ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College indoor track and field teams are ready to begin their pursuit of Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) titles in 2025-26. The program is scheduled to compete in nine qualifying meets this winter, including one home competition at the Arnold Sports Center. LVC will end the season with the MAC, All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference (AARTFC), and NCAA Championships. 

During the 2024-25 campaign, Lebanon Valley's men's track and field team won its second straight MAC Indoor Track and Field Championship, and the women's track and field team placed second at the MAC Championships. Both squads have their sights set on winning conference titles this season. 

The men's team returns several pivotal performers from last year's team, who will play an important role this winter. Head Coach Melissa Byler also expressed that she is excited to see what the squad's 14 first-year student-athletes bring to the table.

"The expectations are high because I think once you get there and you have that taste of victory and success, you want to maintain that," Byler said. "We do have that bar set high, not as a stress, but we want to continue to stay where we are."

The women's team also has several key contributors coming back, who will aim to build on a strong 2024-25 season. The Dutchmen will strive to be the top team in the MAC this year. 

"It's been extremely exciting for them over the past two years," Byler said. "We were really fortunate last year with the group of young student-athletes that we brought in, and they worked really hard over the past year. That energy and excitement is there. Our goal is set on them winning the conference. That is what they're hoping for this year, so that's what we're working towards."

The rosters of both teams feature standout student-athletes in all events. Sophomore Anna Sawicki will make an impact in multiple events, as she is expected to compete in the pentathlon for the women's team this winter. The sophomore excelled in her debut season, receiving the MAC Rookie of the Year award for indoor track and field. Sawicki won an individual MAC title in the pentathlon and garnered All-MAC Second Team recognition in the high jump, while earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors in the high jump and pentathlon. 

The Dutchmen also return several key distance and mid-distance runners who will look to build on their successful 2024-25 indoor track and field seasons. Last winter, junior Rory Lieberman won the MAC title in the men's mile and earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors in the 3,000 meters. Senior Coyla Bartholomew also received All-MAC Second Team recognition in the 3,000-meter run for the women's team during the last indoor campaign. Additionally, senior Autumn Garges earned All-MAC Third Team accolades in the mile run last season. Senior Elijah McKell also won the individual conference championship in the indoor 800-meter run and contributed to LVC's MAC title in the 4x800-meter relay. McKell was presented with All-Region recognition in the 800 meters as well. Additionally, senior Joe Chukoskie won the 5,000-meter run at the Indoor MAC Championships last year. The other impactful returners from this group include sophomores Andrew Namatka and Wyatt Leitzel, as well as senior Sam Rothstein.

Lebanon Valley's rosters feature sprinters who will make a difference for both teams, including junior Mileyska Calderon and sophomore Ava Matter. The Dutchmen will look to these student-athletes to play an integral part in sprinting and relay events, after they earned All-MAC Second Team honors in the 4x400-meter relay and Third Team recognition in the 4x200-meter relay during the last indoor season. Lebanon Valley will also rely on senior sprinter Donovan Goundie and junior sprinter Colin Winters to make an impact this season. Winters earned All-MAC Third Team honors for the indoor 60-meter dash last year. 

The Dutchmen will depend on their field athletes this season as well. The women's team anticipates junior pole vaulter Luisanna Polanco and junior jumper Chloe Grady to be point scorers for LVC in their events. Grady is projected to compete in the long jump and triple jump. Additionally, graduate student thrower Aonghas Evanick will work to build on a strong senior campaign for the men's team in the weight throw and shot put.

The Flying Dutchmen will begin the indoor season on Friday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m., when the program will compete in Franklin & Marshall College's Diplomat Open at Schnader Field House in Lancaster, Pa. Lebanon Valley will then host the Dutchmen Invitational on Friday, Jan. 9, at the Arnold Sports Center. The program will also participate in four meets in February, which will be key for the squads as they approach the MAC, AARTFC, and NCAA Championships. 

The Dutchmen will compete in the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, Feb. 27, 2025, and Saturday, Feb. 28, 2025, at Alvernia University's Flynn PLEX. The teams will then look to travel to the AARTFC Championships on Friday, March 6, 2025, and Saturday, March 7, 2025, at the world-famous New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory in New York City, N.Y.

Lebanon Valley will also hope to qualify student-athletes for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala. LVC's women's track and field schedule can be found here, and the men's track and field schedule can be found here. 

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