LEWISTON, ID – The 2025-26 LC State Track and Field season opens on Saturday when the Warriors travel to Spokane for the Spokane Invitational. LC State returns a great deal of talent, but even more impressive might be the depth the program has added in the last year. The Warrior roster features 30 new faces, as well as some of the program’s top returners. Fifth-year senior Madigan Kelly returns to the track after a year off as part of a talented senior class.
Twenty two of the Warrior newcomers are on the men’s side, including NCAA Division I transfer Arthur Thomas. LC State also added local products Cole Arlint, Noah Carpenter, Milo Kunnap, Luke Siler and Malachi Walsh. LC State added eight women to their roster including Clarkston’s Claire Dooley and cross country standouts Kailee Lerew and Eva Lundren.
Mike Collins, who enters his 25th season at the helm of LC State Track and Field, made recruiting a priority heading into the year.
“I took it upon myself to hit recruiting hard for our track program,” coach Mike Collins said. “We really saw the effect of that on the men’s side. We will be looking to catch up this year with the women, but in the meantime, it is exciting to see what we might be able to do. It gives us the opportunity to allow athletes to focus on individual events rather than also putting energy into relays. More importantly, our training on a daily basis is better with them pushing each other to get better. Right now we just want to get to next year healthy then work towards conference and national qualifying marks. But I do have a little asterisk out there when it comes to conference championships. Could be interesting.”
Kelly, a former Lewiston Bengal, has her name etched throughout the LC State record book as the best hurdler to ever compete for the Warriors. She found herself on the podium at the 2024 outdoor national meet but was plagued with injuries last season and sat out the year. She is back to make more history in her final season in a Warrior uniform.
“You bet we are hopeful,” Collins said. “Sometimes you get silver linings when small storms seem to set you back. Last year seemed to be full of those for Madigan. Fortunately, because she is an education major, she had a fifth year to do her student teaching and an option to come back and compete. Her attitude is great and her work ethic is like no other. Plus, we really need her. Our depth on the women’s side is not great, so she brings in some quality talent and maturity to the program that is extremely helpful. And from a personal standpoint, her and Emily (Collins) are the best of friends, so I know it will be special for both to go out this senior year together.”
Another former Bengal that has made a large impact at LC State is Kelly’s childhood friend and daughter of head coach Mike Collins and athletic trainer Tracy Collins, senior Emily Collins. The 400m and 600m specialist holds multiple records at LC State and broke some of her mother’s at Lewiston High School. As a senior leader on the team and a student-athlete that progresses every year, Emily Collins has her sights set on a return to nationals.
“Hard not to be biased about Emily and where/how do you separate dad from coach, but I think we do a pretty good job of it,” Mike Collins said. “I know her goal is an All-American this year and my goal is to do everything possible to help her earn it. I have never seen her work harder. Her events are some of the most competitive and deepest in the country, so she has her work cut out for her, but if anyone can do it, she can.”
On the men’s side, sprinters Jedidiah Barnaby and Jordan Castillo, along with triple jumper Trenton Johnson, led the way for the Warriors. Barnaby is the fastest Warrior in school history with Castillo not far behind. Johnson is the best men’s triple jumper to ever wear and LC State singlet and just missed out on an All-American finish last season. All three have been integral parts of the program for four years.
“Jed and Jordan have been mainstays in the men’s sprint group and have truly set the standard and expectation level of what it means to be a sprinter here at LC,” Mike Collins added. “I know their goals are set very high and their energy levels are very contagious. The freshmen already follow them and are working hard to emulate them and with those two, among others, as examples, we can’t go wrong. Trent provides the same kind of mainstay in the jumps group, but with a very different personality skill set. Generally, he is so low keyed and laid back until it is time to compete and then there is no one more focused and intense. We have a very good group of young jumpers that will learn a lot from him this year.”
The Warriors also return sophomore Damaris Kibiwot who earned All-American honors in the indoor 3,000m last season before an All-American finish at cross country this year. Seniors Grace Tiegs, Camille Ussher and Kobe Wessels bring a lot of momentum into their final track and field seasons after stellar cross country seasons.
Mike Collins also expressed the growth among the throwers in the program. Along with the addition of Thomas, LC State has strong leadership in seniors Grace Osborne and Faith Wersland. Haylee Appleford had a breakout season in 2025, as did javelin throwers Perry Severijnse and Gianna Anderson.
“Arthur Thomas, a transfer from Idaho, should be in contention to qualify for nationals,” Mike Collins explained. “Our throwers have been progressing each year.”
The indoor season includes six meets before the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships with three in Spokane, two in Moscow and one in La Grande. The national meet is set for Mar. 5-7 in Gainesville, Fla.
The outdoor season opens on Mar. 15 at the OU Preview in Eugene. The CCC Multi will take place Apr. 16-17 in Ashland and the full conference meet is set for May 8-9 in La Grande. The 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will be May 20-22 in Asheville, N.C.
“The standards keep getting tougher each year to qualify for nationals, but we have seen success each year, so right now we will focus on the processes of what it takes to be successful and then see what kind of product that produces,” Mike Collins said. “That has worked well for us in the past and there is no reason to change from what has already worked. Indoor is expected to be more competitive this year and we may make some adjustments as to who will compete as we work our way through the meet in order to make the most of competition and training, but the big goal will be both national competitions and the conference championships. Training is truly set for a big macrocycle with outdoors in mind, so any success indoors is a bonus, but as soon as we see opportunities, we make adjustments.”
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