Walnut, Calif. – Competitive and enthusiastic define this year's Mt. SAC Men's Track and Field Team as they prepare for the 2026 season, with Coach Jenna Bird feeling confident about the direction of the program and the energy surrounding this year's roster. With strength across event groups and a mix of young talent and experienced returners, the men are entering the season eager to compete and ready to grow.
One of the biggest positives heading into the year is the addition of a new sprints coach for both the men's and women's teams—a change Bird says has brought an immediate boost to the program. "It's brought a lot of really good energy," she said. "It's been exciting for the athletes and for the staff."
That energy is already showing in a deep sprints group highlighted by transfers Marques Guzman and Dylan Ochoa. Guzman is expected to make an impact across multiple events. "He's very diverse in sprints and can hang from the 100 all the way to the 400," Bird said. "He's going to be huge on relays." Ochoa adds strength to the 400 meters, where Bird believes his potential is just beginning to surface. "He dropped some significant times in high school, and I think he's capable of doing even more than what he's done so far."
That depth has made the men's 4x400 relay one of the most competitive areas on the roster. "We have a solid group, and they're going to have to compete within our own team to earn a spot," Bird said. "That's an exciting place to be."
While the team is largely young, Bird sees that internal competition as a strength—especially in event groups like the hurdles, where athletes are adjusting to new distances at the collegiate level. "Moving up to the 400 hurdles is never easy," she said with a laugh. "That's going to be a little bit of a rude awakening."
In the jumps, Mt. SAC welcomes new faces while leaning on experienced returners with championship backgrounds. Brandyn Wetherspoon, a state champion with U20 experience, returns in the triple jump. "He's coming back and looks better than ever," Bird said. Tyrus Murguia and Jonah Wilson, both all-state competitors, are also back and expected to help lead the group. The return of Miles Massey adds further depth. "He's a fantastic triple jumper," Bird said. "He took a couple years off, but now he's back, and hopefully he can make a huge impact."
The distance and middle-distance groups are coming off a strong cross country season that saw the men place second at the state championships. Bird believes that success has fueled hunger and confidence heading into track season. "It's going to be awesome to see how much they progressed and how that is showcased on the track," she said. Diego Varela and cross country captain Conner Sybrandy headline a group that has shown significant growth, while Bird is particularly excited about the middle-distance runners. "They're super hungry and really talented—they work hard every day."
The throws group returns a major contributor in Oluwatoni Babatunde while also integrating new athletes, and the multis group—made up entirely of freshmen—adds another layer of excitement to the roster. "They're new to college, so it's going to be really exciting to see them," Bird said, noting that they will ease into competition before debuting in the multis later in the season.
With Mt. SAC set to host the state championships, Bird emphasized that opportunity comes with responsibility. "It's not just given," she said. "We still have to get through conference and So Cal Regionals - and the competition is high." The goals remain consistent. "We always want to come home with some hardware," Bird said. "Our athletes take pride in competing for our school and know what our standard is."
As the season approaches, Bird says the focus for the men is on competing with confidence and enjoying the process. "We put the uniform on and go out and compete," she said. "It's not going to be our best race right away—and that's okay. Let's get the nerves out, have a good time and build from there."
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