By: Victoria Williamson | Sports Editor
Chasen Hunt running in a meet. Photographed by Nick Brent.
University of Lynchburg distance runners Alex Jordan and Chasen Hunt arrived at the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships as two of the most decorated runners in the ODAC. Hunt, a senior and six-time All-American with previous national titles in the 1,500m and DMR, sought to add to these accolades, while Jordan, a sophomore, was aiming for his first national podium finish.
Jordan ended the tournament placing sixth in the 5,000m, and Hunt took fifth in the 3,000m. Their weekend, although, was defined less by their podium finishes and more by their decision to walk away from it in light of a recent controversy.
The Lynchburg runners joined a walk-off protest against the individual champion Seth Clevenger of Rowan University, who was facing doping allegations from his time at Iowa State. This protest consisted of the second-through eighth-place finishers taking a separate photo apart from Clevenger.
Alex Jordan running in a meet. Photographed by Nick Brent.
For Jordan, his appreciation for the support remains untarnished, but his fears for the future of Division III’s athletic integrity have grown amidst the Clevenger finish.
“I love running, and whether I am in the NCAA or not, I will always be running and racing at some level. The biggest thing I am worried about is runners noticing the lack of care towards athletes cheating their way to championships. If this happens, the division will become an enhanced game in no time and truly ruin the division as a whole,” said Jordan.
To draw attention to the issue, Jordan was among the group who decided to walk off the podium and take a separate photo.
“I was talking to some of the older runners that have been to multiple nationals and even won national titles, and they suggested that we walk off and have our own ceremony. I was happy that we came together as runners to try and bring some attention to the controversy that we have been battling all season,” he said.
Hunt, who provided veteran leadership throughout the meet, admitted that the meet’s conclusion left a sour taste, but decided to prioritize the values of the Lynchburg program.
“I had to take a step back from the personal gain that I could get from beating him or running faster. A big thing that we have built our program on over the past few years is to run for what is on your chest, and not the person wearing the jersey…to push the heights of Lynchburg as a whole, and also to glorify God in this way for the blessings of talent and encouraging friends that I am grateful for,” said Hunt.
The integrity of Division III athletics, defined by athletes’ true love for the sport, is underscored by their foregoing athletic scholarships, which only underscores the decision to vacate the podium as a silent rejection of the unresolved allegations.
While Clevenger claimed the official titles, the Lynchburg Hornets and fellow competitors left with the victory of preserving the desired environment of Division III sports.
For more information, visit The Official Lynchburg Sports Network Page
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