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.

Delaware Dominates at Second Annual Blue Hen Invitational

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The second annual Blue Hen Invitational, held on April 19th in Newark, Delaware, was a standout day for the University of Delaware Club Track and Field team. With increased team participation and strong support from alumni and current members, the home meet brought excitement, personal bests, and record-setting performances across a wide range of events.

The women’s 5k was a standout distance event, with senior Lauren Pollock running 18:56.24 to break 19 minutes for the first time, finish second, and move to fourth-fastest in club history. Sophomore Kate Kershaw followed with a personal best of 20:04.10, finishing sixth overall. Seniors Hannah Pash and Natalie Greger ran together and crossed the line hand in hand in 24:21.07. On the men’s side, junior Evan Diefenbeck ran an impressive 15:36.01 to grab tenth on the all-time list by just one second. Freshman Aiden Loy followed with a time of 17:49.03 to place 14th, while sophomore John Healy finished 15th in 18:06.83.

Delaware’s sprinters had a standout day in the relays, highlighted by the women’s 4x100m A team of Rilee McMahan, Amanda Desenchak, Grace Wertheimer, and Gianna Dowling, who sprinted to a 54.43 finish, tying for second-fastest in club history. On the men’s side, the 4x100m team of Kurt Krummenacker, Michael Obode, James Winston, and Parker Small put together a strong race to finish in 45.35, placing them fourth on the all-time performance list. The women’s distance 4x100m squad of Claire Merchant, Kate Kershaw, Lauren Pollock, and Gabriella Maletta also contributed with a 1:04.71 finish.

Sprinters continued their success with sophomore Amanda Desenchak, who placed second in the women’s 100m with a time of 13.6. In the men’s 100m, Michael Obode placed second in 11.70, tying for ninth in club history. Daren James Seals ran 11.94 for third, and Kurt Krummenacker followed in 11.99 to round out the top five.

In the 800m, freshman Zoe Morawski ran 2:31.56 to win the women’s race and earn the tenth spot on the performance list with a season best. Sophomore Ella Maletta placed fourth in the 800m with a time of 2:43.89, followed by seniors Leah Goodman and Aine Grubb in fifth and sixth. Both seniors closed out the race with season bests, as Goodman ran 2:45.50 and Grubb crossed the line in 2:57.87. On the men’s side, senior Michael Anderson also ran a season best of 2:01.61, ending his season on a high note. Junior Josh Pawlik followed in 2:05.03, with sophomore Devan Wasserman close behind in 2:06.09. Freshman Giovanni Palermo rounded out the top 15 with a 2:07.91.

In the 400m, Rasi-Tael Joshua broke the club record with a winning time of 1:01.60. Sophomore Anna Callaghan followed in 1:05.80, moving her to seventh on the performance list. For the men, freshman Parker Small led with a 54.69, followed by sophomore James Winston in 56.35 and junior Spencer Wheeler in 56.36.

Since most outdoor meets run the 1500m, the Blue Hen Invitational included the 1600m instead, contributing new performances to the club’s 1600m performance list. Sophomore Claire Merchant led the women with a personal best of 5:33.21, earning third place overall and setting the fastest time in club history. Lauren Pollock notched her second PR of the day, running 5:39.87 for sixth. Sophomore Kate Kershaw also finished under six minutes in 5:55.40. Seniors Amanda Ciaramella and Emily Sposato wrapped up their collegiate careers in 7:32.3 and 7:36.68, respectively. On the men’s side, junior Dave Kelly now sits atop the 1600m leaderboard with a time of 4:15.00. He was followed by junior Matthew Kwiatkowski in 4:31.11, Evan Pawlik in 4:47.20, and sophomore Cole Donnelly in 4:50.19.

In the women’s 200m, Rasi-Tael Joshua won in 27.58, tying her for third on the club’s performance list. Amanda Desenchak placed third in 28.42. In the women’s 4x400m, the A team of Morawski, Pollock, Maletta, and Callaghan ran 4:44.13 for second place, which moved them up to tenth all-time. The B team of Erika Danysh, Aine Grubb, Leah Goodman, and Grace Wertheimer finished in 5:06.78. On the men’s side, the A team of Wheeler, Wasserman, Small, and Pawlik clocked 3:49.71 for fifth place, while the B team of Lazev, Healy, Simonini, and Aks followed in 3:58.84.

