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LA Tech Athletics’ Highlight Reel, So Far

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If the early chapters of the 2025–26 Louisiana Tech Athletics calendar have proven anything, it’s this: tradition still matters and history is still being made.

July: A New League, Familiar Rivals

Summers are usually quite tame in college athletics. Not this time at Louisiana Tech. The 2025-26 athletic season officially kicked off with a banger when on July 16 the University officially accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference, marking one of the most significant moments in the department’s modern history. The move promises renewed rivalries, improved geographic access for alumni, enhanced recruiting, and a better overall student-athlete experience.

August: Soccer Comes Full Circle

LA Tech soccer literally kicks off the athletic season, every season. More than two decades after the program’s inaugural season began on the rugby field across from the Lambright Center, the Bulldogs returned to their roots – this time at the beautiful Robert Mack Caruthers Field.

Three straight home matches at “The Mack” set the stage, but the third made history.  On Aug. 21, LA Tech’s 2-0 shutout of in-state rival UL-Lafayette not only felt good because it was the Ragin’ Cajuns – it marked the 100th home win in program history. 

September: Fairways, Firsts, and the National Stage

Early September brought a familiar sight at Squire Creek Country Club, where LA Tech golf once again opened its season on its beautiful home course. Hosting a tournament there has become tradition – this year marking the 22nd home event since 2003 – and the Bulldogs made it count.

LA Tech fired a three-round total of 854 (-10) at the Argent Financial Classic, tying the program record for lowest 54-hole score at the event.

Just weeks later on the tennis courts of Cary, North Carolina, Zoie Epps became the first Bulldog singles player to qualify for the ITA All-American Championships, one of the premier events in collegiate tennis. The junior did not just show up – she belonged, rattling off three straight pre-qualifying wins, including upsets over two seeded opponents, to advance to the qualifying draw and put LA Tech tennis firmly on the national radar.

Halloween Weekend: Legends, Homecoming, and Giving Back

Halloween weekend delivered a whirlwind of celebration and connection. The Bradshaw-Brooks Golf Tournament, presented by Origin Bank, returned after a seven-year hiatus, bringing together two of Louisiana Tech’s most iconic alumni – Terry Bradshaw and Kix Brooks – at Squire Creek Country Club.

Held ahead of the university’s 100th Homecoming Game, the event raised more than $100,000 for Louisiana Tech Athletics. It was a reminder that while facilities and conferences change, the bond between Tech and its alumni remains timeless.

That night, LA Tech Football delivered a frightfully dominant performance, steamrolling Sam Houston 55-14 behind a relentless rushing attack at Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium. Donning brand new black jerseys, the Bulldogs totaled 646 yards of offense, piling up 425 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground while scoring multiple touchdowns in every quarter.

The busy weekend continued the next day on Nov. 1, starting off with LA Tech volleyball delivering its best offensive performance of the season, sweeping New Mexico State inside historic Scotty Robertson Memorial Gymnasium. Playing there for the first time since 2013, the Bulldogs snapped a 23-match losing streak to the Aggies while posting a season-best .376 hitting percentage. Some buildings just know how to deliver magic.

Then that night, LA Tech celebrated excellence across generations, enshrining its 21st Athletics Hall of Fame class. Eight individuals – spanning football, basketball, track and field, and athletic training – were honored for their lasting impact on the university. The ceremony served as a powerful reminder that today’s achievements stand on the shoulders of those who came before.

November: Breakthroughs on Every Front

November arrived fast – and packed plenty of punch.

A week later, the nationally ranked bowling team put together one of the most impressive weekends in program history. Finishing 11-2 with eight ranked wins, including victories over No. 1, No. 2 (twice), and No. 3, the Bulldogs closed the Bulldog Classic with a top five finish and plenty of statement wins.

On Nov. 21, success showed up in the classroom as well. LA Tech student-athletes recorded a department-record 3.353 fall GPA, with 251 Bulldogs and Lady Techsters earning spots on the AD Honor Roll. 

Then came Nov. 22.

LA Tech unveiled the Richardson Family Legacy Plaza, complete with statues honoring legendary coaches Joe Aillet and Maxie Lambright. Situated on the southwest corner of Joe Aillet Stadium, the plaza serves as a lasting tribute to two figures who shaped not just a football program, but an identity.

Later on that day came the football home finale. Down 28-7 midway through the third quarter, LA Tech football authored one of the most memorable comebacks in Joe Aillet Stadium history. Fueled by fourth-down conversions, three straight interceptions, and a defense that simply refused to blink, the Bulldogs forced overtime against Liberty. On the first snap of OT, Andrew Burnette took a handoff 25 yards to the house, capping a 27-point rally and clinching bowl eligibility in front of a home crowd that will remember that roar for a long time.

