MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan College men’s and women’s track & field teams delivered a strong showing at the Mountain East Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held at Mylan Park, with the women’s team finishing third overall with 93.5 points and the men placing sixth with 62.5 points in a highly competitive conference field.
Women’s Recap – Podium Finishes, Record Performance Lead Bobcats to Third
The Bobcats were powered by a historic performance from Dakota Johnson, who captured the conference title in the 800 meters with a meet-record time of 2:14.45. Johnson’s race was tactically sharp from the start, as she controlled positioning early before pulling away down the final stretch to secure both the gold medal and a new MEC Championship record.
Wesleyan added another major distance title from Lindsey Dillon in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, where she claimed the conference championship with a winning time of 11:14.09, continuing the program’s tradition of excellence in the event.
The 800-meter group showcased impressive depth, as Reyna Headley joined Johnson on the podium with a third-place finish (2:15.60), giving the Bobcats two of the top three finishers in one of the meet’s most competitive races.
In the hurdles, Taryn Veltri delivered a strong third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking 1:06.36, while teammate Marimo Akita added a seventh-place finish (1:08.18). Akita proved to be one of the most versatile athletes of the meet, also placing fifth in the heptathlon with 3,434 points and contributing across multiple events.
The field events were a major strength for Wesleyan, highlighted by Mallory McGinnis, who placed second in the shot put (12.46m) and added a sixth-place finish in the discus (40.02m), scoring valuable team points in both throws.
In the jumps, Jessica Williams earned a runner-up finish in the high jump, clearing 1.60 meters, while the pole vault group delivered a significant scoring boost. Maylie Bland and Clover Stamat tied for second and third, respectively, both clearing 3.00 meters, while Ava Cash (6th, 2.70m) and Marimo Akita (7th, 2.55m) added depth scoring in the event.
On the track, Wesleyan’s relays were also competitive, with the 4×400-meter relay team of Headley, Destiny Barnette, Veltri, and Akita finishing fourth in 4:00.38. The 4×100-meter relay squad of Akita, Barnette, Stamat, and Darianne Christian added a sixth-place finish (49.91).
Additional distance points came from Mariam Al-Zoubi, who placed sixth in the 5,000 meters (17:53.57), and Lindsey Dillon, who scored in both the 1,500 meters (6th, 4:47.82) and 5,000 meters (8th, 18:15.72), further emphasizing the team’s depth.
Men’s Recap – Championship Performance in Jumps, Distance Depth Key to Team Finish
The men’s team was highlighted by a conference championship performance from Michael Hansford, who won the triple jump with a mark of 14.64 meters, a leap that ranks among the top performances in the region and placed him at NCAA Division II No. 41.
Royell Salmon played a pivotal role in multiple events, finishing runner-up in the long jump with a mark of 7.12 meters (NCAA No. 69) while also securing a third-place finish in the 200 meters (21.80). Salmon’s versatility extended to the relay events, where he contributed to both the 4×100 and 4×400 squads.
On the distance side, Erik Nygaard led the way with a podium finish, placing third in the 10,000 meters (31:56.51) and fourth in the 5,000 meters (14:54.49), scoring heavily for the Bobcats across the distance events.
In the steeplechase, Anthony Sanders delivered a strong runner-up performance in 9:26.36, while Griffin Thomas added a sixth-place finish (9:53.97), giving Wesleyan two scorers in the event.
The sprints saw contributions from Joseph Liveo, who placed seventh in the 400 meters (49.47), and Lucas Anderson, who finished seventh in the 100 meters (13.03), rounding out scoring efforts on the track.
In the field events, Wesleyan continued to add points across multiple disciplines, including a fourth-place finish from Quinton Payton in the hammer throw (52.43m) and a tie for sixth in the high jump by Dane Sykes (1.85m). Michael Hansford also added a seventh-place finish in the long jump (6.60m), contributing additional team points.
The Bobcats’ relay teams capped off the meet with scoring finishes, as the 4×100-meter relay team of Jarren Rutherford, Liveo, Carson Moore, and Salmon placed sixth (42.52), while the 4×400-meter relay team of Thomas, Zane Nelson, Jourdan Demoss, and Salmon finished eighth (3:35.37).
Overall Takeaway
West Virginia Wesleyan showcased a complete team effort at the MEC Championships, combining elite individual performances with strong depth across event groups. The women’s third-place finish was fueled by championship victories, record-setting performances, and dominant field event scoring, while the men’s squad leaned on standout efforts in the jumps and distance events to secure a sixth-place finish.
With multiple conference champions, NCAA-caliber marks, and broad event coverage, the Bobcats demonstrated their competitiveness at the conference level and set a strong foundation heading into the postseason.
