Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers Track and Field Secures Nine Podium Spots at Big Ten Indoor Championships

Rutgers Scarlet Knights finishes strong at Big Ten indoor meet
Shayni Maitra|
Rutgers Scarlet Knight Track and Field
Rutgers Scarlet Knight Track and Field | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Rutgers Scarlet Knights

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights track and field program walked out of Indianapolis with hardware and a statement. At the 2026 Big Ten Indoor Championships, Rutgers piled up nine total podium finishes. The team just showed they are increasingly comfortable in competition shoulder to shoulder with the conference’s elite.

Rutgers Scarlet Knight Track and Field Showcased Pole Vault Power

While the current roster battled for medals in Indiana, the Scarlet Knight legacy was soaring on a national stage.

Former Rutgers standout Chloe Timberg captured her first national title at the 2026 USATF Indoor Championships on Sunday, March 1, at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex. Clearing 4.70 m (15'5"), the school record holder topped the field and qualified for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland. It was a championship weekend that stretched from the Big Ten podium to the global stage.

The final day in Indianapolis belonged to the O’Sullivans.

In an electric display of sibling dominance, brothers Brian and Kevin O’Sullivan both earned spots on the medal stand.

Brian O’Sullivan cleared 5.63 m (18'5.25") to claim the silver medal. The mark represented his highest career finish at the indoor championships. It also secured All-Big Ten Second Team honors and marked his third career conference medal.

Not to be outdone, Kevin O’Sullivan matched the exact height of 5.63 m to capture bronze. It was his second career medal at the conference meet. The identical clearances were a fitting symbol of a family that has helped turn Rutgers' pole vault into a conference force.

The momentum did not stop in the field events. On the track, Rutgers sprinters and hurdlers delivered steady, valuable performances.

Chris Serrao continued his impressive run in the 60-meter hurdles. He earned his third career bronze medal in the event, clocking 7.68 in the final after advancing with a 7.74 in the preliminaries. Serrao has become a familiar name on the Big Ten podium, and his consistency in high-pressure moments continues to anchor Rutgers’ hurdle group.

On the women’s side, Charlee Crawford secured a podium finish in the 400-meter dash. She placed fifth with a time of 53.06 after qualifying with a 53.00 effort on Friday. Her finals appearance and top-five finish contributed key points to the team total.

In the sand, the Scarlet Knights showed serious depth in the triple jump. Rutgers went 5-6-7 in the men’s triple jump, stacking points in a single event.

Donavan Anderson led the trio with a mark of 15.60m (51'2.25"), earning fifth place and his second podium finish of the week. Daniel Arana followed closely in sixth at 15.55m (51'0.25"), capturing his first career Big Ten podium. Joseph Oduro rounded out the group in seventh with a leap of 15.45m (50'8.25") in his championship debut.

Earlier in the meet, Anderson secured Rutgers’ first medal of the week in the long jump, earning bronze with a leap of 7.64 m (25'0.75"). On the women’s side, Celine-Jada Brown added a podium performance in the long jump, finishing sixth with a distance of 6.31 m (20'8.5").

Rutgers Turned Heads at the Conference Championship

The points added up. The men’s team scored 35 points across four events, finishing 11th out of 15 teams. The women’s team totaled 7 points, placing 17th out of 18 teams. In a conference known for its depth and power programs, Rutgers carved out its identity as a strike-force squad capable of stacking points in technical field events and hurdle disciplines.

The weekend’s collegiate success was amplified by what happened beyond the Big Ten stage. Chloe Timberg’s national title at the USATF Indoor Championships served as a powerful reminder of what Rutgers track and field can produce.

A four-time Big Ten Champion and seven-time All-American, Timberg’s career at Rutgers included the 2024 NCAA Outdoor National Championship and a silver medal at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She was also named the 2024 Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year, Field Athlete of the Championships, and USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year following the indoor season.

Now a national champion at the USATF level, Timberg’s continued ascent provides a blueprint for the next generation of Scarlet Knights. With championships at both the collegiate and professional levels, Rutgers track and field is building something that feels sustainable and serious. The Scarlet Knights are not just showing up at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. They are showing up on the podium.

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Shayni Maitra
SHAYNI MAITRA

Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.

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