NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships Returning to Gainesville in 2027, 2028
The Alchua County Sports and Events Center at Celebration Pointe in Gainesville, Fla., will host the 2027 and 2028 NAIA championships.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Dakota State (S.D.) junior Oliviyah Thornton of Garretson, S.D., has been named the Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week after a strong performance that featured two event titles and a record-setting performance at the Concordia (Neb.) Track & Field Classic on Jan. 31, 2026.
Thornton highlighted her day in the weight throw, where she delivered a meet-winning mark of 17.68 meters (58 feet, 0.25 inches) to take first place in a nine-athlete field. The throw not only improved her personal best, but also reset the Dakota State school record and met the NAIA “A” automatic qualifying standard. Her 17.68-meter effort currently ranks fifth in the NAIA.
She followed that up with another victory in the shot put, again finishing first among nine competitors. Thornton recorded a top throw of 13.97 meters (45 feet, 10 inches), reaching the NAIA “B” standard and completing a sweep of the meet’s top-seeded throwing events.
The Alchua County Sports and Events Center at Celebration Pointe in Gainesville, Fla., will host the 2027 and 2028 NAIA championships.
Two NAIA Championship Records were broken on the final day of the 2026 NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship as national champions were crowned, and the Red Banner was awarded at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center.
The second day of the 2026 NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship began with the 3,000m race walk, featured two field event finals, and concluded with seven national champions crowned at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center.
The first day of the 2026 NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship opened with the multi events and continued with several field event finals at the Alachua County Sports & Events Center.