Buffs Briefs Summer 2026
Track and field’s Abbey Nechanicky
Buff Bits
Lacrosse (16-4; 4-1 Big 12) won theĚý on May 2. The Buffs, led by four All-Americans, then advanced to the quarterfinals of theĚý for the first time in program history before losing to No. 1 seed Northwestern 13-12 in double overtime on May 14. ⏺ In women’s track and field,ĚýAbbey Nechanicky (IntPhys’27) set the CU record in the 10,000m (32:23.93), whileĚýAvery Pearson (Soc’27) ran CU’s all-time second-fastest 800m (2:00.91). For the men,ĚýKole Mathison (IntPhys’27) ran CU’s third-fastest 3,000m steeplechase (8:32.42). ⏺ QuarterbackĚýDominiq PonderĚý(MediaSt’26), whoĚý, was awarded a posthumous degree on May 3. Football’s 2026 jerseys will feature a “DP 7” in his honor. ⏺ Tennis’sĚýAya El Sayed (Fin’24; MBusAna’25) was namedĚý on April 30. She is the sixth Buff to earn all-conference in three different seasons. ⏺ Men’s and women’s golf earned trips toĚý. The men’s team reached regionals for the third time in four years, while the women made theirĚý.
Scores
7
→ Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week honors forĚýElena Oh (MechEng’27) in 2026. Oh also earnedĚý.
24
→ Podiums,Ěý, after six-time All-AmericanĚýFilip WahlqvistĚý(Fin’26) completed his CU career at NCAAs.
17th
→Ěý for women’s basketball when they earned a 10-seed before falling to Illinois in a first- round matchup.
42
→ Spring 2026 student-athlete graduates.
50 yrs
→ After being drafted in the NFL’s first round by the New England Patriots,ĚýPete BrockĚý(Bio ex’76; DistSt’26) receivedĚý at the spring commencement.
Coach Talk
ĚýĚýWe want to see guys fight for what they want in life. Everything is earned.ĚýĚý
—ĚýDeion “Coach Prime” Sanders in the final week of spring practices. Colorado football opens theĚý Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech.
Photos courtesy CU Athletics