WAXAHACHIE, TX. – The Pioneer men's and women's track and field team had strong showing at the 2026 SAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships with the men coming in 2
nd place and the women in 5
th place.
Competing at the Lions Athletic Complex from April 23–25, the Pioneers battled some of the conference's top programs and delivered a pair of top five team finishes. The Wayland Baptist men secured second place overall with 113 points, while the women's team finished fifth with 103 points.
Men's Team: Runner-Up Finish
The Pioneer men put together a consistent, high-scoring meet, finishing just behind Nelson University, who claimed the team title with 141 points. Wayland's 113-point total comfortably held off Oklahoma City University (107) and Texas Wesleyan University (103) in a tightly contested top four.
Across the three-day meet, the Pioneers relied on depth and balance, scoring in multiple events to remain in contention throughout. Their runner-up finish highlights a season of steady improvement and positions the squad well heading into national qualifiers.
Lonnie Irving Jr. was tremendous this weekend as he took 1
st place in the men's decathlon thanks to top finishes in the high jump, long jump, and 100m. His teammate, Marcus McLemore, earned 2
nd place in the men's decathlon. McLemore also placed 2
nd in the 400m hurdles with a time of 55.59.
Anthony Willis brought home 1
st place in the men's long jump after finishing with a furthest leap of 7.40m. Willis also took 3
rd place in the high jump with a best jump of 1.91m. Willis completed the top 3 finish amongst jumping events by taking 3
rd place in the triple jump (14.44m).
Daeandre Harris took 1
st place in the 400m hurdles with a time of 54.18. Harris was also a member of the 4x400m relay team with
Case Drum,
Jesus Zubia, and
Austin Reeves. They took 2
nd place with a time of 3:15.66.
Some other notable finishes on the men's side include:
- Marcus McLemore 5th place in high jump (1.85m), 6th in triple jump (13.47m), 5th in 110m hurdles (16.08)
- Andrew Hall 6th place in high jump (1.75m), 4th place in javelin (45.77m)
- Edmundo Avalos 3rd place in shot put (13.21m), 7th in hammer throw (36.38m)
- Lonnie Irving Jr. 4th place in 400m hurdles (58.79)
- Case Drum 7th in 400m (48.91)
Women's Team: Strong Top Five Showing
On the women's side, Wayland Baptist posted a solid fifth-place finish with 103 points in a highly competitive field. Nelson University edged Oklahoma City University for the team title, 131–130, while John Brown University and Langston University rounded out the top four.
The Pioneers remained competitive throughout the meet, putting together key scoring performances across both track and field events. Their 103-point total reflects a well-rounded effort and continued growth against some of the SAC's strongest programs.
Mia Gray continued to be a standout performer for the Pioneers as she took home 1
st place in the shot put with a furthest toss of 13.19m. Gray also brought home 1
st place in the discus with a furthest throw of 42.47m. Gray's other top performance came in the hammer throw where she took 7
th place with a toss of 34.31m.
Nathaniela King made her presence felt in the long jump, taking 1
st place with a furthest leap of 5.30m. King also brought home 1
st place in the triple jump with a best jump of 10.99m.
Inmaculada Delgado also had a strong performance where she earned three Top 4 finishes. She got 3
rd in the 10,000m (42:36.77), 4
th in the 1500m (4:51.53), and 4
th in the 5000m (19:43.62).
Some other notable finishes on the women's side include:
Up Next
The Pioneers will begin preparations for nationals. The NCCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will take place on May 6-8 in Wilmore, Kentucky. The NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will take place on May 20-22 in Asheville, North Carolina.
