PORTLAND, OR — On Wednesday, the four-day NCAA Track & Field National Championships are set to begin in Eugene, OR, at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.
Marco Langon is the lone national qualifier for Villanova this year, and it will be his final race in a Villanova singlet. Langon has been on the national stage in Oregon before, finishing in the top three at NCAA nationals. However, he has never reached the top of the podium, and he badly wants to change that on Friday in the men’s 5,000-meter final.
Langon’s future has changed over the course of the last five months. With a year of collegiate eligibility remaining – in cross country, indoor and outdoor – Langon told The Villanovan in February he would return to Villanova next year as a graduate if he did not win a national title in indoor or outdoor this year.
However, Langon has now said he does not plan to use it, opting to go pro most likely with the Italian running brand Diadora. Villanova head coach Marcus O’Sullivan also alluded to The Villanovan at the Penn Relays that Langon is departing Villanova this summer.
That decision leaves Friday’s 5K final as Langon’s final shot at a national title with no second chances or shots at redemption.
“It doesn’t matter if you break a record because that’s going to be broken,” Langon said to The Villanovan in February. “But if you win a national title, that can’t be taken away from you, and in your time in the sport, on that given day, you were the best athlete in the NCAA.”
Langon enters Friday’s 5K final with the best statistical season of his collegiate career. He’s run personal bests in the 1,500-meter (3:32.79, No. 2 in collegiate history), 3,000-meter (7:34.00, No. 3 in collegiate history) and most importantly the 5,000-meter (13:05.21, No. 4 in collegiate history).
It has been a two-way battle in the long-distance track events this season between Langon and New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel. Their rivalry dates back to last season, including finishing second and third in the 5K at nationals behind Oklahoma State’s Brian Masau.
To open the 2026 indoor season at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston, MA, Samuel edged Langon by 0.004 seconds, winning the 5K in 13:05.203 to Langon’s 13:05.207. Despite it being a personal best and breaking the Villanova school record, Langon was not satisfied.
While Langon has been a frequent runner-up in many races this season, Samuel experienced the same in 2024. Samuel finished second at NCAA nationals four times last year – the exception being that he won the 10,000-meter title in 2024. In the 2024-26 academic year, Samuel has run three NCAA finals, finishing first in all three (cross country, 5K indoors and 3K indoors). However, he was disqualified in the 3K.
Last month, Samuel became the first collegiate athlete to run a sub-13 5K (12:57.22) at LA Track Fest in Los Angeles.
Samuel has single-handedly made himself the man to beat.
With Samuel doubling up on events this week in the 10K and 5K, he will be running the 5K legs that are not fresh. The 10K final is Wednesday at 7:56 p.m. PT/10:56 p.m. PT. It gives Samuel just one day between the two events to reset.
Last year’s 5K final saw the fastest first-place time since 2021, with Masau running 13:20.59. In 2021, Oregon’s Cooper Teare ran a 13:12.27, which is still the fastest 5K at the NCCA Championships.
While Samuel was the first collegiate athlete to run sub-13 in the 5K, nationals have not come close to that pace yet, and that leaves Langon a chance at the top of the podium on Friday night.
As Langon and Samuel duel it out, Oregon’s Simeon Birnbaum will be looking to sneak by and grab a first-place finish over the two, similar to Cole Hocker’s 1,500-meter gold medal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The men’s 5K final will take place on Friday, June 12, at 6:55 p.m. PT/9:55 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
