Walker Deede Qualifies for Nationals as Utah State Men Compete at NCAA West First Rounds

Courtesy of Utah State Athletics 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Junior Walker Deede secured his first career berth to the national championships in the javelin as the Utah State men’s track & field team advanced two of their seven competing athletes at the 2026 NCAA West First Rounds in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Wednesday.

Deede capped off a storm-filled Wednesday in Arkansas with a 12th-place finish in the men’s javelin, launching a throw of 70.02 meters (229-9). Deede, who threw first in the final flight of 12 athletes, posted his top mark on his second of three attempts to secure his spot in the national finals. The Mountain West champion in the event became the fourth Aggie javelin thrower ever, and the first since Sindri Gudmundsson in 2019, to qualify for nationals. Deede posted a top throw above 70 meters for the fifth-straight time this season.

The first Aggie qualifier of the day was junior Landon Bott, who advanced through the first round of the 800 meters. He clocked in at 1:48.19 to take second place in his heat and earn an automatic place in the quarterfinals. Bott moved into the lead group early in the race and held his ground throughout the two laps. The back-to-back MW champion in the event will now race in Friday’s quarterfinals, which are scheduled to begin at 6:05 p.m. (MT).

Sophomore Mathew Hall took 31st in the first round of the men’s 200 meters, crossing the line in 20.96. Hall, who entered the field seeded 46th, finished fifth in the second heat. The Orem, Utah, native, who is set to run as part of the Aggies’ men’s 4×100-meter relay team, wrapped up his individual sophomore campaign with all-time top-10 times in USU history in the indoor 60 and 200 meters and the outdoor 200 and 400 meters.

Freshman David Konan and sophomore Ayodele Ojo, Jr. placed 40th and 46th, respectively, in the first round of the men’s 100 meters. Konan took seventh in the fifth heat with a time of 10.47, while Ojo pulled up in the third heat and finished in 11.28. Ojo concludes his second season in an Aggie uniform with indoor All-American honors in the 60 meters and both school records and MW silver medals in the indoor 60 meters and outdoor 100 meters. Konan posted the third-fastest times in USU history in the 60 and 100 meters in his inaugural collegiate season. Both sprinters are part of the 4×100-meter relay squad, which is set to race on Friday at 4 p.m. (MT).

Junior Joshua McKee competed in the 10,000 meters to open the evening session, placing 40th with a time of 30:09.80. The native of Marshfield, Wisconsin, entered the competition seeded 45th but used a strong move midway through the race to improve on his seed. McKee compiled four team-best finishes in cross country and top-10 times in USU history in the indoor 5,000 meters and outdoor 10,000 meters during the 2025-26 academic year.

Junior Kace Jones also competed in the men’s javelin, finishing ninth in the first flight and 43rd overall with a throw of 57.31 meters (188-0). Jones, who also competed in the long jump during the indoor and outdoor seasons, finished his 2026 javelin campaign with a MW silver medal and his first career trip to the NCAA prelims.

Thursday’s competition will include the women’s javelin, where senior Valerie Clark will make her second career prelim appearance, the first round of the women’s 100-meter hurdles and women’s 400 meters, respectively featuring junior Claire Petersen and sophomore Shay Jones, and the semifinal of the women’s pole vault, in which freshman Karina Cooper will compete. The men’s pole vault, featuring seniors Logan Hammer, Marshall Rasmussen and Javin Richards, was postponed from Wednesday to Thursday at 1:40 p.m. (MT) due to weather. Live coverage will continue from Fayetteville on ESPN+.

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2026 NCAA West First Rounds – Day 1
John McDonnell Field | Fayetteville, Arkansas | May 27, 2026

USU Men’s Results:

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