FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Buffaloes left their mark on the 2026 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The highlight? An All-American performance from the men's distance medley relay team.
The team, featuring TJ Hansen, Danny Tragarz, Drew Costelow, and Justine Kipkoech, clinched eighth place overall, earning them First Team All-American honors. Ranked No. 12 nationally going into the meet, they held strong throughout the race. Kipkoech, anchoring the final leg, pushed the Buffs into that crucial top-eight spot.
Isaiah Givens also put in a solid performance in the men's mile, finishing 11th with a season-best of 3:57.76. He was just a heartbeat away from advancing to the final, missing out by a mere fraction of a second-the final qualifying time being 3:57.48.
On the women's side, Avery Pearson ran one of her best races in the 800 meters, clocking in at 2:02.92. Despite her strong showing and finishing sixth overall, the qualifying rules favored the top three in each heat plus two additional time qualifiers, leaving Pearson just shy of the finals.
As the indoor season wraps up for the Buffaloes, here's how it all unfolded:
Isaiah Givens kicked things off in the men's mile preliminaries. After a fifth-place finish at last year's championship, Givens was hungry for a return to the finals.
Racing in the second heat, he stayed competitive and crossed the line with a season-best time. However, when both heats were combined, his time placed him 11th, just missing that final spot.
Next up was Avery Pearson in the women's 800-meter preliminaries. She fought through a tough race, delivering one of her top performances of the season. Despite placing sixth overall, the automatic qualifying spots went to runners in the other heat, leaving her out of the final.
The evening concluded with the men's distance medley relay. TJ Hansen got things started with the 1200-meter leg, setting a solid pace.
Danny Tragarz took over for the 400 meters, keeping the team in the mix. Drew Costelow then handled the 800-meter leg, ensuring Colorado stayed in contention right up to the final exchange.
The Buffaloes showcased resilience and talent, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting outdoor season.