2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships: Full Schedule, Dates, Preview, Key Players and How to Watch Live

The top athletes in U.S. collegiate track and field will compete for national championships at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, taking place June 10-13 at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene.

NCAA Division I national titles will be awarded in both the men’s and women’s competitions, with many athletes already looking ahead to the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing and the LA28 Olympic Games.

The outdoor championships follow a successful indoor season in which the University of Arkansas captured the men’s NCAA indoor title, while the University of Georgia secured the women’s championship. Oregon finished second in both team standings, setting the stage for what could be one of the most competitive outdoor championship meets in recent memory.

Below is a look at the leading contenders, event schedule, and broadcast details.

NCAA Track and Field Championships: Athletes to Watch

The men’s 110m hurdles will once again spotlight one of collegiate track’s biggest names, Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn. During the indoor season, Tharp broke Paris 2024 Olympic champion Grant Holloway’s long-standing NCAA 60m hurdles record by running 7.32 seconds to win the national title, surpassing Holloway’s previous mark of 7.35. He now aims to defend his outdoor title and complete another NCAA indoor-outdoor hurdles double.

Arkansas sprinter Jelani Watkins enters the championships as one of the favorites in both the men’s 100m and 200m. Watkins has recorded a wind-assisted 9.82 seconds in the 100m and a wind-legal 19.87 seconds in the 200m this season, placing him among the fastest collegiate sprinters in the world in 2026. He is also expected to play a key role in Arkansas’ 4x100m relay squad.

The relay events will feature USC standout Garrett Kaalund. The Trojans star, who won the NCAA indoor 200m title in a collegiate-record 19.95 seconds, did not qualify individually for the outdoor championships at the NCAA West Regionals. As a result, his focus will be entirely on helping USC in the relay competition.

The men’s 400m will feature Alabama’s Samuel Ogazi, who is seeking to complete an NCAA indoor-outdoor championship sweep. The Nigerian athlete has already posted several impressive outdoor performances below 44 seconds this season.

On the women’s side, South Carolina’s JaMeesia Ford returns as one of the sport’s premier sprint talents. Ford won the 2025 NCAA outdoor 200m title and finished second in the 100m.

The women’s hurdles competition will include Oregon star Aaliyah McCormick, who is looking to complete an indoor-outdoor championship sweep at Hayward Field after winning the NCAA indoor 60m hurdles title earlier this year in a school-record 7.86 seconds. The senior enters the meet after posting a collegiate-leading 12.44 seconds in the 100m hurdles at the NCAA West Regionals.

Washington junior Hana Moll heads into the women’s pole vault as one of the favorites after extending her record-breaking 2026 season. Moll successfully defended her NCAA indoor title and cleared 4.83m at the Big Ten Championships in May, setting another collegiate record. She will attempt to retain her outdoor title and complete an indoor-outdoor championship double in Eugene.

2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Schedule

All times are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC-7). Schedule subject to change.

Wednesday, June 10 – Men’s Day 1

• 1:00 p.m. – Combined events
• 2:30 p.m. – Field events
• 5:05 p.m. – Track event semifinals (*10,000m final)

Thursday, June 11 – Women’s Day 1

• 10:45 a.m. – Men’s combined events
• 2:30 p.m. – Women’s field events
• 5:05 p.m. – Track event semifinals (10,000m final)

Friday, June 12 – Men’s Day 2

• 11:45 a.m. – Women’s combined events
• 2:15 p.m. – Men’s field event finals
• 4:50 p.m. – Men’s track event finals

Saturday, June 13 – Women’s Day 2

• 11:30 a.m. – Women’s field event finals
• 2:30 p.m. – Women’s combined events
• 4:50 p.m. – Women’s track event finals

How to Watch the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships

Fans in the United States can follow the championships through ESPN’s broadcast platforms.

Track events will air on ESPN and ESPN2, while field events and combined events will be available via streaming on ESPN+.