Youngstown State Earns 2026 Indoor #HLTF Titles

Youngstown State Earns 2026 Indoor #HLTF Titles

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Matt St. Charles

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (March 1, 2026) – The 2026 Indoor #HLTF Championships concluded with Youngstown State raising trophies. The Penguins won their 11th men’s title in a row while the women won their fourteenth women’s championship in program history.
 
  • The day began with the final three events of the heptathlon, culminating with Brandon Hutchinson of Youngstown State taking first place with a final score of 4,979 points.
  • In the field events, Wright State’s Thomas Cook won the men’s high jump with a height of 2.06m. The women’s high jump went to Olivia VanZeeland of Milwaukee, who cleared 1.73m.
  • In the triple jump, Youngstown State’s Brayden Green earned the top spot in the men’s event by reaching a distance of 14.69m. Anna Szepieniec of Milwaukee won the women’s event for the third time with a mark of 12.04m.
  • Rounding out the field events, Youngstown State’s Jaden Kirkwood won the men’s shot put with a distance of 17.88m. Lyla Mullins of Detroit Mercy claimed the women’s shot put, recording a distance of 14.80m.
  • The running events kicked off with the mile, which saw the women’s event go to McKinley Fielding of Youngstown State with a Horizon League championship record-breaking time of 4:46.64. Luke Shappell of IU Indianapolis was crowned the men’s mile champion with a time of 4:10.78.
  • Next was the 60 meter hurdles where a pair of Youngstown State runners claimed the titles, as Micah Mitchell ran a time of 7.88, followed by Lea Parham’s 8.32 time.
  • In the 400m, Lillian Hurd of Purdue Fort Wayne earned the top spot for the women by breaking a Horizon League Championship record with a time of 54.50, while Ty Bauschelt of Milwaukee placed first for the men with a time of 47.77.
  • The 60m dash champion was Harmony Johnson of Purdue Fort Wayne on the women’s side with a time of 7.57. On the men’s side, Youngstown State’s Jake Mcentyre claimed first place with a time of 6.88.
  • Following the 60m dash was the 800m, which saw Olivia Kennedy of Northern Kentucky take first in the women’s event with a time of 2:10.88. Trenton Shutters of Youngstown State won the men’s race by running a time of 1:52.20.
  • In the 200m dash, Cameron Bitterman of Northern Kentucky claimed the top of the podium with a time of 24.35. The men’s 200m dash crown went to Youngstown State’s Jake Mcentyre, recording a time of 21.86.
  • The top of the women’s 3000m podium went to Samantha Hennen of RMU with a time of 9:30.81. For the men’s 3000m, first place went to Northern Kentucky’s Natnael Wedlemichael, who won for the second time with a time of 8:14.77.
  • In the final event of the meet, the 4x400m relays, Purdue Fort Wayne’s Lillian Hurd, Sanayah Ruffin, Lena James and Amelie Mach won the women’s race with a Horizon League Championships record time of 3:43.90 while Milwaukee’s Karsten Grundahl, Matt Scardina, Zachary Schmidt and Ty Bauschelt earned first for the men with a time of 3:15.65.

2026 Indoor #HLTF Championships Specialty Awards
Women’s Freshman of the Year/Running – Tori Atkins, Youngstown State
Men’s Freshman of the Year/Running – Shamir Rose, Youngstown State
Women’s Freshman of the Year/Field – Nevia Levenhagen, Milwaukee
Men’s Freshman of the Year/Field – Brayden Green, Youngstown State
Women’s Championship Outstanding Performers/Running – Lillian Hurd, Purdue Fort Wayne
Men’s Championship Outstanding Performer/Running – Natnael Weldemichael, Northern Kentucky
Women’s Championship Outstanding Performer/Field – Anna Szepieniec, Milwaukee
Men’s Championship Outstanding Performer/Field – Brandon Hutchinson, Youngstown State
Women’s Coach of the Year – Brian Gorby, Youngstown State
Men’s Coach of the Year – Brian Gorby, Youngstown State
 
Final Team Scores:
Men:
  1. Youngstown State – 279
  2. Milwaukee – 83
  3. Purdue Fort Wayne – 73
  4. Oakland – 56
  5. Northern Kentucky – 51  
  6. Wright State – 45
  7. Detroit Mercy – 38
  8. IU Indianapolis – 35
 
Women:
  1. Youngstown State – 165
  2. Milwaukee – 123
  3. Purdue Fort Wayne – 107
  4. RMU – 89
  5. Northern Kentucky – 68
  6. Oakland – 59
  7. Detroit Mercy – 29
  8. Cleveland State – 11
  9. Wright State – 8
  10.  IU Indianapolis – 4