The Shadow
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia track and field program announced the men’s and women’s signing class for the 2026-27 season on Wednesday (Aug. 19). The men’s class features a total of 34 student-athletes, 20 men and 14 women, and three from Charlottesville.
“We are excited to welcome our incoming class of student-athletes to the Virginia Track and Field family,” interim head coach Trevor Dunbar said. “This is an exciting and talented group of sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners, throwers, jumpers and combined event student-athletes. We will be looking to immediately push the team forward and pursue championship titles.”
The Virginia men will ass multiple transfer student-athletes with impressive resumes including two-time CAA Cross Country Runner of the Year and CAA Cross Country champion, Ben Godish from Northeastern as well as Ivy League medalist and NCAA Outdoor qualifier Shane Brosnan from Harvard.
Entering the college ranks will be the USATF U20 champion in combined event athlete, Brody Foster. The Knoxville, Tenn. native scored a total of 7604 points to beat Wisconsin’s Darius Jones by 57 points. New Balance Nationals also proved a successful meet for the incoming Cavaliers as Philip Cupial won the mile in 4:01.15, Henry Birge crossed the line in 1:48.32 to win the 800-meters and Eliana Schneider threw 51.00m/167-4 to win the javelin.
Quinn Eliason follows in the footsteps of his brother, Jack Eliason ’25, who is an All-ACC second team honoree in the 5000-meters.
On the women’s side, Virginia brings in the 2025 SEC Indoor Weight Throw champion in Kentucky’s Kate Powers and CAA Outdoor Discus champion in Delaware’s Olamide Ayeni. The Cavaliers are also set to add Big West medalist in the 400-meter hurdles in UC Santa Barbra’s Maddie Conte and multiple time All-SoCon and conference runner of the year in Furman’s Carly Wilkes. Incoming freshman, Elaina Schneider went back-to-back in the girl’s javelin at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals throwing for 51.00m/167-4.
The Cavalier’s incoming class will include 23 first-year student-athletes with strong resumes and the ability to make an impact for the Cavaliers. Between men and women, the Virginia Track and Field program will add a total of 34 student-athletes including 12 transfers and three from Charlottesville.
“Our staff has done a magnificent job in attracting an outstanding group of first year student-athletes,” Vin Lananna said. “The UVA coaches have signed a class of high-impact transfers in all areas.”
Women
Lucy Arnold
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance/Cross Country
Hometown: Haymarket, Va.
High School: Battlefield
Olamide Ayeni
Year: Junior
Event: Throws
Hometown: Denton, Texas
High School: Billy Ryan
Prev. School: Delaware
Breanne Barnett
Year: Freshman
Event: Sprints
Hometown: Baldwin, N.Y.
High School: Baldwin
Madeleine Conte
Year: Grad
Event: Sprints
Hometown: Monrovia, Calif.
High School: Monrovia (SS)
Prev. School: UC Santa Barbra
Tessa Delgrosso
Year: Freshman
Event: Jumps
Hometown: Rockwall, Texas
High School: Rockwall Heath
Caroline Elliott
Year: Freshman
Event: Middle Distance
Hometown: Reston, Va.
High School: South Lakes
Chase Gilbert
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Chaumont, N.Y.
High School: Lyme-Old Lyme High School
Bryn Greenwaldt
Year: Grad
Event: Jumps
Hometown: Foley, Minn.
High School: Foley
Lucy Henkel
Year: Grad
Event: Middle Distance
Hometown: Wayne, Pa.
High School: Radnor
Prev. School: Columbia
Claire Iaciofano
Year: Freshman
Event: Pole Vault
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
High School: Turpin
Stella Kapp
Year: Junior
Event: Jumps/Javelin
Hometown: Küsnacht, Switzerland
High School: Kantonsschule Hohe Promenade
Prev. School: Buffalo
Elaina Pierce
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Charlottesville, Va.
High School: Charlottesville High School
Kate Powers
Year: Senior
Event: Throws
Hometown: Hopkinton, Mass.
High School: Hopkinton
Prev. School: Kentucky
Reese Reynolds-Malone
Year: Freshman
Event: Sprints
Hometown: Rumson, N.J.
High School: Rumson-Fair Haven HS
Ashley Roush
Year: Freshman
Event: Sprints/Jumps
Hometown: Charleston, S.C.
High School: Philip Simmons
Eliana Schneider
Year: Freshman
Events: Combined
Hometown: Lebanon, Pa.
High School: Cedar Crest 03
Carly Wilkes
Year: Grad
Event: Distance/Cross Country
Hometown Salem, Va.
High School: Glenvar
Prev. School: Furman
Men
Henry Birge
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Nokezville, Va.
High School: Patriot High School
Cam Bowser
Year: Freshman
Event: Sprints
Hometown: Arlington, Va.
High School: Bishop O’Connell
Shane Brosnan
Year: Grad
Event: Distance
Hometown: Orange, N.J.
High School: Union Catholic
Prev. School: Harvard
Ciaran Brosnan
Year: Freshman
Event: Middle Distance
Hometown: Scotch Plains, N.J.
High School: Union Catholic
Luke Buddie
Year: Grad
Event: Combined
Hometown: Woodside, Calif.
High School: Woodside High School
Prev. School: California
Ty Burnett
Year: Freshman
Event: Jumps
Hometown: Kiefer, Okla.
High School: Kiefer High School
Philip Cupial
Year: Freshman
Event: Middle Distance
Hometown: Woodbridge, Ill.
High School: North High School
Trent Daniels
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Gainesville, Va.
High School: Gainesville High School
Quinn Eliason
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Charlottesville, Va.
High School: St. Anne’s-Belfield School
Brody Foster
Year: Freshman
Event: Combined
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.
High School: Knoxville Halls High School
Sean Gray
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Portsmouth, R.I.
High School: Portsmouth High School
Ben Godish
Year: Grad
Event: Distance/Cross Country
Hometown: Highland Park, N.J.
High School: Highland Park High School
Prev. School: Northeastern
Cooper Groat
Year: Grad
Event: Distance/Cross Country
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
High School: Christian Brothers Academy
Prev. School: Richmond
Jack Harmon
Year: Sophomore
Event: Throws
Hometown: West Lafayette, Ind.
High School: North Kingston High School
Prev. School: Purdue
Luke Hnatt
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Lincroft, N.J.
High School: Christian Brothers Academy
John Morrison
Year: Freshman
Event: Sprints/Jumps
Hometown: Woodberry Forest, Va.
High School: Woodberry Forrest
Samson Palmer
Year: Freshman
Event: Distance
Hometown: Charlottesville, Va.
High School: Charlottesville High School
Pierce Seigne
Year: Grad
Event: Distance
Hometown: Norwich, Vt.
High School: Hanover
Prev. School: Wisconsin
Elliot Ryba
Year: Sophomore
Event: Jumps
Hometown: Greenfield, Ind.
High School: Greenfield
Prev. School: Purdue
Rylan Stribling
Year: Freshman
Event: Sprints
Hometown: Winchester, Va.
High School: John Handley
Dontrae Walls
Year: Freshman
Event: Sprints/Hurdles
Hometown: Newport News, Va.
High School: Woodside High School
