NEWTOWN,Pa.— The Middle Atlantic Conference office today released Academic All-MAC Honors for the 2026 Outdoor Track & Field season. With an outstanding outdoor season capped by a gold-medal run in the Steeplechase, Eastern's Ryle Mellinger claimed a third Academic All-MAC honor this year. He was also named Academic Al-MAC in the Fall for Cross Country and in the Winter for Indoor Track & Field.

At the Championships, Mellinger earned All-MAC Honors in three events while helping the Eagles to a runner-up finish at the meet. He started the meet with a strong anchor leg on Eastern's 4 x800 Meter Relay team that claimed silver. He ran the fastest Steeplechase time in the region this spring, but his goal at the Championships was to pick up ten points. The senior from Glen Mills ran a strong tactical race and pulled away late to claim the win and leave some gas in the tank for a battle in the 1500 Meters. 

The 1500 started fast and got faster. Mellinger broke his own program record with a 3:57.71 and claimed silver and eight big team points. This spring, Mellinger set program records in the 1500 and the Steeplechase. In his one crack and the 5K, he finished .09 seconds off the program record set by Greg Thomas in 2018. 

Mellinger, an English Major, graduated with highest honors earlier this summer. He is the first Eastern Men's Track and Field Athlete to earn Academic All-MAC Honors for Indoor Track and Field since Thomas claimed recognition in 2019.

Eastern's runner-up finish at this year's championships matches the program's highest finish at a championship set in 2019. 

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 Outdor Track & Field list earned All-MAC recognition, and many earned All-Region and All-America honors.