The College National Finals Rodeo crowned its 2026 champions at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper on Saturday, June 20, and after four rounds the team roping title belonged to the Northwest. Header Marcus Marriott of Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon, and heeler Sam Saunders of Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon, roped to the national championship with 23.1 seconds on four head. The pair sealed it in the short round with a 4.4-second run, the fastest of the final go, holding off a deep field. Jett Stewart and Belden Cox of Weatherford College finished second in the average at 24.4 seconds, with brothers Blake and T.J. Bowler of Southern Utah University third at 26.3. For two Oregon programs to combine on the biggest team roping stage in college rodeo says plenty about the strength of the Northwest Region this season.
The tie-down roping crown went to Tyler Hansen of Bismarck State College, who put together the most consistent week of anyone in the arena. His 38.3 seconds on four head carried the title, and it did so even though the short round belonged to Cooper Duffin of Utah Valley University, fast at 7.6. Hansen’s steady work across all four head, capped by a 9.9 on Saturday, was more than enough.
In the breakaway roping, Jessi Everett of Texas Tech University claimed the national championship with 9.9 seconds on four head. Everett showed that college rodeo rewards the full week rather than a single run, sitting sixth in the short go yet finishing first once the average was tallied. California had a rope in the mix too, with Regan Russ of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo placing third in the short round at 2.3 seconds and fourth in the average, a fine showing for the West Coast Region.
The roughstock and remaining timed events produced champions worth celebrating as well. Bareback riding ended in a three-way tie between Kooper Heimburg of Missouri Valley College, Carson Hildre of Clarendon College, and Daxtyn Feild of Tarleton State University, all at 326.5 points. Tagg Bond of Clarendon College dominated the saddle bronc riding with 340 points and picked up Men’s Rookie of the Year along the way. Andrew Morian, also of Clarendon, won the steer wrestling at 17.1 seconds. Josie Mousel of the University of Wyoming took the goat tying at 24.4 seconds, Devin Young of Texas A&M University won the barrel racing at 55.00 seconds along with Women’s Rookie of the Year, and Hayden Welsh of Odessa College captured the bull riding with 251.75 points on three head, including the highest-marked ride of the finals at 88.25.
Congratulations are in order for the all-around champions, who carried their colleges all week. Tyler Hansen added the men’s all-around title to his tie-down championship, finishing with 310 points on the strength of his work in both the tie-down and the team roping. Josie Mousel ran away with the women’s all-around at 395 points, more than five times the total of her nearest challenger, pairing her goat tying title with points in the breakaway roping.
On the team side, Clarendon College earned the men’s championship with 1,100 points, backed by Bond’s saddle bronc title and Morian’s steer wrestling win. Texas A&M University claimed the women’s team title with 692.5 points, powered in no small part by Young’s run through the barrel racing. Congratulations to both programs on a season’s worth of work rewarded in Casper.
The champion cowgirls have more than a national title to celebrate. The Premier Women’s Rodeo has extended championship invitations to the 2026 CNFR women’s titlists, opening another pathway from the college ranks to women’s rodeo’s biggest stage. Devin Young, Josie Mousel, and Jessi Everett have each earned a spot at the PWR Championship on the strength of their national titles, with the team roping invitation still to be finalized. RSN looks forward to watching these cowgirls carry their college success into the PWR arena.
The CNFR returns to the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper next June 13 through 19, 2027.
Jessi Everett of Texas Tech University, with 9.9 seconds on four head. She sat sixth in the short go and finished first in the average.
Header Marcus Marriott of Blue Mountain Community College and heeler Sam Saunders of Treasure Valley Community College, both Oregon programs, won the national title with 23.1 seconds on four head. They sealed it with a 4.4 in the short round, the fastest run of the final go.
At the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, Wyoming. The 2026 finals concluded Saturday, June 20, and the event returns June 13 through 19, 2027.
Tyler Hansen of Bismarck State College, at 38.3 seconds on four head. He also took the men’s all-around title with 310 points.
Clarendon College won the men’s championship with 1,100 points and Texas A&M University won the women’s title with 692.5 points.
es. The Premier Women’s Rodeo extended championship invitations to the 2026 CNFR women’s titlists. Devin Young, Josie Mousel, and Jessi Everett each earned a spot, with the team roping invitation still to be finalized.
