SPOKANE, Wash. – Northwest Nazarene seniors Morgan Erler and Brody Kemble each won 5,000-meter titles at the 2026 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at The Podium in Spokane. 

Both runners finished second a year ago, but strong finishing kicks helped both Nighthawks claim gold in 2026. 

Erler put together a furious kick in the final 50 meters to pass Seattle Pacific's Maya Ewing, the defending champion in the event. Erler finished in 17 minutes, 23.38 seconds, to shatter the school record in the event set by Jordan Powell in 2014. 

Erler is the first NNU woman to win a 5,000-meter indoor GNAC title. 

On the men's side, Kemble out-leaned Western Washington's George Fernandez, winning the crown in 14:45.14. Fernandez finished in 14:45.2. Kemble's victory is the first GNAC title in the event for NNU since Barak Watson in 2012. 

Kemble was the runner-up in the 5k and 3k a year ago at the GNAC meet, eventually earning all-region honors in both events. 

Elsewhere on the track Monday, the men's distance medley relay team of Luke Stockett, Jonah Rau, Timothy Bradshaw and Ian Stockett finished second in a time of 10:08.32. 

The women's 4,000-meter distance medley relay team of Mckenna Lechner, Maddie Weatherford, Zoey Stauffer and Hazel Kunkel finished fourth in 12:23.11. 

Senior Carter Alberts took fifth in the men's weight throw with a mark of 54 feet, 5.25 inches. 

Junior Emma Kwok took sixth in the women's weight throw with a mark of 49-9.25. 

The meet continues Tuesday in Spokane.