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Vincennes University

New Leadership, Strong Foundation as Trailblazer Track & Field Opens 2025–26 Season

New Leadership, Strong Foundation as Trailblazer Track & Field Opens 2025–26 Season
January 15, 2026

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Men's and Women's Track & Field programs enter the 2025–26 season ushering in a new era under first-year Head Coach Michael Mangan, while continuing to build on a foundation of national success, All-American performances, and a proud championship tradition. With a young but talented roster, a renewed emphasis on development and team culture, and championship expectations that remain unchanged, the Trailblazers look to continue climbing the national ranks during the indoor and outdoor seasons.

A Proven Standard from 2024–25

The 2024–25 season reinforced Vincennes University's standing as a national contender, highlighted by another historic year from sophomore Sophia Salvi and supported by consistent scoring efforts across multiple event areas.

At the NJCAA Indoor National Championships, Salvi captured her third consecutive national championship in the pole vault, continuing one of the most dominant individual runs in program history. Beyond the vault, the Trailblazers added valuable points through strong finishes in the women's distance relays and middle-distance events, while the men contributed nationally competitive performances in the distance races, relays, combined events, and field events, helping the women finish 17th and the men 28th overall.

That momentum carried into the Outdoor National Championships, where Salvi completed a monumental feat by claiming her fourth consecutive outdoor national title in the pole vault. On the men's side, freshman Anthony Keene earned All-American honors with a runner-up finish in the pole vault, adding another national podium performance for the Trailblazers. Additional top-20 finishes by both the men's and women's teams in the sprints, hurdles, distance events, relays, jumps, and combined events helped Vincennes place 19th on the men's side and 20th on the women's side nationally.

Across both seasons, the Trailblazers combined elite individual excellence at the top with depth-driven scoring throughout the roster, providing a strong competitive foundation as the program transitions into a new era under Coach Mangan.

Transition and Opportunity

Despite that success, the Trailblazers graduated and moved on several key contributors who advanced to four-year programs, including Tanner Spence and Nathan Whitehead (Evansville), Adi Fuller (Morehead State), Malik Ferdinand (Marian), Olamipo Ladipo (University of New Orleans), Maliek Bush (Eastern Illinois), and Zion Pruitt (Cumberlands). Their progression underscores the program's role as a springboard for continued athletic and academic growth. "Anytime you see athletes moving on to the next level, it speaks to the work they put in here," Mangan said. "Now it's about creating opportunities for the next group and continuing that tradition."

A New Leader with Deep Roots

Mangan arrives at Vincennes with more than three decades of coaching experience, spanning elite high school programs and collegiate leadership at the NAIA level. Known for his emphasis on long-term athlete development, technical precision, and culture building, Mangan believes Vincennes provides the ideal environment to blend tradition with growth. "From the minute I stepped on campus, Vincennes felt like the right fit," Mangan said. "There's a strong tradition here, and I'm excited to build on that with both the Track & Field and Cross Country programs. This is a place where athletes can truly develop and compete at a high level."

Men's Team: Youth with Upside

The men's roster features a mix of returning experience and first-year talent across event groups. Sophomore Anis Abdaoui, a returning All-American in cross country and the half marathon, anchors the distance group and is expected to play a key role in the Distance Medley Relay and 4x800. In the jumps, sophomore Chase Guthrie returns after a strong training fall, while a large group of first-year throwers adds depth and competitiveness to the field events. As has become tradition at VU, the pole vault group remains a strength, with multiple newcomers poised to contribute immediately. "We're younger, but there's a lot of talent," Mangan said. "Our expectations always include qualifying and placing at Nationals for our top athletes."

Women's Team: Depth and Balance

On the women's side, sophomore Ikram Dorai, an All-American in cross country and the half marathon, headlines the distance squad, supported by returning contributions from sophomores Alexis Hale and Sarra Belgacem. Freshman Brielle Seiler is expected to make an immediate impact in the hurdles and sprints, while freshmen Kapri Granger and McKenna Poyser lead the pole vault group. In the jumps, freshman Greer Hardin looks to push toward national qualification in the high jump, adding another scoring opportunity. "There's a great blend of experienced athletes and strong newcomers," Mangan said. "They're already working well together and building depth across the board."

Training, Culture, and Identity

Since arriving, Mangan has emphasized speed development, strength training, and technical refinement, while also placing a strong focus on team cohesion. The Trailblazers have increased their weight-room presence, sharpened event-specific skills, and invested heavily in team bonding. "This group has done more team bonding than ever before," Mangan said. "We define TEAM as 'Together Everyone Achieves More,' and that support for one another shows up in practice, lifting, and competition."

Schedule and Competitive Focus

The 2025–26 indoor schedule opens with early-season meets in Louisville, Kentucky at Bellarmine University (Bellarmine Open-January 16; PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic-January 23) and the University of Louisville (PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational-January 30 and 31; Eastern Indoors-February 6) designed to test fitness and establish qualifying marks, followed by high-level competition at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet (February 13-14) and Indiana State University Open (February 21). The season builds toward the NJCAA Indoor National Championships (March 6-7) at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, with outdoor competition later providing additional opportunities for national qualification and podium finishes.

"Our goals include filling the bus for Nationals, maxing out entries in as many events as possible, and qualifying all indoor relays," Mangan said. "That's how you build a complete program."

Looking Ahead

As the season begins, Mangan is encouraged by what he has seen in training. "We've already seen a lot of personal bests in practice," he said. "Our hope is that fans notice how hard our athletes compete and how much they support one another's successes."

With championship expectations, a strong developmental framework, and a culture centered on growth and accountability, Vincennes University Track & Field enters the 2025–26 season positioned to honor its legacy while forging a new path forward under Coach Mangan's leadership.

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Men's and Women's Track and Field squads all year long through a number of ways: