Walnut, Calif. – The Mt. San Antonio College Women's Track and Field Team enters the 2026 season with momentum, depth, and excitement, as Head Coach Jenna Bird prepares to lead a roster stacked with impact returners and an impressive incoming freshman class.
"I'm super excited about this year's women's track and field team," said Bird. "We have a lot of freshmen coming in, so there are a lot of new faces, but we also have some key returners who we know will be in the mix. We've got girls who have already competed at the state championship level, and that experience is huge."
The Mounties return proven contributors across multiple event groups, including relays, jumps, and multis. Megan Stauffer and Enessah Hawkins are expected to anchor relays, while Alesandra Jefferson returns after qualifying for the state meet in both the multis and jumps a season ago.
One of the biggest storylines heading into the season is the depth of the freshman class, welcoming a talented group of newcomers across nearly every event.
"We are pretty loaded with freshmen," Bird said. "We have Miku Yanagawa coming in from Japan who's going to light it up in the pole vault, and we also have a transfer from Cal State Fullerton, Emma Samvelian, who's going to do the same."
The jumps and sprints groups also feature exciting additions, with multiple freshmen expected to make immediate contributions.
"We have some awesome freshman jumpers who are going to come in and make a huge impact, some great hurdlers, solid multis, and some really exciting sprint athletes," said Bird. "It's exciting to have fresh faces across all of our events."
In the throws, Bird is eager to see what newcomer Elizabeth Agopian can bring, while the distance squad arrives with championship-level confidence after a historic cross country season.
"Our distance group is coming off such a successful cross country season where they finished first at the state championship," Bird said. "Now getting to see them come in and dominate the track—I'm super excited to see what they do."
Among the standouts transitioning from cross country are Kaitlyn Reyes, a state meet competitor, freshman Casey McConn, and team captain Sophia Ebiner, along with several others who gained state-level experience last fall.
"In cross country everyone runs the same distance, but here they get to be more in their element," Bird explained. "We have such a good mix of experience and freshmen, and the distance girls are going to make a huge impact."
Team chemistry has been a major emphasis early in the season, and Bird says the energy within the group has been contagious.
"All the girls have great energy and are feeding off each other. They've really bought into team bonding," she said. "Some of them even dyed their hair maroon for school spirit and are trying to talk me into it."
The Mounties open the season this weekend at the SCC Opener, a meet Bird believes is the perfect way to ease the team—especially freshmen—into collegiate competition.
"The first meet is about getting everyone on the track, in uniform, and ready for the season," said Bird. "There's excitement, especially knowing we're hosting the state championship at the end of the year. We want as many Mounties there as possible."
Last season, Mt. SAC finished fourth at the 3C2A State Championships, narrowly missing the podium. With the state meet returning to Hilmer Lodge Stadium, the motivation is clear.
"Obviously the goal is always to come home with hardware," Bird said. "It's extremely competitive, but I think we're bringing a really solid team to the table. We're going to give teams a run for their money."
The Mounties are no strangers to success on their home track. In 2022, Mt. SAC hosted the state championships and captured team titles on both the men's and women's sides.
"This will be the second time we're hosting the state championship in the new stadium," Bird said. "We would love to do that again. Hosting meets is what we do here, and we're ready for it."
Mt. SAC will host the Kamaka Open, the Mt. SAC Relays, and the 3C2A State Championships this season, adding to an already high-energy schedule.
As the season begins, Bird credits her assistant coaches and the depth of the staff for positioning the program for success.
"We have amazing assistant coaches who lead their own groups, and it sounds really confident across the board," Bird said. "I'm excited to see what our athletes look like once they get some competition under their belts."
With talent, experience, and momentum all lining up, the Mounties are ready to make noise in 2026.
"We're ready to bring the energy," Bird said. "It's going to be exciting to see this team grow together and see what they're capable of."
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