PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Graduate student Tristan Bolinsky (Gordon, Pa.) returned to action for the first time in 10 months with the second-best mark of his career in the weight throw as Villanova opened 2026 at the Penn Select on Saturday afternoon. Bolinsky threw 17.43 meters and was the runner-up out of 12 competitors in the weight throw in his first official competition since March. He was one of seven Wildcats who were in action at The Ott Center in the team's first meet of the new year.
 
Bolinsky redshirted the 2025 outdoor season in order to have a full year of eligibility indoors and outdoors. He looked to be in midseason form from the outset, with his mark of 17.43 meters coming on his second of six throws. Sophomore Joe D'Adamo (Nanuet, N.Y.) came in eighth in the weight throw competition with a mark of 13.97 meters.
 
It was a good day overall for the Wildcats throwers. Freshman Yianni Papanikolas (Toms River, N.J.) made his collegiate debut and led a trio of Villanova athletes in the shot put with a throw of 15.23 meters. He came in third out of 14 competitors in the event, followed by senior Liam Anderson (Lebanon, N.J.) with a mark of 13.55 meters and sophomore Chris Coulter (Philadelphia, Pa.) who threw 12.75 meters.
 
Villanova had two middle distance runners on the track for the 800 meters. Junior Dan Watcke (Hinsdale, Ill.) paced a field of 25 runners with a winning time of 1:50.95, while junior Ryan Beegle (Chatham, N.J.) was third in 1:53.88.
 
The Wildcats return to The Ott Center next Saturday to compete in the Quaker Invitational.