Utah State University announced on Mar. 12 that three of its track and field athletes—junior Landon Bott, senior Logan Hammer, and sophomore Ayodele Ojo, Jr.—will represent the school at the 2026 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, scheduled for March 13-14.
The participation of these athletes highlights their achievements during the indoor season and marks a significant moment for Utah State’s track and field program. Qualifying for the national championships is considered a notable accomplishment in collegiate athletics.
Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Artie Gulden said, “We are really proud of these three guys and looking forward to watching them compete. Qualifying for the NCAA championships is a special thing and an amazing accomplishment. There are lots of variables at this meet—some we control but many we don’t. We want the guys to focus on what they control and go compete. Execution of that will be the key at these championships.”
Bott enters as the fifth seed in the men’s 800 meters after posting a qualifying time of 1:45.72 at the Roman Ruiz Speed and Power Invitational on Jan. 31. Hammer is ranked twelfth nationally in men’s pole vault with a clearance of 5.63 meters achieved at the BYU December Invitational on Dec. 10; he also became Utah State’s first athlete since Dillon Maggard (2016-18) to qualify for consecutive NCAA indoor championships. Ojo qualified with an altitude-adjusted time of 6.57 seconds in the men’s 60 meters from his performance at Idaho State’s Snake River Open on Jan. 16.
All three athletes set new program records during the season: Hammer broke his own pole vault record, Ojo surpassed both school and Mountain West records in the 60 meters, and Bott twice improved upon his own school record in the 800 meters.
At their last meet—the Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Championships held Feb. 26-28—Utah State finished fifth among men’s teams with several top performances, including Hammer winning his third-straight conference title in pole vault.
Looking ahead, fans can follow updates about Utah State’s participation through social media channels as these athletes prepare to compete against top collegiate talent nationwide.
