UTICA, NY - The Utica University track and field team will make a return to the Hutton Dome this Saturday, hosting the Pioneer Fast Trax Invite at 2:00 PM. After hosting this past weekend's Blue and Orange Invite, the team will continue to hit its stride as it dives into the heart of the indoor season. This will be the second weekend in a row at the Hutton Dome, allowing the Pioneers to get into a great rhythm on home turf as the Empire 8 Championships draw near.
 
Also, this Friday, February 13th, the duo of Laura Suppa (Canastota, NY/Canastota) and Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) will be heading up to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to compete in the Harvard Crimson Elite & Open. The Pioneer speedsters will compete against some of the best competition in the nation, including plenty of Division I talent. Suppa will compete in the 60m hurdles, while Williams will take part in both the 60m and the 200m.
 
Here is the schedule for the Harvard meet:
Friday
1:25 - 60mh (Suppa)
1:40 - 60m (Williams)
3:00 - 200m (Williams)
 
This Weekend's Event: The Pioneer Fast Trax Invite will take place this weekend on Saturday, February 14th, at 2:00 PM at the Hutton Dome in Utica, New York.
 
Interested spectators can follow along with the results by heading to https://www.leonetiming.com/schedule/
 
Projected Other Participating Teams: Hamilton, Hartwick, Herkimer, Medgar Evers, MVCC,
Morrisville, Oneonta, RPI, Sage, Cobleskill, Delhi, Union
 
Projected Schedule:
 
Saturday, Feb 14th, 2026
Field Events
2:00 PM Weight Throw (Men followed by Women, Turf ring)
2:00 PM Shot Put (Women followed by Men, Infield ring)
2:00 PM Long Jump Women (inside runway) followed by Triple Jump
2:00 PM Long Jump Men (outside runway) followed by Triple Jump
2:00 PM Pole Vault (Women followed by Men)
2:00 PM High Jump (Men followed by Women)
 
Track Events (All running events are women followed by men unless noted otherwise)
1:30 PM Utica Senior Recognition
2:00 PM 5000m
(The events below will follow in order)
60m Hurdle Prelim
60m Prelim
Mile
300m
60 Hurdle Finals (Men-Women)
400m
600m
60m Finals
800m
200m Women
Invite 200m Men
Open 200m Men
3000m
DMR
4x400m
 
Record Reachers: Last weekend at the Orange and Blue Invite, the Pioneers broke four new school records.
 
First, on Friday, February 6th, in the men's 5000m, Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) broke his own program record with a time of 15:04.22. Melita's mark was also good enough to see him qualify for the AARTFC Indoor Championships. Melita finished first in the race, and freshman phenom Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) finished in second, also securing the program's #2 all-time spot for the event with a 15:25.99.
 
On Saturday, February 7th, three separate Pioneer records were broken. Firstly, both the men's and women's 4x200m relay teams saw new top times go down on the record sheet. The women's team of Laura Suppa (Canastota, NY/Canastota), Arianna McClendon (Rome, NY/New York Mills), Amelia Petersen (Fonda, NY/Fonda-Fultonville), and Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) finished the event with a time of 1:45.01. For the men, Nolan Flynn (Bethel, CT/Bethel), Frank D'Angelo (), Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)), and Tanner Warren (Mohawk, NY/Central Valley Academy) finished with a time of 1:30.14. Due to their performances, both squads were able to qualify for the AARTFC Indoor Championships.
 
Lastly, later on in the day, freshman star Aaron Johnson (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley) broke his own pole vaulting record with a height of 4.63m.
 
First Place Finishers: Alongside multiple school records being broken, the Pioneers saw three first-place finishes at the Blue and Orange Invite.
 
First, Jade Bailey (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) finished in first place for the Women's Pentathlon High Jump with a jump of 1.57m.
 
Melita won the Men's 5000m with a time of 15:04.22.
 
Lastly, Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) claimed victory in the Women's Shot Put with a toss of 13.10m
 
Qualifiers: The Pioneers have notched many qualifying times so far through the first few indoor meets of the season. Here is a look at who qualified last week for the AARTFC meet later on in early March:
 
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) - 5k - 1st - 15:04.22
Women's DMR (Manna, Messler, Simmons, Townsend) - 2nd - 12:56.65
Stefania Grimaldi (Poland, NY/Poland Central) - Pentathlon - 4th - 2725
Women's 4x200m (Suppa, McClendon, Petersen, Williams) - 3rd - 1:45.01
Men's 4x200m (Flynn, D'Angelo, Spencer, Warren) - 2nd - 1:30.14
Women's 4x400m (McClendon, Messler, Jensen, Williams) - 4:07.84
 
Tune in this weekend to see if the team secures any more qualifications and school records!
 
Following This Weekend's Pioneer Fast Trax Invite: The Pioneers will travel to Canton, NY, to compete in the St. Lawrence University Open on Friday, February 20th, starting at 4:00 PM in the Newell Field House.