Reigning U.S. National Champion Evelyn Bliss Defends Her Title Tomorrow at the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor National Championships

LEWISBURG, Pa.- Defending U.S. National Champion Evelyn Bliss will attempt to retain her crown as the nation's best women's javelin thrower on Thursday at the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships against a crowded and competitive field. Bliss enters the event after winning silver at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships and seeks to become the first repeat champion since her hero Kara Winger claimed the crown in 2017 and 2018. The women's javelin starts at 5:40 p.m. and will be streamed on USATF.tv.

What: 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships
Where: Icahn Stadium - New York City, N.Y.
When: 5:40 p.m.
Stream: USATF.tv
Follow Along: Live Results

Bliss has enjoyed a fruitful 2026 campaign that has included a number of milestones. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, she earned All-American honors for the third time and her second place finish was the highest placement ever for a Bison woman, passing fellow javelineer Maura Fiamoncini, who earned third in 2021. Bliss booked her ticket to the championships after finishing first - throwing only once - for the second straight year at the NCAA East First Round. She established a new personal best of 61.34m (201-3) at the Bison Outdoor Classic and won her third consecutive Patriot League title. Bliss ran off a stretch of six straight victories - a personal best - while setting facilities records in all six wins and meet records in five of the six triumphs.

Bliss won the 2025 title with a throw of 57.77m (189-6) at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The field is stronger than last year, but Bliss has demonstrated impressive growth in her third year of collegiate competition. Her 61.34m mark ranked first in the world at the time (April 12) and seventh in American history (now eighth). Two years ago at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Bliss topped out at 55.82m (183-1). Last year at the FISU Games in Germany, she hit 60.81m (199-6). This season, Bliss has passed those marks while consistently hitting above 57 meters.

"I've tried not to think about it very much. I would like to go into USAs with a better mindset than I did with NCAAs so I've just focused on having fun and getting excited to compete again," Bliss said.

The Keystone State is well-represented, with three of the top six seeds hailing from Pennsylvania. Skylar Ciccolini and Madison Wiltrout join Bliss as the fellow Pennsylvanians.

Bliss and Wiltrout share a friendly relationship, but their competition has developed into a rivalry reminiscent of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as the two have both worn the Red, White, and Blue in international competitions and hail from western Pennsylvania. Wiltrout holds the overall 3-2 record but Bliss finished first to her second in back-to-back competitions at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships and the 2025 NACAC Championships. They have met only one this year at the USA Winter Long Throws Championships. Wiltrout won and Bliss finished third.

"I'm excited for her to go in as defending champ, but Wiltrout is the one to beat," Bucknell throws coach Ryan Protzman said. "Madison has had a great season, and Evie knows she has to be dialed on the runway, and with her timing to repeat. She's going to go out there, have fun with it, and keep building great experience."

Wiltrout is seeded first after hitting 63.88m (209-7) at the USATF Throws Festival in May. Bliss is second, followed by former Mississippi State star Sarah Blake. Madelyn Harris, the former Nebraska standout, slots fourth with Eleanor Patrick (Alabama), who finished 12th at the NCAA Championships, and Ciccolini, who threw for Missouri, completing the top six.

The seventh seed Shea Greene (Princeton) has clashed with Bliss on many collegiate fields. A pair of Texas A&M sisters, Katelyn and McKenzie Fairchild, are the eighth and tenth seeds. Both earned Second Team All-America honors this past season. Katelyn is the eighth seed, while McKenzie is the 10th. Between the Aggie duo, at ninth, is 37-year-old Ariana Ince, who represented America at the 2021 Summer Olympics and finished sixth at last year's national championships. Emma Yungeberg, a former thrower for Michigan, rounds out the 11-woman field.

Six of the 11 competitors from 2025 return, including the top three—Bliss, Wiltrout, and Blake—in 2026. Harris, Ince, and Yungeberg placed fifth, sixth, and eighth respectively.

The 57.77m winning mark from 2025 will likely not be enough to win again. Blake, Bliss, and Wiltrout all have set personal records in 2026. Bliss and Wiltrout have surpassed 63 meters and Blake hit 59.69m (195-10) on May 23 at the USATF Throws Festival - the same competition where Wiltrout threw 63.88. Five of the 11 competitors threw their personal best in 2026.

Bliss currently ranks 19th in the world after briefly holding the top spot earlier this season. Wiltrout slots third.

This will be Bliss' first time competing at Icahn Stadium but the short distance from home (Rimersburg, Pennsylvania) and Bucknell should fill the stands with her supporters. Her family, the hometown newspaper's reporter, Bucknell head coach Kevin Donner, and others are already confirmed to attend. Throws coach Ryan Protzman will be present on the sidelines. Bliss had become accustomed to Hayward - the site of her numerous All-American laurels and national crown - but she can throw anywhere.

"I love Hayward but I'm excited to experience a different venue and different energy. I'm hoping it will bring more intense energy," Bliss commented.

Bliss has spent her summer maintaining her traditional practice of throws twice and lifting three times a week in-between holding a clinic and working. She held a successful clinic of 15+ participants on June 19 at Mansion Park in Altoona. The clinic provided the chance for Bliss to teach the next generation of javelin throwers. 2022 U.S. National Champion Ethan Dobbs, Protzman, and brother Hudson Bliss joined her as instructors.

"Summer is always a challenge when we are out of our academic year routine. She's had good sessions, but she does work over the summer so some weeks are more consistent than others. We've connected leading up to USAs, and she has had a good session and a great session."

Bucknell alumni support has been strong for Bliss. Laura (Rycek) Richards, who set the then-school record for the women's javelin in 2011, has followed Bliss' progress. Bliss passed Richards' school record of winning three Patriot League Women's Field Athlete of the Week awards this season.

"I have been so excited to see how well all of our javelin throwers—and all of our throwers—have been performing," Richards remarked. "I'm so proud of Evelyn and all she has, and continues to accomplish! My high school throws coach always said, "records are made to be broken" and I couldn't agree more! I love watching these athletes succeed and continue to improve their marks and break those records. Their passion and hard work truly shows! Again, I love watching Bucknell and especially our throwers crushing it. I look forward to seeing what comes next and how many more records can be broken!"

After this competition, Bison fans will have double the Bliss in 2027, as Hudson recently announced his commitment to Bucknell and Evelyn competes in her senior campaign.

Evelyn Bliss' Top Ten: All Throws