events and become a distance-only school (much like Gonzaga). To remain Division I, schools have to field a minimum amount of sports. With the perilous financial situation WSU is in, cutting positions and spending is the only way out, but if they want to remain Division I, hard decision like this have to be made. It’s awful for the athletes affected by it.

2 DAYS AFTER winning the 10,000, New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei returned to the Hayward oval attempting to pull off a double that had only been achieved 7 times in meet history. The Kenyan frosh lined up for the 5000 as the collegiate leader — and second-fastest of all time — with her 14:52.45 from April.

The early pace was conservative. Kosgei’s teammate/countrywoman Marion Jepngetich, who won silver in the 3000 at last year’s World U20 Champs, led a massive pack through the first kilometer in 3:21.58. The tempo picked up from there, but at 3000 (9:35.71 for Jepngetich) most of the runners were still in contention. Jepngetich and Kosgei continued to run side-by-side up front and finally, with 4 laps to go, they began to gradually string out the field.

Among those consistently near the front were 10,000 runner-up Grace Hartman of NC State, Clemson’s Silvia Jelelgo, Arkansas’ Paityn Noe and Stanford’s Sophia Kennedy, who had been 5th at the Indoor.

At the bell, 15 were still in striking distance. Kosgei begin her kick down the final backstretch, but it was far from decisive. Jepngetich and Hartman remained right on her heels, while Boston U’s Vera Sjöberg, 11th in the 1500 earlier in the day, swung wide and moved into contention.

Kosgei covered her last lap in 64.48, which was enough to bring her home 1st in 15:33.96. Sjöberg (15:34.77) closed well for 2nd. Kennedy (15:35.08) passed Jepngetich (15:35.14) just before the line for 3rd, and Hartman (15:35.39) took 5th.

“I said [to myself], ‘Let me try my best, maybe to push on the straight and maybe I will win,’” said Kosgei, who finished 2nd at the NCAA Cross Country last fall and followed up with a 3rd in the Indoor 5000 in March. “[My strategy] was just to stay with them. Then for the last lap I said, ‘Let me try at least to push… If I will win it’s fine. If I will not win it’s fine.’”

She joins Florida’s Parker Valby (’24), Arkansas’ Dominique Scott (’16), Iowa State’s Lisa Koll (’10), Arizona’s Amy Skieresz (’97 & ’98), Wisconsin’s Stephanie Herbst (’86) and NC State’s Betty Springs (’83) as the only women to pull off the grueling double.

WOMEN’S 5000 RESULTS

(June 14)

1. ***Pamela Kosgei’ (NM-Ken) 15:33.96 (64.47, 2:15.20, 4:42.40);

2. *Vera Sjöberg’ (BU-Swe) 15:34.77 (64.39, 2:15.20, 4:42.44);

3. **Sophia Kennedy (Stan) 15:35.08 (64.63, 2:15.85, 4:43.07);

4. ***Marion Jepngetich’ (NM-Ken) 15:35.14 (65.56, 2:16.43, 4:43.62);

5. *Grace Hartman (NCSt) 15:35.39 (65.71, 2:16.43, 4:43.75);

6. **Paityn Noe (Ar) 15:35.81 (65.59, 2:16.81, 4:44.11);

7. *Agnes McTighe’ (NnAz-Swi) 15:35.87 PR (64.48, 2:15.69, 4:43.21);

8. Amina Maatoug’ (Wa-Neth) 15:35.93 PR (65.06, 2:16.30, 4:43.73);

9. **Silvia Jelelgo’ (Clem-Ken) 15:36.34; 10. *Alex Millard’ (Prov-GB); 11. *Jenna Hutchins (BYU) 15:40.87; 12. *Maelle Porcher’ (IaSt-Fra) 15:41.76; 13. Margot Appleton (Va) 15:44.76; 14. Chloe Scrimgeour (Gtn) 15:46.18; 15. ***Isca Chelangat’ (OkSt-Ken) 15:48.66; 16. *Florence Caron’ (PennSt-Can) 15:49.72; 17. *Zofia Dudek’ (Stan-Pol) 15:53.91; 18. ***Rachel Forsyth’ (MiSt-Can) 15:57.28; 19. *Julia David-Smith’ (Wa-Fra) 15:59.27; 20. Samantha Bush (NCSt) 16:01.47; 21. ***Brenda Jepchirchir’ (Aub-Ken) 16:01.99; 22. **Ava Mitchell (NnAz) 16:06.32; 23. *Sadie Sigfstead’ (Vill-Can) 16:06.70; 24. ***Edna Chelulei’ (EnKy-Ken) 16:24.97.

