2026 Track & Field Season Review

The Eagles took part in a shorter outdoor season with only five regular season meets leading up to Nationals, sending a consistent 10-12 athletes to participate in each meet.

Carlie Blevins, along with the long jump duo of Cade Cooper and Austin Jordan, all qualified for Nationals in the first meet of the season in Pella. Blevins completed her 5k with a qualifying time of 18:56.88, setting the new program record in the process. Cooper broke the previous long jump record that he set in 2025 with a qualifying leap of 6.62m (21' 8.75"). That mark would be broken several more times in 2026. Jordan punched his ticket to nationals in his first collegiate leap, and finished the day with a then-best 6.54m (21' 5.5").

Week two saw the first event wins of the year coming from Cade Cooper (long jump) and Codie Wirges (triple jump) at the Cornell Invitational. Carlie Blevins qualified for her second event at Nationals, running a 5:05.45 1500m. Luke Akins set the tone for the rest of his outdoor season, setting a PR by more than half a meter with his career throw of 12.55m (41' 2.25").

The Eagles saw several person/season bests over the next two weeks as they travelled to the Dick Young Classic and the Red Raider Open. Annika Bauer reached the qualifying mark in the 400m hurdles in her first collegiate hurdle race, finishing in 1:14.34, and Codie Wirges reached the triple jump qualifying mark with a season best 9.85m (32' 3.75"). Wirges and Bauer became the fourth and fifth Faith athletes to qualify for Nationals with their performance. Carlie Blevins added another event win to the Eagles' trophy case, winning the 5000m run by nearly one minute.

At the Red Raider Open, Cade Cooper added one more event to his Nationals trip, qualifying in triple jump with a baseline mark of 12.76m (41' 10.5"), a mark that would hold for the fourth event win of the year for Faith. In the same meet, Austin Jordan set a lifetime record in long jump, placing him in the top five in the NCCAA (T-4th) with a leap of 6.97m (22' 10.5").

The Eagles finished the regular season a short drive from home at the Viking Classic, with a home crowd at hand ready to cheer for their friends. Austin Jordan started the day with his first collegiate event win in the long jump, finishing with his best jump of the day at 6.91m (22' 8"). Cade Cooper placed second with a career best 6.82m (22' 4.5"). Carlie Blevins (1500m), Sadie Van Der Molen (discus), and Gabriella Widman (400m) as set career bests in their events. Luke Akins would be the headline of the day, as in his final throw of the regular season he became the sixth and final athlete from Faith to qualify for Nationals. Akins' throw of 13.20m (43' 3.75") beat his previous best by over half a meter, and gave him the seventh place finish out of the field of 20.

The Eagles embarked on their final trip of the season, as the six qualifiers traveled to the National Championship meet in Wilmore, Kentucky, home to Asbury University (NCCAA Division I). Codie Wirges (2x), Carlie Blevins (1x), and Cade Cooper (1x) all brought previous years of nationals experience with them, while Luke Akins, Annika Bauer, and Austin Jordan all made their debuts at the championship meet.

Austin Jordan and Cade Cooper highlighted the Eagles' results, placing 4th and 5th respectively in long jump. Jordan's 6.81m leap placed him nine inches shy of an All-American nod in his freshman campaign while Cooper improved his finish from 2025 by nine spots. Cooper also placed 7th in triple jump, those being the only three scores to give the men's team 11 points and a 3rd place finish out of six DII teams represented at the championship. Carlie Blevins (1500m run) and Annika Bauer (400m hurdles) both placed top 10 in their events, while Luke Akins and Codie Wirges added solid performances to close out the season at the National meet.

The Eagles have the opportunity to return most of their young core, including all six 2026 Nationals qualifiers as they look to the offseason. 2027 promises to be an exciting year for the Faith Track & Field Program!

2026 Nationals Qualifiers

Cade Cooper: Long Jump (3/28, Central Invitational), Triple Jump (4/17, Red Raider Open)
Austin Jordan: Long Jump (3/28, Central Invitational)
Carlie Blevins: 5000m run (3/28, Central Invitational), 1500m run (4/4, Cornell Invitational)
Codie Wirges: Triple Jump (4/11, Dick Young Invitational)
Annika Bauer: 400m Hurdles (4/11, Dick Young Invitational)
Luke Akins: Shot Put (4/24, GV Viking Classic)

2026 Event Wins

Men's Long Jump: Cade Cooper (4/4, Cornell Invitational)
Women's Triple Jump: Codie Wirges (4/4, Cornell Invitational)
Women's 5000m Run: Carlie Blevins (4/11, Dick Young Invitational)
Men's Triple Jump: Cade Cooper (4/17, Red Raider Open)
Men's Long Jump: Austin Jordan (4/24, GV Viking Classic)

NCCAA Awards

Scholar-Athletes: Gabriella Widman, Codie Wirges, Carlie Blevins, Annika Bauer, Cade Cooper