NEW ORLEANS, La. – Eastern Oregon University Track and Field collected top honors in the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field regional awards, announced Friday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Representing Eastern Oregon in the West Region, senior Elizabeth Grandle was named Women's Field Athlete of the Year, while Head Coach Ben Welch earned West Region Men's Coach of the Year honors.

Grandle received the award after posting the nation's top mark in the women's heptathlon during the regular season with 5,160 points at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Outdoor Multi-Event Championships. She dominated the opening day by winning all four events, clocking a 15.09 in the 100m hurdles, clearing 1.61m in the high jump, recording a 12.71m throw in the shot put, and finishing the day with a 25.39 in the 200m.

She closed out the competition with a fourth-place finish in the long jump (5.24m), a first-place mark in the javelin (42.95m), and a sixth-place finish in the 800m (2:31.52). Grandle claimed the title by an impressive 763-point margin. Her performance ranks No. 1 nationally, sits 300 points ahead of the next-best mark, and established a new CCC meet record by 51 points. She also placed third in the 100m hurdles during the full conference meet, earning additional All-Conference honors and contributing points toward Eastern Oregon's runner-up team finish.

On the coaching side, Welch was named Men's Coach of the Year after guiding the Mountaineers to a No. 2 West Region TFRI rating and a CCC Championship finish. Under his leadership, Eastern ranked second in the men's pole vault and javelin, fourth in the 400m hurdles, 10th in the steeplechase, 12th in the 200m, 15th in the hammer throw, 17th in the 100m, and 19th in the discus.

Welch has led EOU athletes to multiple national qualifying standards, Top 25 program marks, and both school and meet records throughout the season.