The 2026 track and field season is upon us, with local teams entering the year with a mix of championship aspirations, rebuilding rosters, and breakout potential. From traditional powerhouses to emerging squads looking to make history, here’s a breakdown of what to expect this spring.
Apollo: The Eagles are coming off a strong 2025 campaign that saw the boys and girls finish fourth and sixth in the region, while qualifying multiple athletes for state.
“Our off-season has been good so far. Several of our athletes compete in multiple sports and are still participating in other sports,” Apollo Head Coach Kris Crawford said. “So, we are just working on getting back into track and field shape, and that process has been good considering the challenging weather we have had. We are blessed to have an indoor facility to train in at Apollo. Our coaching staff does a great job wearing different hats to coach our athletes and event-specific techniques.”
This year, they enter the season with a deep senior group, including Noah Gray, Asher Alvey, Eh’Madjai Badger, Caiden Tutt, Eli Currington, Xander Berry, Chase Coomes, Micah Faulls, Brady French, Marina Boyken Haynes, Abbie Carmon, Ariel Ferguson, Ella Hughes, Kirii Mattingly, and Karissa Ralph.
Behind them is a young core that Crawford has lauded as determined and hard workers, that includes, Don Sappenfield, Carter Carraway, Brooks Rice, Terron White, Gabriel Jones, Michael Lawrence, Ben Garrenton, Bea Brock, Noah York, Annie Kate Callahan, Kamilee Gant, Jillian Hooker, Rylee Joines, Reese Logan, Giuliana Moore, and Amaya Peay.
“Our goal is to compete at the highest level and to stay healthy,” Crawford said. “It’s no secret we have some serious depth in our distance events, and that is definitely a strong point for this team. Our goal will be to get as many points as we can in Region to advance to State. We have had a lot of athletes join our program and want to try it out, and this should help us reach that goal. It should be a very fun season for us. It’s an honor to be the head coach of this storied program at Apollo, and I’m very blessed.”
Daviess County: Fresh off winning the Region a year ago, the Lady Panthers enter the season with high aspirations of repeating. They return a deep core that includes Rebekah Moran, Anna Kate King, Lindley Fogle, Addison Klee, Bentlei Stallings, Joclyn Weaver, Mallory Raines, Haley Wolfe, Bella Coombs, Ellie Girten, Emma Camron, and Maddie Meyer.
The Panthers have a mix of veterans and new faces, including long jumper Ryder Williams, sprinter Jimarcus Tyler, pole vaulters Asher Doughty and Luka Skibba, and distance runners Camryn Edge, and Judson Redfern.
“All in all, the boys’ team is very young with some talent. I think we will be competitive in all meets,” Daviess County Head Coach Bob O’Brien said. “We want to improve each week. and see how many athletes we can qualify and score at State.”
Hancock County: Hancock County is riding high on momentum after Carolina Jones recently won the girls’ high jump at the KHSAA Class 1A State Indoor Track & Field Championships. She leads a Lady Hornets team that, while smaller in size from a year ago, is full of talent, including Ellen Meserve and Camdyn Harper. They are joined by transfer Alexis Allegood, who recently qualified for Indoor State in the 800.
Emmitt Meserve is fresh off of breaking multiple school records through the indoor season, and is joined by Cooper Jones.
“We will be small this year based on our current practice numbers, but we will have several individuals who should be very competitive on the regional and state levels,” Hancock County Head Coach Wes Meserve said. “Right now, we are just focusing on helping each athlete reach their season goals.”
McLean County: After having their season derailed a year ago due to the flooding, McLean County enters the season energized. Ragan Brown returns for the Lady Cougars in the throws, while Abbi Shivers, Aubree Davis, and Tatiana Rojas are some of the veteran runners.
For the boys, team, Jackson Galloway, Eli Brown, Caden Willis will lead the way in the running events, while Elijah Warren returns as a top thrower.
“We are looking for continued improvement out of these athletes, especially after the weather nightmare of last year,” McLean County Head Coach Gary Harris said. “…The main goal is to improve every week. If we do that, we can put ourselves in a position to do great things later in the season. The hope is putting lots of athletes through to state, but that doesn’t happen without consistent improvement.”
Owensboro: The Lady Devils enter the season full of momentum, as they are just weeks removed from an impressive showing at the KHSAA Class 3A State Indoor Track & Field Championships.
The Lady Devils have had a really strong offseason,” Owensboro Girls Head Coach Matt Morris said. “They have been working hard on the track and in the weight room to prepare for the upcoming season. “We have put a lot of effort into building a strong team top to bottom this season.”
Kimora Duncan and Nakiyah Voyles are ready to take the next step after landing on the podium a year ago at Region. Eliza Kline is back from injury and ready to pick up where she left off.
“I would watch out for Jazlyn Douglas, as anyone following along with our indoor season already knows what she is capable of,” Morris said. “Our goal this year is to compete heavily for the Regional Championship in May.”
For the Red Devils, the majority of their veterans have been involved in winter sports, but according to the Boys Head Coach Drew Hall, they have been finding time to lift weights for the season.
Jalen Carr, Trey Shemwell, Kingston Dillard, Caniares Hayden, Kameryis Rodriquez Cline, and Aiden Fountain are all poised for big years.
“We have a lot of guys out this year and I am excited to see what some of these new guys can do,” Hall said. “Every year, our goal is to win City-County, then Region and finally a State Championship. All three of these goals will be tough, but the sky’s the limit.”
Owensboro Catholic: After the Lady Aces and Aces finishing second and third at last year’s Class 1A Region 2 meet, they carried that success into the recent KHSAA Class 1A State Indoor Track & Field Championships. The boys finished third while the girls were fifth.
Ramped up and ready for the outdoor season, the Lady Aces return a solid core that includes Peyton Reid, Ainsley Sutter, Caroline Wathen, Scarlett Isenbarger, Allie Marston, Chloe Marston, Isabeth Osborne, and Kate Denton.
For the Aces, they are led by Xavier Maddox, Cam Woodward, Jude Cecil, Russ Boarman, Miller Bowman, Luke Whitledge, and Owen Brey.
“Houston Lynn and Josh James are two juniors that we expect to take a big jump for us and be key contributors in our field events,” Owensboro Catholic Head Coach Chris Morris said. “Charlie Reid is an eighth grader who will run varsity for us this year and has a chance to be a key part of our distance group. …Our goal will be to try to win Region and get as many people qualified for the State meet as possible.”
Trinity (Whitesville): Now in its third year, the program has grown exponentially, from eight total members to 20. On the girls’ side, junior Jayda Meserve will be leaned on for her veteran leadership, while freshman Olivia Starks, who qualified for Middle School State a year ago, is looking to take the next step.
For the boys’ team, Brady Barnett, Tristen Ward, and John Hamilton all return for their third year with the program.
“Sophomore Levi Hall is athletic and will be running sprints and jumping,” Trinity (Whitesville) Head Coach Christina Hawkins said. “Sophomore Mason Smith will be our mid-distance runner. Freshman Evelyn Roby and sophomore Adeline Keller are back for their second season.”
Hawkins wants to see her team improve as the year goes on and enjoy themselves.