The very next day, women’s basketball delivered its own statement, defeating Stephen F. Austin 93-66 in a matchup featuring two of the winningest programs in the sport’s history. For the Lady Techsters, it was another reminder that tradition still carries weight – and momentum.

December: Rivals, Milestones, and a Bowl Trophy to Top It Off

The calendar flipped to December, and LA Tech men’s basketball also delivered a milestone for its fans.

On Dec. 13, the Bulldogs rolled past UL-Lafayette 65-44 inside the Thomas Assembly Center, securing the 94th all-time win in the rivalry – and win No. 1,500 in program history. Stifling defense, timely shooting, and a packed home crowd turned a Saturday afternoon into another chapter worth remembering.

And then, football decided to cap off the calendar year with a bang in Shreveport.

Down 14-3, LA Tech’s defense slammed the door out of the locker room, forcing turnovers, winning the line of scrimmage, and completely flipping the tone of the afternoon. The offense followed suit, finding rhythm, stacking drives, and clawing back, outscoring the Chanticleers 20-0 the rest of the way to win 23-14 and walk off the Independence Stadium turf as Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl champions, closing the year with one final exclamation point – and a nice piece of hardware.



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Field Events Power DePaul at Gately Indoor

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CHICAGO – Behind several standout performances in the field, DePaul track and field completed competition at the Badger Midwest Invite on Saturday at Gately Indoor.

The Blue Demons found success in the women’s field events, led by a pair of top-two finishes in the triple jump. Eveline Reno claimed first place with a mark of 12.40m, while Asha Pierre-Antoine followed closely behind in second at 12.30m. In the pole vault, Katelyn Welsh matched her personal best and program record, winning the event with a clearance of 3.55m. In the shot put, Laila Richardson recorded a personal record with a throw of 12.80m, while Olivia Tomko-Santos also notched a personal best at 11.45m.

DePaul earned multiple podium finishes on the men’s side, highlighted by Sergio Ayala’s first-place performance in the weight throw. Ayala recorded a personal-record toss of 15.63m to secure the win and also finished third in the shot put with a personal-record mark of 14.81m. Jaiden Gary added a second-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 16.43m.

The men’s distance group delivered several strong performances on the track. Opening the 1000m, Jack Broghammer claimed the win with a time of 2:33.67, followed closely by Reid Waco, who set a personal record at 2:34.09. Over the longer distance, Daniel Grauer turned in a solid effort in the 3000m, crossing the line in 9:03.98. Momentum continued in the 600m as John Bush posted a time of 1:20.20, while Nick Quinn followed with a personal record at 1:20.76. Rounding out the men’s track performances, Jorden Reddick clocked an 8.38 in the 60m hurdles.

Up Next
The Blue Demons compete locally at the Cardinal Opener on Saturday, Jan. 17, hosted by North Central College.

Badger Midwest Invite
Gately Indoor – Chicago, Ill.
Saturday, Jan. 10

Men’s 60mH Prelims: 2. Jorden Reddick – 8.48Q
Men’s 60mH: 3. Jorden Reddick – 8.38
Men’s 300m: 7. Musa Butler – 35.59 (PR), 10. Gavin Greaney – 35.86, 12. Ian Bello – 36.25
Men’s 600m: 2. John Bush – 1:20.20, 4. Nick Quinn – 1:20.76 (PR), 6. Jack Hopkins – 1:27.11
Men’s 1000m: 1. Jack Broghammer – 2:33.67, 2. Reid Waco – 2:34.09 (PR), 4. Hunter Bostwick – 2:38.05
Men’s 3000m: 3. Daniel Grauer – 9:03.98
Women’s High Jump: 8. Vivian Jones – 1.50m
Men’s Long Jump: 4. Angle Escamilla – 6.47m, Foul – Joshua Hill
Women’s Long Jump: 9. Ashleigh McArdle – 4.88m, 10. Aubrey Phillips – 4.69m
Women’s Pole Vault: 1. Katelyn Welsh – 3.55m (PR)
Men’s Shot Put: 2. Jaiden Gary – 16.43m, 3. Sergio Ayala – 14.81m (PR)
Women’s Shot Put: 6. Laila Richardson – 12.80m (PR), 8. Aubrey Phillips – 12.04m (SB), 10. Olivia Tomko-Santos – 11.45m (PR), 11. Katina Maclin – 11.43m, 12. Lauren Drew – 11.42m, 13. Ashleigh McArdle – 10.84m, 14. Vivian Jones – 9.91m
Women’s Triple Jump: 1. Eveline Reno – 12.40m, 2. Asha Pierre-Antoine – 12.30m
Men’s Weight Throw: 1. Sergio Ayala – 15.63m (PR)
Women’s Weight Throw: 8. Laila Richardson – 14.87m, 9. Katina Maclin – 14.71m, 10. Lauren Drew – 13.76m, 13. Olivia Tomko Santos – 11.65m

FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all of the latest on DePaul Cross Country, Track & Field, stay tuned to DePaulBlueDemons.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, and X.





