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Blue Hens Wrap Up an Unforgettable Spring Season at the Paul Kaiser Classic

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The 2025 Paul Kaiser Classic at Shippensburg University on April 26th marked the final meet of the spring season for the Delaware Club Track and Field team. Blue Hens closed out their spring season with strong performances, personal bests, and emotional final races for many seniors.

Freshman Sebastiano Vandoni impressed in the men’s 5k, running a season best of 16:19.05 to lead the squad and cap off a strong freshman season. Sophomore Cole Donnelly followed in 18:27.13. In the men’s steeplechase, freshman Aiden Loy clocked 11:35.07, building experience with a solid effort over the barriers. Senior Lauren Pollock earned another personal best in the 5k, clocking 18:50.60 to cap off an impressive progression this season. Sophomore Kate Kershaw had a breakthrough performance, breaking 20 minutes for the first time with a time of 19:52.24. In the women’s 3k steeplechase, freshman Izzy Kehoe-Huck made her debut in 13:35.21, placing seventh on the club’s all-time performance list.

In the women’s 400m, Rasi-Tael Joshua placed seventh overall with a time of 1:00.27, improving her top spot on the club’s all-time list. Anna Callaghan also competed hard, finishing in 1:08.71. The women’s 800m featured freshman Zoe Morawski leading the group at 2:37.60, placing in the top 50. She was followed by sophomore Anna Callaghan in 2:48.98 and senior Leah Goodman, who closed out her last 800m race in 2:49.20.

The men’s 800m was highlighted by junior Dave Kelly, who won the race in a personal best of 1:52.98. His time is just tenths away from the club record and second overall on the performance list. Junior Josh Pawlik ran a personal best of 2:04.51, followed closely by sophomore Devan Wasserman, who recorded an official PR of 2:05.96.

In the 1500m, sophomore Claire Merchant ran a new personal best of 5:09.72, securing the tenth spot on the all-time performance list. Sophomore Kate Kershaw and freshman Izzy Kehoe-Huck also ran personal bests, running 5:35.28 and 5:44.94, respectively, both placing inside the top 50. Seniors Leah Goodman, Hannah Pash, and Aine Grubb wrapped up their successful collegiate careers with performances of 5:53.25, 6:17.75, and 6:21.70. In the men’s 1500m, junior Evan Pawlik led the way with a personal best of 4:26.85, just ahead of freshman Giovanni Palermo in 4:27.42. Senior Aravind Arunachalam wrapped up his collegiate career by winning his heat in 4:36.62. Sophomore Dylan Aks also ran a new personal best of 4:39.96.

On the men’s side, junior Kurt Krummenacker ran 11.70 in the 100m, which moves him into tenth on the club’s all-time performance list. He followed that with a strong run in the 200m, finishing in 24.62. Senior Gavin Looram closed out his collegiate career in the same event with a time of 30.70. In the 400m, junior Spencer Wheeler ran 58.54.

Senior Lauren Pollock closed out her collegiate career in the day’s final event, running a new personal best of 11:06.75 in the women’s 3k to finish third overall. Her time was over a minute faster than her performance at last year’s Paul Kaiser meet, and moved her from tenth to fifth on the all-time performance list.

In the women’s triple jump, junior Lianna Greenstein recorded a mark of 10.42m. Anna Callaghan also contributed in the women’s discus, throwing 18.40m. The day’s field events were capped by senior Gavin Looram’s final long jump of 4.52m to close out his college career.

The Paul Kaiser Classic marks the end of another successful season for UD Club XCTF. With a strong showing at Shippensburg and standout performances across all event groups, the team wraps up the spring season on a high note. Looking ahead, they are focused on summer training to prepare for the challenges of the upcoming cross-country season this fall!

Full results can be found here.

Lauren Pollock in her final 3k race.

Senior Aravind Arunachalam winning his 1500m heat.

Some of our seniors who competed in their last meet: Aravind Arunachalam, Lauren Pollock, Aine Grubb, Leah Goodman, and Hannah Pash.

Both Men and Women Place in the Top Five at the Lloyd Sigler Spring Meet

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The Delaware club track team had a strong showing at the Lloyd Sigler Spring Classic on March 8 in Salisbury, Maryland, with athletes setting personal bests and moving up the club’s all-time lists. The men’s team finished third overall, while the women placed fourth. Despite challenging windy conditions, the team performed well and continues to build momentum for the rest of the season.

