Photo by: Kelsey McHugh
American Announces Outdoor Track and Field Coaches Polls
Mar 31, 2026 | Track & Field
IRVING, Texas – The American Conference released this morning the results of its preseason outdoor track and field balloting as conducting by the league's coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams. The Tulane women were tabbed fourth with the men predicted to finish seventh.
Charlotte was named the preseason favorite on the women's side with five first-place votes and 137 total voting points. North Texas was second despite owning more first-place votes with seven as the Mean Green accrued 135 voting points. Rice earned the final first-place vote to land in third, boasting 117 points. Tulane was fourth with 102 points.
On the men's side, South Florida came in first with seven first-place votes and 78 points. Wichita State had two first-place votes, and Charlotte had one. They earned 72 and 69 points, respectively. Following them are North Texas, Tulsa, and Rice. The Green Wave is seventh with 32 points.
Tulane has competed twice thus far in the outdoor campaign with the Louisiana Classics and the Raleigh Relays. Multiple top marks have already been recorded, as Zaria Parker's 11.76 in the 100m is seventh all-time in program history. This past weekend saw Nahema Dumonteil Cabanas put forth a 1:00.69 in the 400m hurdles for eighth in program history. Alex Sharp (10:29.91) and Allison Hall (11:05.69) earned the program's third- and eighth-best marks, respectively, in the 3,000m steeplechase. Cara Salsberry hurled a 48.22m in the discus for third, and she is now second in the hammer throw with a clip of 57.79m. For the men, Gilbert Rono paced a 3:47.67 in the 1,500m for seventh all-time. Another notable result was Silas Kiptanui finishing as the runner-up in the 3,000m steeplechase last week with a mark of 8:29.21, which is second in both the NCAA and the world this season.
Sharp's mark in the steeplechase is currently 22nd in the country, and Blezzin Kimutai boasts the ninth-best time nationally in the 5,000m at 15:54.81.
Multiple Wave outdoor champions from last season return, led by the 2025 American Outdoor Men's Freshman of the Year Bernard Cheruiyot. He earned gold in the 10,000m and 5,000m. Kiptanui was the conference winner in the steeplechase last season, and Illia Kunin claimed gold in the 1,500m. Kimutai highlighted the women with her golds in the 5,000m and 10,000m. Sofie Groeninger added a win in the heptathlon's shot put.
The Green Wave continues the campaign this weekend with the first of back-to-back trips to Texas as Tulane competes in the Bobcat Invitational, hosted by Texas State. The three-day event in San Marcos starts on Thursday, April 2, and runs through Saturday, April 4.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane cross country and track & field on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
Charlotte was named the preseason favorite on the women's side with five first-place votes and 137 total voting points. North Texas was second despite owning more first-place votes with seven as the Mean Green accrued 135 voting points. Rice earned the final first-place vote to land in third, boasting 117 points. Tulane was fourth with 102 points.
On the men's side, South Florida came in first with seven first-place votes and 78 points. Wichita State had two first-place votes, and Charlotte had one. They earned 72 and 69 points, respectively. Following them are North Texas, Tulsa, and Rice. The Green Wave is seventh with 32 points.
Tulane has competed twice thus far in the outdoor campaign with the Louisiana Classics and the Raleigh Relays. Multiple top marks have already been recorded, as Zaria Parker's 11.76 in the 100m is seventh all-time in program history. This past weekend saw Nahema Dumonteil Cabanas put forth a 1:00.69 in the 400m hurdles for eighth in program history. Alex Sharp (10:29.91) and Allison Hall (11:05.69) earned the program's third- and eighth-best marks, respectively, in the 3,000m steeplechase. Cara Salsberry hurled a 48.22m in the discus for third, and she is now second in the hammer throw with a clip of 57.79m. For the men, Gilbert Rono paced a 3:47.67 in the 1,500m for seventh all-time. Another notable result was Silas Kiptanui finishing as the runner-up in the 3,000m steeplechase last week with a mark of 8:29.21, which is second in both the NCAA and the world this season.
Sharp's mark in the steeplechase is currently 22nd in the country, and Blezzin Kimutai boasts the ninth-best time nationally in the 5,000m at 15:54.81.
Multiple Wave outdoor champions from last season return, led by the 2025 American Outdoor Men's Freshman of the Year Bernard Cheruiyot. He earned gold in the 10,000m and 5,000m. Kiptanui was the conference winner in the steeplechase last season, and Illia Kunin claimed gold in the 1,500m. Kimutai highlighted the women with her golds in the 5,000m and 10,000m. Sofie Groeninger added a win in the heptathlon's shot put.
The Green Wave continues the campaign this weekend with the first of back-to-back trips to Texas as Tulane competes in the Bobcat Invitational, hosted by Texas State. The three-day event in San Marcos starts on Thursday, April 2, and runs through Saturday, April 4.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane cross country and track & field on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
Players Mentioned
/ Track & Field
/ Track & Field
/ Track & Field
/ Track & Field
/ Track & Field
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & FieldTravel Day POV with Tulane Track & Field 🎥
Monday, February 19
Tulane XC & TF: Who drew the best Angry Wave? 🧐
Tuesday, August 29
Track & Field Vlog
Thursday, January 19
Tulane Track & Field: Migle Murskaite Preview
Friday, January 28
