(Provo, UT - April 28, 2026) – Utah Tech women's track & field travels up north for a split meet beginning Wednesday, Apr. 29 at the 2026 Robison Invitational, and concluding Thursday, Apr. 30 at the SUU Coliseum Championships.

The 2026 Robison Invitational is hosted by Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah at Clarence F. Robison Track, and is a two day event. 

The SUU Coliseum Championships are hosted by Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah at Eccles Coliseum, and is a single day event. 

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech track & field racked up 23 top-5 finishes, 15 top-3 finishes, won three events, and broke three school records between the Bryan Clay Invitational and the ULV Leopard Invitational two weekends ago in southern California. 

At the 10000m run, Erin McKinnon and Kambrie Wilkinson placed 2nd and 3rd. Mckinnon finished with a time of 37:19.99 and Wilkinson finished at 37:39.70. 

At the 100m dash, Lily Sampson, Hannah Bingham, and Kooper Dennison placed back-to-back-to-back at 3rd, 4th, and 5th. 

At the 400m hurdles, Megan Jenkins won the event with a time of 59.47, which was just shy of her personal best and school record. Ilenia DeHart also had a good time of 1:02.42, which placed her 3rd best at the meet. 

UT finished strong with a pair of 1st place finishes. The first came at the 4x400 relay as Hannah Bingham, Ilenia DeHart, Gracie Meeds, and Scarlett Brock teamed up for a program record with a time of 3:49.08. Immediately following at the 5000m run, Averie Perriton continued her strong meet by taking the win with a time of 17:04.66. 

Averie Perriton broke the Utah Tech 3000m steeplechase record with a time of 10:29.62. 

LAST TIME AT THE ROBISON INVITATIONAL
The Trailblazers last competed at the Robison Invitational in 2024, where they were led by a program record time in the 400 meter hurdles by Megan Jenkins, who finished fourth in the finals. Jenkins also placed 7th in the 100 meter hurdles. Whitney Christiansen finished in 4th at the 400 meters.

LAST YEAR'S SUU COLISEUM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Utah Tech track & field won four events at the Southern Utah-hosted SUU Coliseum Championships at Eccles Coliseum. The Trailblazers totaled 35 top-eight finishes at their final regular-season meet of the 2025 season. 

In the mile, Makayla Pitcher finished third at 5:07.53, and Averie Perriton took sixth at 5:12.61.

Whitany Christiansen was victorious in the 400 meters with a time of 55.74. Lily Sampson took third at 57.80, and junior Kelly Denninghoff in sixth at 59.71. 

In the 400-meter hurdles, Megan Jenkins picked up the Trailblazers' fourth event win with a first-place time of 1:01.43. Ilenia Dehart finished second, clocking a time of 1:02.52.

In the field, Lainee Leavitt placed second in the high jump with a mark of 1.66 meters (5-5.25).

AT THE HELM
Justin Decker is beginning his first season as the Director of Track & Field and his 10th year on the women's track & field staff. Decker is also the head coach of the women's cross country team, whom he has guided for the past 15 seasons.

During his tenure at UT, Decker has mentored 25 all-conference, seven all-region, and two All-American student-athletes (Rachel Young in 2012 and Billie Hatch in 2019).

RUN IT BACK
Utah Tech returns 19 Trailblazers from last year's roster, including seven distance runners, three mid-distance runners, eight sprinters, four hurdlers and two jumps specialists. 

In 2025, Utah Tech totaled 13 Second Team All-WAC selections during the indoor season. Junior Whitney Christiansen (400 meters, DMR, 4x400-meter relay), senior Megan Jenkins (400 meters, 4x400-meter relay), junior Averie Perriton (DMR), junior Makayla Pitcher (DMR) and sophomore Lily Sampson (DMR, 4x400-meter relay) all return. 

During the 2025 outdoor season, the Trailblazers earned eight all-conference honors. Among UT's returners, Christiansen (400 meters), Jenkins (400-meter hurdles) and Perriton (3,000-meter steeplechase) garnered Second Team All-WAC honors. Sophomore Ilenia DeHart (400-meter hurdles) was also named Second Team All-WAC.

NEW FACES
Utah Tech welcomes eight newcomers, including six freshmen and transfers Mille Roesaeg and Trey Torgerson.

Roesaeg competes in multis and hails from Fredrikstad, Norway. Torgerson is a sprinter from Salina, Utah, and comes to St. George after playing volleyball at Eastern Arizona in the fall.

The Trailblazer freshmen include three sprinters and three distance runners.

Utah Tech also added three assistant coaches to the track & field program for this season. Holly Haguewood is the sprints/hurdles coach, Shanae Leavitt is the multis coach and Josiah Williams is the jumps coach. 

BIG SKY ON THE HORIZON
Utah Tech is in its last year of competition as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. The Trailblazers will join the Big Sky Conference on July 1, 2026. Along with the women's program, UT is in the process of adding men's track & field, which will also compete in the Big Sky, ahead of the 2026-27 academic year.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Utah Tech will head to Arlington, Texas for the 2026 WAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 14-16, hosted by UT Arlington.