Track & Field heads to the Tar Heel State for UNC Asheville Collegiate Opener
Showler-Davis and company return to action after a month off due to Winter Break
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Off to a promising start to the season, Carson-Newman Track & Field gets the indoor season into top gear with the first event of 2026 at the UNC Asheville Collegiate Opener.
Head coach Kieran Showler-Davis is eager to see his team return to competition and views this weekend as an opportunity to regain its focus in the third event of the year.
"I think the mindset for those competing is about sharpening their focus and getting a sense of where they are after the winter break," Showler-Davis said. "Coming off a break can always be a bit challenging. You haven't seen each other in weeks, there's been some downtime, and then suddenly you're expected to switch back into race mode."
The new campaign began with trips to the Liberty Kickoff and the VMI Colonel Bev Read Opener on December 5 and 6, respectively. Soon, the team was greeted with Winter Break, creating its own set of challenges. Now, after a month away, the Eagles are preparing to find their stride.
"A track schedule isn't as set as other sports, because of that, each week can look different in how we prepare, train, travel and manage recovery," Showler-Davis said. "The athletes have to adapt constantly from week to week, and that adaptability is an important part of their development."
In the opening events, C-N put together solid performances from some star returners and fresh faces. Notably, Cadence Dolgin etched his name into the history books, clearing a height of 4.70 meters in the pole vault to set a new school record. He was named WePlayed Sports South Atlantic Conference's Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week on December 9 for his performance.
A pair of other multis excelled at Liberty, Sam Verrol and Alden Wetzel finished in the top five in the Group B Heptathlon. Verrol began his junior season taking the third and final place on the podium with 4945 points. While Wetzel made his C-N debut after transferring from Arkansas State, he took home fourth with 4827 points.
On the track, Rylan Jordan (Johnson City, Tenn.), a SAC Athlete to Watch, took first place in both the 60m dash and the 300m race at VMI.
With the women's side, Brooke Taylor, another SAC Athlete to Watch, has shown signs that she is setting up for a big senior season. The Knoxville native started her final campaign on a high note. She took first place after registering 5.82m on her jump, just 0.02m off her PR. Taylor also set her 60m dash PR at 7.86 seconds in the preliminary round and took sixth in the finals.
With the multis, freshman Meiah Moss made a strong first impression at the Liberty Kickoff. She picked up a sixth-place finish in the Group B Pentathlon with 3083 points in her debut, after being named a SAC Athlete to Watch.
As the Eagles return to competition, the same message rings from Showler-Davis in his second season at the helm.
"The message to the team is one I give often, have fun," Showler-Davis said. "It's still early in the season, there isn't much pressure, and this is a great opportunity to compete relaxed and show the work they've put in this fall."
The UNC Asheville Collegiate Opener is set to get rocking and rolling on Saturday morning from the Indoor Complex at Tryon International.
Stay connected with Carson-Newman track & field by following @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram, or by liking Carson-Newman Athletics on Facebook. Full coverage and updates are available at cneagles.com.
