Wheeling, W. Va. – The 2025-2026 season was a year of transition for the Wheeling University Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field teams. With a new Head Coach and a slew of young talented freshman up and down the roster, the Cardinals had their ups and downs throughout the year as they learned college track & field. On Wednesday, the team released their 2026-2027 Indoor Track & Field schedule, as they continue to grow on their first year of experience across seven events leading up to the 2027 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Indoor Track & Field Championships.
The 2025-2026 season began a new era for the Wheeling Indoor Track & Field with a new Head Coach and a young roster consisting of mostly freshmen and sophomores. The Cardinals would battle across a schedule that included events across all three levels of the NCAA, with the young Cardinals having their share of ups and downs. It began with a top ten finish for the multis at the Findlay Oiler Open, and the success continued throughout the year. The Cardinals would enter the MEC Championships with nine athletes in the top three of their respective events, including the MEC leader in both the Men's and Women's Pole Vault. As they got to the MEC Championships, the individual success would continue, with the team taking home two All-MEC honors, including an MEC Championship in the Men's Pole Vault for freshman Alex Rodriguez, to close out the season.
As they head into the 2026-2027 season, the Cardinals will split up for the first time in their opening event before Christmas break. Half of the team will be competing at the Findlay Oiler Open, running December 3 and 4, while the rest of the team heads to the Wittenberg Tiger Open on December 5. It gives the chance for the multis to compete for the first time during the season, while the rest of the athletes get the chance to make their first marks in their events. The team then heads into their Christmas break before beginning the final five-event stretch leading up to the MEC Indoor Track & Field Championships. The team comes back on January 16, when they compete at the Muskie Meet #1 to start the 2027 portion of their schedule.
The final stretch will challenge the young Cardinals, with each of their final four events coming against NCAA DI competition. It starts with the first of two events at Kent State on January 23 with the Jud Logan Invitational. A week later, the Cardinals will head to Youngstown State for the YSU Mid Major, running January 29 & 30, before heading back to Kent State on February 6 & 7 for the Doug Raymond Open. Their final tune-up for the 2027 MEC Indoor Track & Field Championships will happen at the sight of that championship event, when the team heads to the Marshall Jewel City Invitational on February 12. Postseason play then begins on February 20 and 21 when they head to the 2027 MEC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Marshall University. The Cardinals will look to rise above their ranking from last season and continue their individual success.
The Wheeling University Indoor Track & Field team kicks off their season on Thursday, December 3 when they head to the Findlay Oiler Open.
