Terriers Earn Top Spot in Women's Track & Field Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll

4/23/2026 1:00:00 PM

WATERVILLE, Maine – The 2026 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Women's Track & Field Pre-Championship Poll results are in, and Thomas College is projected to claim the North Atlantic Conference title according to a vote of NAC track & field coaches.

The Terriers (2024 champions and 2025 runner-up) tallied 36 points and all six first-place votes to put them at the top of the poll. Husson University is second in the poll with 28 points with 2025 defending champion UMaine-Farmington in third place with 26 votes. Vermont State University Johnson placed fourth (18 points) and rounding out the poll tied for fifth are UMaine-Presque Isle and Lesley University with 9 points each. 

The 2026 NAC Championship will take place on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 at the Alfond Sports Stadium on the campus of the University of Maine (Orono, Maine); hosted by UMaine-Farmington.

Pole vault, high jump, and hammer throw will take place on Saturday, with the remaining field and track events on Sunday. 

For all championship information, visit Championship Central

An “Athletes to Watch” section is included below. 

Athletes were submitted by their institution

2026 NAC Women's Track & Field Pre-Championship Poll 
Institution – Points (First Place Votes)

1.Thomas College – 36 (6)

2. Husson University – 28 

3. UMaine-Farmington – 26 

4. Vermont State University Johnson – 18 

T-5. UMaine-Presque Isle – 9 

T-5. Lesley University – 9 

2026 NAC Athletes to Watch

  • Kali Wooster | Senior | Long Sprints | Fairfax, Vt.

    At the 2025 outdoor championship, Wooster placed second in both the 400m and as a member of the 4x400 relay team. She has recorded seven top-10 finishes across all four of her meets during the outdoor season. She currently ranks first in the NAC in the 1500m and as part of Johnson’s 4x400 relay team, while also ranking second in both the 400m and 800m. Her season has been highlighted by a second-place finish in the 1500m at the Jim Sheehan Memorial Meet, where she recorded a personal-best time of 5:03.27.

    Ida Eames | Senior | Springs/Hurdles | Craftsbury, Vt.

    Ida Eames placed the following at last year’s championship: second in the 400m hurdles, second in the 4x400 relay, and sixth in the triple jump. This outdoor season, she has placed in the top 10 three times across three meets. At the Jim Sheehan Memorial Meet, she recorded a personal-best time of 1:17.92 in the 400m hurdles, a mark that ranks her second in the conference in the event.

  • Natasha Monreal | Sophomore | Jumps | Bucksport, Maine

    Monreal had a breakout rookie season during last year's outdoor season, as she recorded 14 top-10 finishes and eight top-five finishes in six meets. Monreal finished runner-up in the NAC in the long jump, in addition to finishing runner-up on the 4x100-meter relay team. In the six meets she has competed in this outdoor season, Monreal has recorded 17 top-10 finishes, including first-place in triple jump at the University of Maine Spring Opener where she posted a person-best jump of 10.82m. 

    Megan Fletcher | Senior | Throws | Dixfield, Maine

    Fletcher is looking to defend her crown in the hammer throw, as she captured the NAC title in the event at last year's meet, in addition to posting six top-10 finishes, including five top-five performances as a junior. In the six meets she has competed in this outdoor season, Fletcher has recorded 16 top-10 finishes, including top-five placements in the hammer throw in each meet. She currently leads the NAC in hammer throw.

  • Becca Hall | Sophomore | Distance | Richmond, Vt. 

    Becca Hall, a sophomore distance runner from Richmond, Vt., placed sixth in the 5000m at the 2025 NAC Championship. Her 2026 outdoor season has been highlighted by a seventh-place finish in the 5000m at the Southern New Hampshire University Ed Daniels Classic, where she posted a personal-best time of 5:29.09. She currently sits second in the conference with that mark.

    Ella Behling | Sophomore |  Throws | Danvers, Mass.

    Ella Behling, a sophomore from Danvers, Mass., enters her first NAC Championship after competing in the shot put for the Lynx. She has competed in two meets this outdoor season, highlighted by a 4.40-meter throw in the shot put at the Jonathan Tymann Invitational.

  • Heather Alexander | First-Year | Multis | Orleans, Vt. 

    Heather Alexander has earned NAC Women’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week honors twice this season and will compete in her first NAC Championship this weekend. The Vermont native leads the conference in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:13.57, is tied for third in the high jump, and ranks third in the javelin. Her season has been highlighted by a second-place finish in the javelin at the Springfield College Outdoor Classic, where she recorded a personal-best throw of 35.58 meters.

    Erica Johnson | Senior | Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps | Nobleboro, Maine

    Erica Johnson leads the conference in the triple jump with a top mark of 11.06 meters. She recorded this mark at the recent Maine State Pine Tree Classic, where she placed third in the event. She is the reigning NAC champion in the triple jump, and also earned multiple podium finishes at last year’s championship, placing third in the 100m, second in the 100m hurdles, and third in the pole vault.

  • Evelyn Elijah | Sophomore | Throws | New Salem, N.D.

    Evelyn Elijah was the Owls’ top thrower last season and has continued to anchor the field events for UMPI this outdoor season. Last year, she finished in the top 10 at the NAC Championship in the shot put, discus, and javelin. She has set personal records twice this season, including in the shot put at the Yellow Jacket Open with a mark of 9.45 meters. At the University of Maine Spring Opener, she recorded a throw of 25.45 meters and placed in the top 10 in all of her events at the meet.

    Natalie Miranda | Junior | Mid-Distance | San Diego, Calif. 

    Natalie Miranda is a newcomer to track and field but has already emerged as a versatile three-sport athlete, having competed in soccer and basketball this year while also participating in multiple cross-country meets. She holds top marks in the Owls program in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m steeplechase. At the Monks Track & Field Invite, she recorded top-10 finishes in the 1500m (9th) and 3000m steeplechase (2nd), and was also part of the Owls’ 4x400 relay team that placed third.

  • Emma Burr | Junior | Multis | Pittsfield, Maine

    Burr enters her third NAC Championship after earning her third NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field All-American honor at this year’s national championships. The two-time Track Athlete of the Year holds multiple school records across short sprints, jumping, and other events and will look to help the Terriers reclaim the NAC Championship title. She earned First-Team honors at last year’s championship in the 100m hurdles, 100m, 200m, long jump, javelin, and high jump. She currently leads the conference in all of those events with the exception of the javelin.

    Nabah Yahya | First-Year | Mid-Distance/Jumps | Concord, N.H. 

    Yahya enters her first NAC Championship for Thomas following a strong indoor season in which she burst onto the scene, breaking several school records in both middle distance and jumping events. She currently ranks first in the NAC in the 400m and 800m, while also leading all first-years in the triple jump, long jump, and 1500m. She has placed in the top 10 seven times this outdoor season, highlighted by first-place finishes in the 800m at the Maine State Pine Tree Classic and the 1500m at the Monks Invite.