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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Rise to Challenge at PNC Lenny Lyles Invite

Trailblazers Rise to Challenge at PNC Lenny Lyles Invite
Results
January 31, 2026

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Vincennes University Men's and Women's Track and Field continued the indoor season Jan. 30–31 at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, marking the Trailblazers' third meet of the year against a significantly elevated level of competition. The two-day event featured several nationally ranked NCAA Division I programs.

First-year Head Coach Michael Mangan acknowledged the challenge presented by the field and the way VU responded throughout the weekend. "It was a huge step up in competition, with multiple NCAA number-one marks achieved during the event," Mangan said. "With Texas A&M, Alabama, Ohio State, and South Florida in the house, our Blazers held their own."

On the men's side, freshman Iheb Slimani delivered one of the standout performances of the meet in the 3,000 meters, running a school-record and national qualifying time of 8:16.16 that now ranks third in the NJCAA. Mangan praised Slimani's continued development and ability to race intelligently against elite competition. Distance Coach Tyler Steigenga echoed that assessment, adding, "Iheb was the lowest seed in his heat, but raced with tremendous composure. He stayed patient early, consistently clicking off strong laps before closing hard over the final two laps, passing nearly 10 runners and recording one of the fastest closing laps of the meet. It was impressive, not just in result, but in execution."

The men's distance group continued to build momentum across events, led by sophomore Lane Connaway, who recorded a personal-best 15:48.08 in the 5,000 meters, breaking the 16-minute barrier for the first time. Steigenga praised Connaway's execution, saying, "Lane ran a nearly perfect race, consistently clicking off 37–38 second laps before moving up five positions over the final kilometer. He closed with a 34-second final lap — his fastest of the race — which showed both patience and confidence."

That momentum carried into the remainder of the distance events. Freshman Anis Abdaoui followed with a national qualifying performance in the one mile, finishing in 4:11.43, less than a second off his personal best, all while battling illness. In the 800 meters, freshman Jacob Kusbel turned in a personal-best 2:00.20, with freshman Brody Wilson close behind at 2:03.24, also a personal best.

Progress extended into the field events as well, where freshman Zackary Hembree capped the men's performances with a personal-best mark of 12.16 meters in the shot put.

On the women's side, the distance events again proved to be a strength. Freshman Ikram Dorai delivered a standout performance in the 3,000 meters, running a school-record and national qualifying time of 9:56.82 that shattered the previous program record by nearly 10 seconds and now ranks fourth nationally in the NJCAA. Steigenga noted the competitive edge in Dorai's approach, saying, "Ikram went out with the lead pack, probably a little faster than we planned, which showed in the second half, but she competed through it and held on to secure the school record."

Behind that effort, freshman Amani Aloui added a personal-best 10:48.18, continuing the group's steady progression.

The women's 5,000 meters also produced a notable result, as sophomore Alexis Hale ran a personal-best 19:26.60, a performance that now ranks eighth in program history. Mangan praised Hale's execution and late-race strength, saying, "Alexis and Lane both delivered outstanding performances in the 5,000 meters. They were patient early, finished strong, and broke through the 20- and 16-minute barriers for the first time. Performances like that show how hard work in practice continues to pay off."

In the middle distances, freshman Madison Senne recorded a personal-best 2:30.97 in the 800 meters, continuing her early-season progress. In the sprint events, freshman Brielle Seiler showed her versatility by moving up to the 400 meters, running a personal-best 1:00.50 that now ranks 10th in program history. Mangan highlighted Seiler's range, saying, "Brielle's versatility is important for us as we continue to evaluate relay options and lineup combinations later in the season."

Looking ahead, Mangan noted the focus will shift toward refinement as the Trailblazers prepare for their next competition. "Next week we're back in Louisville for the fourth and final time this season," Mangan said. "It will be a more relaxed meet as we refine our training and racing and prepare for what's ahead."

VU returns to action at Eastern Indoors, hosted at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center in Louisville, Ky., on February 6.

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: