MILWAUKEE – The Horizon League announced its Preseason Poll for the 2025 Outdoor Track & Field season with the Milwaukee men tabbed to finish second, with the Panther women selected third as predicted by the league's head coaches.
 
MEN- SECOND
 
The men's team received 56 points in the poll and one first-place vote, trailing only the Youngstown State with 63 points with seven first-place votes.
 
The team wrapped up its indoor season by finishing second at the Horizon League Championships. The Panthers were led at the meet by a pair of award winners as Bryant McLaughlin earned Co-Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet after winning the high jump with Anthony Buford taking Freshman Field Athlete of the Year after his career-best long jump of 7.20m earning him second at the championship meet.
 
Jaelyn Reeves-Lile will be looking to carry over an incredible indoor season into the spring campaign. This winter saw the sophomore break the schools 60m dash record on three occasions and added on records in both the 200m and 300m dashes as well. His season culminated at the league meet where he won the title in the 200m dash and took home the runner-up finish in the 60m dash.
 
Last year's decathlon champion Liam Richards is fresh off his second-straight heptathlon title to end the indoor season and will be back to defend his crown this outdoor season.  
 
WOMEN- THIRD
 
The women took the third spot in the preseason poll, receiving 85 points and one first-place vote, just two behind second-place Purdue Fort Wayne (87) and five points behind Youngstown State (90).
 
After the indoor season finished with Milwaukee taking third at the Horizon League Championships. The standout for the Panthers all winter was the Horizon League Women's Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year Anelise Egge, who closed her season winning Outstanding Running Performer of the Meet at the league championships.
 
Throughout the indoor season, Egge broke two program records, first resetting her own record in the mile run at 4:47.25 and taking down a 3000m run record that had stood since 1983 with a time of 9:33.27. She ended her season as the Horizon League Champion in the mile run while finishing runner-up in both the 800m and 3000m runs.
 
Entering the spring as the two-time league 60m champion, Dominique Thomas will look to bring that success to the outdoor season. She finished second in the 100m dash at the 2023 league championships, Thomas will look to stake her claim as the top sprinter in the Horizon League.
 
Searching for a second straight league title in the heptathlon, Anna Szepieniec is coming off a terrific indoor campaign capped off by winning the pentathlon at the championship meet. Her performance of 3,864 points in the event breaking both the school record and the Indoor League Championship Meet record. She showcased her versatility all season including a career-best long jump of 5.97m ranking as the second-best in program history, while her time in the 60m hurdles at 8.65 places her in a tie for fifth all-time at MKE.
 
UP NEXT
 
Several runners for the Panthers open the outdoor season at North Carolina State's Raleigh Relays from Mar. 27-29 in Raleigh, N.C. Milwaukee will also have athletes competing at Illinois State's Redbird Challenge taking place from Mar. 28-29 in Normal, Ill.
 
2025 Under Armour Men's #HLTF Outdoor Preseason Poll 
Pl. Team (First-place votes) – Points
1. Youngstown State (7) – 63
2. Milwaukee (1) – 56
3. Oakland - 47
4. Purdue Fort Wayne – 42
5. Detroit Mercy - 28
T6. IU Indy – 21
T6. Northern Kentucky – 21
8. Wright State - 10
 
 
2025 Under Armour Women's #HLTF Outdoor Preseason Poll 
Pl. Team (First-place votes) – Points
1. Youngstown State (9) – 90
2. Purdue Fort Wayne – 87
3. Milwaukee (1) – 85
4. Oakland – 70
5. Robert Morris - 58
6. Northern Kentucky – 50
7. Cleveland State - 33
8. IU Indy – 27
9. Wright State - 25
10. Detroit Mercy – 17