WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. | The Young Harris College men's and women's track & field teams kicked off the 2025–26 indoor season on Sunday (Dec. 7) at the JDL Early Bird Invitational, held at the JDL Fast Track. Competing in their first meet of the year, the Mountain Lions showcased depth and promise across multiple events, with 11 women and 10 men representing YHC. 

Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Matt Logan praised the team's effort and highlighted several performances: 

"It was good to get the first meet under our belt. I'll mention a few performances I thought were really good. Evan Johnson ran a great 60h race, had a solid long jump series, and competed hard as the anchor of our 4x4. That guy's going to be really good. Our 400m ladies were also really good today. Hibberts, Hubbard, Singh, and Emmi each had two great races. Hargrove had a really good bounce back 3k race and Mendoza ran a huge personal best in the 800m. Dezzy really led our distance group with two personal bests in the 3k and 5k. He can score points in either at the conference meet. I really like our group." 

Inside the Men's Performance:

• 60m Hurdles: Freshman Evan Johnson opened his collegiate career with a strong showing in the 60m hurdles, finishing 14th overall with a time of 9.18. Johnson also impressed in the long jump, recording a mark of 6.22m to place 20th, and anchored the Mountain Lions' 4x400m relay team. 

• 5000m Run: Sophomore Austin Dezwart delivered one of the day's top performances, finishing third in the 5000m with a time of 15:52.55, earning the Mountain Lions their highest placement of the meet. Senior Matthew Honeycutt followed closely in fourth at 16:15.46. 

• 3000m Run: Dezwart also set a personal best in the 3000m, clocking 8:58.56 for 16th place. Freshman Dylan Stone finished 20th (9:07.85), while sophomores Xander Potter (9:21.13) and Gabe Pattacini (9:45.92) rounded out the group. 

• One Mile: Freshman Nathaniel Harris posted a time of 4:44.11, finishing 17th in his debut. 

• Field Events: Sophomore Ryland Hunley cleared 1.82m in the high jump for 16th place. Johnson's long jump series highlighted the field performances for YHC. 

• Relays: The men's 4x400m relay team of Hunley, Frison, Harris, and Johnson finished 12th with a time of 3:40.95. 

Inside the Women's Performance:

• 400m Dash: Freshman Ryan Singh made an immediate impact in her first collegiate race, finishing ninth in the 400m with a time of 1:02.19. Fellow freshmen Mattie Hibberts (1:03.55) and Harper Hubbard (1:03.75) placed 12th and 13th, respectively, as YHC showed strength in the event. 

• 800m Run: Sophomore Ashley Mendoza ran a huge personal best, finishing 15th in 2:41.48. Junior Piper Marsingill (2:43.41) and sophomore Cadence McClung (2:52.26) came in 16th and 21st place, respectively. 

• 3000m Run: Sophomore Julia Hargrove bounced back with a strong performance, placing 25th in 11:44.26. Freshman Lilian Arnold (12:09.07) and junior Caroline Bass (12:13.25) followed closely. 

• Field Events: Freshman Kaleigh Bond recorded a mark of 8.55m in the shot put. 

• Relays: The women's 4x400m relay team finished sixth overall with a time of 4:18.86, capping a strong day for the Mountain Lions. 

UP NEXT: 

The Mountain Lions will return to action after the holiday break at the Mondo College Invitational. With several personal bests and promising performances in their season opener, Young Harris looks poised for a competitive indoor campaign in Conference Carolinas.