There may be some new faces in 2026, but the bar is set just as high for the Parkland track and field teams as the spring season gets underway.

Parkland has been the epitome of success in the Lehigh Valley track and field landscape. Under seventh-year head coach Stephen Ott the Trojans are coming off 7-0 records on both the boys and girls sides. Both the boys and girls are 34-0 during Ott’s tenure.

“Our expectation is to be in contention for the league title again this year,” Ott said. “It is never easy during dual meets, but I know our athletes will be up to the challenge. The weather has been difficult so far this year for us, as well as all the teams we will face. We just have to take it one day and meet at a time and focus on improving during that time.”

The largest void comes on the girls side after half of the 4x100 meter relay team that won states last year—Cierra Valley and Lucy Tobia—have graduated. Those two were also members of the 4x400 meter relay unit that placed third at states. Tobia was a state qualifier in the 400-meter dash and placed 10th.

While those losses will be tough to fill, there is experience in the running events returning.

Senior Kaley Seide and junior Dhaniya Miner are back after helping that 4x100 meter team earn gold at states. Seide also ran in the 4x400 and welcomes back fellow running mate Ana Gbur after their third-place mark at states. Seide was a state-qualifier in the 200-meter dash.

Also returning on the girls’ side is junior Samantha Schultz, a state-qualifier in the pole vault event after placing second at districts with a height of 9-6. Her teammate, Gabriella Borgos, also hit the 9-6 mark and placed third. She has since graduated. Sophomore Genevieve Inserra returns as well after placing fourth in the event with a mark of 9-0.

“It is important for all of us to continue to improve individually, both as athletes and coaches, in order to help the entire team succeed,” Ott said. “We are stronger together.”

The boys side will be without a number of key runners from last year’s squad.

Two legs of both the 4x400 and 4x800 meter relay teams have graduated. Anthony Cappellini and Landon Hoppel have moved on after helping the 4x400 team win districts and qualify for states. The 4x800 team—which placed second at districts and also qualified for states—will need to replace Cappellini and Henry Stein. On the individual side, Cappellini placed fourth at districts in the 400-meter dash in 50.52 seconds.

A duo of silver medalists from districts in the throwing and jumping events have also graduated. Jaden Bulgin, who placed second in the high jump at districts with a mark of 6-7, finished in sixth place at states with the same height. Leo Dauberman’s throw of 186-3 in the javelin was good for second at districts; at states, he placed 12th with a thrown of 176-2.

There is plenty of returning talent, however, across the board. Senior Logan McEvoy ran in both of those state-qualifying relay teams last year and returns this spring, as do seniors Lincoln Clark (4x400) and Marcelo Castialla (4x800).

Junior Colin McGuigan—who placed second at districts in the 1600-meter run (4:27.68)—qualified for states and placed 30th. He’s coming off a cross country season that saw him win leagues and districts.

Senior Exzavier Seide also picked up a silver medal at districts and qualified for states in the triple jump. Seide jumped 45-0 1/2 at districts, and followed that up with a 23rd-place finish at states.

Rounding out the top returners for 2026 are: senior Luke McEvoy and junior Radnor Rowlands. McEvoy placed third at districts in the 3200-meter run in 9:48.62. Rowlands placed sixth in the 60-meter dash at the Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association (PFTCA) Championships in early March.

For Ott, the indoor track and field season has had a big impact on the Trojans getting up to speed for yet another competitive regular season.

“Our indoor season continues to be the key to building our success,” Ott said. “A total of 195 athletes trained outside this winter and competed at indoor meets, primarily at colleges and universities…I believe the work put in over the winter will be key to our success this spring.”

Clark and Kaley Seide were the other two athletes who competed at PFTCA, and each broke the respective boys and girls 200-meter indoor school records. A total of 10 indoor track and field school records were broken in the indoor season.