Utah Tech University’s women’s track and field team is set to compete in the 2026 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Indoor Track & Field Championships in Spokane, Washington. The event begins on Friday, February 27, with the pentathlon starting at 9 a.m. PST, and concludes Saturday evening with the 4×400 relay.
The Trailblazers recently competed at the Mountain State Games in Pocatello, Idaho, where they broke five school records and achieved 17 top-ten finishes. Senior Megan Jenkins scored 3,236 points in the pentathlon, placing fifth. Junior Averie Perriton set a new women’s indoor record in the 5000 meter with a time of 17:27.63 for second place. In the distance medley relay, Hailee Phillips, Scarlett Brock, Whitney Christiansen, and Makayla Pitcher finished second with a school-record time of 12:03.98.
On the second day of competition in Idaho, Utah Tech won first place in the women’s 4×400 relay as Jenkins, Hannah Bingham, Brock, and Christiansen recorded a time of 3:53.86. Freshman Hannah Bingham also placed third in the 400 meter race with a time of 56.50.
At last year’s WAC Indoor Championships, Utah Tech qualified four athletes for finals on day one and set four program records. The team earned its first points through a fifth-place finish in the distance medley relay by Makayla Pitcher, Lily Sampson, Averie Perriton, and Whitney Christiansen with a time of 12:07.02.
On day two last year, Utah Tech achieved three more program records and nine all-conference selections while finishing seventh overall with 19 points—a Division I-era best for the program. They tied for seventh entering the final event before posting their best-ever time of 3:49.57 in the 4×400-meter relay to secure fifth place.
Justin Decker is leading his first season as Director of Track & Field while marking his tenth year on staff for women’s track & field and fifteenth as head coach for women’s cross country. During his tenure at Utah Tech University (UT), he has coached numerous all-conference athletes along with two All-Americans: Rachel Young (2012) and Billie Hatch (2019).
This season sees Utah Tech returning 19 athletes from last year’s roster across multiple disciplines including distance running and sprints. Key returners include Whitney Christiansen (400 meters), Megan Jenkins (400 meters), Averie Perriton (distance medley relay), Makayla Pitcher (distance medley relay), Lily Sampson (distance medley relay), among others who received Second Team All-WAC honors during both indoor and outdoor seasons last year.
Eight newcomers join this season’s roster—six freshmen alongside transfers Mille Roesaeg from Norway (multis) and Trey Torgerson from Salina, Utah (sprints). The coaching staff has also expanded to include Holly Haguewood (sprints/hurdles), Shanae Leavitt (multis), and Josiah Williams (jumps).
Utah Tech is participating in its final year within the Western Athletic Conference before moving to join the Big Sky Conference effective July 1, 2026; men’s track & field will be added ahead of that academic year.
Following this weekend’s championship meet in Spokane, Utah Tech will begin its outdoor season at home with the Utah Tech Invitational on March 21.
