The University of Toronto Varsity Blues track and field team is set to compete for the 2026 OUA Championships on Friday, Feb. 20 and Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Toronto Track & Field Centre in Toronto.

Men's Preview
Entering the championship as the No. 9 nationally ranked team, the Varsity Blues men bring with them plenty of experience which they are aiming to utilize to jump back onto the overall podium. Finishing fourth at each of the last two provincial showcases, the U of T men will be led by veterans on both the track and in the field.

A four-time national medalist in the high jump, including two U SPORTS gold medals, fifth-year veteran Aiden Grout will be putting all his skill to the test as he is set to compete in three different events at the OUA championships this year. Grout will look to add to his OUA gold collection having won high jump previously in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Venturing into multi-event competitions, he will also compete in the long jump and 60m hurdles this weekend. In addition to his high jump prowess, he is one of five athletes this season to already hit U SPORTS qualification standards in the heptathlon totaling 5567 points at the Charlie Thomas Invitational at Texas A&M in early February.

Staying on the track, Richmond, B.C., native Logan Duley set a U of T record in December when he ran the men's 60m in 6.76 seconds at the Cornell Greg Page Meet in Ithaca, New York. Right behind him all season long has been teammate Phikelela Moyo who holds the second fastest time in U of T program history. The pair continuously push each other and have benefited from the competition from within their own ranks.

In the field, third-year thrower Jason Okpere has elevated his standings during the 2025-26 season. Since a sixth-place finish in the weight throw at the OUA championship a year ago, the neuroscience major has added over 3 metres to his personal best this season, delivering an OUA best toss of 18.33m at the Penn State National Open in late-January. This is also the second longest throw in all of U SPORTS this season, easily clearing the U SPORTS qualification standard of 17.64m.

Additional veteran names to keep an eye on will include sprinter Caiden Schultz, middle distance runner Moses Aidoo, and second-year standout high jumper Alec Brent. 

Women's Preview
On the women's side, U of T have seen an influx of youthful talent combined with a number of experienced graduate students. Following a fourth-place finish at the provincial showcase last year, the Blues will be leaning on some of the incoming talent to make a leap into the Top 3.

A reliable presence on the track, Julia Agostinelli will once again be a top contender in both the 1000m and 1500m events this coming weekend. A well decorated middle distance and distance runner, she has garnered national gold and OUA MVP honours throughout her career. Additionally, this season she was named to Team Canada for the upcoming 2026 FISU World University Cross Country Championships. Among all U SPORTS competitors this season she currently holds the third fastest times in both of her marquee events for this weekend.

Second-year sprinter Gloria Etim looks to build off a bronze medal finish at the 2025 OUA Championships. Etim has had a strong season for the Blue and White with impressive times in both individual and relay races. At the Can-Am Classic, she helped lead the Blues to a first-place finish in the women's 4x200m relay as her team finished the race in 1:42.72. Individually, Etim garnered a fourth-place finish at the Pandas Open in Edmonton with a time of 7.49 in the women's 60m sprint. Only one OUA sprinter has registered a faster time than the 7.49 mark posted by Etim as she looks to be peaking at just the right time.

Shifting over to the field, second-year thrower Maakor Okai has showcased continued improvement in both the shot put and weight throw events. She holds the third best distance among OUA competitors in the shot put with a season-best toss of 13.06m, and has the fifth-best in the weight throw at a distance of 17.31m. If she is able to deliver a new personal best at the provincial showcase, he ability to contribute in both disciplines could be a valuable piece to the Blues overall standings.

Other veterans to watch throughout the championships will include sprint hurdler Paulina Procyk, weight throw specialist Lily Spoozak, and triple jump standout Allison MacDonald.