READING, Pa. — Led by wins in both the 60 Meter Dash and the Hurdles, Eastern University Men's Track and Field picked up six more medals and finished fourth in the 2026 MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Eagles scored in 11 events and placed fourth overall.
Jahari Brown and James Ugorgi each qualified for finals in the 60 Meter Dash. Brown picked up the top spot with a lean at the tape, the rookie from Reistertown, Md. was just off his career-best with a 6.98, but it was enough to give the Eagles ten points. Ugorgi came through with a seventh-place score in a blanket finish.
Coming into today,
Ian Hopkins was the top seed in the hurdles. Eastern's sophomore standout delivered with a solid 8.49 second effort to win.
Fritz Clement picked up two more points with seventh.
After an unbelievable run in the DMR,
Ryle Mellinger bounced back with a gutsy third-place finish in the Mile Run. He emerged as the middle man in a furious three-person chase group. Mellinger tried to bounce back in the 3,000 Meters, but fresh legs prevailed as he came through in 11th place.
In the Triple Jump,
Jeric Lewis hit a 14.25 meter mark which locked him into second behind Widener's national leader Matayo McGraw. Elijah McCollough picked upa team point with an eighth-place finish.
Joshua Knox-Wagner ran a personal-best 1:57.85 to pick up a team point in the 800, and
Donovan Skinner claimed sixth-place in the Heptathlon.
The Eagles finished third in the 4 x 400. Ugorji,
ShaMar Davis,
Keyon Jones and
Christian Scales came through in 3:29.66 to finish just behind Widener and Misericordia.
Another relay mishap cost the Eagles in the 4 x800. Though they finished third in under eight minutes, a misunderstood lane assignment on the first lap led to a disqualification in the event. Eastern has never broken the eight-minute mark in the 4x800. The Eagles competed well in the event despite Mellinger not being part of the group.
With several athletes right on the edge of National qualification, the coaching staff will look at LCQ options to pursue national qualification options for individuals.
Over the past several years, the Eastern Men have seen their point totals climb and their placements improve at the Indoor Championships. The fourth place finish is the program's best ever indoor finish at MAC Championships. Eastern won a MAC Women's Title indoors in 2020.
With 78 points, Eastern finished 12 points behind second place Messiah and seven points behind Widener. Lebanon Valley won the meet with 135.5 points.
