Three-Peat: Milligan Wins Third Men's Outdoor Championship in a Row

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. - Buoyed by five event wins, Milligan claimed the 2026 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Men's Outdoor Track & Field championship.

The three-day meet was held at Pulliam Stadium on the campus of Montreat in Black Mountain, N.C.

Milligan amassed 190.5 points, outpacing second-place Truett McConnell (142 points) by 47.5 points. Montreat (105 points), Reinhardt (102.5 points), and Columbia (73 points) rounded out the top five. Making up the rest of the field were Columbia International (67 points), Spartanburg Methodist (64 points), Tennessee Wesleyan (63 points), Pikeville (37 points), Union (25 points), Bryan (15 points), and SCAD Atlanta (12 points).

This is Milligan's third consecutive outdoor championship.

Eleven meet records were set, with six stemming from the Decathlon. Drew Bryant of Montreat set the meet record for the Decathlon in scoring 6,098 points. He also sets the Decathlon records for the 100, High Jump, and 400. 

Trevor Sinard of Milligan was named the Most Valuable Player as he won the shot put, placed second in the Hammer, and took fourth in the shot put.

Romeo Brown of Spartanburg Methodist earned Track Athlete of the Year accolades. He set the meet record in the 100 with a time of 10.16 seconds, while placing second in the 200 and helping the 4x100 Relay team to a second-place finish.

Zeke Hagley of Pikeville set the meet record in the Hammer with a toss of 54.78 meters, earning him Field Athlete of the Year honors. He also placed third in the discus and shot put.

Nathan Cremin of Montreat earned Newcomer of the Year honors after winning the 800 and 1500, setting the meet record in the 800 (1:49.19).

Matthew Murphy of Tennessee Wesleyan was named the Freshman of the Year as he scored points in five events.

The Milligan coaching staff was named the Staff of the Year.

Here is a complete list of the new meet records:

• Hammer Throw – Zeke Hagley (Pikeville), 54.78 meters
• Decathlon – Drew Bryant (Montreat), 6,098 points
• Decathlon 100 – Drew Bryant (Montreat), 10.95
• Decathlon Long Jump – Corey Rooks (Truett McConnell), 6.73 meters
• Decathlon Shot Put – Hunter McCaskill (Columbia International), 11.92 meters
• Decathlon High Jump – Drew Bryant (Montreat), 1.88 meters
• Decathlon 400 – Drew Bryant (Montreat), 50.22
• Decathlon 110 Hurdles – Landon York (Milligan), 15.74
• 100 – Romeo Brown (Spartanburg Methodist), 10.16
• 800 – Nathan Cremin (Montreat), 1:49.19
• 5000 – Ryan Stade (Montreat), 14.37.82
• Discus – Trevor Sinard (Milligan), 51.83 meters

 Here are the rest of the individual champions:

• Pole Vault – Jacob Moore (Milligan), 4.35 meters
• 10,000 – Ryan Stade (Montreat), 31.26.64
• 4x100 Relay – Truett McConnell (Simeon Simmons, Elijah Goddard, Brett Wilgus, Kimal Marshall), 40.78
• 4x800 Relay – Milligan (Carter Windham, Marti Molins, Aaron Gottlied, Luis Peralta), 7:35.23
• 400 Hurdles – Brayden Simpson (Milligan), 53.10
• 1500 – Nathan Cremin (Montreat), 3:59.09
• 400 – Luis Peralta (Milligan), 47.53
• 5000 Race Walk – Dakota Caldwell (Tennessee Wesleyan), 26.17.69
• Discus – Dylan Simms (Truett McConnell), 16.32 meters
• Long Jump – Brandyn Jackson (Truett McConnell), 7.06 meters
• Javelin – Ethan Rice (Reinhardt), 58.84 meters
• High Jump – Phillip Drake (Bryan), 2.02 meters
• 3000 Steeplechase – Hugo Petat-Hemono (Montreat), 9:48.79
• 110 Hurdles – Brayden Simpson (Milligan), 14.78
• 200 – Elijah Goddard (Truett McConnell), 21.07
• 4x400 Relay – Columbia (Meshach Guadeloupe, DJ McGriff-Agers, Ashton Pouncie, Alex Smith), 3:14.97
• Triple Jump – Elijah Seawright (Columbia International), 14.50 meters