In the field events, junior Gianna Dowling cleared 4-10 (1.47m) in the women’s high jump to take first place and move into second on the club’s all-time performance list. Lianna Greenstein placed fourth in the same event with a jump of 4-06 (1.37m), which also ranks fourth in club history. In the women’s long jump, Greenstien placed second with a jump of 4.62m, followed by Dowling in third at 4.13m. On the men’s side, senior Gavin Looram matched Greenstein’s mark with a 4.62m jump. Greenstein went on to win the women’s triple jump with a jump of 10.29m.

The day concluded with the signature 4x200m chocolate milk relay, a Delaware club classic. With more teams competing, the second Blue Hen Invitational was a huge success. The team now turns its focus to the Paul Kaiser Classic at Shippensburg University on Saturday, April 26, for the final meet of the season!

Full results can be found here.

Hannah Pash and Natalie Greger finishing their 5k together.
Gianna Dowling in the high jump.
Delaware leading in the mile.

Delaware Shines at Club Penn Relays with Record-Breaking Performances and Relay Wins

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Delaware Club Track and Field competed at the 2025 Club Penn Relays on April 13th, returning to the iconic Franklin Field in Philadelphia to race across seven relays. With standout performances across both men’s and women’s teams, including a new club record and multiple wins, Delaware made a strong mark in one of the most exciting meets of the season.

For the first time ever, Delaware competed in a mixed 4×800-meter relay. With six teams in total, everyone earned a spot on the performance list. Delaware C set the bar high, finishing in first place in a new club record of 9:21.89. The team of Michael Anderson, Zoe Morawski, Claire Merchant, and Dave Kelly posted a time that would have ranked tenth all-time among men’s 4×800 squads. Delaware A also put together a strong showing, earning fourth place with a time of 10:08.59 behind solid legs from Devan Wasserman, Leah Goodman, Giovanni Palermo, and Lauren Pollock.

In the sprint medley relay, the women’s team of Grace Wertheimer, Lianna Greenstein, Ava Lomax, and Anna Callaghan placed second with a time of 6:14, securing a spot on the miscellaneous performance list. On the men’s side, Gavin Looram, Michael Obode, Parker Small, and Spencer Wheeler finished fourth overall in 4:23.3, also a notable addition to the performance list.

The 4×1600 meter was another highlight for our distance crew. The women took first place with an impressive performance of 24:47.15, led by Lauren Pollock, Kate Kershaw, Izzy Kehoe-Huck, and Katie Burke. On the men’s side, Delaware A placed second in 19:45.04, as Sebastiano Vandoni, Giovanni Palermo, Evan Pawlik, and Ryan Healy all raced well. Delaware C followed close behind, taking third in 20:33.20 with efforts from John Healy, Nik Anna, Cole Donnelly, and Sean Simonini.

In the 4×200 meter relay, the women clocked a time of 2:17.16, which included a team of Anna Callaghan, Amanda Desenchek, Lauren Pollock, and Ava Lomax. The men’s team had a close finish, with the team of James Winston, Devan Wasserman, Dave Kelly, and Kurt Krummenacker narrowly securing first place in 1:35.14. A second Delaware squad of Michael Obode, Parker Small, Spencer Wheeler, and Gavin Looram finished in 1:49.11.

Three Blue Hen teams swept the women’s DMR. Delaware A, comprising Claire Merchant, Emily Sposato, Leah Goodman, and Lauren Pollock, won the event in 14:55.32, marking the second-fastest time in club history. Delaware B followed just behind in 15:26.97 with Kate Kershaw, Ava Lomax, Izzy Kehoe-Huck, and Katie Burke, while Delaware C rounded out the sweep with a time of 16:36.27 from Natalie Greger, Aine Grubb, Zoe Morawski, and Hannah Pash. On the men’s side, Delaware A also secured the win in 11:22.5, good for fifth all time, thanks to Evan Pawlik, Josh Pawlik, Michael Anderson, and Sebastiano Vandoni. Delaware B, featuring Aidan Loy, Dylan Aks, Jack Pelczar, and Michael Colavito, ran a solid 12:06.75.

In the 4×100 meter relays, the women’s team of Rilee McCmahan, Aine Grubb, Grace Wertheimer, and Amanda Desenchek finished in 58.34. The men’s team, consisting of James Winston, Michael Obode, Parker Small, and Kurt Krummenacker, put on an impressive performance, winning their heat with a time of 46.60, which placed them tenth on the all-time list.

The day concluded with the fun and creative’ Anything but a Baton’ 4×400 meter relay. Delaware’s women’s squad of Erika Danysh, Aine Grubb, Grace Wertheimer, and Lauren Pollock took the win in 4:38.31, and won the Best Baton Award with blue hen Dave Kelly being passed on each leg. The men’s team of Kurt Krummenacker, Aravind Arunachalam, Sean Simonini, and Ryan Healy took second in 4:01.92.

The team enjoyed another chance to compete at the historic Franklin Field and is now excited to carry that momentum into their next meet. Delaware will return to its home track for the Blue Hen Invitational on April 19th in Newark, Delaware.

Full results can be found here.

Mixed 4x800m winners.
Men’s 4x200m relay.
Women’s 4x100m relay.
Mixed 4x400m relay!

Blue Hens Secure All-Time List Marks and All-American Honors at NIRCA Nationals

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The Blue Hens traveled to Richmond, VA, for the 2025 NIRCA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, competing over two days filled with personal bests, historic performances, and All-American honors.

Day One Highlights

On Day one, sophomore Matthew Kwiatkowski kicked off the meet in the half marathon, finishing 4th place in 1:11.49, earning an all-American to start the weekend off strong. In the sprints, sophomore Amanda Desenchak ran 13.55 in the 100m to place 16th overall, and returned for the 200m with a 28.76 finish. Sophomores Michael Obode, James Winston, and junior Kurt Krummenacker recorded times of 11.87, 11.94, and 12.12 in the men’s 100-meter dash, respectively. Obode also ran 24.73 in the 200, joined by junior Spencer Wheeler at 26.00, senior Gavin Looram at 30.82, and senior Joseph Raziano at 37.73. Junior Grace Wertheimer and senior Joseph Raziano took on the 400-meter hurdles, running 1:23.58 and 1:53.43.

Delaware relay squads did not disappoint throughout the weekend. In the women’s 4x800m, the A team of sophomore Claire Merchant, sophomore Anna Callaghan, senior Aine Grubb, and freshman Zoe Morawski clocked in at 10:57.37, finishing 11th overall and marking the fourth-fastest time in club history. On the men’s side, the A team of freshman Sebastiano Vandoni, senior Michael Anderson, junior Josh Pawlik, and junior Dave Kelly earned All-American honors with a fifth-place finish in 8:06.99, now second on the club’s all-time list. The B team of junior Alejandro Lobo, sophomore Devan Wasserman, sophomore Cole Donnelly, and junior Spencer Wheeler ran 9:06.86, making their way to eighth on the performance list.

Open distance events started off strong in the women’s 1500m, led by Claire Merchant. Merchant ran a personal best at her NIRCA nationals debut of 5:17.57 to lead the Delaware women and place 33rd overall. She was followed by senior Lauren Pollock, who ran an impressive 5:19.24. Not far behind, sophomore Kate Kershaw and freshman Izzy Kehoe-Huck finished with times of 5:49.06 and 5:49.68, respectively. Senior Leah Goodman crossed in 5:56.61, and sophomore Ava Lomax closed out the lineup in 7:15.10. The men followed with a solid group performance of their own. Junior Evan Pawlik led with a time of 4:26.02, followed by freshman Michael Colavito at 4:31.64 and freshman Giovanni Palermo at 4:37.35. Senior Aravind Arunachalam ran 4:39.48, just ahead of sophomore Cole Donnelly in 4:40.96. Sophomore Sean Simonini was close behind, running a new personal best of 4:42.22.

In the 400 meters, freshman Zoe Morawski ran 1:06.14 to earn the sixth-fastest time in club history. Sophomore Anna Callaghan followed with a 1:07.93, climbing up to tenth on the all-time list, while sophomore Erika Danysh finished in 1:11.55. On the men’s side, junior Dave Kelly continued his success and led the team with a 51.41, which placed him 15th overall and now the fourth-fastest time in club history. Sophomore Devan Wasserman followed with 53.71, alongside senior Michael Anderson at 54.51 and sophomore Ryan Healy at 57.50. Junior Grace Wertheimer and senior Joseph Raziano took on the 400-meter hurdles, running 1:23.58 and 1:53.43.

The women’s 5k kicked off the final distance race for day one, senior Lauren Pollock led the way with a strong 19:57 finish, continuing her season of consistent performances. Freshman Izzy Kehoe-Huck followed in 23:11, showing solid effort in her second race of the meet. Senior Hannah Pash closed out the event in 23:52, for a strong race to round out the trio.

Day one officially concluded with our sprint relays starting with the women’s 4x100m relay. The 4x100m team of Desenchak, Greenstein, McMahan, and Wertheimer ran an impressive 55.25, the third-fastest time on the performance list. On the men’s side, Krummenacker, Winston, Obode, and Healy clocked a 48.79, closing out the first day of competition on a strong note.

Day Two Highlights

Day 2 kicked off bright and early with the men’s 5k, where freshman Sebastiano Vandoni led the team with a solid 16:30.70. Freshman Michael Colavito and sophomore Ryan Healy ran just tenths of a second apart, finishing in 17:39.53 and 17:39.75, respectively. Senior Aravind Arunachalam followed with a time of 17:57.36, while junior John Healy made a strong finish, breaking the 18-minute mark for the first time with a 17:58.50.

Junior Grace Wertheimer continued her success in the hurdling events, clocking a time of 19.68 in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Freshman Aiden Loy took on the 3k steeplechase, finishing in 11:27.12 and placing seventh on the club’s all-time list. He was joined by sophomore Nik Anna at 12:04.02 and sophomore Ryan Healy at 12:32.02.

The mid-distance events continued with the 800-meter race. Freshman Zoe Morawski led the team with a time of 2:35.28. Right behind were sophomores Claire Merchant in 2:36.58 and Anna Callaghan in 2:41.65. Senior Leah Goodman closed in 2:52.30, followed by senior Aine Grubb in 2:59.91, breaking the three-minute barrier. On the men’s side, junior Dave Kelly delivered a standout race, earning All-American honors with a third-place finish in 1:53.88. His time now ranks as the third-fastest in club history and marked one of the weekend’s top individual highlights. Senior Michael Anderson followed with a solid 2:03.43, and junior Josh Pawlik continued to build on a strong spring season with a 2:08.45. Sophomore Evan Pawlik closed out the top group in 2:11.75, adding depth to a competitive 800-meter squad.

As always, the day wrapped up on the track with the 4x400m relay. In the women’s 4x400m, the A team of Merchant, Callaghan, Wertheimer, and Morawski finished in 4:39.01, putting them fourth on the club’s all-time list. The B team of Danysh, Pollock, Grubb, and Lomax closed strong and ran 5:08.98. The men’s 4x400m B team of Winston, Arunachalam, Simonini, and Krummenacker finished in 3:50.27. To end a successful weekend on the track, the A team of Wheeler, Anderson, Wasserman, and Kelly finished in 3:38.05, marking the seventh-fastest time in club history.

In the field events, junior Lianna Greenstein earned All-American honors in the triple jump with a mark of 34 feet, 4.5 inches, and placed 11th in the long jump with a distance of 4.68 meters. She also contributed to the 4×100 relay team. Sophomore Anna Callaghan threw 21.93 meters in the discus, improving her spot on the club’s all-time list. In the men’s long jump, senior Gavin Looram recorded a distance of 15 feet, 2.5 inches.

Overall, it was a successful weekend at NIRCA Nationals, with numerous personal bests and All-American honors across both the men’s and women’s teams. With this momentum behind us, we’re excited to take on the final meets of the season, beginning with the Club Penn Relays in Philadelphia, PA, on Sunday, April 13th.

Full results can be found here.

Women’s 4x800m Relay.
Krummenacker in the men’s 100m.
Handoff of the 4x400m relay.
Dave Kelly closing out the men’s 4x400m.
NIRCA Nationals team photo!

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.