Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (5/1/2026) – On the eve of the 2026 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Men's and Women's Track and Field Championships, Gwynedd Mercy University Head Coach
Branden Soubik is eager to see his Griffins perform, "I like the way we have developed a new culture for this program. We some great entries in the 400-Meter and the distances – 5,000 and 10,000-Meters – and we expect Tyson to repeat as the AEC Field Athlete of the Year and perhaps set some more records Hammer and Discus."
Tyson Scheitrum (Harrisburg, Pa.) was the 2025 AEC Men's Field Athlete of the Year with his impressive All-AEC First Team performances in the Hammer (1st, 43.34, 10 points) and Discus (1st, 38.06, 10 points). He totaled 20 of the Griffins' 102 points (3rd of 6) and his championship throw in the Hammer was a University, Championship, and personal record at the time. This spring, Scheitrum has continued is assault on the Red and Gold's all-time throwing lists as he posted a University record in the Hammer (2
nd, 44.01) at Rowan University's Oscar Moore Invitational (Apr. 11) and the Discus twice; first at West Chester University's Purple and Gold Opener (5
th, 39.89 on Mar. 20-21) and again at Widener University's Danny Curran Invitational (9
th, 41.30 on Mar. 27-28). His throws have earned Honor Roll recognition on each AEC Men's Track and Field Weekly Report (Mar. 31, Apr. 13, Apr. 21, Apr. 27) this season.
Scheitrum has been accompanied on the AEC Men's Track and Field Weekly Honor Roll by freshman
Conner Brennan (Hatboro, Pa.) (Apr. 13, Apr. 21) and junior
Mel Velasquez (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Apr. 27). Brennan is the pace Griffin in the 5,000 and 10,000-Meters with his respective personal bests in those events coming at the Danny Curran Invitational (70
th, 15:55.59 on Mar. 27-28) and Shippensburg University's Paul Kaiser Classic (4
th, 33:45.84 on Apr. 24-25). He also set a University in the 3,000-Meter with his 2
nd-place time of 9:56.15 at the Oscar Moore Invitational (Apr. 11). Meanwhile, Velasquez earned the Red and Gold six points toward their seventh-place finish (7th of 10, 23 total points) at Elizabethtown College's Blue Jay Tune-Up (Apr. 24-25) with his third-place 400-Meter Hurdles (4
th, 1:08.62).
Additionally, sophomore
Jamar Gauda (Delran, N.J.) and freshman
Dasmen Williams (Chester, Pa.) project well for points with their respective finishes in the 400-Meter and Discus. Gauda's top 400-Meter was a 51.69 (5
th) at the Millersville University Invitational (Apr. 18), while Williams' top Discus was a 35.72 (8
th) at the Oscar Moore Invitational (Apr. 11). The former is also entered for competition in the 200-Meter, Long Jump, and Triple Jump, while the latter will join Scheitrum in the Shot Put. Gwynedd Mercy University also has entries in the 100-Meter (Lynn), and the 4x400-Meter Relay (Gauda, Brennan, Lynn, Velasquez). Senior
Sebastian DeSimone (West Orange, N.J.) will join Brennan in the 5,000 and 10,000-Meters, while Velasquez and junior
Christian Lynn (Philadelphia, Pa.) will join Gauda in the 200-Meter.
The 2026 AEC Men's Track and Field Championships are scheduled for a 3:15 p.m. start on Saturday, May 2, at Immaculata University's Draper Walsh Stadium. Day two's (May 3) schedule of events is set for at 9:45 a.m. starting gun.