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Lehigh Competes in First Away Meet at Penn Select

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PHILADELPHIA – Lehigh’s men’s track and field team traveled to the University of Pennsylvania for their first away meet of the season, the Penn Select meet.

The competition opened up with field events, where the Mountain Hawks earned multiple personal bests and top performances. Senior Joseph Nowakowski led the way in the shot put, where he threw a personal best distance of 16.21 meters to place second. His throw broke the previous meet record and improved upon his seventh best all-time position on Lehigh’s indoor performance list. First-year Chance Stuart also threw for a personal best in that event. His 14.08-meter throw earned him seventh place. Stuart set a new personal record in the weight throw as well. He threw 16.27 meters, which also earned him a third place finish. Fellow first-year Christian Saparata was not far behind, as he placed fifth due to a personal best throw of 15.11 meters.

Lehigh had more indoor personal best performances in the jumping events. Junior Eli Johnson soared a personal record 4.60 meters to earn fifth place in the pole vault. Jacob Chernin jumped 6.27 meters in the long jump, where the sophomore placed seventh.

In the 60 meters, the Mountain Hawks had two sprinters work their way into the event finals. Sophomore Quinten Slaughter snuck under the seven second mark, running 6.99 to place sixth. Junior Eddie Moore trailed behind him in eighth, finishing in 7.08.

The distance and long-sprinting events featured notable performances across three events. Junior Ryan Baker competed in the 3000 meter, he ran 8:34.01. His seventh place finish was good for a new personal record. Senior Alex Heidemann and junior Aidan LaTourette both ran top times for both this meet and the NCAA as a whole over 800 meters. Heidemann placed fourth overall, and his time of 1:54.28 was the 75th fastest time in the NCAA this season. LaTourette was just behind him in fifth, running a new indoor personal best. He finished in 1:54.71, which is the 86th fastest time in the NCAA this season. Both of these runners were also a part of the 4×400 meter team that placed third. Joined by junior Logan Haverkamp and sophomore Ian Zalewski, the four-man relay crossed the line at 3:25.33

Lehigh next competes next week, when the Mountain Hawks will split their squad. Some of the team will head back to Philadelphia to compete at the Quaker Invitational, while the others stay on campus to compete at the Moravian Blue and Grey Invite at Rauch Fieldhouse.



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Szepieniec, VanZeeland Secure Individual Victories at Minnesota Open

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Milwaukee women’s track & field team competed in its first 2026 competition at the Minnesota Open on Saturday.
 
“The first meet back from winter break always has a mixed bag of results,” said head coach Andrew Basler. “I think most college track coaches would agree that there are challenges losing your team for 2-3 weeks for winter break after spending all fall preparing.” From an effort standpoint, I was happy with what I saw across all events,”
 
Anna Szepieniec picked up right where she left off in 2025, securing a first-place victory in the 60-meter hurdles (8.67).
 
In the 200-meter dash, Szepieniec finished third, clocking a time of 25.39. Katie Burns was right behind her in fourth, crossing the threshold in 25.58. Victoria Evtimov was the third Panther in the top five, securing fifth with a time of 25.68.
 

The Black & Gold swept the podium in the 1-mile race, with Janiyah Taylor (5:22.51) taking the crown followed by Lauren Ripley (5:23.89) and Rohan Flanagan (5:40.25).
 
“Women’s vertical jumps were strong events for us today,” added Basler. “In high jump, after winning the event with a 1.73m clearance, Olivia took 3 good attempts at a school record height of 1.80m. Macy also had a breakthrough jump clearing 1.65m on her first attempt.”
 
Olivia VanZeeland has gone two for two in her high jump appearances this season, finishing first in both outings. VanZeeland cleared 1.73m at the meet held in the Minnesota Fieldhouse, which currently ranks 46th in the NCAA.
 

Success continued for the Black & Gold in the high jump, with Macy Woodward securing a new personal best, jumping 1.65m to finish in fourth for Milwaukee.
 
“In pole vault, our ladies showed the depth we have in that event. Hailey and Emma led the way with solid season opening performances,” Basler said.
 
The pole vault duo of Hailey Soriaga and Emma Johnson turned in successful season-opening outings. Soriaga tied for second with a 3.71m effort and Johnson was not far behind, jumping 3.56m to secure fourth.
 
“We look forward to a focused week of training as we prepare for the Tierney Classic on Sunday, January 18,” Basler concluded.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Panthers will host the annual Tierney Classic in the Klotsche Center on Saturday, January 18. Events will begin at 10:00 a.m.
 





