ROME, Ga. - Centre men lead the race for the 2026 Southern Athletic Association Outdoor Track and Field title.
The men came out strong in the field events, capturing two event titles for 20 early points. Centre’s Cree Ross set a new SAA Outdoor Championship record in the long jump with a mark of 7.41m, while teammate David Harless claimed the hammer throw at 57.37m. The Colonels added valuable depth in the long jump, with Mario Brewer and Isaac Johnson contributing an additional seven points. In the hammer, Luke Cole and Terique Murphy-Adams chipped in with fifth- and seventh-place finishes, adding six more points to Centre’s total.
The field events concluded with the javelin, where Rhodes’ Liam Conroy earned gold with a throw of 56.51m. Centre’s Luke Cole followed in second at 54.69m, while Berry’s Clay Robinson secured third with a mark of 53.64m.
On the track, the only finals contested was the 10k and 3000m steeplechase. In the 3000m steeple, Reeve VanDemark led the way with a winning time of 9:41.92, while Trinity stacked the event with second-, third-, sixth-, and seventh-place finishes to total 19 points.
The men’s 10,000m delivered one of the most exciting races of the day. Oglethorpe’s Zachary Benner controlled the pace early, with Centre’s Houston Brooks surging ahead in the closing laps. But Millsaps’ Greer Hernandez quietly entered the contention late. As Benner kicked on the final lap, Hernandez found another gear down the stretch, edging Benner by just 0.02 seconds in a dramatic finish.
Preliminary rounds in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 110m hurdles, and 400m hurdles were also contested, setting the stage for tomorrow’s finals.
Current Team Standings:
1. Centre - 74
2. Trintiy - 50
3. Berry - 36
4. Rhodes - 22
5. Oglethorpe - 16
T6. Sewanee - 13
T6. Southwestern - 13
8. Millsaps - 10
The final day will be tomorrow in Rome, Georgia, with events beginning at 9 am ET.
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at
www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all ofyour Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.