Ducks Sweep Big Ten Indoor Championships

Saturday, February 28

Indianapolis, IN

All Day

University of Oregon

Big Ten Indoor Championships

Photo by: GoDucks.com

02/28/26 | Track and Field

Oregon has won eight of the 10 available titles in cross country and track and field since joining the conference.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For a second-consecutive year, the Oregon track and field team swept the team titles at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. The Men of Oregon scored in 12 of 18 events on their way to 114 points, finishing ahead of Penn State (96). On the women's side, the Ducks tallied 101 points to hold off Illinois (93) and USC (81).

With Saturday's results, Oregon has won eight of the 10 available titles in cross country and track and field since joining the conference. Each team has won four Big Ten team titles including three sweeps.

Big Ten Titles Since Joining the Conference
2024 Women's Cross Country
2025 Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field
2025 Men's Outdoor Track and Field
2025 Men's and Women's Cross Country
2026 Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field

The Men of Oregon score in 12 of 18 events over the past three days including a 20-point collection in the 3,000 meters, the penultimate track event of the weekend. Simeon Birnbaum led a 1-3-5 UO finish in the event with his second Big Ten title of the week; he also won the 5K title Thursday. Paired with 11 points in the shot put, the Ducks built a lead going into the 4x400 relay that couldn't be overcome.

Oregon also benefited from runner-up performances from Tomas Palfrey in the mile, Kai Graves-Blanks in the 60-meter hurdles and Ben Smith in the shot put. Palfrey was 2-3 with Elliott Cook in the mile, one of three third-place finishes Saturday along with Benjamin Balazs in the 3,000 and Tre Betts in the triple jump.

Finding themselves in a tight battle with the top-ranked Illini, the Women of Oregon collected 59 points on day three with the help of three titles. Silan Ayyildiz won the mile while Juliet Cherubet took the 3K—with Ayyildiz in second—and Aaliyah McCormick ran her way to a second-straight title in the 60 hurdles.

The win for Ayyildiz was her second of the weekend, coupled with Thursday's title at 5,000 meters. The mile also featured Wilma Nielsen in second and Cherubet in sixth. Cherubet's win in the 3,000 was her first conference title as a Duck, and the second of her career. She won in a meet-record 8:53.81, ahead of Ayyildiz (8:53.87).

Oregon trailed Illinois by 12 points going into the 3,000 meters but with 22 points, that turned into a 10-point lead with just the 4x400 relay to go. The Illini finished seventh in that event for two points.

McCormick posted a meet record of her own, stopping the clock in 7.89 to eclipse the previous Big Ten Indoor meet record of 7.95 set by Christina Manning (Ohio State) in 2012. With the victory, McCormick has three Big Ten titles to her credit—two indoor, one outdoor (100mH).

Up Next: After all results from conference weekend have been submitted, the top 16 declared athletes in each event and top 12 relays will advance to the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships (March 13-14) in Fayetteville, Ark.

Saturday Results
Big Ten Indoor Championships | Indianapolis, Ind.
MEN (top 5)
1. Oregon – 114
2. Penn State – 96
3. Iowa – 61
4. Michigan – 52.5
5. Wisconsin - 47

60 Meters
5. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 6.63 [4 points]

600 Meters
8. Matthew Erickson – 1:17.20 [1 point]

800 Meters
7. Matthew Erickson – 1:48.35 [2 points]

Mile
2. Tomas Palfrey – 4:11.61 [8 points]
3. Elliott Cook – 4:12.49 [6 points]

3,000 Meters
1. Simeon Birnbaum – 7:59.87 [10 points]
3. Benjamin Balazs – 8:01.47 [6 points]
5. Connor Burns – 8:02.22 [4 points]
10. Tomas Palfrey – 8:06.03
15. Elliott Cook – 8:09.87

60m Hurdles
2. Kai Graves-Blanks – 7.62 (PB) [8 points]

4x400m Relay
12. Omer/Harding/Valley/Carter – 3:14.69

Pole Vault
--. Tyler Burns – NH

Triple Jump
3. Tre Betts – 15.98m/52-5.25 (PB, UO #5) [6 points]

Shot Put
2. Ben Smith – 19.93m/65-4.75 (PB) [8 points]
6. Kobe Lawrence – 19.29m/63-3.5 [3 points]

WOMEN (top 5)
1. Oregon – 101
2. Illinois – 93
3. USC – 81
4. Nebraska – 63.5
5. Washington – 54

60 Meters
6. Brazil Neal – 7.37 (=PB) [3 points]

Mile
1. Silan Ayyildiz – 4:37.88 [10 points]
2. Wilma Nielsen – 4:38.05 [8 points]
6. Juliet Cherubet – 4:41.93 [3 points]

3,000 Meters
1. Juliet Cherubet – 8:53.81 (MR, FR) [10 points]
2. Silan Ayyildiz – 8:53.87 [8 points]
5. Diana Cherotich – 8:59.61 [4 points]
15. Katie Clute – 9:21.41

60m Hurdles
1. Aaliyah McCormick – 7.89 (MR, FR, PB) [10 points]

Triple Jump
6. Cassandra Atkins – 13.07m/42-10.75 [3 points]
17. Maleigha Canaday-Elliott – 12.54m/41-1.75

For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and X.