FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (February 20, 2026) - At the Colorado Last Chance Meet in Boulder, the Northern Arizona men's distance medley relay delivered one of the premier performances in collegiate track & field this season, earning Big Sky Men's Track Athlete of the Week recognition.
The quartet of Clayton Shively (2:52.9, 1200m), Josiah Johnson (45.47, 400m), Tor Hotung-Davidsen (1:46.97, 800m), and Colin Sahlman (4:01, 1600m) combined for an official altitude time of 9:26.58. Because the performance was achieved at elevation, the mark converts to 9:16.98 for NCAA qualifying and ranking purposes.
Altitude conversions are applied to marks achieved at venues above 3,000 feet to account for environmental factors that can impact performance. The NCAA uses standardized formulas to adjust marks to sea level equivalents, ensuring equitable national comparisons across competition sites. Following conversion, Northern Arizona's 9:16.98 briefly stood as the No. 1 time in the NCAA this season before being moved to No. 6 later that weekend.
Even without conversion, the 9:26.58 ranks No. 2 all-time in program history for Northern Arizona, underscoring the magnitude of the performance. The mark also stands as the top time in the Big Sky Conference entering championship weekend and positions the Lumberjacks firmly within national title contention.
The men will next compete at the Big Sky Conference Indoor Championships this weekend in Pocatello, Idaho. While the distance medley relay remains a scoring opportunity, the coaching staff is still evaluating lineup options as the team balances conference scoring priorities with national championship preparation. Northern Arizona traditionally approaches the conference meet with strategic event placement, maximizing points across distance, sprints, hurdles, jumps, and throws.
Entering the weekend, the Lumberjacks bring one of the most balanced squads in the conference, with nationally competitive distance depth and key contributors in the sprint and field event groups. The DMR performance provides momentum, but the broader objective remains a comprehensive team effort in pursuit of another Big Sky title.
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