MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The Montevallo Track and Field programs are set to open the 2026 indoor season this weekend, competing in the UAB Blazer Invite (Jan. 9) and UAB Vulcan Invite (Jan. 10) at the Birmingham Crossplex.
The Falcons are slated to compete three other weekends during the indoor season, which include meets hosted by Samford (Jan. 15-17) and UAB (Feb. 6-7), before competing in the Gulf South Conference Indoor Championships (Feb. 19-20). All indoor meets are set to take place in the Birmingham Crossplex.
Montevallo Men
The Montevallo men return multiple key pieces that helped the Falcons secure a third-place finish at the GSC Indoor Championships last season. Notable returners include Austin Abney who was named GSC Most Outstanding Freshman and GSC Freshman of the Year, along with Walter Womack who was named GSC Most Outstanding Track Performer. Abney had a stellar freshman season, closing the indoor season by placing first overall in the Pole Vault (4.30m/14' 1.25") and third in the Heptathlon (4449 points) at the conference meet. Womack had a solid showing at the GSC Indoor Championships, garnering podium finishes in the 60m (1st – 6.88), 200m (2nd – 21.73), and 4x400m Relay (3rd – 3:17.34). The Falcons return all four All-GSC Indoor performers which include Abney, Womack, Eran Foye Jr., and Slate Rohrer. Abney and Womack also captured USTFCCCA All-Region honors.
The Falcons also return Drew Cheslock who set a new indoor program record in the 400m, clocking in at 49.52. Preston Bennett is one of the notable throwers to return, after a solid junior indoor season where he set a new personal record in the Weight throw (14.30m) and placed fourth in the Shot Put at the GSC Championships.
Montevallo Women
The Montevallo women return multiple key returners that helped the Falcons earn a third-place finish at the GSC Indoor Championships last season. Notable returners on the women's side include McKenna Jackson and Leah Dendy who received USTFCCCA All-Region honors at the conclusion of last year's indoor season. Both Falcons performed well at the GSC Indoor Championships, as Jackson placed third in the Shot Put with a distance of 12.53m and Dendy placed third in the Pole Vault with a height of 3.60m. Returners Khila Corrothers and Farrah Hawkins also secured podium finishes at last year's GSC Indoor Championships. Corrothers set a new indoor program record, clocking in at 7.78 to place third in the 60m. Hawkins earned a third-place finish in the Triple Jump with a jump of 10.76m.
The Falcons also return seniors, Elizabeth Hayhurst and Sarah Turner. Hayhurst set a personal record in the High Jump at the GSC Indoor Championships, as she placed fifth with a height of 1.55m. Turner also had a solid showing at the conference meet, which included a seventh place finish in the Mile, as she clocked in with a PR time of 5:14.51.
Action at the Birmingham Crossplex is set to start at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.
