Ogazi Leads Defending Champions Into 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Finals in Eugene

The 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships will see twelve athletes return to Eugene with one goal: to defend their national titles.

At the forefront is Samuel Ogazi, the Alabama sprinter who has been untouchable in the men’s 400m. With times of 43.82, 43.95, and 44.02 seconds in May, Ogazi enters as the fastest and most consistent runner in the country, and with Michael Norman’s collegiate record of 43.61 (2018) within reach, he could deliver a historic performance.

The 19 year old made history as the first Nigerian student athlete to win the outdoor title since Clement Chukwu in 1999 and will be aiming to become the first to successfully defend it.

Alongside Ogazi, eleven other champions are back to prove their dominance. Aaliyah McCormick of Oregon continues to set the pace in the hurdles, already adding an indoor crown to her outdoor 100m hurdles title and running one of the fastest times in NCAA history. Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn is chasing a rare sweep in the men’s hurdles, hoping to emulate Grant Holloway’s legendary run while eyeing the collegiate record.

In the sprints, JaMeesia Ford of South Carolina has made winning an annual tradition, with NCAA titles every year since her freshman season. Distance star Brian Musau of Oklahoma State returns to defend his 5000m crown, while Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico attempts to repeat her double triumph in the 5000m and 10,000m despite fierce competition.

Field events also feature defending champions. Arvesta Troupe of Ole Miss, last year’s high jump winner, looks to peak again at the right time. Brandon Green Jr. of Oklahoma heads into the triple jump with momentum, aiming to break the 17-meter barrier. Ralford Mullings of Oklahoma, who stunned the field in discus last year, now carries the pressure of expectation.

In the women’s pole vault, Hana Moll of Washington continues to push boundaries, already resetting the collegiate record twice this season and flirting with the five-meter mark. Finally, Valentina Barrios Bornacelli of Missouri seeks to become only the ninth woman in NCAA history to defend the javelin title, arriving with one of the top throws of the year.