University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI track and field tabbed as men’s and women’s outdoor pre-championship favorites
5/12/2026 1:00:00 PM | Track and Field
ST. LOUIS --- The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) on Tuesday announced the results of its pre-championship poll ahead of the start of this weekend's MVC Outdoor Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches, tabbed both the Panther men's and women's teams to capture the team titles. On the men's side, Northern Iowa received all ten first-place votes, with Illinois State and Indiana State tying for second, followed by Southern Illinois and Bradley. The UNI women picked up six of 11 first-place votes with Indiana State in second with four. Illinois State was picked third in the women's pole, followed by Bradley with one first-place vote and Murray State. Full poll results are listed below.
UNI enters the MVC Outdoor Championships leading the conference in six men's events and five women's events, while ranking in the top-five in 28 combined events. The Panthers won four individual event titles at last year's championship meet in Carbondale, Illinois with Carli Jo Fusco (400m hurdles) and Josey Dunbar (long jump) both expected to compete and defend their titles in 2026. Northern Iowa also captured the heptathlon title with Joey Perry a year ago, as well as the women's shot put with Katie Fare. On the men's side, UNI won titles in the pole vault (Brendan Safley), the javelin throw (Justice Miller) and Zack Butcher (decathlon) last spring.
The Panther men have won ten total MVC outdoor team titles and will be in search of its first since 2021, as well as its first indoor and outdoor team title sweep in five years. UNI will also seek its second ever women's team outdoor championship since 2008. Northern Iowa last swept both the men's and women's outdoor team titles in 2008.
The 2026 MVC Outdoor Track and Field Championships run May 16-17 at the Gibson Track and Field Complex on the Indiana State University campus.
MVC MEN'S OUTDOOR PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLL [First-Place Votes]
- 1st - UNI - 100 pts [10]
- T2nd - Illinois State - 85 pts
- T2nd - Indiana State - 85 pts
- 4th - Southern Illinois - 65 pts
- 5th - Bradley - 60 pts
MVC WOMEN'S OUTDOOR PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP POLL [First-Place Votes]
- 1st - UNI - 115 pts [6]
- 2nd - Indiana State - 113 pts [4]
- 3rd - Illinois State - 99 pts
- 4th - Bradley - 88 pts [1]
- 5th - Murray State - 75 pts
UNI track and field action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Track and Field), X (@UNITrackFieldXC) and on Instagram (@uni_tf_xc). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
