The Inside Scoop Before Nationals: Simeon Birnbaum & Connor Burns on How Oregon Qualified 5 Men in the 3k, Connor's Injury Comeback, and the Truth About Training Under Jerry Schumacher

The last time Connor Burns and Simeon Birnbaum were here, they were two highly anticipated freshmen trying to find their footing in one of the most historic distance programs in NCAA history.

Now? They’re conference-dominating sophomores ready for their next target.

At the 2026 Big Ten Indoor Championships, Simeon Birnbaum swept the distance double, winning both the 3,000m and the 5,000m to claim two Big Ten titles while continuing to climb the Oregon all-time lists.

Connor Burns dropped a 7:40 in the 3000m at Boston University, one of the fastest times in the NCAA this season, and crossed the line second in the Big Ten 5000m before a controversial disqualification changed the results of the race.

Now, both are headed to the NCAA Indoor Championships, where Simeon enters as a double threat in the 3000m and 5000m, and Connor arrives as one of the top contenders in the 3000m.

We’re watching two of the most talented distance runners of their generation grow into championship racers at the NCAA level, and with the NCAA Indoor Championships up next, the Oregon Boys’ story is still being written.

Tap into the Conner Burns and Simeon Birnbaum Special. 

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