NCAA Meet Information
FARMINGTON, Utah (June 8, 2026) – The Big Sky Conference will be well-represented by 14 individual student-athletes and one relay team at the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week.
The meet will run from Wednesday, June 10 to Saturday, June 13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Seven of the Big Sky's 10 full-time member institutions will be represented in Eugene.
A full list of competitors and a Big Sky-specific schedule of events can be found below.
Sahlman Continues to Shine
One of the biggest stories heading into the meet, not only in the league but nationally as well, is Northern Arizona’s Colin Sahlman. After claiming a pair of National Championships on the indoor circuit in both the 3,000-meter and the Distance Medley Relay, Sahlman could further increase his case for The Bowerman with another first place finish for the Lumberjacks in the 800-meter.
Sahlman is the Big Sky Conference record holder in the men’s 800, running a 1:44.42 at the 2026 Bryan Clay Invitational back in April. He’s also looking to put a bow on an incredible 2025-26 athletic campaign, which also included a Big Sky Cross Country Individual Championship and an All-American worth 16
th place finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Bobcat Freshman Making Headlines
After earning Most Valuable Athlete, Most Outstanding Performer and Freshman of the Year honors at the 2026 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Montana State’s Tilde Bjerager made yet another statement at West Prelims.
The Växjö, Sweden native broke her own Big Sky record in the 400-meter hurdles, crossing the finish line in a time of 55.82 to place sixth overall in Arkansas.
This comes on the heels of her scoring 25.5 points for the Bobcats at the Big Sky Championships in Portland.
Best in the West
After winning the Quarterfinals of the men’s 400-meter hurdles in Arkansas, Northern Arizona’s Josiah Johnson has himself in contention for another national title. With a time of 49.07, Johnson finished ahead of everyone else competing at the West Prelims.
Johnson was on Northern Arizona’s Distance Medley Relay team that claimed a National Championship this past March.
Strength in Steeplechase
The Big Sky will have three athletes competing across both men’s and women’s steeplechase races in Eugene. On the men’s side, Montana State’s Rob McManus and Weber State’s Peter Visser will both be in contention, while on the women’s side Idaho’s Constanze Paoli will represent the Vandals.
McManus and Paoli were this year’s Big Sky Conference champions, while McManus was also named Most Outstanding Performer in Portland.
Three-Straight Relay Teams
For the third-consecutive season, the Big Sky Conference will have a women’s 4x400m relay team competing at the National Championships. This year, the Montana State Bobcats claimed the last spot in the field with a time of 3:31.36 in Arkansas following a weather delay.
In 2025, it was the Bobcats representing the Big Sky with a 21
st place finish and in 2024 Northern Arizona finished in 14
th.
Follow Us
Follow the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on X, Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, YouTube and TikTok for all the latest news around the league and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated to stay connected.
2026 Outdoor Track & Field National Championship Qualifiers
Tilde Bjerager, Montana State (Women's 400H)
Sydney Brewster, Montana State (Women's Shot Put)
Hayley Burns, Northern Arizona (Women's 1,500m)
Cort Gebbers, Eastern Washington (Men's Discus)
Cael Grotenhuis, Northern Arizona (Men's 5,000m)
Tor Hotung-Davidsen, Northern Arizona (Men's 1,500m)
Josiah Johnson, Northern Arizona (Men's 400H)
Rob McManus, Montana State (Men's 3K Steeplechase)
Constanze Paoli, Idaho (Women's 3K Steeplechase)
Colin Sahlman, Northern Arizona (Men's 800m)
Blake Sturgis, Idaho (Men's Javelin)
Kevin Swindler, Montana (Men's Pole Vault)
Axel Tirado-Sanchez, Idaho State (Men's Discus)
Peter Visser, Weber State (Men's 3K Steeplechase)
Montana State Women's 4x400m Relay Team
Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track & Field National Championships Schedule
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Men’s 1,500m Semifinal (5:21 PM PT)
Tor Hotung-Davidsen, Northern Arizona
Men’s Pole Vault Final (5:35 PM PT)
Kevin Swindler, Montana
Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase Semifinal (5:38 PM PT)
Rob McManus, Montana State
Peter Visser, Weber State
Men’s Javelin Final (6:15 PM PT)
Blake Sturgis, Idaho
Men’s 800m Semifinal (6:58 PM PT)
Colin Sahlman, Northern Arizona
Men’s 400H Semifinal (7:14 PM PT)
Josiah Johnson, Northern Arizona
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Women’s 1,500m Semifinal (5:21 PM PT)
Hayley Burns, Northern Arizona
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase Semifinal (5:38 PM PT)
Constanze Paoli, Idaho
Women’s Shot Put Final (7:10 PM PT)
Sydney Brewster, Montana State
Women’s 400H Semifinal (7:14 PM PT)
Tilde Bjerager, Montana State
Women’s 4x400 Relay Semifinal (8:36 PM PT)
Montana State
Friday, June 12, 2026
Men’s Discus Final (2:15 PM PT)
Cort Gebbers, Eastern Washington
Axel Tirado-Sanchez, Idaho State
Men’s 1,500m Final (5:12 PM PT)
TBD
Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase Final (5:24 PM PT)
TBD
Men’s 800m Final (6:14 PM PT)
TBD
Men’s 400H Final (6:27 PM PT)
TBD
Men’s 5000m Final (6:55 PM PT)
Cael Grotenhuis, Northern Arizona
Saturday, June 13, 2026
Women’s 1,500m Final (5:12 PM PT)
TBD
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase Final (5:24 PM PT)
TBD
Women’s 400H Final (6:27 PM PT)
TBD
Women’s 4x400 Relay Final (7:21 PM PT)
TBD