NEWTOWN,Pa.— The Middle Atlantic Conference office today released Academic All-MAC Honors for the 2026 Indoor Track & Field season. Eastern University distance runner Ryle Mellinger earned more recognition for a his spectacular senior season with his first Academic All-MAC Honor for Track & Field.

Mellinger earned First-Team All-MAC Honors with a strong anchor leg for Eastern's MAC Champion Distance Medley Relay and finished third at the league championships in the Mile Run. The Distance Medley group earned All-Region Honors and set a new program record by over ten seconds. As an individual, set new program standards in the Mile Run and the 3,000 Meter run. His 800 Meter run at Haverford put him in the top three in program history.

Mellinger, an English Major from Glen Mills, Pa. graduated with highest honors earlier this summer. He also earned Academic All-MAC Honors in Cross Country. He is the first Eastern Men's Track and Field Athlete to earn Academic All-MAC Honors for Indoor Track and Field since Evan Wildermuth claimed recognition in 2019.

Eastern Men's Track and Field finished fourth at the MAC Indoor Championships.

Academic All-MAC teams are selected by vote from Sports Information Directors from the 16 member institutions who vote based on athletic and academic achievement. To be nominated, individuals need at least a 3.2 GPA in the semester of competition to be recognized. All the honorees on the Men's Indoor Track and Field list earned All-MAC recognition, and many earned All-Region and All-America honors.