In the sprints, sophomore James Winston ran 11.59 in the 100m, finishing 12th overall and reaching fifth on the club’s all-time list. Junior Kurt Krummenacker ran an 11.96 to place in the top 15, while sophomore Michael Obode followed with a 12.37. Sophomore Amanda Desenchak finished eighth in the women’s 100m in 13.34, just 0.1 seconds shy of her personal record. In the 200m Winston clocked 24.52 as freshman Parker Small crossed the line in 25.45 and sophomore Obode finished close behind in 25.79. Desenchak returned to run 28.63 in the 200m for a sixth-place finish. Freshman Parker Small continued in the 400m, finishing in 56.20, with junior Spencer Wheeler rounding out the event at 1:00.0. On the women’s side, senior Eli Manning led for Delaware, running a 1:12.8.

Our hurdlers had their opportunity, with sophomore Ryan Healy recording 1:12.03 in the 400m hurdles while junior Grace Wertheimer improved her previous mark by over a second, finishing in 1:20.6. Wertheimer also led the 100m hurdles for Delaware with a time of 19.26.

Blue Hens showed their depth in the middle-distance events. In the 800m, junior Dave Kelly won in 1:56.91, solidifying his fifth spot on the club’s all-time list, while junior Josh Pawlik and sophomore Dylan Aks finished in 2:11 and 2:12, respectively, both finishing within the top ten. On the women’s side, sophomore Claire Merchant placed sixth in 2:42.8 as freshman Zoe Morawski followed in 2:49.1, and Katie Burke secured a top 15 finish in 2:54.4.

Brady Sheaffer put up a strong performance in the 1500m, securing fifth place with a time of 4:23.86. Not far behind, Evan Pawlik crossed the line in 4:41.01, contributing to a solid showing for the blue hens. Senior Aravind Arunachalam at 4:41.12, and junior Alejandro Lobo made a spring debut in 4:44.40 to secure a top-ten finish. Senior Lauren Pollock set a personal record of 5:37.49 to finish fifth on the women’s side, followed by freshman Zoe Morawski in 5:37.97 and sophomore Kate Kershaw in 5:42.09, also earning a personal best.

Brady Sheaffer also delivered a strong performance in the 5K, finishing in fourth place with a time of 16:03.3. Freshman Michael Colavito secured a top-ten finish in 16:52.2, while Ryan Healy wrapped up the top three for Delaware in 18:24.9. On the women’s side Pollock finished third overall in 19:35.26, bumping her up to ninth on the club’s performance list with Kate Kershaw finishing fourth in 20:40.59. Freshman Izzy Kehoe Huck made her track debut with a sixth place finish in 21:25.31 and sophomore Natalie Greger closing for the hens in 21:50.4. Junior Katie Burke clocked 13:09.8 in the 3K steeplechase, while on the men’s side, sophomore Cole Donnelly ran an improved time of 11:42.40. Freshman Patch Lant followed at 11:46, with Aiden Loy finishing in 11:50.11 and sophomore Nik Anna rounding out the group in 11:59.62.

Relay events were a highlight for the Blue Hens, with the men’s 4×100m team of Krummenacker, Obode, Small, and Winston running 45.91, the fifth-fastest time in club history. The 4×400m squad of Kelly, Wheeler, Small, and Healy also put together a solid race, finishing in 3:50.49.

In the field events, senior Gavin Looram advanced the team’s mark in the long jump with a leap of 4.5 meters. Junior Lianna Greenstein not only recorded a long jump of 4.60 meters but also showcased her versatility by finishing second in the triple jump with her mark of 10.68 meters.

The team is now shifting focus to the NIRCA Nationals, which are set for April 5-6 in Richmond, VA!

Full results can be found here.

Delaware men’s 4x100m relay team.

Kate Kershaw during her 5k.

Outdoor Season Opener at Capital Relays

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The Delaware club track team opened its 2025 outdoor season with a strong showing at Capital Relays on February 23rd, hosted by American University in Washington, D.C. The Blue Hens delivered standout performances across multiple events, with the women’s team placing second with 67 points and the men’s team finishing third with 79 points. Although the meet was hand-timed, several athletes made their way onto the club’s all-time performance list.

