Thirteen Trojans Reach the Podium at NWAC Championships
Gresham, OR – Trojan Track and Field closed out the 2026 season at the NWAC Championships, hosted on the campus of Mt. Hood Community College. Twenty-six EvCC athletes competed in 19 events over the two-day meet, with 13 athletes reaching the podium by placing in the top eight and 12 athletes recording new lifetime bests.
Men's Highlights
Freshman Ilya Grabovskiy qualified for the NWAC Championships in both the shot put and discus, but excelled in the discus by placing 8th overall with a throw of 135' 5.5".
Another freshman, Khalil Richards, entered the meet ranked 15th in the long jump but earned a podium finish with a leap of 21' 5.75", placing 8th overall. He also recorded a new personal best in the triple jump at 43' 6", finishing 8th and moving up to 16th all-time at Everett CC.
Sophomore Hector Mendoza set a new lifetime best in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:05.69 and made the podium at the championships for the first time in his college career by finishing 8th overall.
The Trojans' top finisher and highest point scorer on the men's side was Alexander Rabena, who placed 4th overall in the 400m. While he narrowly missed his personal best, he raced strong enough to secure 5 team points.
Other notable performers who achieved personal bests included Zayne Cola (800m), Kenny Udo (1500m), Charlie Roberts (10,000m), and Gus Westendorf (400m hurdles).
Women's Highlights
The women's team found success in the distance events, scoring 29 team points — seven more than last season — and finishing 7th overall after placing 8th in 2025.
Sophomore Lily Rock made the podium for the third time in her college career by placing 7th in the 800m and was also a member of the 4x400m relay team that finished 7th overall.
The women's 10,000m featured four Trojan athletes, with the top finishes coming from Ariel Rodriguez-Garcia (6th) and Heidi McKinley (5th). Both athletes recorded new personal bests.
Teagan Pentz, who had a stellar cross country season, carried that success into track and field by placing 7th in both the 5,000m and 1,500m. She set a new personal best in the 1,500m with a time of 5:00.61, moving her to 16th all-time at Everett CC. Pentz also competed on the 4x400m relay team.
Madeline Dang also competed on the 4x400m relay team but shined brightest in the 100m hurdles, where she finished 4th overall — the highest finish by a Trojan female athlete at the 2026 championships. Although she did not set a new PR at the meet, her season-best time of 16.11 earlier this year moved her to 5th all-time in Trojan history. She finished second on the team in scoring with 5.5 points.
Freshman Sophia Michalopoulos led the women's team in points with six. She was a member of the 4x100m relay team that placed 5th overall and also reached the podium in the 200m by finishing 8th while setting a new personal best of 26.29. Her highest finish came in the long jump, where she placed 5th overall, narrowly missing 4th place by less than two inches.
Two additional Trojans recorded personal bests at the championships: Kamarrie Spencer in the 200m and Amelia Koon in the 10,000m.
It was a strong finish to a solid season for the Trojan program, which has continued to build under head coach Rachel Cundy. The number of athletes who qualified for the championships and reached the podium increased from 2025, and the team will look to continue that momentum heading into the 2027 season.