THE 2024-25 INDOOR SEASON
 
Last season, both the men's and women's programs finished fourth at the LSC Indoor Championships, with the men's result marking their best finish since joining the Lone Star Conference. The Patriots leaned on All-LSC Team and All-South Central honorees Bracie Vaughn, Aerin Thompson, and Juliane Frueh to secure a significant portion of the women's points, while Ashton Turner, Dylan Bennett, and Landon Smith delivered strong performances on the men's side to help propel the Patriots forward.

Thompson (400 meters) and the 4x400 meter relay team of Hannah Lakin, Kamaria Carr, Kymia Woodard, and Thompson went on to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships, where Thompson placed 16th in the 400 and the relay team finished seventh. It also marked the second consecutive year Thompson qualified in the 400 meters. On the men's side, Bennett (200 meters), Turner (60 hurdles), and the 4x400 meter relay team of Caleb Williams, Wiliam Davis, Landon Smith, and Turner qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships. This was the first time in program history that multiple athletes for the men's side qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships.

SOME NEW, SOME FAMILIAR
 
The Patriots will set their eyes on the indoor season with some new faces as well as some strong returners. Thompson, Frueh, Jasmine Haywood, Kamaria Carr, and Isabel Jakobsen are among a group that will lead a host of newcomers on the women's side. Those newcomers include Kaitlynn Johnson, Zakaiya Hunte, Aalliyah Francis, and Nina Allmark as they look to help make an immediate impact.
 
For the men, they return several big names including Brandon Arenas, Dylan Bennett, Caleb Williams, Landon Smith, and William Davis as they look to continue their strong careers thus far. They will lead a cast of newcomers that features standouts Kaden Adams, Dameon Smith Jr,, Preston Ayers, and Grayson Williams as the Patriots continue to look to vault themselves into conference championship contention. 

LAST TIME OUT

UT Tyler track & field turned in a series of strong performances at the Washburn Open and the Boston Terrier Classic, highlighted by multiple wins and school records. Juliane Frueh captured the pentathlon title with first-place finishes in the 800 meters and top-three marks in the high jump, 60-meter hurdles, and shot put, while Aerin Thompson claimed the 400-meter win. Gracie Ladner continued her historic season by breaking her own school record in the 3,000 meters with a 9:51.82 finish, and David Soto shattered the school record in the 5,000 meters at the Boston Terrier Classic with a 13:58.29 performance, earning an NCAA qualifying mark. UT Tyler's men's and women's squads also posted multiple top-10 finishes across sprints, distance races, and field events.


THE GORILLA CLASSIC

UT Tyler returns to action this weekend at the Gorilla Classic in Pittsburg, Kansas, continuing the 2025–26 indoor season against a strong regional and national field for their third year competing in the event. The Patriots will face deep competition across both track and field as they look to build momentum heading into the LSC meet.

Friday's competition begins at 2 p.m. with a full afternoon and evening slate of field and track events. Preliminary sprint and hurdle races highlight the early track session before distance medley relays, middle-distance races, and the 200 meters lead into the men's and women's 5,000-meter races to close out the night.

Saturday's action starts at noon with field events opening in the shot put, followed by the triple jump, high jump, and pole vault. Track events also begin at noon with the 3,000 meters and continue with the 60-meter hurdles, 60-meter dash, mile run, 400-meter dash, and 800-meter run. The meet concludes with the final sections of the 3,000 meters and the men's and women's 4x400-meter relays to wrap up the Gorilla Classic.