NEW ORLEANS, La. – The UW-River Falls track and field programs earned six selections to the 2026 USTFCCCA All-Region Team following exceptional performances throughout the outdoor season.
Representing the Falcon men is
Jacob Balcome in the decathlon,
Yaih Marial in the high jump, and
Tyler Parker in the 800m. On the women's side,
Annika Gunderson earned recognition in the pole vault with
Georgia Mundt (discus throw) and
Lauryn Schutz (hammer throw) collecting all-region honors.
Balcome put together another top multi-event season in NCAA Division III this spring, earning USTFCCCA North Region Top Performer honors in the decathlon. The junior currently ranks second nationally and first in the North Region after posting a program-record 7,195 points at the Phil Esten Challenge. He later captured his second consecutive WIAC Outdoor Decathlon Championship with 7,158 points, the second-highest total in WIAC Outdoor Championship history.
Marial earned all-region recognition in the high jump after ranking among the top jumpers in the region throughout his outdoor campaign. The Falcon senior cleared 2.02m at the UW-La Crosse Uncaged Eagle Open, remaining among the region's leaders throughout the season.
Parker secured all-region honors in the 800m run after turning in one of the fastest times in school history. The sophomore clocked a personal-best 1:51.10 at the UW-La Crosse Eagle Open, which currently ranks fifth in the region while also moving into second all-time in program history, just .02 seconds shy of the school record.
On the women's side, Gunderson collected all-region honors in the pole vault following a strong postseason push. The senior cleared 3.85m during the Uncaged Eagle Open, qualifing for the NCAA Championships while consistently scoring for the Falcons throughout the season.
Mundt earned all-region recognition in the discus throw after a breakout outdoor season. The Falcon thrower qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships and ranked among the top discus competitors in the region throughout the year, highlighted by a 45.66m throw at the UW-La Crosse Phil Esten Challenge meet.
Schutz capped off a record-breaking season with all-region honors in the hammer throw. She broke the program record with a throw of 53.55m at the UW-La Crosse Uncaged Eagle Open and currently ranks seventh in the region. Schutz also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw.
The USTFCCCA awards All-Region honors to the top-eight individuals in each event from each region, along with each member of a region's top-eight relay teams.
