New Orleans, La. - The Lewis University men's track and field program was tabbed No. 15 nationally in the USTFCCCA Checkpoint #1 Poll, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon.
The Flyers are one of three GLVC teams in the top-20 as they are joined by UIndy (6) and Missouri S&T (18). Overall the GLVC had 10 teams ranked within the first checkpoint of the year by the USTFCCCA.
Lewis has had early success during the 2026 indoor season as three men have earned GLVC Track or Field Athlete of the week with
Evan Horgan (Loves Park, Ill./Belvidere North),
Abraham Christian (Huntley, Ill./Huntley HS) and
Cagini Pilgram (Castries, Saint Lucia) each earning the accolade on one occasion.
This past weekend at Notre Dame Invite against multiple Division I opponents, Lewis dominated the men's jumps, sweeping the top three spots in the long jump. Christian claimed first at 6.57 meters, followed closely by
Cody Machlet (Roselle, Ill./Geneva Community HS) in second (6.56m) and Jayden Washington in third (6.46m). Machlet added another victory in the triple jump, winning with a leap of 14.35 meters. In the weight throw,
Levi Graham (Plainfield, Ill./Minooka) delivered another NCAA-level performance, winning the event with a mark of 21.63 meters. The Flyers closed strong in the men's 4x400-meter relay, as Pilgrim, Kamari Rush,
Brian Holmes (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS), and
Adrien Manning (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka) combined for a second-place finish in 3:18.96.
The Flyers are back in action on Jan. 31 at the Windy City Invite.