COLONIA, N.J. – The East Coast Conference (ECC) has announced its 2025-26 Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Year. The award is given to the outstanding male and female in both the track and field events. Athletes are nominated by their coaches, based on their performances throughout the entire year. Voting is then done by the coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own athletes.

On the male side, Roberts Wesleyan’s Austin Melvin was named as the Field Athlete of the Year, while Darwin Almonte Pena from St. Thomas Aquinas was named as the Track Athlete of the Year.

On the female side, Georgian Court’s Daizhae’ Brown was named as the Field Athlete of the Year, while Kyndra Hines of the District of Columbia was named as the Track Athlete of the Year.

Melvin is a first-team All-ECC selection in pole vault. Won the ECC title in that event and finished third at the NCAA Championships, earning him All-American honors. He cleared 17 feet or more six times during the season.

Pena, a first-team All-ECC selection in the 60-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash, was voted the Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the ECC Championships by the coaches. He was an All-East Region selection by the USTFCCCA and was a two-time ECC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week.

Hines, a first-team All-ECC selection in the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles, broke the ECC record in the hurdles to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Finishing the season as the regional champion in the 60-meter dash and the 60-meter hurdles, she finished 12^th at the NCAA Championships in the hurdles. That earned her All-American honors.

Daizhae' had a tremendous freshman campaign for the Lions.  At the ECC Championship, she won the Long Jump, took second in the Triple Jump, and placed third in the 60m dash.  Her 60m dash time is the new school record for the Lions. She was a three-time All-ECC first-team selection for her performances at the ECC Championships.