In the sprints, sophomore Amanda Desenchak ran 13.12 in the 100m, placing third overall and moving up two-tenths on the club’s all-time list. On the men’s side, sophomore Michael Obode clocked an impressive 11.47 to finish fourth, while junior Kurt Krummenacker ran 11.62, claiming the fifth-fastest performance on record. Krummenacker delivered a strong performance in the 200m, placing second overall with a time of 24.00. Obode also competed in the event, clocking 24.81 to finish just behind the top contenders. On the women’s side, Desenchak posted a solid 27.81, demonstrating her speed across multiple sprint events. Junior Lianna Greenstein rounded out the performance with a 29.97, securing the ninth-fastest time in club history and adding another personal milestone to the team’s successful outing.

Blue Hens performed well in the distance events at their outdoor debut. In the men’s 5K, Brady Sheaffer led for Delaware with a time of 15:46 for a third overall finish, while Evan Diefenbeck (16:30) and Aravind Arunachalam (18:27) followed close behind. On the women’s side, Lauren Pollock ran 19:54 for second overall, setting a new personal record and placing 10th on the club’s all-time list, followed by Kate Kershaw with a personal best of 20:25 and Hannah Pash in 23:41. Continuing to the 1600m junior Evan Pawlik led the group by breaking the five-minute barrier for the first time with a time of 4:56. Sophomore Ryan Healy followed closely behind in 4:58, with sophomore Cole Donnelly finishing in 5:03 and freshman Aiden Loy crossing in 5:05. In the women’s race, sophomore Claire Merchant finished top 15 finishers with a time of 5:55. Katie Burke had another successful race finishing in 6:05. Junior Natalie Greger completed the event in 6:41, rounding out a solid showing for Delaware’s distance squad.

The 800m showcased the team’s depth, with junior Dave Kelly leading the way, taking first place in 1:56, the fifth-fastest time in club history. Senior Michael Anderson, returning from injury, delivered a strong performance with a 2:06 finish, followed by junior Josh Pawlik at 2:09. Evan Pawlik, Dylan Aks, and Giovanni Palermo all clocked times under 2:15, demonstrating the team’s depth in the middle-distance events. On the women’s side, sophomore Anna Callaghan and freshman Zoe Morawski both ran 2:37, with junior Katie Burke following in 2:47.

Relay events were a highlight for the Blue Hens. The men’s distance medley relay team, consisting of Josh Pawlik, Parker Small, Michael Anderson, and Dave Kelly, took first place with a time of 11:04, marking the fourth-fastest performance in club history. The women’s DMR team, made up of Kate Kershaw, Grace Wertheimer, Natalie Greger, and Aine Grubb, finished in 16:07. The men’s 4×100 relay team, including Brady Sheaffer, Michael Obode, Parker Small, and Kurt Krummenacker, clocked in at 49.06, while the women’s 4×100 team, featuring Amanda Desenchak, Ava Lomax, Gianna Dowling, and Grace Wertheimer, finished at 59.18. The men’s sprint medley relay, with Spencer Wheeler, Kurt Krummenacker, Parker Small, and Sean Simonini, completed their race in 4:21. Lastly, a mixed 4×400 relay, which featured a unique baton exchange with chocolate milk, finished with a time of 6:05.

In a special club debut event, the Jeans Mile delivered impressive performances. In the men’s mile, freshman Sebastiano Vandoni recorded an impressive 4:55 for fourth overall, with freshman Michael Colavito running 5:11 and senior Aravind Arunachalam clocking 5:17. On the women’s side, Claire Merchant and Lauren Pollock crossed the line side by side in a time of 6:41.

The Capital Relays performances displayed a promising start to the outdoor season, as multiple athletes set personal bests and moved up on the club’s all-time performance lists. Delaware looks to carry this momentum at the Lloyd Sigler Spring Classic on March 8th in Salisbury, MD!

Full results can be found here.

Dave Kelly and Michael Anderson leading the 800m.

Lauren Pollock and Claire Merchant during their jeans mile!

Michael Obode in his 100m.

Delaware Men and Women Earn Top 10 Finish with Individual Highlights

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On October 19, 2024, the Delaware Club Cross Country team competed at the NIRCA Mid-Atlantic Regionals, at Lehigh University. Both the men’s and women’s teams placed 8th, with the men averaging 27:27 for the 8k, and the women 25:34 for the 6k. This achievement qualifies both teams for the varsity championship races at NIRCA Nationals in Hershey, PA, on November 8th and 9th.

