DCCC Out of the Blocks with Strong Season Opener
West Chester, PA—The Phantoms were off and running to start the 2026 outdoor track-and-field season at the West Chester University Purple and Gold Open on Saturday, finishing the meet with four personal bests, five school records, and seven national qualifying marks.
Delaware County Community College women's performance-of-the-day honors went to Cheyenne McCarthy, who took second place in her heat and 16th overall with a time of 5:32.46 in the women's 1500m, and placed 15th overall (2:40.68) in the women's 800m—qualifying for the 2026 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in both events. A new Phantom with sophomore status, McCarthy is the first DCCC athlete to compete in these events, setting a high bar and making her mark in the school record books.
"It was so exciting to see Cheyenne compete yesterday. She looked strong in both of her races and was able to secure her national qualifications right off the bat," said Head Coach Cara Fordenbacher. "This success is a testament to the consistent training and hard work she has put in to prepare for the season. I can't wait to see her growth!"
"I'm glad the weather was nice and people came out to support us! It made running easier," McCarthy said. "I'm happy with my times: It was better than I expected and I'm thankful I qualified for Nationals, too."
Sophomore Natalie Torres came right out the gate with personal bests in the 100m dash (15.84) and the javelin throw (15.49m). Her javelin mark sets a new school record. "I knew she would be able to come out with a strong season opener," Fordenbacher said. "She has been training hard and was able to come right out and set new standards for herself."
Two-time All-American Fatumata Kaba opened with quick qualifications in the 100m dash (13.44 for 17th place) and in her third-place triple jump (10.80m). Kaba's triple-jump performance was the highest women's placement, scoring six points for a 14th place women's team finish.
On the men's side, first-year Noah Gallagher was the performer of the day. His javelin mark of 43.03m landed him in 11th overall and secured his opportunity to compete in Nationals. Gallagher is the Phantoms' first national qualifier in a throwing event.
"I would say it was a great starting point for the season but there is still room for improvement," Gallagher said. "I am very excited for the rest of the season." His new school record overtakes William Macintosh's 22.69m from 2024.
"I am thrilled with Noah's performance," said Fordenbacher. "He is a strong thrower with a lot of potential. To come out in his first collegiate meet and qualify for Nationals sets a new standard for throwing events at DCCC. I can't wait to see how he develops this season."
Sophomores and 2025 All-Americans Daniel McLaughlin and James Love also secured early Nationals qualification in their events. McLaughlin had a third-place finish in the 400m intermediate hurdles with a time of 58.35. His performance scored the men's lone points (six), leaving them in 14th place overall. Love delivered a 17th place finish in the 100m with a time of 11.49.
Freshman Kheimon Speach Jr. debuted in the 800m, running 2:10.93 to place 30th overall, and in the 1500m (4:42.12 for 35th). His performance in the 800m sets a new school record, held previously by Dominic Copper (2:26.96 in 2025).
"We had some record performances this weekend, with specific highlights to Cheyenne and Noah," Fordenbacher enthused. "The Phantoms came out swinging!"
"I am happy to see school records set, so many national qualifications so early in the season, and for Cheyenne and Natalie to set new personal bests," she continued. "There is still certainly much work to do to get our whole team performing to their full potential—we were able to see what we need to work on and have new goals as we move through the season."
The Phantoms are back in action this weekend at the Danny Curran Invitational at Widener University on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28.