Men’s track and field delivered strong performances at the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field (AARTFC) Indoor Championship on Friday and the Tufts Final Qualifier on Saturday. In addition to long jumper Uly Junker ’29, who had qualified for nationals at a previous meet, Vincent VanMaaren ’27 secured qualifying marks at the AARTFC and four Ephs qualified at Tufts in a final push to advance to the 2026 NCAA Div. III Indoor Track and Field Championships, set for March 13 and 14 in Birmingham, Ala.
VanMaaren was the only Eph competing at the AARTFC in New York City on Friday, where he placed third in the pole vault with an NCAA-qualifying mark of 4.93 meters. This vault helped advance VanMaaren to No. 19 in the NCAA Div. III indoor rankings for this season.
VanMaaren entered the meet with a specific goal in mind. “The main goal was just to get this 4.93-meter bar because we thought that would qualify top 20 for nationals,” he said. “It was probably the most focused I’ve been because it was really important to be precise and technical.”
VanMaaren said that the Armory, the track where the meet was held, seemed like the most suitable venue to accomplish an NCAA-qualifying mark. “Because it has a faster runway and better vault environment, I thought I had the best chance to qualify for nationals there,” he said.
While VanMaaren competed on Friday, other Ephs traveled to the Tufts Final Qualifier on Saturday, a meet designed to give athletes one last chance to secure national qualifying marks. “Last-chance meets are always a whole different vibe because everyone is there for a purpose, and nobody is fooling around,” VanMaaren said.
Even for experienced competitors, the atmosphere at Tufts is always intense. “I’ve run this race at the Tufts Final Qualifier the past three years, and every year several teams qualify,” co-captain Bryce Cooper ’26 said. “So I knew it was going to be a really competitive race.”
Despite the pressure, the Ephs found success. Cooper, Zachary Liu-Walter ’26, Keiyu Mamiya ’28, and TJ Zwall ’29 placed second together in the distance medley relay (DMR). Their time of 9:49.62 was good for fourth in the Div. III rankings, qualifying the relay for NCAAs.
The relay entered the race with some uncertainty, as the group hadn’t yet competed in its race-day order of Zwall, followed by Cooper, Liu-Walter, and Mamiya. “We didn’t really know what we could do,” Cooper said. “But based on all of our training, it gave us a lot of confidence, and we ended up competing really well.”
Despite being placed in a slower heat, the team maintained its confidence heading into the race. “We talked the night before about how it didn’t matter what heat we were in,” Cooper said. “It was just an opportunity to go out and show what we could do.”
Other Ephs also had notable performances at Tufts. Though he did not qualify for nationals, Chris Xue ’28 placed fifth in the long jump with a mark of 6.64 meters after battling injuries for most of the indoor season. “It wasn’t my best jump ever, but it’s my indoor [personal record],” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s just a lot of fun jumping with and competing against everyone.”
Xue highlighted the Ephs’ collective success over the weekend. “A lot of people either qualified for nationals or ran personal records, which is incredibly impressive,” he said. “Just seeing how much effort everyone puts in makes me proud to be part of this team.”
The team has also benefited from a new practice venue following the February opening of the Multipurpose Recreation Center (MRC), according to Xue. “We call the MRC our new home,” he said. “It [helps] us feel a better sense of belonging and have a sense of identity and pride.”
With indoor NCAAs approaching, the Ephs are focused on continued success. “[My] goal for indoors is to get All-American,” VanMaaren said, referring to the top eight finishers in each event.
As a senior, the upcoming championship carries personal significance for Cooper. “I was here my freshman year at the NCAA [Div. III] championship, and we were not able to make it to the finals in the relay,” he said. “I have a little redemption that I want to get back.”
This weekend’s indoor NCAA meet will hopefully be a springboard for growth. “This is just the first of many opportunities to show what Williams men’s track can do,” Cooper said.
