Mead in High Jump Leads Home Run Day for Men's Track & Field at Gantcher

MEDFORD, MA (February 7, 2026) - Freshman high jumper Tieren Mead led many strong performances by the Tufts University men's indoor track & field team today as the Jumbos hosted the Tufts Invitational at the Gantcher Center.

Mead won the high jump with the best performance of his young collegiate career. He cleared the bar at 2.05m (6'8 ¾") for a mark that is tied for seventh nationally, as well as inserted his name into Tufts' all-time top five.

Senior Josh Wilkie was at his versatile best today, winning both the 60-meter hurdles and 400-meter dash. His time of 8.22 seconds in the hurdles final is his season-best, and is a top-20 national mark as of Saturday afternoon. He later took the 400 out of 25 entrants with a 49.93 time that is his PR, the team's season-best and a top-50 DIII mark.

Sophomore Luke Benson added a winning effort of 14.46m (47'5 ¼") in the triple jump that is the team's best mark of the season in the event and ranks at #18 nationally.

The top Tufts performance of the day in the running events came from junior Harris Gulbransen in the 3000 meters. His time of 8:20.28 on the flat track was a PR that now ranks him fourth all-time in the event at Tufts. The mark converts to an 8:14.53 for national ranking purposes, which is a top 20 DIII time at the moment.

Tufts won eight events overall today, including five by freshmen. Along with Mead in the high jump, freshman Collett Kinobe earned the victory in the long jump with his 6.86m (22'6 ¼") mark. Freshman Jack Davis made his collegiate debut today by winning the 200 meters in a time of 22.47 seconds. Classmate Chris Hovet led a huge Jumbo contingent of 10 competitors in the mile run by winning the race in a 4:21.89 mark. Capping it off was a win by freshman thrower William Cipollone in the shot put, the last event to finish, with his 14.28m (46'10 ¼") distance.

Freshman Jonas Michael placed second in the pole vault today with his best attempt of 4.61m (15'1 ½"). Classmate Eliot Monick was the runner-up in the 200 race behind Davis (22.79). Freshman Jonathan Bailey's 8.55 time in the 60-hurdles preliminaries put him well into Tufts' all-time top 10 for the event. 
 
Junior Charles Fitzpatrick enjoyed one of the better days of his Tufts career. He had the team's best 60-meter dash time of the season with a 7.05 PR that was third in the final and also snuck into the Jumbos' all-time top 10 for the event. In the 200 meters, his time of 22.95 seconds was also his indoor PR.

Senior Casey Lambert was right behind Kinobe in the long jump, where his indoor PR of 6.81m (22.4 ¼") was second. He also had his indoor-best in the triple jump (13.02m - 42'8 ¾"). Junior Sam Kurian's 1:22.38 in the 600 meters was third out 14 in the race and the Jumbos' best time of the season in the event. Senior Tre Williams led Tufts in the weight throw and was fourth overall with a 15.10m (49'6 ½") best heave.

Other Jumbo veterans who secured PRs today include junior Nahom Tsegaye's 13.36m (43'10") in the shot put, junior Ryder Kropiwnicki's 9.97m (32'8 ½") shot put, junior Evan Estrada with an 11.10m (36'5") weight throw and junior Sami Witta at 6.10m (20'0 ¼") in the long jump (indoor PR).

Sophomore Seneca Wallace recorded a pair of PRs with a 7.32 in the 60-meter dash and a 13.61m (44'8") mark in triple jump. Sophomore Dylan Moreno doubled up as well, running 9.30 PR in the 60-hurdles prelims and clearing 3.56m (11'8") for an indoor PR in the pole vault. Sophomore Lucas Klein's 4:28.49 in the mile was another Jumbo PR, as was classmate Gabe Grove's 8:47.64 for the 3000.

Tufts will continue its indoor season at a pair of events next weekend. They will host the Cupid Challenge at the Gantcher Center, and also head over to Boston University for the David Hemery Valentine Invitational. Both events run Friday and Saturday.