NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Wagner is set to round out its season at the 2026 NEC Outdoor Championship, wrapping up the team's first season under head coach Marvin Azor.
Outdoor season has been a steady build towards the championships, with the Rutgers Relays, Rider Invitational and Penn Relays in the month of April priming the Seahawks for the team scoring effort required at the conference championship.
2026 in Review
Freshman Noah Grant has been the star of the season, three times earning both NEC Track Athlete of the Week and Rookie of the Week across indoor and outdoor season. He was named Most Valuable Rookie for the indoor championship after winning gold in the 200m. At the Rutgers Relays, Grant set a new, 21.09-second program record in the 200m.
Azor's jumpers have been massive this season, with junior Jack Mason breaking the program long jump record twice in the month of April. Junior Khalid Brown and sophomore Ty Lawless have been right behind Mason the entire season, a strong trio that can be counted on to perform well each weekend.
Senior Julio Martinez made his return to the NEC Indoor Championships after competing just four times that season, returning from injury to defend his title. He looks to do the same for outdoor season, currently the winner of two consecutive pole vault titles.
Senior throwers Franklin Simms and Christopher Milillo have each come up big for the Seahawks in the past, a pair that can be counted on to put team points on the board.
Freshman Ersell McCullen and senior Dante Rodney have each steadily competed in the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles, respectively, with each leading the team times in their events. Both will be key contributors for the Seahawks across sprint events and relays.
The 2025 Championships
Wagner finished fourth at the 2025 NEC Outdoor Championships, tallying 96.5 team points and earning three individual golds. The Seahawks return each of those gold medalists this season.
Then-junior Julio Martinez won pole vault with a 4.75-meter clearance and earned Co-Most Outstanding Field Performer. Another junior coming up strong for Wagner last year, Christopher Milillo added ten points to Wagner's team total with a 59.65-meter hammer throw to take gold. On Sunday, Franklin Simms beat out second place by almost five meters, winning discus with a 52.52-meter throw.
Freshman Julio Tatis, competing in his first collegiate track & field season as a two-sport student-athlete who plays football in the fall, won silver in the 400m and finished fifth in the 200m. Wagner returns three from its 4x800 relay team that won bronze in 2025 with a 7:49.32 time.
Meet Information
This season's meet is hosted by CCSU in New Britain, Connecticut at the Blue Devils' CCSU Track & Field Stadium. The two-day meet will begin Saturday, May 2 and conclude Sunday, May 3 with finals and an awards ceremony.
Saturday will primarily feature preliminary track events, but will also include finals in the 10,000m and 4x800 relays. In the field events, Saturday will feature finals in javelin throw, long jump, pole vault and hammer throw.
Sunday will feature finals in each track event, with the day wrapping up with the 4x400 relays before the closing ceremony, scheduled for 4:45 p.m. EDT. In the field events, the men have finals in triple jump, discus, high jump and shot put.
The meet will stream on NEC Front Row each day.
