Trackflation is alive and well as track and field athletes are performing better than ever this season. We've already seen a collegiate record fall nine times this season, and we could just be getting started. Here are the records that I think should be on notice in Eugene.
| Year | No. Of Records | Events |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | Women's 4x100 meter relay, Women's Triple Jump, Men's Decathlon, Men's 4x400 meter relay |
| 2024 | 8 | Women's Javelin, Women's 3000m Steeplechase, Women's 400 meters, Women's 5000 meters, Women's 4x400 meter relay, Men's Decathlon, Men's Decathlon shot put, Men's Decathlon discus |
| 2025 | 5 | Women's Pole Vault, Women's 3000m Steeplechase, Women's 400m hurdles, Men's Decathlon 100m, Men's Decathlon 400 meters |
Records that have already fallen
We'll start with the collegiate records in events that take place at the NCAA championships. If an athlete broke the record once, obviously, the record should be on notice to fall again.
- Women's 10,000m — Jane Hedengren | BYU
- Women's 5000m — Jane Hedengren | BYU
- Women's Pole Vault — Hana Moll | Washington
- Men's 5000m — Habtom Samuel | New Mexico
- Men's 1500m — Simeon Birnbaum | Oregon
MORE RECORDS: Every collegiate track and field record broken in 2026, so far
Men's records that should be on notice
100m | Record: 9.82s by Tennessee's Christian Coleman in 2017
Christian Coleman's 100-meter record has stood for nearly a decade. The Olympian's reign at the top could soon be over with the way Auburn's Kanyinsola Ajayi has been running. This season, Ajayi has launched himself into the conversation for the best African sprinter, not just in the NCAA, but in the WORLD.
Ajayi has run EIGHT wind-legal sub-10 100 meters since 2025 — the most of any African sprinter — after adding to his total with a 9.90 and 9.84-second finish at the East First Round meet. His most recent 9.84 finish is the second-fastest in NCAA history.
0.3 seconds can be a long time on the track, but we've already seen Ajayi tie the indoor 60-meter collegiate record this season. While Eugene isn't known as the fastest track for sprinting, there's no better place for the collegiate record to fall than NCAA championships.
| Time | Year | Athlete | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.77 (+1.2) | 2021 | Ferdinand Omanyala | Kenya |
| 9.79 (+1.5) | 2024 | Ferdinand Omanyala | Kenya |
| 9.81 (NWI) | 2023 | Ferdinand Omanyala | Kenya |
| 9.84 (+0.7) | 2026 | Kanyinsola Ajayi | Nigeria |
| 9.84 (-0.5) | 2023 | Ferdinand Omanyala | Kenya |
| 9.84 (+1.5) | 2025 | Abdul-Rasheed Saminu | Ghana |
110h | Record: 12.98 by Florida's Grant Holloway in 2019
Grant Holloway is the only collegiate athlete to ever break 13 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles. Three others have come close with 13.00, and right behind them are the two best hurdlers in 2026, Texas' Kendrick Smallwood and Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp.
Smallwood just surged up the all-time list with a 13.04 finish in the west region, while Tharp tied his personal best with the third 13.05 finish of his career. Tharp broke the 60 hurdles record indoors and is aiming for a back-to-back season sweep.
There's motivation for Smallwood to knock off Tharp and motivation for Tharp to hold off Smallwood and repeat. Two motivated athletes could lead to history. Hopefully, we can get to see them side-by-side in lanes in the final.
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400m | Record: 43.61 by Southern California's Michael Norman in 2018
Alabama's Samuel Ogazi has run 43.82, 43.95 and 44.02 in his last three races in May. His progression has him on track to at least push Michael Norman's record to the brink. That's especially true with other potential sub-43 and low-44 sprinters like Florida's Justin Braun (43.99 PB), Georgia's Jonathan Simms (44.02 PB), Arkansas' Jordan Pierre (44.12 PB), Georgia's Sidi Njie (44.24 PB) and Arizona State's Jayden Davis (44.29 PB).
When you have that many fastest 400-meter runners in a field, who have to run your fastest in the heats to ensure you get a favorable lane draw in the final. That means everyone will be leaving it all on the line in every race, which could lead to something special.
800m | Record: 1:43.25 by UTEP's Michael Saruni in 2018
Like the 400 meters, the 800 meters is loaded with talent as three of the top 10 and seven of the top 25 all-time collegiate 800m performers are in the field. Two of them, Rivaldo Marshall and Tyrice Taylor, run for the same team at Arkansas. The rest include NAU's Colin Sahlman, Penn State's Allon Clay, Texas A&M's Peter Narumbe, Michigan's Miles Brown and Georgetown's Tinoda Matsatsa. All have run sub-1:45 this season.
