Honoring a distinguished Pacific University career, both on and off the track, Ally Hammond ’26 has been selected as the Northwest Conference’s 2026 Woman of the Year.
Hammond, a four-time All-American in indoor and outdoor track and field and the second-fastest 100-meter hurdler in NCAA Division III history, graduated from Pacific in May with a degree in environmental science with concentrations in toxicology and chemistry. She is the first Pacific student-athlete to win the award since its inception in 2009.
The award is presented annually to an NWC student-athlete in a women’s sport, recognizing excellence in athletics, academics, leadership and service throughout their collegiate career. Nominees must be a varsity letterwinner from their institution and have earned their undergraduate degree by Summer 2026.
"I'm honored to receive this award," Hammond said. "Being a collegiate athlete, while pursuing a degree, and still finding time to be involved with your community is no easy task - no matter what level you compete at. It takes real drive, hard work, and perseverance. Although, it also takes support, and I have received nothing but from Pacific University and the Northwest Conference.
"I'd also like to thank my coaches, friends, and family who helped me bring my collegiate career this far. My biggest takeaways from being a student-athlete are to be grateful for the experiences given to you, every one of them teaches you a lesson. Always give 110 percent and make the most of an opportunity that you've been lucky enough to partake in."
Hammond leaves Pacific as arguably the most decorated track and field athlete in Boxer history. A four-time NCAA Division III Championships qualifier, Hammond owns six Pacific individual outdoor records (100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and long jump) and four indoor records (60 meters, 200 meters, 60-meter hurdles and long jump). She is also a member of Pacific’s outdoor record 4x400-meter relay team.
Hammond capped her career by placing third in the 100-meter hurdles at May’s Division III Outdoor Championships. At April’s NWC Championships, Hammond swept titles in the 100 and 200 meters and the 100-meter hurdles en route to earning Women’s Athlete of the Meet honors. Her season-best and NWC-record mark of 13.60 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, run at March’s Pacific Open, is the eighth-fastest in Division III history and ranks her as the second-fastest athlete in event history behind UMass Boston’s Aryianna Garceau.
Hammond was twice the national runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships (2025 and 2026) and was named the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Association’s Division III West Region Female Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2026.
A graduate of Forest Grove High School, Hammond also won NWC championships in the long jump in 2023 and in the 100 meters in 2025. She was named the NWC Championships Women’s Rookie of the Meet in 2023, and was honored by Pacific’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as its Athlete of the Year in 2025 and 2026. She was also named four times as a Northwest Conference Scholar-Athlete.
Beyond her athletic and academic accomplishments, Hammond dedicated herself to serving both her campus and local community. She was a member of Pacific's Pharmacy Club, volunteered at the local food bank and worked at Forest Grove High School's summer basketball camp.
Information from releases by the Pacific University sports information office and the Northwest Conference was used in this story.