Track & Field: 61 Champions Highlight Field for Upcoming 2026 State Meet
AURORA – Another huge weekend is in store as the CHSAA State Track & Field Championships begins its annual three-day run for 2026.
The meet is Thursday through Saturday at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood. Parking is $10 per day per car. Tickets are also available at $15 per day. A three-day ticket is available for $40. No cash sales will be made at the venue.
A total of 61 former individual champions among the five classes of boys and girls are in the field. Among that group, 19 have won at least two individual state titles.
CHSAA is pleased that it has been able to compile a list of every individual state track & field champion in the history of the event, which dates to 1922 for the boys and 1968 for the girls. That database went fully live Wednesday.
CHSAA also tracks state records, and it has been a banner spring in the state, with three new records having been set: two by boys and one by girls. The new boys records were set by Roosevelt’s Owen Hays in the 300-meter hurdles (36.14 seconds) and Eaglecrest’s Cameron Bell in the long jump (24 feet, 8 ¼ inches). The new girls mark came from Windsor’s 4×100 relay team (Maya Aguilar, Kiana Cumings, Tatum Gentry and Maya Brasch), which ran 46.41.
As a result of the research into the individual state champions, it appears that the state record for individual titles across all sports is 13 (by Palisade cross country and track & field star Natalie Hughes, from 1997 through 2001). Megan Kaltenbach of Smoky Hill, also a cross country and track athlete, won 12 from 1999-2003.
Two athletes this weekend have a chance to get to 11, which would tie for third all-time in Colorado and was most recently accomplished in track by Dayspring Christian Academy’s Eboselulu Omofoma from 2021 through 2024.
That list includes 1A girls sprinter Roxy Unruh of Cheyenne Wells (the favorite to again win at 100, 200 and 400) and 4A girls distance star Addison Ritzenhein of Niwot (seeded to win at 1600 and 3200 as well as seeded fourth in the 800), which would push their career totals to 11 with three golds. Unruh’s eight titles have all come in track & field, while Ritzenhein has five in track and three in cross country.
It appears that only nine individuals, boys and girls combined, have won 11 or more individual championships.
Another rare event could take place in the 5A pole vault where Arvada West senior Layla Petz – a seven-time individual champion in gymnastics who also won the state diving title this winter – is seeded third. A pole vault title would give her nine individual championships across three different sports.
Starting with the 1A girls, Unruh – who holds the 1A meet record in all three of her events – is bidding to join Omofoma and Crowley County’s Shaylee Robinette (2006-08) as the only 11-time individual winners in girls track & field. Other returning title winners include senior Ryan Svoboda of Caliche, seeded first in defending her title in the shot put, and three champions who didn’t win crowns last year: senior Kya Piel of Merino (who won the 1600 and 3200 in 2023 and the 3200 in 2024, senior Jade Kuntz of Lone Star (the 2023 and 2024 pole vault winner) and junior Hannah Kugler of Prairie (2024 high jump). Idalia and McClave shared team state title last year – it was the first for each in girls track & field.
Among the 1A boys, Springfield junior Parker Arbuthot won the 800, 1600 and 3200 last year and is favored to win all three again this year. Anderson Weathers, a junior from Lone Star, won both the 300 hurdles and pole vault and is seeded first in both, and junior Javin Summers of Swink is looking to defend his titles as the top seed in both the long jump and triple jump while also ranking as the top high jumper. McClave junior Tuff Kelley, a two-time CHSAA 1A Player of the Year in basketball, is seeded first while defending his title in the 110 hurdles. Senior Ethan Tesman of Elbert won last year’s high jump and is tied for first among this year’s qualifiers. Senior Jett Konkel, Arbuthot’s Springfield teammate, is favored to defend his shot put title. Haxtun won its first boys track title since 1976, and third overall, last year, while Kim/Branson placed second.
The 2A boys field includes two-time champion Brady Mollendor of Sedgwick County (2024 triple jump, 2025 long jump), who is seeded sixth in the long jump but first in both the triple jump and high jump. Cedaredge senior Kolter Mann won last year’s shot put and is seeded second in both that event and the discus. Peyton senior Caleb Kearse set the 2A meet record while winning the 400 last year, while his senior teammate Gabe Gatti was the 3200 champ in 2024 but is a contender in the 800 and 1600 this time around. Sedgwick County won its first state title last year. Peyton was second.
