Track and Field MASCAC Outdoor Championship Preview
The Owls men’s and women’s track and field teams are set to compete in the outdoor title meet from Fitchburg, Mass. on Saturday beginning at 10:00 A.M.
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State University men's and women's track and field teams will compete in the 2026 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference's Outdoor Championship meet on Saturday, April 25 at Fitchburg State University with field events commencing at 10:00 A.M. followed by track events at 11:00 A.M.
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Women's Track and Field: The Owls are set to defend their title for a third consecutive season after winning back-to-back outdoor titles the previous two seasons. Westfield is also coming off a strong showing at the indoor championships, placing first and securing the conference title.
At last year's meet, the Owls won six events, five individual titles and one relay race. Six 2025 all-conference athletes will run it back again this season, including senior Eliza Lee (Walpole, Mass.) who won the 800m hurdles and the triple jump at last year's title meet. This season, she ranks on the national performance list in both the long jump (28th – 5.62m) and the triple jump (36th – 11.46m). She is the favorite based on seed marks in the long jump, triple jump and 400m hurdles and is in the top three seed times in the 200 and 110m hurdles.
Julianne Kelly (Natick, Mass.) and Emily Ottomaniello (Agawam, Mass.) both won individual titles last season with Kelly victorious in the 3000m steeplechase (12:27.31) while Ottomaniello topped the pole vault. Kelly is the current favorite again this season via seed time as is Ottomaniello in the pole vault.
The Owls 4x800-winning relay team consists of three returning athletes: Molly Lenehan (Newington, Conn.), Tealei Chandonnet (Dracut, Mass.), and Reese Stevens (Agawam, Mass.). All three are slated to run the event again, joined by Brynne LeCours (Haverhill, Mass.).
Stevens holds the top time in the 800 entering Saturday as she is six seconds clear of her closest challenger. She is also the only athlete in the multi-heat 1500m race to post a sub-five minute time, checking into Saturday with a season-best time of 4:47.23. The Owls have the top five projected finishers in the race, an event where Westfield can rack up significant points towards the team score.
In the 400, Jailene Felix (Springfield, Mass.) owns the top seed time (1:01.47) but will have to fend off several competitors for the top spot: Janine Betcher of Worcester State (1:02.44) and Natalie Grimaldo of Framingham State (1:03.82).
Keep an eye on the Owls trio of relay teams at the meet as well with both the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams earning top seed times while the Owls 4x800 team won the event last season.
Men's Track and Field: The Owls have been on the doorstep of securing a conference title, logging four straight second place finishes at the MASCAC Outdoor Championships as Westfield seeks a first MASCAC title since 2016.
The Owls have looked strong in field events all season long with several athletes delivering quality marks throughout the spring. Senior thrower Xavier Merkman (Springfield, Mass.) is at the top of the list, breaking the school record with a toss in the discus of 45.95m at the Jerry Gravel Classic earlier in the month. Merkman enters the championship second in that event, behind Liam Bourassa of Fitchburg State who has two national qualifying marks in the javelin and hammer. Merkman will also be a contender in the hammer throw.
Westfield has a pair of jumpers who will look to compete for top marks in the long jump. Michael Pelletier (Wilbraham, Mass.) has the second-best seed mark in the event (6.74m), just one one-hundredths of a meter behind Bridgewater State's Clayton Pastor Norales (6.75m). Danny Shea (Longmeadow, Mass.) is right behind with the third highest seed mark at 6.65m.
In the javelin, Johnny Ware (Wilmington, Mass.) is second overall with a season-best toss of 57.70m behind Bourassa who's is second nationally. Devan Cerone (Southwick, Mass.) will have a shot at the top spot in the high jump as his 1.82m leap is second to Joseph Tully of Worcester State.
On the track, the first-year tandem of Braedan Ramsey (Plainville, Conn.) and Drew Organ (Suffield, Conn.) both have the two lowest times in the 3000m steeplechase as the duo looks to hold off Ryan Wing of Worcester State who is third.
In the 10000m, Kyle Ackroyd of Bridgewater is the current favorite, but will have challengers in Owls first-year athlete Rodrigo Miranda (West Springfield, Mass.) and Fitchburg State's Michael Burns. The three will jostle for important points in the overall team performance.
Junior sprinter Jordan Stallworth (Chicopee, Mass.) will participate in two crowded fields in the 100 and 200 with his time of 22.55 in the 200 in contention for a top three spot.
WEATHER FORECAST: The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high temperature of 56 degrees with minimal winds out of the east at about six miles per hour.
Visit WestfieldStateOwls.com for up-to-date coverage of the 2026 MASCAC Championship meet or visit MASCAC.com for live updates.