After the break in the 800 meters, we could see one of the greatest races in collegiate history. Some have joked that the 800 meters has turned into a sprint event in recent years, and with the times we'll see in Eugene, we might find some truth behind the humor.
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3000m Steeplechase | Record: 8:05.4 by Washington State's Henry Rono in 1978
48 years. That's how long Henry Rono's steeplechase record has stood. Up until last year, Rono had the three fastest times in collegiate history. Now, the second and third-fastest times belong to Louisville's 26-year-old Kenyan Geoffrey Kirwa and Virginia's 23-year-old American Nathan Mountain. Kirwa has run 8:08.10 and Mountain has run 8:11.92.
Rono's record has long looked unbreakable, but 2026 could be the year the record falls.
10,000m | Record: 26:50.21 by New Mexico's Ishmael Kipkurui in 2025
We haven't seen a top-10 all-time finish in the 10K yet this season, a surprise when looking at the last two years, where the collegiate record fell at Sound Running: "The Ten". That said, we still have No. 3 all-time performer Habtom Samuel (New Mexico), No. 6 all-time performer Denis Kipngetich (Oklahoma State) and No. 11 all-time performer Elsingi Kipruto (Louisville) all in the field.
Habtom Samuel, the 5K collegiate record holder who's been outspoken about his aspirations for The Bowerman, is probably the best bet to break the record. Yet, like with every distance race, it'll come down to pace. The record is likely a goal for some, but the win is the priority for all.
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Long Jump | Record: 8.74m by Arkansas' Erick Walder in 1994
There hasn't been a wind-legal men's long jump over 8.46 meters since 1992. However, at the West Region meet, we saw Kansas State's Tafadzwa Chikomba land an 8.75m jump with a +3.2 wind reading.
Chikomba didn't even touch the board on his jump.
Wind reading or not, Chikomba showed he has the potential to break the record in Eugene.
— K-State T&F/XC (@KStateTFXC)
Women's records that should be on notice
100m | Record: 10.75 by LSU's Sha'Carri Richardson in 2019
Sha'Carri Richardson's 10.75 has stood since 2019, but it could be on the brink of falling. Georgia's Adaejah Hodge ran the second-fastest time in history in 10.77 seconds and Florida State's Shenese Walker ran the fifth-fastest time in 10.80 seconds at the Tom Jones Memorial meet back in April. The last woman to run that fast in April was Jacious Sears in 2024, but we never got to see her run at nationals after she suffered an injury.
Hodge and Walker are both healthy entering Eugene and each added sub-11 finishes at the East first round meet. We've seen plenty of sub-11 finishes this season, so as long as the wind permits, we could see these women keep the theme of trackflation going by taking down Richardson's record.
200m | Record: 21.80 by Kentucky's Abby Steiner in 2022
Adaejah Hodge makes another appearance as a potential record-breaking candidate in the 200 meters. She's run the fourth-fastest time all-time in 21.92 seconds to join a 22.09 and 22.10 finish this year. South Carolina's JaMeesia Ford ran 22.07 this year, just shy of her 21.98 personal best, making her another candidate to break Abby Steiner's record.
21.80 is fast, but with a championship on the line, anything can happen.
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400m | Record: 48.89s by Arkansas' Nickisha Pryce in 2024
When Arkansas' Nickisha Pryce ran the first sub-49 400 meters in 2024, her teammate Kaylyn Brown finished second in 49.13 seconds as a freshman. Brown is now a junior and still running in 2026, going sub-50 three times in the month of May. However, Brown hasn't been the fastest woman this season.
That honor belongs to Georgia's Dejanea Oakley, who ran 48.92 to win the SEC title before running 49.48 in the east region. Oakley is the second woman to run sub-49 in collegiate history, just 0.03 seconds behind the collegiate record.
LSU's Ella Onojuvwevwo, Southern California's Madison Whyte and Arkansas' Sanaria Butler are the other three women to break 50 seconds this season. It's shaping up to be a sub-50 race in the final, and depending on lane draws, we could see the collegiate record go down.
800m | Record: 1:57.73 by Texas A&M's Athing Mu in 2021
How fast is 0.01 seconds? Fast enough to keep Arkansas' Sanu Jallow-Lockhart off of the collegiate record at West Regionals. She ran 1:57.74 to finish No. 2 all-time. It was her second time running sub-two in May, previously running 1:58.82.
However, Jallow-Lockhart isn't the only woman to run sub-two this season. She's one of nine women to break two minutes this year. Sub-two is likely what it'll take to win the title in Eugene, so Mu's record could finally go down.
1500m | Record: 3:59.90 by Colorado's Jenny Barringer in 2009
We've seen four of the 10-fastest 1500-meter finishes in NCAA history in 2026, with four more all-time performance rankings within the top-26. Washington State's Rosemary Longisa leads the group at No. 2 all-time in 4:02.55 while South Carolina's Salma Elbadra follows at No. 4 all-time in 4:02.63.
