Pacific Index

Pacific Track & Field Gearing Up for 2026

   Blending a veteran presence along with promising newcomers, the Boxers’ track and field team are predicted to make noise in both the indoor and outdoor events of the season—and  they’re ready to show growth covering sprints, distance, jumps, and throws.

   The 2026 season opens with indoor meets and then quickly transitions into outdoor competition. The indoor and outdoor schedule features a mix of invitational and conference meets throughout the entire Pacific Northwest. These meets, which included early indoor meets at the University of Washington and University of Portland in January, develop into multiple invitationals, the Pacific Multi-Meet Event, the Pacific Open in Forest Grove, and conference meets against regional rivals such as Linfield, George Fox, and Western Oregon. With this exciting schedule, the team is expecting ample opportunities to score points, set personal records, and qualify for postseason competition. 

   Pacific’s strength this year shows in their depth, with numerous returning letterwinners—including on the men’s side, seniors and juniors like Brody Bantolina (sprints), Charles Bennett (sprints), Aaron Brewer (distance), and Benjamin Christianson (throws). On the women’s side, recent top performances have been All-American Ally Hammond (sprints/hurdles), Ria Gill (distance), Megan Feitz (distance), and Makayla Tuiolemotu (throws). 

   With all these already proven athletes, there is still room for surprises. Sophomore thrower Xeiden Padasdao predicts that “Kamron Shields is someone I think is going to have a breakout season. As a decathlete, he’s been putting in a lot of work across all events and has really improved his consistency and confidence. His work ethic makes him a big contributor, and I think this season he’s going to put everything together and things will click for him.”

   The 2026 roster also features a number of promising newcomers who look to contribute immediately. “I think a few of the new athletes are going to make an immediate impact,” Padasdao says, “especially some of the freshmen coming in hungry and ready to compete. The new throwers and runners in particular have been working hard and bringing a lot of energy to practice— Kevin Ilano is definitely a big impact for the throwers, coming in and hitting big PR’s really motivates the team.”

   Pacific enters the season with both realistic and high expectations. Rather than focusing solely on national championship aspirations, the Boxers are focused on strong conference performances, improved personal records, and building competitive depth across the board. “I think we’re going to have a strong season,” Padasdao says. “The team chemistry is good, everyone’s locked in, and we’re all pushing each other. If we stay healthy and keep working the way we have been, we will have a very successful season.”