NEWS: Kansas Relays Suspended for 2026, Return Date Unknown

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The University of Kansas is not expected to host the Kansas Relays in the spring of 2026. The decision was first reported by the Lawrence Journal-World on Friday followed by several separate outlets.

The school's decision to suspend the historic meet cited the desire to cut expenses as a result of financial pressure from revenue sharing. The House vs NCAA settlement went into effect this past July, allowing power conference athletic departments to pay between anywhere from $20 to $23 million annually towards student athlete compensation.

It is not clear yet whether the meet will return in future years, although athletic director Travis Goff remains optimistic, noting that, "this isn't never again," per the Journal-World report.

The inaugural Kansas Relays were held in 1923, and have returned nearly every year since, only pausing between 1943-1945 during World War II, 1998-1999 during stadium renovations, and 2020-2022 due to COVID-19.

The Kansas Relays have featured many legendary athletes since its inception. Those athletes include Olympic 10,000-meter champion Billy Mills, Olympic 1500-meter silver medalist Jim Ryun, Boston and New York City Marathon winner Sharon Lokedi, and 800-meter American record holder Bryce Hoppel.

The meet has also provided a stage for some of the best high school athletes in Kansas and neighboring states. In the most recent edition of the Kansas Relays this past spring, nine high school girls ran under five minutes 1600 meters while seven boys ran 4:15 or faster.