WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University men's and women's indoor track & field teams head to Huntington this weekend for the 2026 Mountain East Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, hosted at the Jeff Small Track inside the Chris Cline Athletic Complex on the campus of Marshall University.

Competition begins Saturday, February 21 and concludes Sunday, February 22, with conference titles, podium finishes, and All-MEC honors on the line.

"I'm very excited for the men's and women's teams to compete this weekend," said head coach Michael Trax. "They've put in a lot of hard work and effort throughout this season and this is where the training pays off. It will be great to see our returners perform at their highest level again and also the newcomers competing at their first MEC Championship."

Championship Format

The two-day meet features combined events, field event finals, preliminary heats, and championship finals across all track disciplines.

Saturday Highlights

• Men's Heptathlon begins at 11:00 a.m.
   

• Women's Pentathlon begins at 11:20 a.m.
   

• Distance events including the 5,000 meters
   

• Sprint preliminaries in the 60m, 200m, 400m, and hurdles
   

• Distance Medley Relays to close the evening
   

Sunday Highlights

• Heptathlon concludes with the 1,000 meters
   

• Field event finals throughout the day (pole vault, high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, weight throw)
   

• Track finals begin at 4:10 p.m. with the Mile
   

• Championship races in the 60m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 3,000m
   

• 4x400 meter relays cap the meet
   

• Awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m.
   

What to Watch

The MEC Championships provide the Hilltoppers with their biggest stage of the indoor season. With scoring opportunities across sprints, distance, jumps, throws, and multi-events, depth will be key for both squads.

On the Track

West Liberty will look for strong performances in:

• Short sprints (60m & 200m)
   

• 400m and 800m
   

• Distance events (3,000m and 5,000m)
   

• Relay races, including the Distance Medley and 4x400
   

The prelim-to-final format in sprint and hurdle events makes qualifying critical on Saturday night before championship races Sunday afternoon.

In the Field

Points will also be available in:

• Pole Vault
   

• High Jump
   

• Long Jump & Triple Jump
   

• Shot Put & Weight Throw
  
  
  
  
  
  West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.