NEW ORLEANS, La. – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recently announced its Division III Outdoor All-Region honorees for the 2026 track & field season. The Ohio Wesleyan University women's track & field team was represented by 11 Great Lakes region honorees:
Layla Bauknect,
Aelyn Baumbarger,
Sophie Cotts,
Emily Davis,
Katherine Dortmund,
Kennedy Elfers,
Jera Hoy,
Kaylee Lusk,
Alaina Nathan,
Mia Staab, and
Zoe Ward.
The region's top eight individuals of the year in each event earned all-region distinction, in addition to each member of the region's top eight relay teams.
Baumbarger, Dortmund, Elfers, and Nathan nabbed all-region honors in the 4x100-meter relay with the third-best time in the region, running a program-record 46.81 at the Augustana Final Qualifying Meet.
Bauknect, Elfers, Lusk, and Staab took all-region honors in the 4x400-meter relay, running the region's sixth-best time of 3:57.20 at the Washington & Lee Carnival.
Cotts took home her first career outdoor all-region honor with the region's fifth-best time in the 10000-meter run, running a program-record 36:19.45 at the WashU Distance Carnival.
Davis secured her first career all-region honor with the region's second-best mark in the discus, throwing for 44.52 meters at the Duane Gomez Invitational.
Dortmund added two all-region honors in the 100-meter dash and the 100-meter hurdles. She had the region's second-best time in the hurdles with a program-record 13.77 at the NCAC Championships, and the sixth-best time in the dash with a program-record 12.00 at the Marv Frye Invitational. Dortmund's hurdling performance earned her a spot in the NCAA Championships where she placed sixth overall with a time of 13.81, earning first-team All-American honors as well. She now has four outdoor all-region accolades.
Hoy held the region's third-best distance in the discus at 43.94 meters at the Duane Gomez Invitational, earning her first career all-region honor.
Ward earned her first career outdoor all-region honor with the region's eighth-best time in the 5000-meter run, running a 17:15.80 at the WashU Distance Carnival.
