MVNU Track & Field ready to Compete at NAIA Indoor Nationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University track and field program is set to have its 2026 indoor national qualifiers compete in the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships at the Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe on March 5-7.
The women's 4x800 meter relay team, consisting of Ashley Yoder, Louisa Hallabrin, Allison Bonito, and Tammy Liplin will be running in prelims on March 5 at 2:45 p.m. The team is seeded at 22nd overall after hitting the NAIA B Standard with a time of 9:30.09. Finals for the event would take place on March 6 at 6:10 p.m.
The men's 4x800 meter relay of Daron Porter, Simon Rohwer, Ryan Lehman, and Evan Hodkinson will also be running on March 5 in prelims, with the action starting at 3:15 p.m. The group is seeded fourth in the nation with an NAIA A Standard mark of 7:36.10. Finals are scheduled for March 6 at 6:25 p.m.
Hodkinson runs for MVNU in the 1000 meter run prelims on March 6 at 4:00 p.m. Hodkinson ran the 12th fastest time in the nation, clocking in with a B Standard time of 2:26.97 at the Crossroads League Indoor Championships on February 20. Finals will take place on March 7 at 2:45 p.m.
Tyler Shipley will wrap up the list of competitors for MVNU in Gainesville. Shipley is set to compete in the pole vault on March 7. The prelims begin at 1:15 p.m. with finals to follow. Shipley is currently tied for the second-best vault in the nation, hitting an A Standard mark of 4.90m.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,200 students from 36 states, 1 U.S. commonwealth and 41 foreign countries.