Dreams of becoming Utah State University’s first national champion in track & field since 1977 are still alive and well for Logan Hammer.
The standout junior has qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second straight year, thanks to his latest solid performance in the men’s pole vault. Hammer tied for sixth place in his signature event at the NCAA West First Round Championships on Wednesday evening in College Station, Texas.
All athletes that place in the top 12 in every event at each of the two first round meets — the East prelims are currently being contested in Jacksonsville, Florida — advance to nationals. The NCAA Championships will take place from June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.
Hammer has been ranked first or second nationally in the pole vault the entire season. It wasn’t smooth sailing for the native of Nampa, Idaho, in his latest meet, but he still punched his ticket to Eugene in convincing fashion.
The five-time Mountain West champion in the pole vault — three times during the outdoor season and twice indoors — was unsuccessful on each of his first attempts at 16 feet, 11.5 inches, 17-5.25 and 17-9.75, but cleared them all on his second. The competition was shut down when the top 12 had been decided. Of the 12 national qualifiers, 10 cleared 17-9.75.
This was Hammer’s third time showcasing his talents in his signature event at this meet as he placed 14th as a freshman and eighth as a sophomore. Hammer was a second-team All-American during the 2024 outdoor season and a first-team All-American this past indoor season.
Hammer was one of three Aggies who competed in Wednesday’s pole vault as he was joined by teammates Marshall Rasmussen and Javin Richards. Rasmussen, a senior, finished in a seven-way tie for 26th place, while Richards, a sophomore, finished in a three-way tie for 33rd.
Only 48 competitors in every individual event from the western region qualified for this meet, as well as 24 teams in each relay. The same can be said for the east prelims.
Rasmussen vaulted over the bar at 16-5.5 on his first attempt, while Richards was successful at that height — the opening height of the competition — on his second. Both Aggies were unable to clear 16-11.5 on each of their three attempts. Rasmussen was the Mountain West runner-up at the indoor and outdoor championships in this event, while Richards was the bronze medalist a couple of weeks ago.
Three other USU athletes were in action on Day 1 of this meet. The four-day competition will conclude Saturday evening, with the men and women alternating days.
It was a good day for Aggie middle distance runner Landon Bott, who advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal round the 800 meters. The sophomore posted the 21st-fastest time during Wednesday’s opening round as he completed the race in 1 minute, 48.71 seconds.
Bott competed in the fourth of six heats and missed out on the third and final automatic qualifying spot by one-10th of a second. However, the former Woods Cross High standout was able to advance on time in relatively comfortable fashion. Those with the next six fastest times marched on to Friday’s action and Bott was third among those qualifiers.
It was a solid day for Aggie sophomore Walker Deede, who has been so consistent throughout the 2025 outdoor campaign. The 25th-seeded Deede finished 21st in the javelin, courtesy of his heave of 215-7 on his first attempt. The two-time reigning Mountain West silver medalist in this event recorded marks somewhere between 213-9 and 225-5 in all eight of his meets this spring.
Graduate senior Camren Todd made his second consecutive appearance for the Aggies in a loaded 10,000 field and finished 26th with a time of 29:09. Todd, an All-American during his final cross country season, was seeded 18th and ranked 24th nationally with his USU record clocking of 28:10 from earlier this season.
The top 17 placers from Wednesday’s 10,000 broke the facility record of 28:55, established in 2021. New Mexico freshman Ishmael Kipkurui came from behind to prevail by the narrowest of margins over sophomore teammate Samuel Habtom. Kipkurui clocked in at 28:09.32 to beat Habtom by one-100th of a second.
One other Mountain West athlete punched his ticket to Eugene on Wednesday, and in a pair of events, to boot. Wyoming Daniel Reynolds placed fourth in the first event of the day, the hammer (223-5), and then returned to the track a few hours later and finished fourth in the shot put (63-10.5).
Reynolds was selected as the NCAA Men’s Field Athlete of the Year this past indoor season after capturing a national title in the weight throw (82-3.5). The senior now ranks second in NCAA history in that event.
Meanwhile, Wyoming teammate Cam Burkett missed qualifying for nationals in the shot put by 1.5 inches, while Air Force’s Joe Nizich missed out on nationals in the javelin by nine inches.
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