FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (April 23, 2026) - Northern Arizona track & field is set for a rare and highly anticipated appearance at the Penn Relays, sending one of the nation's top distance quartets to the College Men's 4xMile Championship of America on Saturday.
The race is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. MST on April 25 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Northern Arizona's 4xMile lineup will include Tor Hotung-Davidsen, Clay Shively, Rheinhardt Harrison and Colin Sahlman, a group that enters the weekend in peak form and positioned among the NCAA's elite.
On the men's side, NAU has placed multiple athletes among the top performers in the country this season. Sahlman led the way at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a 3:36.03 in the 1500 meters, followed closely by Harrison (3:36.28) and Hotung-Davidsen (3:37.28). All three marks rank among the best in the NCAA this year and place the trio firmly in NCAA qualifying and national contention. Shively added to the momentum with a 3:39.35 performance, ranking No. 4 in the conference and moving to No. 9 all-time at NAU.
That individual success has translated to the relay stage. Earlier this year, Northern Arizona captured the NCAA Indoor Distance Medley Relay national championship, showcasing the group's ability to perform under pressure on a national stage and further solidifying its reputation as one of the premier distance units in collegiate track & field.
The 4xMile Championship of America presents a unique opportunity. While the event is not commonly contested at the collegiate level, it remains a staple at Penn Relays and one of the sport's most historic distance relays. The current world-best time of 15:49.08, set by an Irish squad in 1985, still stands as the benchmark.
Saturday's field features several of the nation's top programs, including Oregon, Virginia, Villanova and Georgetown, with recent championship performances dipping into the 15:51 range. With a fully American lineup and a quartet capable of averaging sub-four-minute miles, Northern Arizona enters the race with the depth and firepower to contend at the highest level.
The meet also marks a notable return to Franklin Field for the Lumberjacks. NAU has competed sparingly at Penn Relays, with documented appearances dating back to the 1990s, but the program has largely focused its modern schedule on West Coast and NCAA qualifying meets.
Conditions are expected to reflect classic Northeast spring weather, with cold temperatures and rain forecasted; a fitting backdrop for distance racing in Philadelphia.
With momentum from a national title, multiple NCAA leading marks and one of the deepest distance groups in the country, the Lumberjacks will take the track Saturday aiming not only for a championship performance, but a place among the fastest 4xMile teams ever assembled.
Results and more information can be found here.
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