Trinity Western set to make immediate impact in the NAIA

Trinity Western University will be making a shift from Canadian U Sports to an American athletics association: the NAIA. Beginning in September 2025, the Spartans track and field/cross country program will join over 200 other schools in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. With TWU already regularly traveling to the United States for both track and field and cross country, the switch will lead to plenty more competition down south for the Spartans.

When programs change conferences, never mind associations and countries like this move entails for TWU, the same question is always asked: will the team be competitive in their new home? With plenty of reshuffling occurring in collegiate sports across the country, such as the dissolution of the PAC-12 conference in NCAA D-I sports, change can still lead to competitive play. When looking through Trinity Western’s record board, it’s safe to say they more than belong in the NAIA.

Combined with new distance coach and recent professional runner, Sarah Inglis, there is a definite possibility that Trinity Western could challenge at the sharp end of the NAIA. Last year at the NAIA cross country national championships, Milligan university men's team averaged 25:16 over 8000 meters to win the team title. Meanwhile Trinity Western averaged 24:38 at the U Sports National Championships - 38 seconds faster over the same distance. Of course, not all cross country courses are created equal, but there is no denying the talent of Trinity Western’s front three, Yemane Mulugeta, David Mutai and Justin Kiplagat. Mulugeta and Kiplagat both have sub-24-minute performances on the eight-kilometer course and Mutai has nearly cracked the barrier on multiple occasions. We will have to see how they manage against new competition, but it’s safe to say that the Spartans men are already top contenders to win it all in NAIA XC.

On the women's side, it is difficult to say how TWU will fare in the NAIA. With only four women currently on the roster, they are incapable of competing for any team titles on grass without immediately impactful recruits joining the squad. Considering the addition of Inglis to the coaching staff, expect the team to grow to a full roster over the next couple of years.

Trinity Western’s current talent could certainly be competitive on an individual level. Their top distance athlete, Constance Nankivell, is a force to be reckoned with and could definitely win the NAIA Cross Country Championship by a fair distance next year. Recently, she finished second in the U Sports Cross Country Championships with a blazing time of 26:42 over 8000 meters. More performances like that will make it difficult for anyone to beat her in the NAIA.

Looking towards the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons of 2025/26, the Trinity Western men could certainly be competitive there as well. Their front three in cross country could definitely be a threat to score plenty of points in the 3000 and 5000 meters. The Spartans also have depth in other events with Jaime Eduardo Martin, Kenny Blackman, Jr., and Brandon Gremaud having medaled at the U Sports Indoor National Championships this past winter.

The women's team also presents a serious threat to other NAIA teams. Constance Nankivell and Sheleena Wiley were both national qualifiers during the indoor season last year. While they may not have the depth to immediately challenge for a national team title, a few years of program development could see the Spartans women towards the front of the NAIA.

With the depth that Trinity Western has across the board, they will quickly become top contenders in track and cross country come next year.

Join Trinity Western track & field as the Spartans transfer into the NAIA

Are you a track and field athlete seeking an opportunity to live, train, and study in British Columbia, Canada while competing in the NAIA? With the University of British Columbia splitting time between U Sports and the NAIA and Simon Fraser University a member of the NCAA’s Division II, Trinity Western offers a unique opportunity for prospective student-athletes as the only Canadian university to offer cross country and track and field competition in the NAIA.

How to get recruited by Trinity Western University with Streamline Athletes

Trinity Western offers athletic and academic scholarships to student-athletes who meet certain recruitment standards. To find out if you’re a fit, create your free Streamline Athletes profile today. Once complete, schools like TWU may be in touch and/or you can contact coaches looking for XC/track and field athletes like you from your dashboard!