UIW’s track and field team recently demonstrated an impressive level of dedication, athleticism and strength as they took first-place in the Southland Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships for the third consecutive season.
Now operating for over six decades, ten universities compete in the Southland Conference each year: Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University), the University of the Incarnate Word, Lamar University,McNeese State University, University of New Orleans, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University,Southeastern Louisiana University, Texas A&M University-Commerce and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
This year, the UIW track and field team participated in 17 indoor events and 21 outdoor events, including sprints, relays, hurdles, high jumps, shot puts, javelin throwing, decathlons, steeplechase and more. After months of preparation, discipline and determination, the team’s efforts were rewarded with another championship win under their belts.
“It has been a labor of love,” stated Coach Derek Riedel, head cross country and track and field coach. “It has been challenging to build up a very young program that started in 2001 and that did not previously have a history of success. We couldn’t show them what success looked like – we had to lay out what we thought it would take and continue working towards that goal. Now, we have won three straight indoor titles, three straight outdoor titles, one cross country title and finished runner-up two other times in cross country, including runner-up by only one point, in the last three years!”
Reidel acknowledges that the significance of winning a track and field championship is often underestimated because of the common assumption that how an athlete performs the entirety of a season contributes to how well they place in the championship. In reality, it is those pivotal two to three days of the championship weekend when athletes must give it their all for the chance to place.
“Everyone has to be ready to compete to the best of their abilities during one specific championship weekend,” explained Riedel. “If someone falters, someone else has to be ready to compete beyond their current capabilities to fill the point gaps. There is no other sport like it. In other sports, someone can have a bad day and you lose that game, but you still get another chance to make it right. That doesn’t happen in track and field.”
Individually, a number of participating student-athletes also set personal and UIW Athletics records.
One of these notable student-athletes was Kyle Sieracki, UIW track and field senior. In the championship, Sieracki earned 7,833 decathlon points came from six separate personal records, set a new UIW school record and was the fifth-best score in the history of the Southland Conference. Kyle Sierackiwon the Men's Outstanding Field Performer Award at the Outdoor Championships after earning a spot on the podium three times, placing second in the javelin and winning both the pole vault and decathlon.
His admirable performance allowed him to advance forward to the NCAA Nationals where he entered ranking seventh in the nation.At the NCAA Division I Championships, he placed 19th overall, was one of 10 Cardinal athletes who qualified for a spot on the Southland All-Conference Team and earned himself an All-American honorable mention.
Sieracki continued to make history as he demonstrated his skills on the national stage, taking his shot at
making the United States Track and Field Team for the 2024 Olympics at the trials in Eugene, Oregon, making him the first ever UIW student to compete at this prestigious event. While he didn’t make the team, Sieracki still finished off the 2024 season by finishing 15th in the nation, scoring 5,884 points.
“First and foremost, I am so thankful for UIW track and field for giving me the opportunity to compete,” shared Sieracki. “The only thing I’ve been thinking about for the last three years was qualifying for the NCAA Nationals, and to be honest, trials didn’t even cross my mind until I found out about my chance of qualifying. Regardless, competing with athletes I look up to was a life-changing experience, and now I can’t stop thinking about getting another shot at being an Olympian in 2028.”
Coach Derek Riedel was also recognized for his leadership this year, as he earned the Leon Johnson Men's Coach of the Year Award for leading the Cardinals to their third consecutive Southland Conference Outdoor Championship.
“It’s an honor for me to accept the Coach of the Year Award on behalf of our entire program,” said Riedel. “I wouldn’t be in this position without the commitment, dedication and desire every athlete brings to every practice and I certainly wouldn’t be in this position without my outstanding coaching staff. They make me better. I come to the office every day eager to be the best version of myself so I can set the example and expectations for our program and be the best leader I can be.”
Congratulations to the UIW track and field team on all their momentous accomplishments this season!
