CARMEL, Ind. – The 2026 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Championship is set to be held on Saturday, Feb. 28 in the Centennial Fieldhouse & Austin E. Knowlton Fitness Center at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
MEN’S PREVIEW (Championship History)
In the men’s competition, Rose-Hulman was picked to claim the conference crown for the fourth in a row based on the preseason coaches’ poll conducted at the start of the season (Preseason Poll). The Engineers earned eight of a possible seven first-place votes cast by the coaches.
The 2026 season has been a strong one for the Engineers men, especially in field events where two RHIT student-athletes sit in the top-30 on the NCAA Division III Men’s Indoor Qualifying List. Pole vaulter Kolton Nanko’s mark of 4.81m sits at 25th in the country, while
Antoine Cooper has a season-best mark of 18.02m in the weight throw to sit at No. 26. Additionally, sprinter
Andrew Shields has had a great year, which includes moving himself to the top of the HCAC top-10 in the 400m with a time of 49.03.
Manchester, the runner-up in this year’s poll, which also earned a share of the Conference Championship in 2025, has three student-athletes with top-30 performances this year. Gavin Byerly ranks 23rd on the national list in the 3000m run with a time of 8:11.82. Byerly also set a new HCAC record in the mile with a time of 4:13.03. His teammates,
Gentry Oliver and
Kenneth Redd Jr. are also top-30 competitors in the long jump at 21st and 24th, respectively. Oliver’s top mark is 7.14m, while Redd’s is 7.12m.
Hanover is the only other HCAC institution with top-30 contenders. Thrower Tommy Wilmoth has the highest national ranking in the HCAC this year, sitting at 12th in the shot put with a mark of 16.95m. Meanwhile,
Sean Woods ranks 26th in the pole vault at 4.80m.
Poll Results
| 1. |
Rose-Hulman |
80 (8) |
| 2. |
Manchester |
74 (2) |
| 3. |
Hanover |
63 |
| 4. |
Franklin |
50 |
| 5. |
Mount St. Joseph |
47 |
| 6. |
Berea |
34 |
| 7. |
Anderson |
27 |
| 8. |
Bluffton |
26 |
| 9. |
Transylvania |
25 |
| 10. |
Earlham |
24 |
WOMEN’S PREVIEW (Championship History)
Rose-Hulman was selected to return to the top of the podium in the women’s championship after having their streak halted at two last year. The Engineers were the 2025 HCAC Indoor Track & Field Championship runners-up last year, but were picked to lead the conference this year in the preseason poll (Preseason Poll). RHIT received nine first place votes and 81 points in the voting.
Leading the way for the championship favorite is Jocelyn Onstot who is the school’s only top-30 contender, ranking 18th on the NCAA Division III Indoor Qualifying List in the mile with a time of 4:54.32. That time also set a new HCAC record in the event. This season also saw sprinter
Rose Talbert set a new HCAC record in the 400m with a time of 57.39.
Transylvania also has a new HCAC record-holder in Olivia Sparks. Earlier this year, Sparks ran the fastest 200m dash in league history at 25.54.
Franklin and Anderson also have top-50 contenders with the Grizzlies’ Grace Tincher ranking 35th in the long jump with a mark of 5.56m and the Ravens’
Lai'Lonie Waller-Thomas sitting at 36th in the weight throw at 16.27m.
Poll Results
| 1. |
Rose-Hulman |
81 (9) |
| 2. |
Manchester |
72 |
| 3. |
Hanover |
61 |
| 4. |
Berea |
57 (1) |
| 5. |
Transylvania |
48 |
| 6. |
Mount St. Joseph |
37 |
| 7. |
Earlham |
32 |
| 8. |
Franklin |
22 |
| T9. |
Anderson |
20 |
| T9. |
Bluffton |
20 |
HOW TO WATCH
Admission to HCAC Championships:
- General Admission - $10 per day
- HCAC Students/Faculty/Staff with ID - Free
- Children 11 and Under - Free
For more information on HCAC indoor track & field, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.