ANNVILLE, PA - The Utica University track and field team officially opened up the outdoor portion of their 2026 campaign this past weekend, sending a small contingent of long-distance athletes to the Danny Curran Invitational on Friday, while the majority of the team competed at the Blue and White Open hosted by Lebanon Valley College on Saturday. At the event, the Pioneers picked up right where they left off, grabbing first place in seven different events to open up the outdoor slate on a high note.
 
SCHOOL RECORDS
TIED - Genna McCallum (Mora, MN/Indian River) - Pole Vault - 4th - 3.20m
Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) - 5000m - 9th - 17:47.51
 
ALL-TIME PROGRAM TOP 10'S
#2 Aaron Johnson (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley) - Pole Vault - 1st - 4.43m
#2 Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) - Shot Put - 1st - 12.81m
#3 Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) - 5000m - 37th - 15:31.82
#5 Tobias Jerals - 5000m - 46th - 15:38.68
#6 Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central) - Javelin - 4th - 48.32ml
#7 Isabella Frick (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) - Pole Vault - 7th - 2.95m
#7 Mike Christensen - Hammer Throw - 5th - 48.06m
#7 Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) - 200m - 1st - 26.09
#8 Arianna McClendon (Rome, NY/New York Mills) - 800m - 2nd - 2:24.67
#8 MarLie Macek (Kensington, NH/Exeter) - Javelin - 6th - 30.88m
#8 Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) - 100m - 3rd - 12.75
 
FIRST PLACE FINISHERS
Aaron Johnson (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley) - Pole Vault - 4.43m
Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) - Shot Put  - 12.81m
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) - 1500m - 4:06.47
Kaiden McCaskill (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) - High Jump - 1.99m
Patrick Wands (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) - Long Jump - 6.10m
Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) - 200m  - 26.09
Women's 4x400m (McClendon, Simmons, Messler, Manna) - 4:23.07
 
AARTFC QUALIFIERS
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) - 5000m - 6th - 14:40.87
 
Friday - Danny Curran Invitational
Four long-distance leaders headed down to Pennsylvania early this weekend, as they took a small detour over to Widener University for Friday's Danny Curran Invitational. With over 90 athletes in each of the races, the Pioneers were pitted against some stacked competition.
 
The men took the track first, with the trio of Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville), Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill), and Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central) taking 6th, 37th, and 46th, respectively. Each finish was also significant, as Bauer and Jeralds each solidified an all-time program top ten, while Melita became one of the first Pioneers to qualify for the AARTFC Outdoor Championships.
 
In the women's event, Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) continued her record-setting season, toppling the all-time program record in the 5000m with a 17:47.51, grabbing a ninth-place finish to boot.
 
Saturday - Blue and White Open
 
Men
In the Men's 400m, Cameron Hoffis (Queensbury, NY/Lake George) managed to win his heat, running a 53.18 as he placed 4th overall. Not far behind was Eddy Corporan (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C Ketcham), who grabbed 7th place with a 54.26.
 
The Pioneers found another top sprinting performance in Anthony Leotta (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West), who took third in the 800m with a time of 59.26.
 
For the second day in a row, Melita managed an impressive outing, achieving a first-place finish in the 1500m with a 4:06.47. Forest Martin (Poland, NY/Poland Central) was right behind the leader, finishing third with a time of 4:09.58, mere seconds after Melita.
 
Indoor Empire 8 High Jump Champion Kaiden McCaskill (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) continued his run of dominance in the event, taking the gold at the Blue and White iteration of the event with a 1.99m leap. Joshua Sand also had a solid showing, achieving fourth with a max jump of 1.82m.
 
The Men's Pole Vault saw another top finisher for the team, with Aaron Johnson (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley) jumping his way to another first place and program top ten. Johnson vaulted 4.33m to grab the top spot.
 
Sophomore athlete Patrick Wands (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) kept up the team's run of dominance, joining the long list of Pioneers who topped the charts as he took first in the Long Jump. Wands leapt 6.10m in his outing to grab the gold.
 
Justin Couture (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) fell just short of yet another top finish for the Pioneers, settling for second with an outstanding jump of 13.23. Couture was just 0.06m short of the top spot and traveled nearly a whole meter farther than the third-place finisher.
 
Sophomore Nikos Johnson (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) did well in the first Discus outing of the season, taking fifth with a 39.81m put.
 
In the Hammer Throw, indoor All-American Spencer Borghardt (Smithtown, NY/St.Anthony's) kept up his powerful run, grabbing second place with a throw of 50.53m. Michael Christensen (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) was right behind, getting fifth with a throw of 48.06m.
 
Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central) took his talents from the track to the Javelin, finishing fourth while also logging an all-time program top 10 as he chucked a 48.32m.
 
Women
 
Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) was a superstar at the event, starring in a variety of different sprinting events. She led off with the 100m, taking third place with a 12.75. Immediately after, Williams took first place in the 200m, racing a 26.09 to top the field of 33.
 
Later on, Arianna McClendon (Rome, NY/New York Mills) also had a solid showing in the 800m, grabbing second place and an all-time program top 10 with a 2:24.67. Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) also did well, placing sixth with a 2:27.30.
 
Cate Manna then became the fourth Pioneer in five races to achieve a top-two placement, grabbing second in the 1500m with a 5:02.02.
 
Isabella Frick (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) had an excellent multi-event outing, first showing out in the 100m with a 2nd place finish of 16.48, before also doing well in the Pole Vault as she took home an all-time program top 10 mark with a 2.95.
 
Genna McCallum (Mora, MN/Indian River) and Cassondra Wood (Canasota, NY/Canasota) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in that same Pole Vault, with McCallum also tying the program record with a 3.20m.
 
Another first-place finish was logged by the Women's 4x400m team of Arianna McClendon (Rome, NY/New York Mills), Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Lilly Messler (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville), and Catherine Manna (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), as the quartet topped the charts with a 4:23.07.
 
MarLie Macek (Kensington, NH/Exeter) made her first appearance of the season in the Javelin, placing sixth with a 30.88m.
 
Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) capped off the meet with a great effort in two separate events. The indoor All-American placed first in the Shot Put with a 12.81m, and second in the Discus with a 38.34m.
 
In the Shot Put, Ranasia Bailey (Parish, NY/Altmar-Parish-Williamstown) was also terrific, tossing a 10.13m.
 
In the Discus, Hailey Hrouda (Wappingers Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) grabbed sixth with a 30.42m toss.
 
This weekend, the Pioneers will host the two-day Utica Pioneer Spring Invitational, taking place at Laura Casamento Stadium Complex on Friday and Saturday. Select athletes will also be given the chance to participate at Friday's Cortland Invitational.