The Georgetown University track and field team closed its outdoor season on one of the sport’s biggest stages, sending four athletes to the 2026 NCAA outdoor championships June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore. They left having made program history and earned All-American recognition.
The Hoyas were represented by sophomore Jaden Marchan, juniors Tinoda Matsatsa and Barrett Justema, and graduate student Charlotte Tomkinson. Justema and Marchan became the first athletes in program history to reach the final round of competition in their events.
Marchan opened the meet for the men, continuing his breakout campaign with a powerful run in the preliminary round of the 400-meter. Marchan placed second in his heat with a time of 45.26 seconds, automatically qualifying for the national final. By reaching the final, Marchan became the first athlete in Georgetown history to compete in a men’s NCAA outdoor championship sprint final.
Marchan returned to the track for the final and raised his level once again. He crossed the line in 44.87 seconds, improving on his preliminary time and finishing seventh overall. The performance secured him first-team All-American honors. Marchan’s success signaled a breakthrough in an event group where the Hoyas, long recognized for their distance and middle-distance success, have not had as much success.
Junior Tinoda Matsatsa was the other man to represent Georgetown, competing in the 800-meter preliminary round. Matsatsa finished fifth in his heat and 10th overall with a time of 1:45.92, missing out on the final round by just 0.16 seconds. Matsatsa earned second-team All-American honors for his performance.
On the women’s side, Justema was electric in the preliminary round of the 3000-meter steeplechase. She secured the final automatic qualifying spot in thrilling fashion, powering past a competitor in the closing stretch to finish fifth in her heat. With a time of 9:45.58, she shattered her own school record — set two weeks earlier in the NCAA East regional meet — by more than five seconds. Her time also stood as the 11th-fastest mark among all competitors in the prelims, placing her solidly among the field’s top steeplechasers.
In the final, Justema finished 10th overall with a time of 9:53.46. Her appearance marked another historic moment for the Hoyas, as she became the first athlete in Georgetown history to compete in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase final at the NCAA outdoor championships.
Tomkinson also competed for the Hoyas in the 1500-meter prelims. She finished eighth in the second heat and 15th overall with a time of 4:11.16. While she did not qualify for the final, Tomkinson, alongside Justema, earned second-team All-American honors.
Head Coach Alton McKenzie said he was pleased that four Georgetown athletes qualified for the championship meet.
“When the season begins, the goal is to have competitors still lining up for the NCAA outdoor championship in June,” McKenzie said in a GU Athletics press release. “We were very fortunate to have two men and two women out in Eugene.”
McKenzie said he hopes to build on this year’s success next season, when Marchan, Matsatsa and Justema will return to competition.
“All of our other NCAA championship competitors are returning, so we hope there will be opportunities to use this opportunity as motivation to be back next year and improve on what was accomplished this season,” McKenzie said.
