Hazen alum Miguel Rosario reaches new heights at Grand Canyon University

Published 7:30 am Monday, June 22, 2026

Miguel Rosario knows speed.

The Hazen grad just wrapped up his collegiate track career at the 2026 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 10-13.

In his final track meet of the season, the senior placed 13th in the 200 meter dash at the National Championships. He will now enter his final season as a graduate student at Grand Canyon University for his final outdoor collegiate season.But Rosario’s story is much deeper, it is a story about running your own race, as cliché as the phrase may be.

His track career began in his own backyard, following high school graduation. Rosario started at Seattle University where he quickly realized his speed was going to play at this level. He transferred to Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

“I feel like there is a lot of growth, even off the track I have grown a lot. On the track I had a lot of goals for myself and I tried to get one percent better every day. Looking back at the progress I have made is pretty crazy and surreal at the same time too. Just seeing how far I have come is crazy,” Rosario said.

It wasn’t just the weather that changed for Rosario. It was his entire lifestyle taking a change for the better.

Rosario blazed by the competition in this year’s postseason championships. At the Mountain West Conference meet, Rosario was named the Runner of the Meet, in what might have been his best meet ever.

“You could definitely argue that was the best meet of my life,” Rosario said. “I would say it was a pretty good weekend.”

He set new school records in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes and also broke a separate Mountain West Conference record in the 200 as well.

His time of 10.09 in the 100-meters was just enough to finish first as second place was .04 behind him. In the 200, his 20.13 broke the school record by nearly a half second (20.55).

“It’s a blessing,” Rosario said. “My mindset going into the meet was I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But I just had to focus on executing and focus on my training.”

The next step was the West Regional in Fayetteville, Arkansas with a trip to the National Championships on the line.

Rosario missed the cut for the national tournament by three spots in the 100 meter dash but in the 200 meters he was in peak form. He placed fifth overall with a 20.58 run which meant he was heading to Oregon for the first time in his career.

“Going into the season that was a top goal that I had and coming off of conference championships was staying healthy and actually making it to Nationals,” Rosario said.

There aren’t many better places to run track than Oregon’s Hayward Field. Sure they have their meets that high schoolers can run in during the spring season, but when the NCAA banners and signage come out. The running gets real, and the running gets fast.

“It was kind of a surreal feeling because you see these big meets growing up and thinking ‘Dang maybe one day I could get there.’ Actually seeing it come true is pretty crazy,” Rosario said. “It was the biggest track meet I have ever been in. Running in front of a crowd really makes a difference.”

Rosario stepped into the blocks and could feel the energy and excitement that an environment at this level provided. He finished 13th out of the 24 competitors and needed to be top nine to make the final heat.

But it was an experience he will never forget.

Now his sights are set on Los Angeles 2028 where he hopes to run for the Filipino National Team.

A composed Rosario wouldn’t say he is “Olympics or Bust,” but that is a real dream and one he’s not going to shy away from. He won the 200 meter dash and came in second in the 100 at the Filipino National Championships. “I don’t want to speak too much about it, but that is definitely something that is out there,” Rosario said.

Rosario sees competing under the Filipino flag as something that is not for him, but for everyone else in his life. He wants to honor his family and running fast is the best way to show it.

“It means a lot, growing up I always wanted to represent where I came from. Not about me, but about my family and trying to make them proud,” Rosario said. “Even though we might be a minority in most sports, if I could inspire one person that would be pretty cool.”

He is currently in the works on getting his Filipino passport, which is the next step for him to compete for the Philippines.