For 2A girls, eight of last year’s champions are defending a total of nine titles. Brooke Schmidt, a senior from Wiggins, set the 2A meet record of 146-10 while winning the discus and she also won the shot – she’s seeded first in both in 2026. Other returning champions are junior Mehlea Ritschard of Golden View Classical Academy (100), Austin Cook of Telluride (800), Rangely junior Taya Wren (3200), Thomas MacLaren School senior Sara Christensen (100 hurdles), Hoehne junior Braylee Foster (high jump), Swallows Charter Academy senior Kailey Pearson (long jump) and Sedgwick County senior Lainee Nein (triple jump). Like Schmidt, Ritschard, Cook, Christensen, Foster, Pearson and Nein are the top seeds in their events, and Cook (1600) and Christensen (300 hurdles) are seeded first in a second event. Heritage Christian senior Mikaela Kendall was the 2023 champ in the 3200. Wiggins won its first team title last year, while Heritage Christian placed second.
The 3A boys have seven returning champions, including two-event winner Dylan Khailer, a senior from Kent Denver who set the 3A meet record while winning the 400 (47.57) and also capturing the 200. Other defending champions include Harrison senior Gulong Craft (100), Alamosa sophomore Ethan Merrick (3200), Kent Denver senior Solomon Morrell (110 hurdles), Berthoud junior Samuel Whitaker (discus), Pagosa Springs senior Creede Dozier (long jump) and Coal Ridge junior Marcus Munoz (triple jump). The Classical Academy won its eighth boys title, and its third in a row, last year, while Resurrection Christian was the runner-up.
Kent Denver senior Alex Horton is the only two-time individual champion among 3A girls, as the senior won both hurdles events last year. Other 2025 titlists include Resurrection Christian junior Tatum VanPelt (100), Coal Ridge junior Effie Fletcher (800), Eaton junior Delaney Reuter (1600), University senior Jordan Halley (long jump) and University junior Ruby Naber (triple jump). Junior Sophie McNitt of Weld Central was one the three co-champions in the 2024 high jump. The Classical Academy won its state-leading 13th championship, and its second straight, in 2025, while the runner-up was Coal Ridge.
Ritzenhein will try to add to her three 1600 titles and two 3200 crowns while cementing her place in history among 4A girls and beyond. Meanwhile, Windsor’s Cumings, a junior, is seeded to defend her titles in the 200 and 400, and Roosevelt’s Braelyn Bailey, a senior, is favored to win a third straight high jump title (she’s also seeded first in the long jump). Other returning champions include Holy Family senior Claire Tannehill (100), Grand Junction Central senior Sage Siegrist (800), Pueblo County junior Lily Nibert (triple jump). Pueblo East junior Reagan Falletta won the 100 hurdles in 2024. Niwot won its ninth team title last year, while Windsor was the runner-up.
The 4A boys field includes four-time champion Rocco Culpepper of Niwot, who has won both the 800 and 1600 each of the last two years. The other returning champions are Canon City senior Gavin Reddick (100), Lutheran senior Carter Sola (400), Niwot senior Ryder Keeton (3200), Palmer Ridge senior Owen Twesme (shot put) and Rifle senior Yadier Loya (discus). Niwot won its third boys state title in track last year, while Roosevelt was second.
Three-time champion Ben Lee of ThunderRidge stands out among the 5A boys – he’s won the past two 800 titles and won the 1600 last year. Also defending championships are junior Benjamin Adams of Mountain Vista (3200), and senior Jackson Conroy of Loveland (110 hurdles). All three champions are seeded to repeat. Cherokee Trail won its third straight team championship last year, and Eaglecrest was second.
Among 5A girls, there are five individual champions returning to defend their crowns in seven events. Three-time champion Zona Welling, a junior from Heritage, has won the past two 200 titles and added the 100 last year, while senior Emily Cohen of Cherry Creek won both the 1600 and 3200 in 2025. Alexa Queen, a senior from Fountain-Fort Carson, is favored to repeat in the 300 hurdles, as is Eaglecrest junior Zenobia Witt in the long jump. Erie senior Natalie Fetters has the second-best mark while attempting to defend her shot put title. Past champions include Golden junior Abigail Trapp – who won the 100, 200 and 400 in 4A as a freshman – and Valor Christian senior Ellie Londo, the 2024 champ in the 100. Fossil Ridge won its first state title last year, while Cherry Creek was runner-up.
