LA CROSSE, WI - Three Pioneer athletes take center stage this Thursday and Friday, as the Utica track and field program adds three more illustrious Division III National Championship qualifiers to its illustrious outdoor resume.
 
Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville), and Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) introduce a new wave of Pioneer talent to the National Championship ranks, as each of these athletes will be making their first-career appearance at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, being held this Thursday through Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Melita and Spencer will compete in the 3000m Steeplechase and Long Jump, respectively, while Cary will become the first female Pioneer athlete in outdoor program history to compete in multiple events during the same championship, as the superstar strongwoman will battle it out in the Shot Put and Discus.
 
Here is the schedule for each Pioneer athlete this coming Thursday and Friday:
 
Pioneer Entries:
Below is the schedule for your three Pioneer athletes:
 
Thursday, May 21st
 
3:30 PM EST - Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) | Long Jump
5:30 PM EST - Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) | DIscus
7:35 PM EST - Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) | 3000m Steeplechase
 
Friday, May 22nd
 
2:00 PM EST - Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) | Shot Put
 
*Please note that the event takes place in the CST timezone, however, the times on Leone Timing (official live results) reflect the EST.*
 
Live Results: Live results can be viewed on Leone Timing by heading to the "Results" tab, or by clicking this link: https://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=8721
 
Live Video: To view live video of the event, head to the following link and navigate to the date: https://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule/2026/05/21
 
How They Qualified: Each athlete had a spectacular spring semester, taking home lots of hardware while setting numerous records in the process. All three qualifiers, at some point this academic year, achieved Empire 8 glory. Melita took home the Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Championship in the fall, which he paired with a recent Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the Men's 5,000m. Spencer has had a stellar rookie season, winning the Empire 8 Outdoor Men's Long Jump Championship while also being named the Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year. Finally, Cary has been on an absolute tear during her sophomore season, taking home Second Team All-American honors during the Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships earlier this season. In addition, she secured a pair of Empire 8 Outdoor Championships in the Shot Put and Discus, while being named the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships Women's Field Athlete of the Meet.
 
Suffice to say, each of these athletes has proven on numerous occasions that they deserve their shot at National Championship glory. Here is a bit more on how each athlete earned their spot in the Division III National Championships.
 
Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) - Cary secures her first appearance at the NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships just a few short months after notching her first berth to the Indoor version of the event. Back in March, Cary collected her first All-American nod, a second-team selection for the sophomore among a field of mainly juniors and seniors. To follow up on that incredible achievement, the Pioneer thrower doubled up during the outdoor season, securing qualification to the top flight in TWO different events. Both of her top marks were achieved during the SUNY Cortland Classic, an event that showcased her ability to succeed at multiple events simultaneously. Cary, an eventual Empire 8 Champion in both the Shot Put and Discus, would secure qualification to the National Championships for both events at the Cortland Classic, tossing the ninth-best shot put in all of Division III with a 13.91m, and the 10th-best Discus in the Division with a 46.59m heave, which was also a school record. Cary will take on the Discus at 5:30 PM on Thursday, before showing off the Shot Put at 2:00 PM on Friday.
 
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) - Melita, a two-time qualifier for the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Championships, now makes his first trip to the top of the outdoor track and field ranks, punching his ticket due to a solid outing in the 3000m Steeplechase at the recent AARTFC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Melita, who actually won Empire 8 gold for a different event in the 5000m, raced the 16th-best steeple time in all of Division III back at the AARTFC Outdoor Championships, securing his spot among Division III's elite competitors. His time of 9:02.80 also narrowly edged out the program record he set last season, which stood at 9:04.76. The junior long-distance legend hopes to bring his championship experience to Wisconsin and achieve his first outdoor All-American honor. He gets underway at 7:35 PM on Thursday evening in the 3000m Steeplechase.
 
Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) - Spencer slotted in as a superb jumper for the Pioneers right off the bat during his rookie season. So far in his first campaign, he has routinely done well in both the Triple Jump and Long Jump; however, his 7.29m leap at the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships was his crowning achievement. The Empire 8 Indoor Rookie of the Year managed to break the school record, which was previously set last season by Ellis Urgent (Cornwall, NY/Cornwall Central). In addition, he took home the Empire 8 Outdoor Men's Long Jump Championship, while securing qualification to the National Championships with the 18th best leap in all of Division III. Spencer will be seeking to hop up inside the top 16 for the first All-American honor of his young career. Spencer gets underway at 3:30 PM on Thursday afternoon in the Men's Long Jump National Championship.
 
This meet will cap off the 2025-2026 Utica track and field season. Be sure to tune in this Thursday and Friday as all three athletes go for championship gold!