A judge in South Africa has dismissed the lawsuit brought by Swimming South Africa (Swimming SA) against South Africa Water Polo (SA Water Polo).

Swimming SA was seeking a cease-and-desist application against SA Water Polo to stop it from existing. SA Water Polo was launched in March with the intent of governance to revitalize the sport of water polo in South Africa, not to fully break away from Swimming SA.

In a written statement, Judge Judith Cloete said that Swimming SA “failed to demonstrate any of the requirements for final interdictory relief.”

Law in South Africa states that there can be only one national federation, but there can be several national bodies.

At a hearing in May, Judge Cloete said that SA Water polo never purported to be a national federation, only a national body. Swimming SA later conceded that SA Water Polo was a parallel body not passing itself off as the administrator of the sport.

SA Water Polo argued that World Aquatics was the only body that could decide on its membership, not Swimming SA. World Aquatics still needs to recognize SA Water Polo’s membership.

Judge Cloete found there was nothing to suggest that SA Water Polo was trying to usurp the role of Swimming SA, according to the South African newspaper TimesLIVE.

“SA Water Polo is not purporting to hold itself out as a national federation,” Cloete wrote. “That is the only right which the applicant has which is worthy of protection.”

Cloete also said that SA Water Polo tried to engage with Swimming SA, but that those efforts were “all apparently to no avail.”

“But in any event, the applicant (Swimming SA) has a suitable alternative remedy,” Judge Cloete wrote. “All it has to do is inform the South African water polo community at large that, for so long as it remains the national federation, national and international competitions fall under its auspices.”

In November, a faction of SA Water Polo started a movement to break off from Swimming SA, citing poor treatment of the sport and its members, including not allowing the men’s and women’s water polo teams to compete at the Paris Olympics.

The teams met the World Aquatics qualification criteria as the highest-ranked African team, but Swimming SA had an internal criteria of finishing in the top 12 at the World Championships, which neither team achieved.

The men’s team finished 15th, while the women’s team was 14th.

The faction shared a document listing grievances with Swimming SA, such as a lack of financial support and little water polo representation in decision-making.

The faction had opposition from within the water polo community, especially players who were worried about missed career opportunities.

Athletes are named first-team All-Americans with a first-eighth place finish in their respective event. Second-team honors come with a ninth through 16th-place finish.

Peyton Bair and Sam Navarro were named first-team All-Americans after their performances in the decathlon and 800m.

Bair took home the decathlon title at the championships, breaking the 100m and 400m decathlon collegiate records. He also ran the fifth fastest 400m by a decathlete in world history.

His final point total of 8,323 points secured him the national title, the 14th highest point total in NCAA history, and a new program record.

Navarro earned first-team honors in the 800m after finishing sixth in the finals. The 2025 outdoor championships were Navarro’s NCAA debut, where he ran a massive personal best of 1:45.32 over the distance in the semifinals. His time of 1:47.33 in the final race was fast enough to secure him a podium finish.

Jessicka Woods, Abdullahi Hassan and Rémi Rougetet earned second-team honors this past weekend.

This was Woods’ second consecutive appearance at the championships, this time competing in the 400m hurdles. Her time of 56.72 was just short of the final, finishing 11th overall.

Hassan entered his first outdoor championship as a Bulldog after finishing as the indoor runner-up in the 800m. After a tough race, Hassan just missed the final with a 15th-place finish. He closed his collegiate career as an eight-time All-American.

Rougetet made his third appearance at the outdoor championships in the javelin. Just missing the final by one place, he finished 10th overall, good enough for second-team All-American honors. He closed his career as a Bulldog as a three-time All-American and SEC Champion in the javelin.

Tuomas Narhi, Marie Rougetet and Nelly Jemeli earned honorable mention honors for their performances at the championships.

For more information on the Mississippi State track and field program, visit HailState.com and follow “HailStateTF” on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.