FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (May 13, 2026) – Northern Arizona track and field opens postseason competition Friday at the 2026 Big Sky Outdoor Championships, hosted by Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.
The Lumberjacks enter the weekend after another successful year across the conference. Earlier this season, NAU swept the Big Sky Indoor Championships, with the men winning their 14th consecutive indoor conference title and the women claiming their fifth straight indoor crown. During the fall, both NAU teams also captured Big Sky cross country championships.
Now, the Lumberjacks shift their focus outdoors, where the women's team race is expected to be among the closest competitions of the weekend.
NAU enters the meet with one of the strongest distance groups in the conference, led by Hayley Burns, Ava Mitchell, Ali Upshaw, Agnes McTighe, Grace Copeland, Addie Engel and Nikita Moore.
Burns has put together one of the top seasons in program history, ranking No. 1 in the Big Sky in both the 800 meters and 1500 meters while also leading the conference in the 5000 meters at 15:18.26, a mark that broke both the NAU and Big Sky records earlier this spring.
Mitchell ranks sixth in the conference in the 800 meters and fifth in the 1500 meters while also holding the No. 2 mark in the Big Sky in the 5000 meters at 15:28.75. Upshaw enters the championships as the conference leader in the 10,000 meters after her school-record 32:22.42 performance earlier this season.
The women's 5000 meters could become one of the defining events of the weekend, with NAU holding seven of the top nine conference marks entering championship competition. Alongside Burns, Mitchell, Upshaw and McTighe, Grace Copeland, Addie Engel and Nikita Moore all rank among the top performers in the conference this season.
Friday's preliminary rounds in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, hurdles and sprint events will also play a major role in the team race, as NAU looks to advance multiple athletes into Saturday's finals.
In the hurdles, Sydnie Watkins enters the weekend ranked fifth in the Big Sky in the 100-meter hurdles at 13.69. Jordann Germain also gives the Lumberjacks scoring opportunities in the sprints after posting the conference's No. 5 time in the 400 meters.
NAU will also look for major points in the field events. Alexa Hamilton ranks third in the Big Sky in the triple jump at 12.56 meters while also ranking among the conference leaders in the long jump. In the throws, Sariyah Horne-Kemp enters the meet ranked No. 1 in the hammer throw and fourth in the discus.
On the men's side, the Lumberjacks once again bring one of the conference's deepest middle-distance groups into championship competition.
Colin Sahlman enters the postseason as one of the top middle-distance runners in the country after winning the NCAA indoor 3000-meter national championship and helping lead NAU to a national title in the distance medley relay earlier this season. The NAU senior was also named to The Bowerman Watch List, awarded annually to the top athlete in collegiate track and field, and recently earned NAU Male Athlete of the Year honors.
Sahlman enters the championships with the top marks in the Big Sky in the 800 meters, 1500 meters and 5000 meters. Tor Hotung-Davidsen ranks second in the conference in the 800 meters, while Rheinhardt Harrison and Clayton Shively sit among the top four in the 1500 meters.
Cael Grotenhuis and Ethan Godsey also enter the weekend ranked second and third in the Big Sky in the 5000 meters, giving NAU another major scoring opportunity in the distance events.
Outside the distance races, the Lumberjacks will rely heavily on their sprint and hurdle group for points.
Josiah Johnson enters the championships as the Big Sky leader in the 400-meter hurdles after his school-record 49.56 performance earlier this spring. Nicolas Martinez ranks second in the conference in the event after running 50.83, a mark that ranks No. 50 nationally entering the postseason, while Erick Reyes-Aguilera sits fourth, giving NAU three of the top four times in the conference entering the meet.
Johnson also ranks fourth in the Big Sky in the 110-meter hurdles and sixth in the 200 meters. Luke Yruretagoyena enters the weekend ranked second in the conference in the 400 meters.
Martinez is also expected to play a major role in the men's 4x400-meter relay as the Lumberjacks look to build off their Big Sky indoor title and potentially chase an NCAA West First Round qualifying mark if conditions allow. NAU enters the championships ranked third in both the men's 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay.
In the field events, Justin Cardoza ranks among the conference leaders in both the long jump and triple jump, while Christian Mutengela enters the meet ranked third in the high jump. Amar Elmore ranks fourth in the discus, and Jack Cleary enters the championships eighth in the javelin.
Competition continues through Saturday, with team champions set to be crowned Saturday afternoon.
Live results can be found here.
Meet information can be found here.
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