Kropiwnicki Wins Heptathlon as Men's Track & Field Enjoys Strong Day at Gantcher

MEDFORD, MA (February 14, 2026) - Junior Ryder Kropiwnicki won the heptathlon, the distance medley relay had a strong debut and senior Tre Willaims smashed his PR in the weight throw as the Tufts men's indoor track & field team enjoyed a fine day at home at the Tufts Cupid Challenge on Saturday.

In the first multi-event of the season for the Jumbos, Kropiwnicki was first in a field of 15 competitors with his score of 4782 points. Sophomore teammate Dylan Moreno placed third with a 4615 total. The final scores are PR's for both Jumbos. After four events were completed on Friday, today's action saw Kropiwnicki run 8.60 in the 60-meter hurdles for 836 points. He also pole vaulted 4.35m (14'3 ¼") for 716 points. Moreno ran 2:50.53 in the 1000 meters for his highest point total of the day (760). Each Jumbo's total score will be converted to a banked-track mark for national ranking purposes, but just on the flat track at the Gantcher Center they were both in the DIII top 30 as of Saturday evening. Kropiwnicki's score ranks him #3 all-time at Tufts, while Moreno comes in at #5.

Tufts' DMR of senior William Cusato, senor Josh Wilkie, junior Sam Kurian and senior Cullen McCaleb ran a 10:01.33 time today. Converted to a 9:53.27 on a banked track, it should be one of the nation's better DMR times once all of the weekend's results are in.

Williams sent the weight throw 16.87m (55'4 ¼") today for the best mark of his career which places him fourth all-time at Tufts in the event. HIs previous PR was 15.78m (51'9 ¼"). He was third in the event.

The Jumbos had several other high-finishing efforts today at home. Junior Ryan Regan won the 600 meters race out of 16 entries with a 1:22.92 mark. Senior Quinn Hampson earned first place for the 1000 meters, defeating 24 others with his 2:29.96 PR. Freshman Tieren Mead took a pair of runner-up finishes, in the high jump (1.97m - 6'5 ½") and the 200 meters (23.06). 

Wilkie was second in the 60-meter hurdles with an 8.25 time in the final. Sophomore Luke Benson in the triple jump at 14.01m (45'11 ¾"), freshman Collett Kinobe in the long jump with a 6.85m (22'5 ¾") best and freshman Jonas Michael clearing 4.71m (15'5 ½") in the pole vault also had runner-up marks. 

Freshman Eliot Monick added a 400-meters time of 51.41 for third place, while classmate Chris Hovet covered 3000 meters in 8:37.18 for third place as well. Freshman Jaival Kang had his season-best of 6.66m (21'10 ¼") in the long jump for a fourth while junior Sami Witta finished the high jump at 1.97m (6'5 ½") also for fourth.

Senior Amokrane Aouchiche led eight Jumbos in the 5000 meters with his 14:58.70 time. The converted mark (14:49.17) is around the top 50 nationally. Freshmen Jack Davis and Zachary Tang both ran 7.10 in the invite 60-meter dash. The Jumbos' leader in the shot put today was freshman William Cipollone with 14.12m (46'4") distance.

Sophomore Alejandro Rincon hit his indoor PR in the pole vault (4.16m - 13'7 ¾"), while senior Matt Burdulis ran a 5000 PR of 15:49.43.

Next Saturday the Jumbos will be at the Wheaton College Post-Season Qualifier.