ATLANTA, Ga. (May 18, 2026) – The 2026 Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) Track and Field Championships delivered two days of record-breaking performances, distance dominance, and championship moments as programs from across the conference gathered in Jackson, Mississippi on the campus of Belhaven University, to compete for conference titles.
When the final events concluded, Maryville College emerged with a historic sweep, capturing both the men’s and women’s team championships for the first time in program history. Under the leadership of head coach Kunle Lawson, the Scots used depth across nearly every discipline to secure the titles in just the program’s fourth season of competition.
The championship performances carried into the national stage, as three CCS student-athletes earned selections to compete at the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Championship Results
Photo Gallery
Recap:
Men |
Women
All-Conference Teams:
Men |
Women
Superlative Awards:
Men |
Women
Championship Merch
Men |
Women
MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Team Standings
Maryville College captured its first-ever CCS men's track and field championship with a dominant 200.5-point performance over the two-day meet hosted by Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. The Scots dethroned three-time defending champion Piedmont, who finished second with 141 points, while Covenant claimed third place with 108 points. Asbury (99.5), Huntingdon (98), Belhaven (81), and LaGrange (38) rounded out the seven-team field. Head coach Kunle Lawson was named CCS Coach of the Year for leading the Scots to their historic first team title in just the program's fourth season of competition.
Notable Performances
Ethan Saiki's Triple Crown
Covenant's Ethan Saiki delivered one of the most impressive individual performances in CCS championship history, sweeping all three distance events to earn Track Athlete of the Meet, Overall Athlete of the Meet, and CCS Athlete of the Year honors. The junior standout won the 1500 meters in 4:09.64, edging teammate Chandler Lines (4:09.68) in a thrilling finish, before claiming the 5000 meters and capping his weekend with a victory in the 10,000 meters in 33:55.13. Saiki's triple crown highlighted Covenant's strength in distance running, as the Scots swept the top four places in the 10,000 meters with Alex Burns (34:16.29), Aidan Devries (34:16.64), and Jack Dupree (34:47.26) following their teammate across the finish line.
Neal Terry's Record-Breaking Performance
Belhaven's Neal Terry made history in the jumping events, earning Field Athlete of the Meet honors for the third consecutive year. The senior standout claimed the long jump title with a mark of 7.19 meters before shattering his own CCS record with a leap of 7.31 meters, breaking the previous record of 7.30 meters he set in 2024. Terry followed with a victory in the triple jump at 15.11 meters, capping a dominant weekend that also saw him finish third in the 4x400 relay. His record-breaking performance gave him nine career First-Team All-Conference selections, the most in CCS history. Kenneth Mills added to Belhaven's field success by winning the high jump at 1.92 meters.
Ryheem Mighten's Breakout Weekend
LaGrange freshman Ryheem Mighten announced his arrival on the conference stage with a spectacular double sprint victory, earning CCS Rookie of the Year honors. Mighten won the 200 meters in 21.57 seconds, holding off Piedmont's Silas Goolsby (21.62), before dominating the 400 meters with a time of 47.81, nearly two seconds ahead of Goolsby's runner-up finish. His blazing speed and composure marked him as one of the conference's rising stars and provided a bright spot for the Panthers, who finished seventh in the team standings with 38 points.
Middle Distance and Relay ActionAsbury's Andrew Beedle claimed the 800 meters, winning in 1:57.85 ahead of Covenant's Chandler Lines (1:58.25) and teammate Jacob Graston (2:00.56). The Eagles demonstrated their depth in the middle distances, placing three runners in the top five and contributing crucial points to their fourth-place team finish.
The women’s championship mirrored the excitement of the men’s competition, with Maryville running away with both titles.
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Team Standings
Maryville College completed a historic sweep of the 2026 CCS Track and Field Championships, with the women's team matching the men by claiming the conference title with 200 points. Piedmont finished second with 156 points, followed by Covenant in third place with 119 points. Asbury (88), Belhaven (74), LaGrange (58), Huntingdon (45), and Agnes Scott (2) completed the eight-team field. The double championship marked a remarkable achievement for Maryville's track and field program, under head coach Kunle Lawson.
Notable Performances
Evangelia Berry’s Championship Weekend
Covenant’s Evangelia Berry delivered an exceptional performance across the distance events, earning three podium finishes that helped her earn Track Athlete of the Meet honors and power the Scots to their third-place team finish. The junior captured the 5000 meters in 18:50.66 and followed with a commanding victory in the 10,000 meters in 37:57.77, before adding a fourth-place finish in the 1500 meters (4:54.45). Berry’s versatility anchored Covenant’s strong showing in the longer races. Her teammates Sarah Vannoy and Kenzi Stapleton contributed additional medals, with Vannoy finishing second in both the 5000m (19:35.89) and third in the 10,000m while Stapleton claimed fourth in the 10,000m, giving Covenant a commanding presence in distance competition.
Belhaven’s Kimona Haynes Shines
Belhaven senior Kimona Haynes put together a stellar weekend in the sprint events, sweeping both the 200 meters and 400 meters to earn two individual titles for the host Blazers. Haynes won the 200 meters in 24.66 seconds before dominating the 400 meters with a championship-winning time of 58.85. Her double victory provided crucial points for Belhaven’s fifth-place team finish and helped her to earn two-time Athlete of the Year honors. Freshman Brycelyn Townsend added to Belhaven’s success by claiming victories in both the 100-meter hurdles (15.92) and 400-meter hurdles, leading her to receive Rookie of the Year honors, and giving the Blazers four individual event titles across the two-day meet.
Piedmont’s Hurdles Standout: Michelle Cates
Piedmont senior Michelle Cates delivered a remarkable double in the hurdles events, winning the 400-meter hurdles in 1:06.63 and adding a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles. Cates’ performances highlighted Piedmont’s feats, contributing valuable points to the Lions’ runner-up team finish. Piedmont’s success extended beyond the hurdles, with senior Bella Caccamo claiming the 800 meters in 2:21.18 and adding a third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles.
Multi-Event Excellence
Maryville’s championship depth was evident throughout the meet as multiple Scots contributed scoring performances across events. The team’s balanced attack featured strong performances in sprints, middle distances, and distance events, with Megan Shinn claiming second in the 5000 meters (19:36.42) and second in the 10,000 meters to anchor the distance squad. Asbury’s Bailey Gassmann demonstrated versatility with victories in the 1500 meters (4:44.25), while also contributing a fourth-place finish in the 800 meters.
THE NATIONAL STAGE
Three CCS student-athletes earned selections to compete at the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Belhaven’s Neal Terry qualified in both the long jump and triple jump, while LaGrange’s Ryheem Mighten earned selection in the 200 meters.
On the women’s side, Belhaven’s Kimona Haynes qualified in both the 200 meters and 400 meters following her standout championship performance. Their selections marked another milestone for the conference and continued the CCS presence on the national stage.
For more information about NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships qualifications, see
here.
UP NEXT - IN THE CCS
Starting in the 2026-27, the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) will begin sponsoring indoor track and field, bringing the league to a total of 16 championship sports.
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH (CCS)
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
Follow all things #CCS on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram at @ccofsouth for all the latest news around the league.