NEWTOWN, Pa. – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) announced the 2026 All-MAC Women's Outdoor Track and Field Teams and special awards following the conclusion of the three-day championship meet on May 2. The Dutchmen had 10 All-MAC performances at the meet, with five individuals and all three relays earning honors.
 
The Dutchmen had three major award winners as Ava Matter was named the Track Athlete of the Year, Melissa Byler was named the Coach of the Year, and Griffin Weidler was named a co-Assistant Coach of the Year after LVC won its first-ever outdoor title.
 
Lebanon Valley had five MAC Champions that earned First Team honors, while adding three Second Team honors and two Third Team performances. LVC scored 136 points and won by 21 points. Byler was voted as the Coach of the Year for the third time in her career.
 
Matter was named the Track Athlete of the Year after she earned All-Conference honors in four events with three gold medals and one bronze. She becomes LVC's first Track Athlete of the Year since Cynthia Adams in 2014. Matter won the 100 and 200 meters while leading the Dutchmen to first in the 4x100 relay and third in the 4x400 relay. The sophomore earned First Team honors in the 100 with a time of 12.64 seconds in the final after running 12.45 seconds in the preliminaries. She won LVC's first MAC title in the event since 2019. Matter pulled off the spring double as she also won the 200 meters to earn First Team honors with a time of 25.32 seconds in the final after running 25.97 in the prelims. She won the Dutchmen's first conference title in the event since 2010. The sophomore was the second leg on the 4x100 team and the leadoff leg on the 4x400 team, which also earned All-Conference honors. She now has six total All-Conference awards in her career.
 
Coyla Bartholomew won her second consecutive title in the 3000 Steeplechase to earn First Team honors with a time of 11:17.48. The senior collected her sixth career All-Conference honor, including her third straight year of earning a medal in the steeplechase.
 
Anna Sawicki won her second consecutive MAC title in the Heptathlon to earn First Team honors with a program and MAC Championship record 4,636 points. The sophomore finished first or second in all seven events, including running a career-best 200 time of 26.16 seconds.
 
The 4x100 meter relay team of Gabby Welter, Matter, Caitlyn Kovatch, and Mileyska Calderon won LVC's first title in the event since 2012 with a finals time of 48.79 seconds to earn First Team honors. The Dutchmen ran 49.22 seconds in the preliminaries. LVC has now medaled in the event at the past three Championships.
 
Calderon added a pair of Second Team honors in the 100 meters and the long jump as the junior finished second in each event. Calderon ran 12.65 seconds to finish just behind Matter in the 100-meter final after running the fastest time in prelims at 12.33 seconds. She also finished second in the long jump with a mark of 5.38 meters (17'8") on her fifth jump. Calderon anchored the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams that also earned All-Conference honors, giving her four total on the year and eight in her career.
 
Autumn Garges finished second in the 1500 meters to earn Second Team honors with a time of 4:41.87. The senior earned her fifth career All-Conference honor and her first in an individual event. Garges was also the anchor on the 4x800 relay team that finished third.
 
The 4x400 meter relay team of Matter, Abbie Reed, Welter, and Calderon finished third to earn Third Team honors with a time of 4:02.58. It is the third consecutive year LVC has earned a medal in the final event on the track.
 
The 4x800 meter relay team of Sierra Kapcsos, Abigail Hunt, Lila Shore, and Garges also finished third to earn Third Team honors with a time of 9:39.87. The Dutchmen had medaled in the event at each of the last four Championships.
 
The list of major award winners is below.
Track Athlete of the Year: Ava Matter, Lebanon Valley
Field Athlete of the Year: Brandy Varner, King's
Rookie of the Year: Madison Hedglin, Misericordia
Head Coach of the Year: Melissa Byler, Lebanon Valley
Assistant Coaches of the Year: Griffin Weidler (Lebanon Valley), Fallon Heddings (DeSales), Michael Ambrulavage (Widener)

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