Photo by: Jan Figueroa
Alumni Post Eight Top-Five Finishes at USAs
07/27/26 | Track and Field
Alaysha Johnson, Cooper Teare registered runner-up finishes in New York.
EUGENE, Ore. – Former Oregon track and field standouts posted a combined eight top-five finishes at the 2026 USATF Outdoor Championships this past week at Icahn Stadium in New York. Alaysha Johnson and Cooper Teare ran to runner-up finishes in the 100-meter hurdles and 5,000 meters, respectively.
The group of ProDucks added a third podium finish from Sam Prakel who finished just behind Teare in the 5,000-meter final. The top three in the race were separated by less than a quarter-second.
Top Five at 2026 USA Championships
Silver – Cooper Teare, 5,000 meters
Silver – Alaysha Johnson, 100m hurdles
Bronze – Sam Prakel, 5,000 meters
Fourth – Kyree King, 200 meters
Fourth – Jadyn Mays, 200 meters
Fourth – Shelby Moran, hammer
Fifth – Cole Walsh, pole vault
Fifth – Ryann Porter, triple jump
Aaliyah McCormick was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles in her professional debut. She was the NCAA indoor (60H) and outdoor champion this past season for the Ducks. Rising UO senior Kai Graves-Blanks advanced to the finals of the 110-meter hurdles and finishes ninth in his USA Championships debut.
Benjamin Balazs was also a national finalist and finished eighth in the steeplechase. He is the two-time reigning Big Ten champion in the event and earlier this month set the school record (8:17.67) during the Sunset Tour stop in Los Angeles.
Notable: In a race where the top three were separated by just .06 at the line, Nikki Hiltz won a fourth-consecutive USA title at 1500 meters. Hiltz ran at Oregon in 2015 before finishing their collegiate career at Arkansas … PJ Ize-Iyamu missed advancing to the 100-meter final by just .01; finished 10th overall.
2026 USATF Championships | Oregon Results
New York, New York | Icahn Stadium
Day 1 – Thursday, July 23
MEN
100 Meters, first round
8. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 10.14Q
21. Kyree King – 10.28Q
1500 Meters, first round
24. Jeffery Rogers – 3:44.59
25. Sam Prakel – 3:44.60
29. Simeon Birnbaum – 3:46.01
10,000 Meters, final
6. Luke Tewalt – 30:27.13
9. Evan Bishop – 30:49.39
3,000m Steeplechase, first round
8. Benjamin Balazs – 8:31.04Q
Long Jump
11. Damarcus Simpson – 7.36m/24-1.75
WOMEN
100 Meters, first round
5. Jenna Prandini – 11.11wQ (+2.4)
14. Jadyn Mays – 11.28Q (SB)
Day 2 – Friday, July 24
MEN
100 Meters, semifinals
10. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 10.07
24. Kyree King – 10.26 (=SB)
WOMEN
100 Meters, semifinals
--. Jadyn Mays – DNS
--. Jenna Prandini – DNS
Triple Jump
5. Ryann Porter – 13.36m/43-10
Hammer Throw
4. Shelby Moran – 71.07m/233-2
Day 3 – Saturday, July 25
MEN
200 Meters, first round
7. Kyree King – 20.71Q (-1.9)
3,000m Steeplechase, final
8. Benjamin Balazs – 8:22.48
Triple Jump
--. Tre Betts – NM
WOMEN
200 Meters, first round
3. Jadyn Mays – 22.85Q (-1.4) (SB)
6. Jenna Prandini – 23.01q (-1.4)
100m Hurdles, final
2. Alaysha Johnson – 12.42
6. Aaliyah McCormick – 12.79
100m Hurdles, first round
2. Alaysha Johnson – 12.64Q (-0.9)
9. Aaliyah McCormick – 12.91q (-1.4)
Shot Put
6. Jaida Ross – 18.23m/59-9.75
Day 4 – Sunday, July 28
MEN
200 Meters, final
4. Kyree King – 20.42
5,000 Meters, final
2. Cooper Teare – 13.46.88
3. Sam Prakel – 13:46.93
110m Hurdles, final
9. Kai Graves-Blanks – 13.52
110m Hurdles, first round
9. Kai Graves-Blanks – 13.40q
Pole Vault
5. Cole Walsh – 5.72m/18-9.25
WOMEN
200 Meters, final
4. Jadyn Mays – 22.67 (SB)
8. Jenna Prandini – 22.91
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and X.
