St. Edward's modern track and field program began its first season in 2021, gradually evolving from an extension of the university's cross-country program into a comprehensive program that now incorporates sprints, hurdles, and jumps. 
 
Building the program is a never-ending relay race, only a year removed from its first four-year graduates passing the baton to the next generation. In this first leg of the race, the Hilltoppers continue to build a strong foundation. 
 
"This has been a huge growing season for us. We started track and field four years ago and continue to add to the program, filling out different events and disciplines," St. Edward's head track & field coach Steven Cary says. "We competed in our first indoor season and continued to set records across the board this year, so it's an exciting time to be a part of the program." 
 
St. Edward's record books remain in a constant state of revision, though one constant is AUDREY WISTAIN, who broke barriers by leaping over them as the Hilltoppers' first hurdler. 
 
Wistain leaves St. Edward's as the women's program record-holder in the indoor 60-meter hurdles, outdoor 100-meter hurdles, and a share of the 4x100-meter relay record. It's the type of legacy that might be overwritten in the record books one day, but never erased from the foundations of what the program will eventually become. 
 
"Audrey has worked so hard over the past few years. She started her career ranked outside the top 10 in her first Outdoor LSC Championships and placed seventh, then got back to her ways and did the same thing in her first Indoor LSC Championships," Cary says. "She continued to break down barriers while mentoring the younger women, and it's satisfying to see the good things Myosia Virgin, Mary-Kate Havens, and KARLY WEYAND, who set the 400-meter hurdles school record, were doing alongside Audrey's leadership."
 
Sprinter HAILEY RODRIGUEZ also wrapped up a program-defining career, anchoring the sprints unit with school records in the indoor 200, 400, 4x400 relay (Rodriguez, Weyand, DELANEY LONG, and YAMILA CARTWRIGHT), and a share of the distance medley relay (Long, Rodriguez, JULIANA MERLO, and MIA RIVERA). She also set outdoor records in the 200, 400, and 4x400 relay, sharing the latter with Weyand, SARAH WILLSON, and Cartwright to place seventh at the conference meet.
 
"Hailey's growth since her freshman year has been phenomenal," Cary says. "She lit up the track in the 400 and all the work started translating to other events outside of her strengths and built a solid foundation."
 
The Hilltoppers still have a cadre of talented sprinters, getting record performances from JASMINE COOKE in the Indoor 60-meter dash, the outdoor 100-meter dash, and sharing the outdoor 4x100 relay record with Weyand, Cartwright, and Wistain, placing sixth at the LSC Championships. 
 
"Hailey, Yamila, and Jasmine are foundational when it comes to setting the tone for future student-athletes who come through here," Cary exclaims. "They're setting the bar high with the work they put in on a daily basis. It hasn't always been a smooth progression, but the work they've put in over the years has paid off in their own personal growth and in attracting more talent to the program." 
 
St. Edward's mid- and long-distance runners continue to pace the Hilltoppers behind a core junior class led by MIA RIVERA and JULIANA MERLO, who continue to trade off school records in their respective and overlapping events. 
 
"You can't tell the story of the season without mentioning Mia, who broke the 5K record twice and finished seventh in the conference. The first time she did it, she competed only an hour after setting the school's 1,500-meter record," Cary says. "Then she came back at the next event and broke the 5K record again. She continues to set new standards, first in cross country, then setting program indoor track records in the mile and 3K, along with her 5K record." 
 
Merlo broke Rivera's 1,500 record in the penultimate meet of the season, set a new program standard in the indoor 800, and combined with Rivera, Long, and Rodriguez to obliterate the program's indoor distance medley relay record. CAROLINE WILDRICK ends her career as the program's record-holder in the outdoor 3K and 10K, and JORDAN SANDERS holds the indoor 5K record.
 
"Juliana, Mia, Delaney, and Sarah continue to lead the way with their consistency. Then, you have SAMMY SALAZAR and BRYN PETERS right behind them. Our mid-distance group is strong," Cary says. "In long distances, Wildrick, Sanders, and SYDNEY SMITH have been a constant the past four years. This is a group that's sent a lot of women to compete at the LSC Championships every year." 
 
St. Edward's graduates several record holders with several others ready for their final lap as seniors next year, but for a burgeoning program, there's always someone new to carry the torch and program forward.