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Panthers Turn In 3 Podium Sweeps at Minnesota Open

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Milwaukee men’s track & field team competed in the Minnesota Open hosted by the University of Minnesota on Saturday in its first meet of 2026.
 
“The first meet back from winter break always has a mixed bag of results,” said head coach Andrew Basler. “I think most college track coaches would agree that there are challenges losing your team for 2-3 weeks for winter break after spending all fall preparing.”
 

The Panthers recorded three podium sweeps on the day, all coming in running events. Four different members of the Black & Gold notched first-place performances as well.
 
In the field, Kyril Griffin provided Milwaukee with an immediate spark to open the day. The sophomore cleared 14.24 meters in the triple jump, earning a second-place finish at the meet hosted inside the Minnesota Fieldhouse. Griffin continued his strong performance in the long jump, where he secured third place with a mark of 6.84 meters. The effort made him the top Panther finisher in the event and marked a new career-best.
 
Ty Bauschelt added to his impressive freshman campaign, taking home third place finishes in the high jump (1.95m) and the 400-meter dash (50.78).
 

The success of the freshmen continued for the Black & Gold with Brendan Vlasak turning in a second-place outing in the 60-meter hurdles. Vlasak clocked a time of 8.47.
 
In the 1-mile race, Harper Fahey (4:23.95), Will Whiteis (4:25.02), and Sam Blascyk (4:42.81) swept the podium going 1,2, and 3. Also claiming the top three podium positions were Zac Schmidt (22.63), Matt Scardina (22.91), and Mason Weaver (23.05) in the 200-meter dash, as well as Alex Anewenter (8:55.67), Aidan Sosnowski (9:02.69), Will Perez (9:41.67) in the 3000-meter run.
 
In the 800-meter dash, Lucas Picco crossed the finish line first in 1:55.64, securing his second first-place finish of the indoor season.
 
“From an effort standpoint, I was happy with what I saw across all events. We look forward to a focused week of training as we prepare for the Tierney Classic on Sunday, January 18,” Basler concluded.
 
UP NEXT

Milwaukee will take a week-long break from competition before returning to action at the annual Tierney Classic, hosted by the Panthers at the Klotsche Center. Events are scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.

 





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Lenes, Kermath take First at Wesleyan Indoor Invite I

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MIDDLETOWN, CT. –  The Wesleyan men’s track and field team opened the 2026 portion of the season at home on Saturday, hosting the Wesleyan Indoor Invite I as the team was led by Alex Kermath ’26 and Bruce Lenes ’26 with first place finishes from inside the Bacon Field House.

RESULTS

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Lenes was a first-place finish in the men’s 1,000m, crossing the finish line with a time of 2:35.73. Placing second was Calum Madigan ’29, running a final 2:47.42.
  • Kermath claimed his top finish in the 3,000m event, finishing with a clocked time of 8:43.90. Placing third was Will Wise ’26 with an 8:51.14.
  • In the mile, Zach Allen ’27 placed second, finishing at 4:27.98 while Noah Mahoney ’27 finished at 4:30.56 in third place.
  • Rami Hayes-Messinger ’26 was a top qualifier in the field events, placing sixth in the weight throw with a final distance of 14.81m.

The Cardinals return to action on Friday, Jan. 16, when they take on the NYC Gotham Cup.
 



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Sullivan Leads Cardinals at Wesleyan Indoor Invite I

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MIDDLETOWN, CT. – Playing host to the Wesleyan Indoor Invite as the first event of the new year, the Wesleyan women’s track and field team saw several top performances as the team was led by Juliette Sullivan ’27 from the Bacon Field House.

RESULTS

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Sullivan nabbed second place in the first track event of the day, clocking in at 7.97 in the 60m dash. Sullivan followed up her performance in the 200m dash, taking first place as she crossed the finish line at 25/97.
  • Kaitlyn Connors ’29 won the women’s mile, finishing just over five minutes with a 5:15.02 final.
  • The Cardinals dominated the 3,000m, finishing with six in the Top 10. Alexandra Simon ’27 led the pack, placing second at 10:43.25. Clare Mahedy ’29 followed to round out the Top 3 with a time of 10:46.58. Margaret Stevens ’27 placed fourth (10:47.19), Nadia Lim ’26 was fifth (11:01.75), Audrey Leff ’29 placed sixth (11:06.49), and Grace Bell ’28 was ninth (11:44.61)
  • In the 1,000m, Genevieve Minard ’28 took third place, tracking in with a time of 3:04.97.
  • At pole vault, Kess Benner placed second with a height of 2.75m.
  • The triple jump saw Alex Neubert ’29 place second with a distance of 10.95m. Katherine Goss ’29 was third at 10.87m.

The Cardinals return to action on Friday, Jan. 10, when they travel to Staten Island for the NYC Gotham Cup.
 



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