St. Edward's men's track and field completed its fifth season of competition with another year of new school records, an expanded roster, and new events. Although building a track and field program from the ground up is more like a marathon than a sprint, the Hilltopper sprinters are developing a solid foundation for the program. 
 
Junior TYRIQ WILSON posted a breakthrough season, setting program records in the indoor track & field 60-meter dash (7.18), and outdoor 100-meter dash (10.81), 200-meter dash (21.30), and 400-meter dash (48.70). Wilson's outdoor times in the 100, 200, and 400 rank 22nd, 12th, and 24th in the LSC this season, and 19th in the indoor 200-meter dash. 
 
"Tyriq has grown into his own. He popped off in the 200 at Texas State for a school record (21.30), and it's such a joy to watch him blaze around the track," Cary exclaims. "He's tapping into the potential we saw when we brought him here and performing well in everything from the 100 to 400, setting the tone for our team, and is a vocal leader and energetic person who brings a level of focus to competition days that's great for our younger guys to observe."
 
Wilson and fellow junior JORDON CHAPPELL have pushed each other on the track and in the record books the past few years, continuing that trend until Chappell was sidelined for the spring outdoor season. Chappell broke two St. Edward's indoor track records at the LSC Championships, setting new standards in the 200 (21.81) and 400 (48.64).
 
The duo combined with CRISTIAN MENDOZA and MARCUS AGUINALDO to set the program's 4x400 relay record (3:17.67) at the Indoor Track & Field LSC Championships. Wilson also joined GEORGE SHELTON, ANDRE MOORE, and Mendoza to set a new men's 4x100 relay record (41.24) at the LSC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, placing sixth.
 
"One of the unique things about this season is the continued growth of our sprints and hurdles groups," St. Edward's head track and field coach Steven Cary says. "This is the third year we've competed in those events, and it's been a fun evolution to watch over the year. Coach [Antwain Morgan] and Linsey [Montgomery] have done a great job of developing people." 
 
The Hilltoppers also added new events with ISAAC KIM and DAVID MARQUEZ stepping in as the first men's hurdles and jumps competitors. 
 
"Isaac came in last year and trained a little bit as our first men's hurdler and has done a fantastic job," Cary says. He owns it, he loves it, and his energy and personality are contagious." 
 
St. Edward's senior mid and long-distance groups opened the indoor track season strong, getting an indoor 3K record (8:33.82) from DYLAN SEQUEIRA in the first meet, and a winter record in the 800 (1:54.16) set by sophomore HOGAN HEIKKINEN. 
 
However, the Hilltoppers were a victim of their academic success in some ways, losing distance runners IVAN GUZMAN and OMAR GUZMAN to early graduation after the two brothers and Sequeira led the cross-country team to its best season in modern program history. Sequira missed the spring semester with a myriad of injuries. 
 
In their absence, senior WILLIE ODEM stepped up in the mid-distance events, holding the fort with solid performances in the 800 and 1,500, alongside underclassmen JAVIER TILLERO, JOSIAH GUAJARDO, BRADEN COX, and Archie Chesler. 
 
"From a mid-distance standpoint, it's a group that's been established for quite some time and remains solid. This year, it was a good combination of senior leadership and youth," Cary says. "WILLIE ODEM continued our strong tradition of mid-distance runners, and our young guys are coming along and aspire to be great runners." 
 
Heikkinen earned LSC All-Academic Team honors in his first Indoor track & field season, but took a redshirt season in the spring. Without the Guzmans, Sequiera, or Heikkinen, freshman ARLO GONZALES led the way with newcomer Ben Bayly also earning points for the team during the indoor track & field season. 
 
"Arlo and Ben scored some points for us in the 5K, and it was exciting to see the tenacity they raced with. They were really fighting out there," Cary says. "The distance side has been a foundation of this program, and Arlo continues that tradition with some freshman record, almost breaking 15 minutes in the 5K, and posting one of our fastest 10K times. He runs with a lot of confidence." 
 
Building on the success of the first five seasons, St. Edward's track and field program is growing by leaps and bounds, as well as sprints, hurdles, and distance running.