VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Feb. 22, 2026) — The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) officially launched the 2026 Indoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday morning at the Virginia Beach Sports Center, as student-athletes from across the conference set their sights on championship glory.

The Delaware State Hornets opened the championships with momentum on Saturday morning, setting the tone early by climbing to second place on the men's leader board with 43 points, trailing only Norfolk State (52.5).

On the women's side, freshman Rebecca Jansen made an immediate impact, cruising to a third-place finish in the 3000 meters while setting a DSU school record with a time of 10:18.01. The quartet of Jansen, Kahlia Smith, Mileah Cotton, and Merasia Johnson added valuable points with a fifth-place finish in the Distance Medley Relay. Miriam Childubem showcased her speed in the women's 400 meters, winning her heat with a time of 56.90.

In the field, Kirja Hickman powered her way through the Weight Throw, recording a mark of 14.62 meters to establish a new HBCU ranking.

On the men's side, Marian Drazan turned in another strong showing, securing second place in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:22.24, followed closely by Lekan Sotonwa, who placed fifth in 8:28.24.
Ian Cain added to the Hornets' scoring effort in the 800 meters, posting a third-place finish in his heat with a time of 1:53.38.

The Hornets delivered a statement performance in the Distance Medley Relay, as Drazan, Cain, Sotonwa, and Keith Jenerette captured gold, knocking off defending champions Norfolk State.

In the men's field events, Christopher Johnson dominated the Weight Throw, leading the field with a mark of 16.63 meters to earn his first MEAC gold medal. Ja'Mari Manson closed out the day for Delaware State with  second-place finish in the High Jump, clearing 2.05 meters.

Up Next: The Hornets look to build on their momentum when the championships resume Sunday afternoon at 12:00pm