Five Lumberjacks Head to Hayward Field for NCAA Outdoor Championships
Northern Arizona University will send a five-athlete delegation to the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, with competition scheduled June 10-13. The Lumberjacks will be represented in middle- and long-distance events and the 400-meter hurdles as Colin Sahlman competes in the men's 800 meters, Tor Hotung-Davidsen in the men's 1,500 meters, Josiah Johnson in the men's 400-meter hurdles, Hayley Burns in the women's 1,500 meters and Cael Grotenhuis in the men's 5,000 meters.
Action for the NAU contingent opens Wednesday evening when three Lumberjacks take part in the men's semifinal session. Tor Hotung-Davidsen will run first for the program in the men's 1,500-meter semifinal at 5:21 p.m. MST. He will be followed by Colin Sahlman in the men's 800-meter semifinal at 6:58 p.m. MST and Josiah Johnson in the men's 400-meter hurdles semifinal at 7:14 p.m. MST as the meet moves through preliminary rounds toward championship finals.
Each of the three who compete Wednesday punched their tickets to Eugene with performances at the NCAA West First Round in Fayetteville. Sahlman progressed through the 800-meter quarterfinals after claiming victory in his heat, while Hotung-Davidsen secured qualification in the 1,500 meters through his race at the regional round. Josiah Johnson arrives in Eugene after a season highlighted by a school record in the 400-meter hurdles, lowering the Northern Arizona mark to 49.56 earlier this year.
The Lumberjacks’ lone female qualifier will take the track on Thursday when Hayley Burns races in the women's 1,500-meter semifinal at 5:21 p.m. MST. Burns’ season ranks among the most accomplished in program history: the senior leads the Big Sky Conference in the 800 meters, 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters, and she established new benchmarks for both Northern Arizona and the Big Sky in the 5,000 meters this spring with a time of 15:18.26. Teammates and coaches celebrated the squad’s advancement and strong spring performances during postseason competition.
Northern Arizona women's track athletes embrace and smile on the infield after a race, celebrating strong performances as the Lumberjacks head to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Cael Grotenhuis will close out Northern Arizona's participation on Friday in the men's 5,000-meter final, scheduled for 6:55 p.m. MST. The senior advanced from the NCAA West First Round and will run in what will be the final collegiate outdoor national final of his career, taking the opportunity to complete his NCAA tenure on one of the sport’s largest stages.
A NAU coach and runner celebrate while holding a large 'Ticket Punched' board, marking the team's qualification for the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Hayward Field again hosts the four-day NCAA Outdoor Championships, continuing Eugene’s long-established role as a premier venue for collegiate track and field. The meet brings together the nation’s top collegiate athletes for individual national titles and the accumulation of team points across running, jumping and throwing events. For NAU, the week in Eugene provides opportunities for semifinal advancement, final appearances and it presents a culminating stage for athletes who have progressed through regional rounds this spring.
Fans can follow live results for the NCAA Championships at flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2026/index.htm, and Northern Arizona Track and Field updates are being posted across the program’s social channels on X and Instagram. The Lumberjacks’ entries span three semifinal sessions and one national final across the four-day meet, with event times listed in Mountain Standard Time for followers tracking the team’s progression at Hayward Field.
Social Media Activity on X
Research across X shows activity is primarily limited to posts from the program's official channels (@NAUTrack and @NAUAthletics), which have recirculated qualification announcements and celebratory photos. Supportive replies have come from Flagstaff-area accounts, current NAU student-athletes, and Big Sky Conference followers, but there is minimal broader social-media reaction or national conversation on the platform at this time. No additional verified performance details or athlete quotes beyond those already reported in the article were found in recent posts.