Track and field preps for success at indoor champs
By Mia Gallagher · Sports Editor
The Grove City College men’s and women’s track teams continued their 2026 indoor programs on Saturday with fast finishes and high marks at the Youngstown State Mid-Major Invitational.
Like the SPIRE Invite on Jan. 24, the Wolverines faced competitors from all three NCAA divisions and produced many top 10 finishes.
Senior Alex Mitchell headlined the men’s performance with individual wins in both the 400-meter and 500-meter events. He went on to notch a 10th-place finish in 200 as well.
Further supporting the Wolverines from the track were senior Isaac Busler, sophomore Jeremiah Knowles and freshmen duo Caleb Hina and Colson Frank, whose combined time of 10:36.69 secured seventh in the distance medley relay. This time also qualified them for regionals at the All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference Indoor Championship and broke the 10:39:81 school record from 2019. Knowles added a 10th-place finish in the 400 to round out the Wolverines’ track performance for the day.
Sophomore William Britton led the way in the men’s field events, earning 13th in the indoor pole vault with a program-record mark of 14 feet, 11.5 inches.
“It was a surreal experience. The energy on the track was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced while vaulting. Having the whole team there to cheer me on gave me the confidence I needed to keep jumping higher. I really do owe it all to God, Coach Maddie and my teammates, because I couldn’t have done it on my own,” Britton said.
As the indoor PAC championship draws nearer, Britton and the men’s team remain confident that the challenging competition presented by these inter-divisional events has prepared them well to take on their PAC counterparts.
“I think I can speak for the whole team by saying that consistent practice and supporting the team goes a long way. At the end of the day, these meets are all preparation for PACs, so putting in the effort now will ultimately pay off later when it really counts. Everyone is working hard, and I know we can expect big things this season,” Britton said.
Paving the way for the women’s team was the distance medley relay squad of sophomore Julianna Lindberg, senior Audrey Karwowski and junior pair Annie Herrmann and Cayla Lawrence. The quartet produced a fifth-place finish for the Wolverines — the women’s team’s top finish of the day.
Sophomore Nadine Lauffer turned in two impressive performances in the 500-meter and 400-meter events, earning eighth and 11th place, respectively. Reflecting on her performance, Lauffer shared the mental challenges that come with competing at the collegiate level:
“Track is a very mental sport (as much as physical), and I believe you win your race before you even begin. Having the right mindset and fixing your eyes on the One who gave you the strength and gift to run is the key to running any race with confidence. That is something I have been learning this semester, and this meet in particular challenged me to stay focused on the true goal, which is always to run for His glory,” Lauffer said.
Rounding out the women’s top 10 finishes was junior Kendall Coddington, who took ninth overall in the high jump. Her final mark of 5 feet, ¼ inch placed first among the meet’s DIII high jumpers.
“One thing the team has been focusing on this season is to be present for each other. There are a lot more athletes than coaches, so sometimes this looks like giving your fellow teammates pointers when the coaches are busy with other athletes. We also have been making an effort to be present for our teammates at meets by watching and cheering for every event,” Coddington said.
Both teams will return to action tomorrow at the Penn State Sykes and Sabok Challenge.
