PORTLAND, Ore. - The Great Northwest Atheltic Conference has announced the awards for the 2026 outdoor track & field season. Headlining the list for the Nighthawks is 2026 National Champion Laurenz Waldbauer. 

Waldbauer was named the GNAC Men's Field Athlete of the Year after topping his career year from last year. Waldbauer was a unanimous selection after his championship winning throw of 73.53m. The graduate student never finished lower than second in any meet this season. His two second-place finishes came against non-Division II/unattached competitors.

He added to his accolades with his second career GNAC gold medal with a throw of 66.39m in the GNAC Championship. He hit a personal best at teh Broward Elite competition on January 25 with a throw of 74.09m which stands at the second furthest throw in GNAC history, and furthest throw in NNU history.

Waldbauer was named the 2025 Men's Field Athlete of the Year after finishing as the National Runner Up. He is the first Nighthawk to win multiple GNAC Outdoor Athlete of the Year awards.