MILWAUKEE – The Horizon League released the 2026 Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll, with both the men's and women's teams picked to finish second by the league's head coaches.
 
MEN SECOND
 
The men received 56 points including one first-place vote, trailing only Youngstown State who accumulated 63 points with seven first-place votes.
 
The Panthers are coming off a runner-up finish at the Horizon League Indoor Championships hosted by Youngstown State. Ty Bauschelt was a standout for the Black & Gold, taking home the 400-meter title with his 47.77 performance. Bauschelt, along with Karsten Grundahl, Matt Scardina, and Zac Schmidt, secured the 4x400-meter relay title while running the fourth-fastest time in school history.
 
Josh Cygan is coming off an indoor title in the weight throw. In his final throw of the championships, Cygan recorded a personal-best toss of 17.83 meters to claim the top spot on the podium. In his freshman outdoor season, Cygan was crowned the 2025 Horizon League Discus Champion.
 
Another top performer for the Panthers is Anthony Buford, who climbed to third on the Panther top-10 rankings in the indoor long jump this season. A year ago, Buford earned both Horizon League Indoor and Outdoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year honors. He also took the outdoor long jump title in 2025.
 
WOMEN SECOND
 
The women earned 91 points in the preseason poll with one first-place nod, trailing Youngstown State who received 99 points with nine first-place votes.
 
Anna Szepieniec is coming off a dominant junior indoor campaign which was capped off with Alfreeda Goff Women's Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors. At the Horizon League Championships, she won the pentathlon (championships and program record), triple jump, and long jump (tied the championships record). She was later recognized as the Women's Championships Outstanding Field Performer. Szepieniec remains a familiar face in the Panther top-10 rankings, holding spots in the long jump (first), pentathlon (first), 60-meter hurdles (second), 200-meter (third), and triple jump (fifth).
 
Receiving Women's Field Freshman of the Meet honors at the Horizon League Indoor Championships was Nevia Levenhagen after earning key points for the Panthers in the long jump and triple jump. She currently ranks second in program history in the long jump after a 6.18-meter leap at DePaul's Blue Demon Alumni Classic.
 
Olivia VanZeeland kicked off her senior campaign with a dominant indoor season in the high jump. She won the event four times including taking the title at the Horizon League Indoor Championships with her 1.73-meter clearance. VanZeeland is also the reigning outdoor champion in the high jump.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Panthers will begin their outdoor season in Raleigh, N.C. when they compete in the Raleigh Relays hosted by NC State Mar. 26-28.
 
2026 Under Armour Men's #HLTF Outdoor Preseason Poll 
Pl. Team (First-place votes) – Points
1. Youngstown State (7) – 63
2. Milwaukee (1) – 56
3. Purdue Fort Wayne – 49 
4. Oakland – 39 
5. Northern Kentucky – 32 
6. Wright State – 20 
7. Detroit Mercy – 18 
8. IU Indianapolis – 11 
 
2026 Under Armour Women's #HLTF Outdoor Preseason Poll 
Pl. Team (First-place votes) – Points
1. Youngstown State (9) – 99
2. Milwaukee (1) – 91
3. Purdue Fort Wayne – 80
4. RMU – 67
5. Oakland – 59 
6. Northern Kentucky – 54
7. Detroit Mercy – 38 
8. Cleveland State – 27 
9. Wright State – 20 
10. IU Indianapolis – 15