EMPORIA, Kansas — Mississippi College closed the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships with six athletes earning All-America honors at Welch Stadium.
The team featured one of its youngest squads in program history, with standout performances from freshmen Brodie Roberts, Schyler Chambers and Jake McMillan, alongside seniors Gabe Hodson, Christian Balcer, Lauren Wallace and Bre Bell.
Chambers, from Canton, finished ninth in the men’s triple jump with a leap of 15.32 meters (50-3.25). He entered as the No. 2 freshman in Division II and previously won the Gulf South Conference indoor title with a conference-record mark.
Senior Christian Balcer, from Hurley, wrapped up his college career with an All-America finish in the men’s 1,500 meters. He advanced through preliminaries in 3:49.73 and finished 12th in the final in 3:53.34. Balcer set a school record during his breakout season.
Bre Bell, from Lexington, earned All-America honors in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase by finishing seventh in 10:28.02. She qualified for the final with a time of 10:27.14 and set the school record earlier this spring.
Lauren Wallace, from Hoover, Alabama, added an All-America performance in the women’s 1,500 meters, placing 11th in 4:28.53. She advanced through preliminaries in 4:27.73 and holds school records in the outdoor 800, 1,500 and 5,000 meters.
Gabe Hodson, from Raceland, Louisiana, competed in the men’s 800 meters, running 1:50.31 to finish 14th nationally. He earned Gulf South Conference Track Athlete of the Year honors this season.
Freshman Brodie Roberts competed in the men’s 100-meter dash, running 10.81 in the preliminaries. He previously set a school record with a time of 10.29 earlier in the season.
Jake McMillan, also a freshman, finished 12th in the decathlon with 6,775 points. His performances included second-place finishes in the high jump (1.96 meters) and 110-meter hurdles (14.66), as well as a sixth in the pole vault (4.50 meters). He also recorded notable marks in the long jump, shot put, discus, javelin, 400 meters, and 1,500 meters.
McMillan, from Madison, was named Gulf South Conference Field Athlete of the Year and set both school and conference decathlon records. His efforts highlighted one of the strongest freshman seasons in program history.
Overall, Mississippi College’s group demonstrated a blend of veteran leadership and emerging young talent, indicating a promising future for its track and field program.
