GoldenStars Close Out University Season
with Breakthrough Performances
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2026
The university indoor track and field season has come to a close across both U SPORTS in Canada and the NCAA in the United States, marking months of competition at the highest collegiate level. For our athletes, the 2026 campaign delivered a mix of personal bests, records, podium finishes, and hard-earned experience — setting the stage for a strong transition into the outdoor season.
At Western University, rookie jumper Deborah Adeleye made an immediate impact in her debut season. She recorded a personal best of 5.64m to finish second at the Windsor Can Am meet and added a win at the Windsor Indoor Classic (5.54m). Despite missing time due to injury, she remained consistent throughout the season, including a 7th-place finish at the OUA Championships (5.50m). Reflecting on her season, Adeleye emphasized her growth and progress, noting that she’s motivated to keep building as she heads into the outdoor season.
Competing in the NCAA with the University of Georgia, rookie sprinter William Batley opened his university career with a strong performance, running a 21.41-second personal best in the 200m. Although his season was cut short by injury, he highlighted competing at the Division I level as a key takeaway.
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High jumper Thomas Sénéchal-Becker, representing the University of Ottawa, put together one of the most consistent progression arcs of the season. Improving steadily from 2.04m to 2.15m, he captured bronze at the OUA Championships and went on to earn silver at the U SPORTS Championships, finishing the season with a new seasonal best. He credited his coaches for maintaining a high-performance environment throughout the year.
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In the NCAA ranks, Fega Eruotor of the University at Albany made her mark in the sprints, setting a club U20 indoor 200m record (24.75s) at her conference championships. She narrowly missed the final, placing 9th in the preliminaries, but capped her season with a significant milestone performance.
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Back in U SPORTS competition, Lecia Patrick of the University of Toronto showed resilience throughout her rookie season. Despite dealing with multiple injuries, she achieved a 60m personal best of 7.71 seconds, a long jump season’s best of 5.45m, and reached the OUA 60m final. She also returned in time to compete in the 4x200m relay at the U SPORTS Championships.
Fellow Western University athlete Preston Schwarz completed an inspiring comeback season. After undergoing ACL reconstruction and a full year of rehabilitation, the rookie sprinter returned to competition to run a 60m personal best of 6.95 seconds. His progression throughout the season marked a successful return to form and a strong foundation for the future.
Across both Canadian and American university systems, our athletes demonstrated growth, resilience, and competitive excellence. With the indoor season now complete, attention quickly shifts to the outdoors, where this momentum will be put to the test once again.