STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Chicago State men's track and field delivered a statement performance at the 2026 NEC Indoor Championships at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, highlighted by multiple conference champions, major individual honors and strong scoring efforts across sprints, hurdles and field events.
The Cougars were led by a dominant showing in the 60 meter hurdles, where Faustin Kaseba captured the conference title with a winning time of 8.13 in the finals after leading the prelims. Teammate Ishan Cooper secured the silver medal in 8.16, giving Chicago State a one-two finish and 18 team points in the event. Jerrick Kelley added to the team total with a seventh-place finish, capping one of the most impactful events of the meet for the Cougars.
In the 400 meter dash, Nasir Ali advanced to the final and placed fifth overall in 49.69, adding valuable points in a deep field. Ali also contributed in the 200 meter dash, reaching the prelims in another competitive sprint group.
Chicago State's distance corps showed consistency throughout the meet. Dennis Kirui placed ninth in both the 3000 meter run and the 5000 meter run, running 8:49.02 and 15:03.71 respectively. Collins Kuyo added a 12th-place finish in the 3000 meters. In the mile, Jacob Draaisma advanced to the final and finished ninth overall in 4:20.51, demonstrating range across the middle-distance events.
Chicago State also made a major impact in the field events. Earnest Davenport earned eight points with a second-place finish in the high jump, clearing 2.09m. Xavier Beatty delivered a championship performance in the long jump, winning the conference title with a mark of 7.11m to score 10 points for the Cougars. He added three more points with a sixth-place finish in the triple jump at 14.21m, showcasing his versatility across the horizontal jumps. For his performances, Beatty was named the Men's Most Outstanding Field Performer in the jumps, recognizing his contributions as one of the top field athletes at the championship meet. Kendrick Scott added five points with a fourth-place finish in the shot put at 15.66m.
The Cougars' defining performances came from their conference champions, as Kaseba in the 60 meter hurdles and Beatty in the long jump led the way and helped power Chicago State to a strong team finish.
CHICAGO STATE RESULTS
400 Meter Dash
5th – Nasir Ali – 49.69
1 Mile Run
9th – Jacob Draaisma – 4:20.51
3000 Meter Run
9th – Dennis Kirui – 8:49.02
12th – Collins Kuyo – 8:58.83
5000 Meter Run
9th – Dennis Kirui – 15:03.71
60 Meter Hurdles
1st – Faustin Kaseba – 8.13
2nd – Ishan Cooper – 8.16
7th – Jerrick Kelley – 8.73
4x400 Meter Relay
9th – Chicago State – 3:27.33
Distance Medley Relay
9th – Chicago State – 10:54.74
Triple Jump
6th – Xavier Beatty – 14.21m
8th – Khalis Reyes – 14.15m
18th – Skyler McGhee – 12.00m
Shot Put
4th – Kendrick Scott – 15.66m
16th – Elijah Gibbs – 13.71m
24th – Joshua Keaton – 12.69m
Final Team Standings
1 Central Connecticut – 141
2 Stonehill – 104
3 Wagner – 92
4 FDU – 84
5 New Haven – 79
6 LIU – 61
7 Chicago State – 58
8 Saint Francis – 32
9 Le Moyne – 10
10 Mercyhurst – 1
