Setting the Scene: The Pacific Lutheran University Athletic Department wraps up the 2025-2026 seasons on Saturday with track & field student-athlete Madison Downey competing in the triple jump at the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 

SATURDAY:
T&F at NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in La Crosse, Wis. (2 p.m. Central) 

Softball: The Northwest Conference Regular Season Champion Lutes (35-12, 24-4 NWC) finished off a historic season on Friday afternoon at the 2026 NCAA Division III Tournament. 

Making the program's first postseason appearance since 2012, the Lutes downed Translyvania University 3-2 on Thursday, getting a first inning home run from Zoe Smithson and RBIs from both Paola Garcia and Bri Sarae.

PLU wasn't as fortunate on day two, falling 8-0 to host Linfield University to begin the day before falling victim to a walkoff hit in a 2-1 setback to Transylvania in an elimination game. 

Garcia scored PLU's lone run against the Pioneers in the fourth inning, coming in courtesy of an RBI fielder's choice from Aby Redwine.

The Lutes' NWC regular season crown was the program's first since 2003, closing the season with a 15-5 record on the home turf at PLu Field. 

Women's Track & Field: Madison Downey heads to Wisconsin this weekend as the first Lute to compete in nationals in the triple jump since 1997, and the first Lute to do so at an NCAA Championship.

PLU's last competitor in the event was Kristi Osborne who placed 20th at the NAIA Championships in 1997.

Downey heads to La Crosse with the 14th best jump in D3 after leaping a school record 39 feet, four and one half inch on May 8 at the Oregon Twilight Meet. 

While Downey is off to La Crosse, the rest of the team wrapped up the season last Thursday at the George Fox Final Qualifier Meet in Newberg, Oregon.

Abi Caprye headlined the meet, finishing fourth in the high jump (5' 2 ¼") and seventh in the pole vault (10' 1 ¾") while Downey was sixth in the pole vault (10' 7"). 

Men's Track & Field: Pacific Lutheran capped off the 2026 season at the George Fox Final Qualifier last Thursday with four student-athletes competing in the field events. 

Seth Kramer led the men, finishing third in the long jump with a mark of 21' 9 ½" while Micah Ragaza-Bourassa was fourth in the hammer throw (168' 11"). 

All-Star Attaways: On Wednesday the USTFCCCA released its All-West region award winners for the outdoor track & field season with 11 Lutes earning a spot on the All-Region team.
 
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