After a successful 2024-25 season, the Emory University men’s track and field team is looking to continue their momentum as they race into this season. The team is looking for redemption after placing second at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Indoor Track and Field Championships and 20th at the NCAA Indoor Championships last year.
The Eagles started their 2025-2026 indoor season on Dec. 5 at the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker in Birmingham, Ala. They had a solid performance, as three athletes placed within the top five in their events and several others took home top-20 finishes. The team carried this momentum to the Samford Invitational on Jan. 16, also in Birmingham, where they saw two individual athletes place within the top five.
Even so soon in the season, many freshmen have set promising marks. Junior sprinter Andrew Burchett said that he’s excited to witness how the freshmen continue to perform.
“I’m a very big fan of a lot of the folks in that class,” Burchett said. “The way that they handle themselves, the way that they cheer each other on, the way that they aren’t afraid to go at other people in practice and really compete.”
The upperclassmen are doing more than just voicing their confidence in the freshmen class’s abilities. Freshman jumper Robert Bright said that the upperclassmen, including senior Steven Ditelberg, have also given him advice about matters on and off the track.
“He’s helping me talk with people so I can figure out where I want to go with my career, and he’s making sure I have the skills to do that,” Bright said. “On the track, as pole vaulters, we all coach each other because it’s a super technical event, so that’s always helpful.”
With the Feb. 28 UAA Indoor Championships moving closer, the Eagles hope to claim victory this season. Bright emphasized how crucial it is for the team to stay injury-free, given the scarcity of breaks throughout the season.
“In the fall semester, approaching winter break, a lot of people were starting to get stress injuries,” Bright said. “The most important thing for us is just going to be managing our workload in order to prevent injuries.”
Freshman sprinter Lucas Mersky said that the coaches have taken steps to prevent injuries by addressing the needs of individual athletes.
“Recovery is essential, and everybody’s body is different,” Mersky said. “If one person needs to take a step back and just do a bike workout instead, they could. All the coaches have been really great about that this year. That’s helped us tremendously.”
Another component crucial to the team’s success this season is cultivating a positive team culture. Within the team’s tight-knit environment, athletes in specific event groups share even tighter bonds, which Bright said is beneficial during competitions.
“We’re sometimes competing with each other, which we also do in practice, forcing everyone to be our best,” Bright said. “Approaching the end of meets, when our [4x400 meter relay] goes up, … we’ll have the whole team standing outside the track cheering them on as they run.”
Similarly, Burchett said that the “48-ers,” composed of athletes who double in the 400-meter and 800-meter events, are united by their strenuous workload.
“You need somebody that’s going to go out there and can compete, regardless of being on heavy legs,” Burchett said. “Not to gas up the folks … in the 48-er event group, but they’re some dogs, and it’s always nice to know when it comes down to that sort of stuff that you have dogs in your corner.”
As the season picks up pace, the Eagles are staying confident, with some athletes even aiming to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Mersky said he would be excited to go, especially since they take place at a familiar venue in his home state of Wisconsin.
“It’d be amazing to go back there and compete,” Mersky said. “My friends and family have already discussed coming up, and that’d be amazing. I would love a chance to compete in front of all of them on the biggest stage.”