Junior Brady Sheaffer and Senior Lauren Pollock continue to lead, each earning individual qualifying spots for Nationals. Brady Sheaffer placed 21st in the men’s race with a personal best of 26:28, which now ranks him 4th on Lehigh’s all-time performance list. Lauren Pollock secured 17th place in the women’s race with a huge personal best of 24:02, making her the third-fastest runner on the Lehigh course for Club XCTF and the fifth-fastest 6K performer in club history.

In the women’s 6k the Blue Hens were led by Lauren Pollock and her impressive performance, followed by Sophomore Claire Merchant, who clocked a personal best of 25:00. Freshman Zoe Morawski followed and ran a new personal best of 26:08. Junior Jade Barrett was next for Delaware finishing in 26:18.70. Sophomores Kate Kershaw and Marleigh Ballard broke the 27-minute barrier with their times of 26:22.9 and 26:32.2 respectively. Sophomore Natalie Greger completed the top 7 for the Blue Hens, setting a personal best of 26:35.7.

Brady Sheaffer led Delaware in the men’s 8k team, while junior Dave Kelly ran a personal best of 27:25.4 to finish second for Delaware. Junior Evan Diefenbeck was right behind in 27:28, followed by Freshman Sebastiano Vandoni, who impressed with a time of 27:50.7. Freshman Michael Colavito ran a solid 28:06, while Juniors Josh and Evan Pawlik finished together with times of 29:35.2 and 29:36.5, respectively, both breaking the 30-minute mark. Sophomore Ryan Healy also broke the 30-minute barrier with a personal best of 29:46.5.

Delaware demonstrated the results of their training throughout the season, with many runners achieving personal bests. As they prepare for NIRCA Nationals in Hershey, PA, on November 8th and 9th, the team is excited to finish their fall season strong!

Full results can be found here.

Brady Sheaffer leading the Blue Hens.
Jade Barrett finishing strong.
Women’s team pre-race.
Team photo at Regionals!

Men’s Team Secures Strong Second Place; Women’s Team Finishes Third at Delaware Invitational

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Delaware Club Cross Country made the short trip to White Clay Creek State Park on September 20th, to compete in the Delaware Invitational. Alongside the University of Delaware Women’s Cross Country team, the Blue Hens faced a tough field and a challenging course as they aimed to perform well on their home turf. Continuing their strong performances this season, Lauren Pollock and Brady Sheaffer once again led their teams, with the women’s team finishing third overall and the men’s team taking second.

Leading the women’s 5k for Delaware, was senior Lauren Pollock achieving a course personal best, finishing in 28th place with a time of 21:17.80. Sophomore Claire Merchant continued her success this season, finishing next for the Blue Hens in 22:14.90. Junior Katie Burke followed closely behind with a time of 22:35.80, and junior Jade Barrett finished right after in 22:40. Freshman Zoe Morawski made a solid debut at White Clay, clocking in at 23:00.20. Rounding out the top seven was sophomores Kate Kershaw in 23:02.20, and Marleigh Ballard in 23:06.60. Everyone’s efforts contributed to the women’s team finishing strong in third place against strong competition.

In the men’s 8k, junior Brady Sheaffer had another impressive performance placing 3rd overall with a time of 28:25.0. Following was Junior Evan Diefenbeck in a respectable 29:15. Freshman Sebastian Vandoni continued his successful season by securing 8th place in 30:03.5, closely followed by freshman Michael Colavito in 9th with a time of 30:04.8 finishing top 10. Juniors Josh and Evan Pawlik showcased their competitive spirit, finishing 16th and 17th, respectively, with times of 31:49.0 and 31:52.0. Sophomores Ryan Healy and Sean Simonini finished 18th and 19th in 32:10.0 and 32:22.8 respectively both placing in the top 20 overall. With their hard work paying off, the men’s team secured a strong second-place finish, showcasing their talent on their home course.

Delaware’s cross-country runners will continue to train and head to DeSales University on October 12th to continue their competitive season!

Full results can be found here.

Sebastian Vandoni mid-race.
Zoe Morawski finishing strong.