Pittsburgh, PA – Chatham Outdoor Track and Field is gearing up to kick off its season on a strong note at the Cal U Vulcans Early Bird event on Saturday. 

The Cougars are looking to build off a strong offseason of training and their showing during the indoor portion of the schedule. The Track and Field teams finished their indoor season at the PAC Championship in late February, with the men's team finishing 12th and the women's team finishing 11th. Last outdoor season (2025) saw the men's team finish 11th and the women's team finish 4th.

In preparation for this season, Head Coach Conlan Burd, who enters his first year at the helm of the Cougars Track and Field teams, is focusing on building a strong team culture with an emphasis on perfect execution. "We don't chase results – we chase execution," said Burd. "Results are the byproduct." 

The men's team is returning 6 athletes, including juniors Demetirus Broadnax and Seth Sager. Broadnax held the team's highest marks in the 200m and 400m while Sager led the Cougars in the high jump. On the women's side, the team is returning 10 athletes, including Najiyah Smith and Virginia Malkin, who anchored the 4x400m team. 

Coach Burn has prioritized building a philosophy of embracing the challenge and powering through the adversity. "Pressure is a privilege. It means we've put ourselves in a position that absolutely matters," Burd said. 

Coach Burn is also preaching the importance of being mentally and physically tough. He hopes that the team can push through the pain and stress of an especially long season with multiple daily, intense events. "We're building more than just athletes—we're building people who know how to handle adversity, pressure, and success."

Chatham Outdoor Track and Field will open its season on Saturday, March 21st, in California, PA.