NCAA outdoor track and field: Utah State’s Logan Hammer punctuates historic collegiate career with silver

LOGAN — Logan Hammer wrapped up his historic Utah State career Wednesday night with a near-storybook ending.

The Aggies’ all-time record holder in the pole vault set a new personal best, clearing a height of 5.75 meters (18 feet, 10 1/4 inches) to finish second at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Only Nebraska’s Dyson Wicker finished ahead of the seven-time Mountain West gold medalist, clearing an NCAA-leading 5.85 meters (19-2 1/4) to win the sophomore’s first national championship.

But the three-time Mountain West outdoor champion who also holds the school’s indoor pole vault record capped a whirlwind run in Eugene, improving on last year’s 13th-place finish in the outdoor championships and a sixth-place indoor finish as a junior.

The native of Nampa, Idaho, had the best finish in program history since James Parker was runner-up in the hammer throw in 2001.

“It was a really special day for him and for (coach) Erik (Rasmussen) and for his family,” said Utah State track and field coach Artie Gulden in a news release from the school. “Yeah, to vault higher than you’ve ever vaulted at the NCAA championships is a special thing. Not only did he break his own school record, but he broke his own Mountain West record as well. He put himself in great position and his jumps at 5.70 (meters) and 5.75 were fantastic.

“I think his jump at 5.75 was his best vault I’ve ever seen and may have been his best vault he’s ever done, and so to be able to do that at the NCAA championships is a very, very special thing and something that I hope he never forgets. I know I’ll never forget it.”

Hammer was making his third-straight appearance at outdoor nationals for the Aggies, who sent the most athletes to the NCAA championships since 2018.

Landon Bott finished sixth in his heat and 12th overall in 1:46.53 in the 800-meter semifinal. Teammate Walker Deede finished 16th in the men’s javelin with a throw of 69.60 meters. (228-4).

HOW ABOUT A PERSONAL BEST?

Logan Hammer clears 5.75m, guaranteeing a podium finish #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/iDNXhINfxH

— USU T&F/XC (@USUTF_XC) June 11, 2026

Nebraska leads the men’s competition after six events with 28 points. Oregon is 10 points back, followed by Kansas State (16) and Arkansas, Minnesota and Tennessee with 14 points each.

Hammer’s runner-up finish led the Aggies to a tie for 10th after Thursday with 8 points. Of course, plenty will change between now and the end of Friday with 15 events left to be scored that includes all but one track event.

BYU opens NCAA outdoor track and field championships

As for BYU and its eight NCAA men’s qualifiers (and 19 bids overall), Carter Cutting and Ben Barton opened the Cougars’ first day of the NCAA outdoor track and field championships about as strong as possible, including with a shattered record.

The junior from Wilsonville, Oregon, advanced to the finals of the 1,500-meter run with a school-record time of 3 minutes, 35.95 seconds Wednesday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Cutting, who also owns the program record in the indoor mile (3:52.84) and is one of five runners to break the four-minute mile in Utah when he ran 3:59.39 at the 2025 Robison Invitational, finished second in the semifinals behind Princeton’s Connor McCormick (3:35.81).

The reigning national champion in the indoor mile will contest the 1,500-meter final Friday at 6:12 p.m. MT on ESPN.

“Hayward Field feels like my home track,” Cutting said in a news release, “I still feel like the underdog despite winning the indoor mile this year, but whatever comes on Friday pace wise I’m ready for it. Coach Waite went deep in his bag to help me be ready for what we will see in the final.”

Barton opened the decathlon for BYU with a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash in 10.64. seconds, collecting 4,414 points in the first event.

The senior also won the high-jump portion by clearing 2.13 meters (6-11 3/4) and the 400-meter run in 47.25 seconds, while also supplying a top-three finish with a 7.40-meter long jump (24-3 1/2) to lead all decathletes with 4,4114 points.

Duke’s Maxwell Forte is 138 points, and Louisville’s Kenneth Byrd rounds out the top three at 20 points behind Forte.

the new 1500m school record holder races in the championship round on friday at 5:12pm pt. be there.

📺: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/PzDsVVyxMo

— BYU Track & Field/Cross Country (@BYUTFXC) June 11, 2026

The second half of the decathlon continues Thursday at 11:45 a.m. MT with the 110-meter hurdles, followed by the discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500 meters. All events will be streamed live on ESPN+.

BYU’s 4×400-meter relay team of Josh Taylor, Jonah Heimuli, Jayden Jessee and Logan Hubler finished eighth in their heat and 20th overall in 3:04.93.

Other Utah athletes at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships

Weber State’s Peter Visser finished ninth in his heat and 20th overall in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:38.93.

Tayvon Kitchen and Isaac Hedengren will also run in the finals of the 5,000 meters Friday at 7:55 p.m.  MT.

NCAA women’s competition begins Thursday at 3:30 p.m. MT, and includes BYU freshman standout Jane Hedengren and teammate Jenna Hutchins in the 10,000-meter finals at 8:56 p.m. MT. Cougar teammates Taylor Lovell and Raygan Dimond will also contest the 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinals beginning at 6:38 p.m. MT.