The group of ProDucks added a third podium finish from Sam Prakel who finished just behind Teare in the 5,000-meter final. The top three in the race were separated by less than a quarter-second.
Top Five at 2026 USA Championships
Silver – Cooper Teare, 5,000 meters
Silver – Alaysha Johnson, 100m hurdles
Bronze – Sam Prakel, 5,000 meters
Fourth – Kyree King, 200 meters
Fourth – Jadyn Mays, 200 meters
Fourth – Shelby Moran, hammer
Fifth – Cole Walsh, pole vault
Fifth – Ryann Porter, triple jump
Aaliyah McCormick was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles in her professional debut. She was the NCAA indoor (60H) and outdoor champion this past season for the Ducks. Rising UO senior Kai Graves-Blanks advanced to the finals of the 110-meter hurdles and finishes ninth in his USA Championships debut.
Benjamin Balazs was also a national finalist and finished eighth in the steeplechase. He is the two-time reigning Big Ten champion in the event and earlier this month set the school record (8:17.67) during the Sunset Tour stop in Los Angeles.
Notable: In a race where the top three were separated by just .06 at the line, Nikki Hiltz won a fourth-consecutive USA title at 1500 meters. Hiltz ran at Oregon in 2015 before finishing their collegiate career at Arkansas … PJ Ize-Iyamu missed advancing to the 100-meter final by just .01; finished 10th overall.
2026 USATF Championships | Oregon Results
New York, New York | Icahn Stadium
Day 1 – Thursday, July 23
MEN
100 Meters, first round
8. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 10.14Q
21. Kyree King – 10.28Q
1500 Meters, first round
24. Jeffery Rogers – 3:44.59
25. Sam Prakel – 3:44.60
29. Simeon Birnbaum – 3:46.01
10,000 Meters, final
6. Luke Tewalt – 30:27.13
9. Evan Bishop – 30:49.39
3,000m Steeplechase, first round
8. Benjamin Balazs – 8:31.04Q
Long Jump
11. Damarcus Simpson – 7.36m/24-1.75
WOMEN
100 Meters, first round
5. Jenna Prandini – 11.11wQ (+2.4)
14. Jadyn Mays – 11.28Q (SB)
Day 2 – Friday, July 24
MEN
100 Meters, semifinals
10. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 10.07
24. Kyree King – 10.26 (=SB)
WOMEN
100 Meters, semifinals
--. Jadyn Mays – DNS
--. Jenna Prandini – DNS
Triple Jump
5. Ryann Porter – 13.36m/43-10
Hammer Throw
4. Shelby Moran – 71.07m/233-2
Day 3 – Saturday, July 25
MEN
200 Meters, first round
7. Kyree King – 20.71Q (-1.9)
3,000m Steeplechase, final
8. Benjamin Balazs – 8:22.48
Triple Jump
--. Tre Betts – NM
WOMEN
200 Meters, first round
3. Jadyn Mays – 22.85Q (-1.4) (SB)
6. Jenna Prandini – 23.01q (-1.4)
100m Hurdles, final
2. Alaysha Johnson – 12.42
6. Aaliyah McCormick – 12.79
100m Hurdles, first round
2. Alaysha Johnson – 12.64Q (-0.9)
9. Aaliyah McCormick – 12.91q (-1.4)
Shot Put
6. Jaida Ross – 18.23m/59-9.75
Day 4 – Sunday, July 28
MEN
200 Meters, final
4. Kyree King – 20.42
5,000 Meters, final
2. Cooper Teare – 13.46.88
3. Sam Prakel – 13:46.93
110m Hurdles, final
9. Kai Graves-Blanks – 13.52
110m Hurdles, first round
9. Kai Graves-Blanks – 13.40q
Pole Vault
5. Cole Walsh – 5.72m/18-9.25
WOMEN
200 Meters, final
4. Jadyn Mays – 22.67 (SB)
8. Jenna Prandini – 22.91
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and X.
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