ALLIANCE, Ohio - The Malone University men's and women's track & field teams were in action for the first time in the 2025-26 season on Saturday at the Toy Drive Invite, hosted by the University of Mount Union. The Pioneers won four events despite a limited roster in action and set several new top-ten marks in program history.
 
Malone had a fantastic showing in the men's 60-meter dash. Phil Stupka nearly broke the school record with his race-winning time of 6.89 seconds, the second-best time in program history. Third-place finisher Danny Milburn is now seventh after he placed third with a time of 7.01 seconds.
 
In the women's 60-meter dash, Allea Graves moved up to fourth in program history with a time of 7.93 seconds. She won that event, as well as the 200-meter dash at 26.28 seconds. In the men's 200-meter dash, Bryant Thompson led Malone with a time of 22.70 seconds (second in the event). The freshman Thompson was also fifth in the long jump at 6.20 meters (20' 4.25").
 
The final event win for the Pioneers came from Otani Ekpe. Ekpe was victorious in the 60-meter hurdles, and his preliminary time of 8.43 seconds is now the ninth-best mark in program history. Ekpe was also the top finisher in the 400-meter run in third (52.25 seconds).
 
The final top-ten mark was set by Gavin Tribelo in the shot put. His runner-up score of 15.70 meters (51' 6.25") is fourth all-time and he was also a team-best seventh in the weight throw (13.72 meters / 45' 0.25").
 
Isabelle Perry led Malone women throwers with a fifth in the shot put (11.13 meters / 36' 6.25") and 13th in the weight throw (11.95 meters / 39' 2.50"). Megan Reifsnyder was tenth in the long jump with a score of 4.53 meters (14' 10.50").
 
The Pioneers will rest for the holiday season and return to action in the spring semester beginning on Saturday, January 24. The team will take part in the SPIRE Midwest Classic in Geneva, Ohio.