The Milwaukee Panthers men’s and women’s track and field teams were both selected to finish second in the 2026 Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll, according to a March 12 announcement by the league’s head coaches.
This ranking highlights the strong performance of both teams as they prepare for the upcoming outdoor season. The Panthers’ placement reflects their recent successes and positions them as key contenders within the Horizon League, which includes several competitive programs.
On the men’s side, Milwaukee received 56 points and one first-place vote, trailing Youngstown State, who led with 63 points and seven first-place votes. The men are coming off a runner-up finish at the Horizon League Indoor Championships. Ty Bauschelt won the 400-meter title with a time of 47.77 seconds, while also helping secure the 4×400-meter relay title alongside Karsten Grundahl, Matt Scardina, and Zac Schmidt. Josh Cygan claimed an indoor weight throw title with a personal-best toss of 17.83 meters and previously won the discus championship during his freshman outdoor season in 2025. Anthony Buford achieved third place on Milwaukee’s all-time indoor long jump list this season after earning Freshman Field Athlete of the Year honors last year.
For the women’s team, Milwaukee earned 91 points with one first-place vote, just behind Youngstown State’s nine first-place votes and total of 99 points. Anna Szepieniec was recognized as Alfreeda Goff Women’s Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year after winning multiple events at the conference championships. Nevia Levenhagen was named Women’s Field Freshman of the Meet following her performances in long jump and triple jump, while Olivia VanZeeland began her senior year by winning four high jump events indoors.
The Panthers will open their outdoor campaign at Raleigh Relays hosted by North Carolina State from March 26-28.
The Milwaukee Panthers women’s track and field team engages in both indoor and outdoor competitions throughout each season according to the official website. The program bolsters athletic legacy at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee per its official site and is part of NCAA Division I athletics according to university records. The team competes within the Horizon League as indicated by its official page, operates out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin according to university information, and assists student-athletes in balancing academic responsibilities with athletic commitments as noted on its website.
Looking ahead, both teams aim to build on their preseason rankings as they compete against top conference rivals throughout spring.
