Wisconsin Badgers
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Magnificent Matan: Ivri takes fifth at NCAA championships
June 12, 2026 | Men's Track & Field
Sophomore runs No. 5 time in school history on Friday
EUGENE, Ore. – In a stadium known for producing magical results, Wisconsin men's track and field sophomore Matan Ivri made his own magic on Friday, running the No. 5 1500-meter time in program history en route to a fifth-place finish at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Ivri crossed the line in 3 minutes, 37.41 seconds, shaving almost a second off of his previous best-time, en route to earning First-Team All-America honors.
"It's crazy how my biggest race can also feel like my biggest miss," Ivri said. "I think I raced very well, but maybe if I had better timing, I could have found myself in second or third. But, this was my first 1500 championship race, my first nationals and my first final. This was an amazing season and that was a great way to finish it."
The Shimshit, Israel, native started in the back of the pack for the first 700 meters along with Oregon's Simeon Birnbaum, who won the race in 3:36.05.
Ivri was in 10th heading into the ball lap, but was able to make some moves in the 400 meters, including a move down the homestretch, to finish fifth in his NCAA track and field championship debut.
"Before this season, Matan had only raced the 1500 meters a few times," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said. "Tonight, he raced like a season veteran. That last 100 meters was crazy. he ran into some congestion but managed to squeeze through traffic for fifth in a personal-best time. He can for sure go a little faster and I'm excited to see him racing post NCAA's."
Ivri became the seventh Badger under Byrne to earn First-Team All-America honors in the men's 1500 meters. This week's NCAA championship marked Byrne's final meet leading the Badgers as the 18-time Big Ten Coach of the Year announced his retirement earlier this season.
"Mick and I had a really good bond," Ivri said. "We worked well together for the past three years. We might have made a mistake or two, but we learned how to fix them, and how to become better. I'm grateful for his time coaching me."
Notes to Know
- The only Badgers to run a faster 1500 meters are UW legends Adam Spencer, Olli Hoare, Tim Hacker and Chris Solinsky.
- It marks the fifth-straight year that UW has had a First-Team All-American in the 1500 meters, the longest active streak in the country.
- Ivri was the only athlete in the field of 12 to run a personal-best time.
- Ivri is the seventh Badger to earn First-Team All-America honors in the 1500 meters during Mick Byrne's tenure.
- Already the Israeli record holder in the 1500 meters, Ivri improved on his national record.
- UW finished tied for 47th with four team points. Arkansas won the team title with 56 points.
Up Next: A trio of Badgers will be in Eugene next week for the U.S. Under-20 Championships at Hayward Field. Henry Risser will compete in the 800 meters, Ryan Severson will race in the 1500 meters and Darius Jones Jr. will compete in the decathlon.
2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Friday, June 12, 2026
Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon
Men's 1500 Meters
5. Matan Ivri - 3:37.41
