ASHLAND, Ohio – The West Virginia Wesleyan College men's and women's track and field teams delivered a strong and balanced performance Friday and Saturday at the 2026 Ashland Jud Logan Light Giver Invitational, competing against a deep field of Division I, Division II, and regional programs inside the Niss Athletic Center.
The Bobcats captured an event title, earned a runner-up finish, and posted several competitive marks across sprints, middle distance, distance, hurdles, and field events as the indoor season moves closer to championship competition.
On the men's side, junior Michael Hansford led the way with an event victory in the triple jump, winning the competition with a leap of 14.65 meters (48-0.75). Hansford secured the winning mark early in the competition and held off the field through finals to claim the title. He also competed in the long jump, recording a mark of 6.15 meters (20-2.25).
Royell Salmon competed in the Elite section of the long jump and delivered a strong performance of 6.68 meters (21-11.00), finishing seventh in one of the most competitive field events of the weekend.
In the sprints, Lucas Anderson represented Wesleyan in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash, clocking 6.90 in the 60 meter prelims, then improving in the finals placing third with a time of 6.87. In the 200 meters, Anderson clocked in at 23.88 for a second top 10 finish.
In the hurdles, Reese Farquharson clocked 9.25 in the 60-meter hurdles, while Connor Casto followed closely in 9.32. Casto also added a mark of 11.78 meters (38-7.75) in the triple jump.
The men's distance squad was represented in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Anthony Sanders competed in the 3,000-meter run, crossing the line in 8:45.08 in a competitive distance field. Erik Nygaard represented Wesleyan in the 5,000-meter run, finishing in 15:10.18 to give the Bobcats a top 10 finish in the longest event contested at the meet. Nygaard also competed in the mile on the second day, finishing in a time of 4:28.13.
On the women's side, senior Marimo Akita delivered one of the top track performances of the weekend, finishing second in the 400-meter Open in 1:00.46. Her strong closing stretch secured the runner-up finish in a competitive section. Taryn Veltri followed with a time of 1:03.03 in the same event.
In the short sprints, Darianne Christian clocked 8.16 in the 60-meter dash before posting 26.37 in the 200 meters. Destiney Barnette added times of 8.33 in the 60 and 27.54 in the 200 to provide additional depth in the sprint group.
Wesleyan found success in the middle distance events as Dakota Johnson placed seventh overall in the 800 meters with a time of 2:19.60, while Reyna Headley followed in 2:21.10 in the same race.
In the mile, Lindsey Dillon turned in a strong performance of 5:05.85 while competing in a loaded field. The Bobcats were also represented in the 3,000 meters by Mariam Al-Zoubi, who finished in 10:27.21, and Sofia Pancoast, who crossed in 11:27.88.
Across both programs, West Virginia Wesleyan demonstrated competitive balance and continued progression against high-level regional competition. With a triple jump title, a runner-up finish on the track, and strong performances across multiple event groups, the Bobcats continue building momentum as the Mountain East Conference Indoor Championships approach.
West Virginia Wesleyan returns to action next weekend back at Youngstown State University in their YSU Last Chance Meet for its final tune-up before the MEC conference championship.
