UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Macomb Track & Field got its 2026 indoor season underway on Friday (Jan. 16) at the Saginaw Valley State University Classic. The opening event of the season saw the Monarch men and women largely compete in the 800m and 3000m events.
In the men's 3000m,
Michael Nivala Jr. posted an impressive sixth-place overall finish with a time of 8:57. The time resulted in Nivala crossing the finish line before several NCAA Division I and Division II athletes.
Jack DeWaele placed 13
th in his heat at 9:58, while
Mathieu Fortier checked in 20
th in his heat at 11:02.
Women's 3000m action for Macomb was paced by
Emma Dell as the sophomore ran an 11:16 to check in 13
th overall and second in her heat. Much like Nivala, Dell crossed the finish line before a handful of NCAA DI athletes.
Erin Rowan finished sixth in her heat and 19
th overall at 11:48, topping a pair of NCAA DI competitors, while
Amber Watta was 26
th overall at 12:55 ahead of one NCAA DI runner.
Erin Leverenz rounded out the group of Monarchs in 29
th place at 15:02.
Former Monarch
Ava LaMilza, who now competes for NCAA DII Ferris State University, recorded a third-place time of 10:50 in the 3000m event.
In the men's 800m, Nivala led a group of Monarchs with a time of 2:04.1 to finish second in his heat. DeWaele ran a 2:11.4 for a sixth-place finish in his heat and
Daryl Winters III placed 31
st overall at 2:13.5. Fortier was close behind Winters at 2:19.7.
Dell once again led the charge for the Monarch women in the 800m by checking in fifth overall with a time of 2:31.2. Rowan collected her second top 20 finish of the day with an 11
th place time of 2:39.3, while Watta was 20
th at 2:47.6 and Leverenz was 25
th at 3:01.7.
Former Monarch
Grace Wessel, running unattached at the event, posted an impressive time of 2:22.5 to finish one-tenth out of first place.
Winters was the lone Monarch to enter the 400m and finished that event within the top 25 at 54.30.
The Monarchs will return to SVSU one week from today (Jan. 23) to compete in the Doug Hansen Open.
