ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The opening day of the 2026 NAIA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship saw three individual champions crowned, a new record in the pole vault and several preliminaries took place. 

Pole Vault

The women’s pole vault was highlighted by a dominant win from British Columbia senior Sonya Urbanowicz, who cleared 4.28m (14-00.50) to set a championship record, won her fourth consecutive title in the event and matched her personal best while scoring 10 points. Carroll (Mont.) sophomore Brynn Wandle secured second at 3.93m (12-10.75) for eight points, and Siena Heights (Mich.) junior Emma Stewart took third with 3.88m (12-08.75) to add six. A tight battle followed at 3.83m (12-06.75), where Cecily Fager of Cornerstone (Mich.) placed fourth on five points, while Midway’s (Ky.) Emerson Vanscoy and Bethel’s (Ind.) Gabrielle Zeilenga also cleared the height for fifth and sixth, respectively, both earning season-best NAIA rankings. Another cluster at 3.78m (12-04.75) featured Mount Marty’s (S.D.) Mya Zohner in seventh, with Midway’s Maddi Reed and Life’s Cameron Kelperis tying for eighth for a full All-America list. 

Hammer

The hammer throw featured a tight battle at the top, led by Sydney Duncan of IU Kokomo (Ind.), who won with a personal-best (PB) 56.78m (186-03) to score 10 points. Oliviyah Thornton of Dakota State (S.D.) was close behind in second, also setting a PB at 56.56m (185-06) for eight points, while Bri Nichols of Indiana Wesleyan took third with another PB, throwing 56.52m (185-05) to earn six points. Lauren Cima of Providence (Mont.) placed fourth at 56.14m (184-02), followed by Maelie Hope of Aquinas (Mich.) in fifth with 55.19m (181-01) and Makenna Walhof of Dordt (Iowa) in sixth at 54.71m (179-06). The scoring rounded out with Kori Nagel (Dickinson State) seventh at 53.33m (174-11) and Abby Green (Friends) eighth at 52.90m (173-06) to complete the All-America list in the event. 

Long Jump

The women’s long jump featured a strong winning performance from Amelia Cha of British Columbia, who took first with a wind-aided 6.27m (20-07.00) leap and scored 10 points for her team. Abia Kante of Cumberlands (Ky.) was close behind in second, setting a personal best at 6.17m (20-03.00) to become the new 2026 NAIA No. 2 and add 8 points, while Rosemond Owusu of Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) claimed third with another personal best of 5.99m (19-08.00) for 6 points. Imani Skanes of College of Saint Mary (Neb.) in fourth at 5.98m (19-07.50), followed by Kiana Siefert of Taylor (Ind.) in fifth with a season best 5.89m (19-04.00). The remaining scorers were Gabrielle Pitts (5.83m), Sheleena Wiley (5.79m), and Alyssa Budd (5.75m), with the field tightly packed behind them down to Lawren Tanner’s 5.30m (17-04.75) in 21st.

The day was broken apart by lightning delays, which forced the second heat of the steeplechase prelims and the 10,000-meter run to May 21 (CLICK HERE for schedule updates).