Of course, to set the collegiate record, someone will have to cut over two seconds off of their time to break the four-minute barrier. In what's expected to be a fast race, sub-four might be what it takes to win.
MORE: How Southern's Alase overcame adversity to post nation-leading time ahead of NCAA postseason
High Jump | Record: 1.99m by Arizona's Brigetta Barrett in 2013
Brigetta Barrett's record has been hanging on by a string in recent years, as there have been multiple two-meter high jumpers indoors and multiple attempts at her record outdoors. The women are getting closer and closer to breaking the two-meter threshold outside, and 2026 could be the year the record finally falls.
The top candidates to do so are Texas Tech's Temitope Adeshina and Illinois' Rose Yeboah. Adeshina has a PR of 1.97m and has cleared 1.95m this season. Yeboah has a PR of 1.97m and has cleared 1.87m this season. Adeshina won the last two indoor high jump titles. Yeboah won the 2024 outdoor high jump title.
Both ladies have experience near collegiate record height and know how to win on a championship stage. That experience could be what leads to a record-breaking moment.
Long Jump | Record: 7.14m by Texas' Tara Davis in 2021
Until last week, all of the seven meter women's long jumpers in collegiate history went to Big 12 schools. Now Stanford's Alyssa Jones has joined the party after a 7.09m leap at the West Regional. That's the second-best jump in collegiate history, and she did so while competing in the high jump and 4x1.
Luckily for fans, the long jump final is on Thursday, the high jump final is on Saturday and Stanford didn't qualify in the 4x1. That means Jones will have fresh legs as she attempts to replicate her seven-meter success.
Shot Put | Record: 20.01m by Oregon's Jaida Ross in 2024
In 2024, Jaida Ross put together the greatest women's shot put season in collegiate history, becoming the first woman to break 20 meters in the event. That same year, Nebraska's Axelina Johansson finished third at NCAA outdoor championships.
However, Johansson has previously won an outdoor NCAA title back in 2023. She's been throwing for a while now and might've saved her best for last. Johansson became the second-best shot putter in collegiate history with a 19.97m throw to win the Big Ten title. The collegiate record is within reach for the Cornhusker.
Discus | Record: 70.22m by Arizona State's Jorinde Van Klinken in 2021
Florida's Alida Van Daalen has progressed from 63.97m to 66.70m to 69.31m in the discus throughout the month of May. Her latest throw at East Regionals placed her No. 3 in collegiate history, less than one meter behind her Netherlands country-mate Jorinde Van Klinken. Van Daalen could become the second woman in collegiate history to break 70 meters, potentially in record-breaking fashion.
Hammer | Record: 77.67m by California's Camryn Rogers in 2022
After Camryn Rogers finished her collegiate career, I thought she put the women's hammer throw record so far out of reach that it would be at least a decade until someone got close. Rogers owned the top-10 marks in NCAA history at the time after all.
However, Minnesota's Anthonett Nabwe has proved me wrong not even four years later after throws of 77.64 meters and 75.72m this season. The 77.64m throw is the second-best in NCAA history and just three centimeters off of the record. Nabwe could knock off the greatest women's hammer thrower in collegiate history with another great performance in Eugene.
Bonus records to watch
- Men's 200 meters
- Men's 4x100 relay
- Women's 4x400 relay
- Women's 100 hurdles
We've only had two sub-20 men's 200-meter finishes in 2026 from Arkansas' Jelani Watkins (19.87) and Auburn's Israel Okon (19.94). The collegiate record is 19.69 from Florida State's Walter Dix in 2007. That time might be out of reach, but it's not impossible.
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Auburn has won the last two 4x100 relays at NCAA outdoors, running the fourth-fastest time to win 2024's title and the third-fastest time to win 2025's title. The Tigers had the same quartet of sprinters each year. In 2026, Auburn returns its first two legs, Azeem Fahimi and Kayinsola Ajayi, and have run 38.07 and 38.20 so far this season. I'm not sure if 2026's 4x1 squad is better than 2025's at Auburn, but if any team can break the 4x1 collegiate record of 37.90 from LSU in 2023, it's the Tigers.
I can't count Arkansas out when it comes to the women's 4x400 meter relay, as the Razorbacks have run the second and third fastest times in NCAA history. Those times are still three seconds behind the collegiate record Arkansas set in 2024 with three sub-50 splits. I don't think the Razorbacks — or anyone for that matter — can match that speed.
Oregon's Aaliyah McCormick broke through with a 12.44 personal-best at the west first round meet, two weeks after running a windy 12.43 (+4.9) to win the Big Ten title. Prior to Big Ten's there was no way I thought anyone had a shot at Masai Russell's 12.36 collegiate record from 2023. I still think it's a long shot, but McCormick has flashed potential of climbing to the top
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