OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second time in the history of the program, the MACU Men's Track & Field team will be competing at the NCCAA Indoor National Championships that are being hosted at Doden Field House on the campus of Cedarville University on Friday and Saturday.
 
EVENT SCHEDULE

• Distance Medley Relay – Friday – 6:30 pm (5:30 pm CST)
  • Participants: Chase Cotarelo, Blake Jensen, Collin Seely, Aidan Collins, Jonathan Avila (A)
• 5000-Meter Run – Friday – 7:10 pm (6:10 pm CST)
  • Participants: Jaden Rodriguez, Lucky Maila, Aidan Collins
• 4x800-Meter Relay – Saturday – 12:30 pm (11:30 pm CST)
  • Participants: Jonathan Avila, Lucky Maila, Collin Seely, Chase Cotarelo, Mohamed Zairi (A)
• 800-Meter Run – Saturday – 2:20 pm (1:20 pm CST)
  • Participants: Blake Jensen, Jonathan Avila, Collin Seely, Chase Cotarelo
• 3000-Meter Run – Saturday – 3:25 pm (2:25 pm CST)
  • Participants: Jaden Rodriguez, Lucky Maila

EVENT NOTES

• Mid-America Christian will officially open its 2026 indoor nationals in the Distance Medley Relay where the four-man tandem of Chase Cotarelo, Blake Jensen, Collin Seely, and Aidan Collins will be slated to run with Jonathan Avila serving as the alternate.
• The same group posted the program's second-best ever time at the Washburn Open just two weeks ago when they crossed the line in 10:55.32. After being converted to a 11:04.24, the mark ranks as the fourth-fastest in the NCCAA heading into the championship meet.
• The only other event MACU will be competing in during the Friday slate of events will be the 5000-meter, featuring Jaden Rodriguez and Lucky Maila.
• The race will be only the second time both Rodriguez and Maila will be running the 5000-meter during the indoor slate with both last running it at the PSU Crimson & Gold Invitational on Dec. 5. In that meet, Rodriguez shattered the program record, crossing the finish line in 15:11.28 while Maila posted the third-fastest with a time of 15:46.18. After being converted down to a 15:21.03, Rodriguez enters the championships with the third-best mark in the NCCAA while Maila's converted mark of 15:56.31 sits as the 13^th best time in the NCCAA.
• The Evangels will open the Saturday slate with another relay race, this time the 4x800-meter relay. The four-man team will consist of Avila, Maila, Seely, and Cotarelo while Mohamed Zairi will serve as a team alternate. It will be the first time this indoor season the Evangels will be competing in this particular relay race as they will be seeking to break the record set at last year's indoor by Collins, Aidan Pearson, Alexander Pebeahsy, and Seely, who crossed the line in 8:20.08.
• Avila, Seely, and Cotarelo along with Jensen will return to the track two hours later for the 800-meter event. Cotarelo owns the fastest time of MACU's 800-meter competitors, setting a time of 2:00.99 at the J.D. Martin Invitational on Jan. 22 and ranks as the 14^th best time in the NCCAA this season.
• The Evangels will officially wrap-up their NCCAA National Championship trip with the 3000-meter as the trio of Maila, Rodriguez, and Collins will compete. While Rodriguez set the fastest 3k time of the season with an 8:43.66, after converting down to an 8:49.74, it ranks as the 10^th-best time in the NCCAA this season. Meanwhile, Maila posted a sensational 8:44.74 at the Owen Hewitt Invitational on Jan. 16, which currently sits as the fifth-best mark in the NCCAA.