NCAA data is in. And the best US state for track & field is ........ + After the US, the #2 country for NCAA stardom is.......

The coaches association wrote:

Athletes from 45 countries will compete for 17 event titles per gender over the next few days at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. No country will be more represented than the United States with 278 athletes. Kenya is second with 28, followed by Jamaica with 19. Nigeria is the only only country with double-digit athletes at 14.

Zoom in a bit further and the hometowns with the most representation in Fayetteville will be both Eldoret, Kenya, and Kingston, Jamaica, with nine athletes. Houston is up next with seven, followed by Charlotte, North Carolina, with six.

Finally, let’s put the focus on the United States. Athletes from 43 states are in Fayetteville for the climactic meet of the 2026 indoor season, led by Texas with 36. In fact, the next two states combined – California (18) and Florida (13) – don’t give them as many as Texas. Six other states have double-digit athletes with Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio all tied with 12 leading the way.