FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 9, 2026) - Northern Arizona Track & Field opened the 2026 indoor season Friday night by hosting the Friday Night Axe 'Em Open inside the Walkup Skydome. The meet marked the Lumberjacks' season opener and the first of four indoor meets NAU will host this winter in Flagstaff.
Competition began at 1 p.m. with field events, as the pole vault and long jump opened the afternoon before transitioning into the triple jump. The weight throw followed at 1:30 p.m., with the shot put contested afterward. Following the national anthem at 3:50 p.m., the high jump and track events began at 4 p.m., setting the tone for a full evening of competition.
Northern Arizona opened the meet with a strong showing in the women's field events, led by senior Brenna Rodriguez, who won the women's long jump with a mark of 6.08 meters. Rodriguez also placed fourth in the triple jump, while Alexa Hamilton finished fifth, giving the Lumberjacks two top-five performances in the event.
The women's weight throw proved to be a major early highlight for NAU. Sariyah Horne-Kemp claimed the event title with a throw of 18.64 meters, while Ronan Gallagher followed in second at 18.13 meters. The Lumberjacks placed four athletes inside the top 15, adding depth through Larissa Francois, Alexys Salas, and Jeniah Lovingood.
Throws coach Kurt Foote said the meet served as an important starting point as the team opens the season in a heavy training phase. "Today was really about dropping the pin and putting down first marks for the season," Foote said. "We're in a heavy base right now, and a lot of our athletes left distance on the table, but I was extremely proud of how they competed. They were able to replicate movements we've been working on in practice. This is just the start of the season, and we expect much bigger things as the year goes on."
On the men's side of the throws, Desmond Lott opened the season with a victory in the weight throw, recording a mark of 21.07 meters. Northern Arizona placed four athletes inside the top seven, with Nikolas Strait, Grant Wade, and Ryan Edelman also turning in solid early-season performances.
The Lumberjacks continued to build momentum once track events began. In the women's sprints, Shanye Harris advanced through the 60-meter prelims and finished third in the final. Harris also competed in the 200 meters, where NAU placed four athletes inside the top 10, including Sydnie Watkins, Jordann Germain, Ariel Haygood, and Harris.
Watkins also highlighted the women's hurdles group, finishing second in the 60-meter hurdles final. Jadyn Montgomery and Kaelyn Giarrusso also reached the final, giving Northern Arizona three finalists in the event.
Sprints and jumps coach Clark emphasized the collective nature of the performances across the group, pointing to contributions from freshmen, sophomores, and transfers alike. "It was a really exceptional first meet, especially when you look at how collective it was," Clark said. "You've got freshmen, sophomores, transfers, a lot of new faces and we still saw top-10 caliber performances. Brenna had some huge jumps, and Shanye is already showing she can be one of the best sophomores in the conference."
Clark added that the Lumberjacks trained straight through the meet without tapering, using the competition as a benchmark. "We didn't taper at all for this," Clark said. "This was about getting a starting point. The twos and the fours are always a shock early on, but we got through it healthy, and those times will drop quickly. I'm really happy with where we're at as we move into the next training block and start building toward the heart of the indoor season."
Middle-distance events provided additional highlights for NAU. In the women's 800 meters, Emma Stutzman placed third with a time of 2:10.57, while freshman Payton Godsey followed in fourth. On the men's side, Jonah Fearnley, Kang Nyoak, and Aaron Sahlman finished second through fourth, respectively, all running under 1:58.
The men's sprint group delivered a deep showing throughout the evening. Cole Coppedge finished second in both the 60 meters and the 200 meters, while Northern Arizona placed six athletes inside the top 10 of the 200 meters, including Nicolas Martinez, Blaise Nelson, Jase Weingart, Joshua Anderson, and Adam Olayinka.
In the men's 400 meters, NAU placed two athletes on the podium as Josiah Johnson finished second in 47.80 and Colin Sahlman followed closely in third at 47.93. Luke Yruretagoyena and Jase Weingart added top-eight finishes to round out the event.
The meet concluded with the men's 4x400-meter relay, where Northern Arizona showcased its depth by entering three squads. The NAU 'A' team finished second overall in 3:13.64, while the 'B' and 'C' teams placed fourth and fifth, respectively, to close out the meet.
Northern Arizona will continue its indoor season next week as the Lumberjacks return to action at home inside the Walkup Skydome.
Stay up to date with Northern Arizona Track and Field by following the Lumberjacks on X and Instagram.
