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LUBBOCK, Texas – The Abilene Christian track and field teams will head to the Sports Performance Center on the Texas Tech University campus to compete in the Corky Classic this Friday and Saturday. The ACU men enter 2026 following a fifth-place finish at the Western Athletic Conference\u00a0Indoor Championships, scoring 61 points. The Wildcat women also placed fifth\u00a0at the WAC indoor meet, with 50 points scored.<\/p>\n
The Wildcat women have 21 athletes returning from the 2025 roster, of which 11 scored at either the indoor or outdoor championship. Of those 11 scorers from last year, there are seven entered in Lubbock \u2013 Hana Banks<\/a>, Jalyn Childers<\/a>, Sterling Glenn<\/a>, Nele Huth<\/a>, Natalie Poe<\/a>, Emma Santoro<\/a> and Gracee Whiteaker<\/a>. Two additional returnees who didn’t score last year at the WAC Championships are also entered \u2013 Lola Buentello<\/a> and Mariana Van Dyk<\/a>, with Van Dyk particularly primed for a breakout season.<\/p>\n The Wildcat women’s team also will benefit from a huge influx of new talent this year \u2013 18 athletes who did not compete for ACU last year. Of these 18 newcomers, 12 are entered in Lubbock \u2013 transfers Chianel Asobureunwu and Chloe McLellan<\/a>; 2025 redshirt Skyla Riedel<\/a>; plus freshmen Mackenzie Flaugher<\/a>, Lauren Foxworth<\/a>, Halle Gunter<\/a>, Madelyn McFadden<\/a>, Morgan Morris<\/a>, Cierra Tilley, Anna Vyn<\/a>, Kee’Lani Whitlock<\/a> and Neriah Williams<\/a>.<\/p>\n The ACU men have 12 men returning from the 2025 roster, including WAC decathlon champion Canaan Fairley<\/a>. Of the 12 returnees, nine will compete at the Corky Classic \u2013 Mark Barajas<\/a>, Benjamin Castro<\/a>, Fairley, Miguel Hall<\/a>, Ethan Krause<\/a>, Vincent Luffey<\/a>, Donovan Ramirez<\/a>, Rylan Smart<\/a> and Andruw Villa<\/a>. All nine of the returnees who will compete for the Wildcats in Lubbock scored at the WAC – indoors, outdoors or both.<\/p>\n The Wildcat men also have a large influx of new track and field talent on board this year, with 13 athletes who did not compete for ACU in 2025 on the 2026 roster. Of those 13 newcomers, eight are competing at the Corky Classic \u2013 transfers Durrell Collins, Nickens Lemba<\/a>\u00a0and Rhet Punt<\/a>; 2025 redshirt Ryan McMeen<\/a> and freshmen Arthur “AJ” Jenkins, Evan Martin<\/a>, Abraham Olufemi-Dada<\/a>\u00a0and Jaylen Thomas<\/a>. The ACU coaches will begin to see this weekend the impact the newcomers will have on the team in 2026.<\/p>\n The Corky Classic will sport a sterling field this year \u2013 with Big 12 teams Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, TCU and host Texas Tech; other Division I\u00a0programs like Texas A&M\u00a0and Texas, plus Division I schools New Mexico State, Northwestern State, Purdue, SMU and WAC colleague Tarleton State will journey to Lubbock. Also joining the field are Division II\u00a0powerhouses West Texas A&M, Angelo State and Lubbock Christian. The field will be rounded out by some of the strongest junior college programs in the country \u2013 Barton County CC, New Mexico JC, Odessa College, South Plains College and Western Texas College.<\/p>\n The Corky Classic commences on Friday at 3 p.m. with the women’s weight throw, with running beginning at 4 p.m. with the 60 hurdles prelims (the 60 and 60 hurdles will both be contested on Friday night). Saturday begins at 11 a.m. with the women’s shot put and the women’s 200 meters.<\/p>\n