Defending eight-time conference champion George Fox University has been selected as the favorite to win the 2026 Northwest Conference Women’s Track & Field title in the annual preseason poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
The Bruins received seven first-place votes and 63 points as they look to extend their streak after capturing their eighth consecutive NWC championship in 2025. Whitworth University was chosen second with two first-place votes and 58 points.
Pacific University placed third with 40 points, followed closely by Willamette University with 39 points. Pacific Lutheran University rounded out the top five with 33 points.
University of Puget Sound earned 32 points to finish sixth, while Linfield University (26 points) and Lewis & Clark College (25 points) followed in seventh and eighth. Whitman College completed the poll with eight points.
The championship season opens with the NWC Multi-Events Championships, hosted by George Fox on April 13–14. The 2026 NWC Women’s Track & Field Championship meet will take place April 25–26 at Whitworth.
|
Team
|
Pts.
|
2025 NWC Finish
|
|
George Fox (7)
|
63
|
1st
|
|
Whitworth (2)
|
58
|
2nd
|
|
Pacific
|
40
|
5th
|
|
Willamette
|
39
|
3rd
|
|
Pacific Lutheran
|
33
|
7th
|
|
Puget Sound
|
32
|
8th
|
|
Linfield
|
26
|
6th
|
|
Lewis & Clark
|
25
|
4th
|
| Whitman |
8 |
9th |
*Numbers in parentheses indicate first place votes.