DETROIT (8/17/2026) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's track and field team will have four newcomers for the 2026-27 season, with a pair of student-athletes starting their careers in the fall cross country campaign.
Freshmen
Anna Kujansuu, Samantha Sackfield and
Ava Tow, along with sophomore transfer Caragh Dwyer will now all don the red, white and blue. Kujansuu and Tow will also suit up in cross country, while Samantha Sackfield is also a member of the women's soccer team.Â
"This is a smaller group that will get the opportunity to develop and contribute to the team," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country
Guy Murray '89.
Anna Kujansuu * Mid-Distance/XC * Dearborn, Mich. * Divine Child
- Earned letters in cross country, track and field, soccer, and basketball, and was a team captain in track and cross country
- Helped her team to a cross country regional title as a junior and runner-up at the regionals and Catholic League as a sophomore
- Was First Team All-Area and Dearborn All-Area all four years
- Also tabbed All-Catholic and All-Region as a sophomore, junior, and senior, and was the Rookie of the Year as a freshman
- In track, she was All-County, All-Region, and All-Catholic as a senior, as well as All-Area as a junior and senior
- Was a state qualifier as a junior and senior, and helped Divine Child to a regional title as a junior
Ava Tow * Distance/XC * Richmond, Mich. * Utica
- Lettered in track and cross country as a prep
- A cross country state qualifier as a senior, taking 22nd at the state finals
- Was All-Conference in cross country as a senior and helped her team finish second in the MAC RED Division and third at the Macomb County and regional championships
- In track, she was part of the sixth-place 4x800 as a junior and senior at the regionals and was a county qualifier
- Claimed top six in the pole vault at the division championships as a sophomore and junior, helping her team win the title as a sophomore, as well as fourth place in the 4x800 as a senior
- Named the Chieftain Warpaint Award as a junior 2025
Caragh Dwyer * Sprints/Hurdles * Lake Orion, Mich. * Oxford (Albion)
- A transfer from Albion, where she competed as a freshman in track and field and soccer
- She scored at the indoor track MIAA Championships, taking eighth in the 400 meters and running a leg on the fourth-place 4x400
- She also set school records in the 4x400 and tallied six wins on the year between the 400 meters, 400 meter hurdles, and 4x400
- As a prep, she earned four letters in soccer and track and field
- A two-time team captain, she was All-State in indoor track and field as a senior
- She helped her team to a conference title as a sophomore and a third-place finish at the state championships
- Qualified for the state meet, earned the Most Improved Award, and was the No. 1 point earner on the team as a junior
- Was also an OAA Scholar Athlete for four years
- Ran at the 2023 Junior OlympicsÂ
Samantha Sackfield * Sprints * Washington Township, Mich. * Romeo
- Lettered in cross country, basketball, soccer, and track and field as a prep
- A four-time MAC All-Academic Team selection in soccer and track and field and was All-District in soccer as a senior
- Played two years for Liverpool ECNL-RL Central and was named All-Region and an ECNL RL Continental Tire National Selection Game Player in 2025
- Helped lead the team to an ECNL-RL Heartland League first-place finishÂ
- In track and field, she was All-State in the 400 and 800m as a junior and senior, and 1,600-meter relay as a junior, helping her team take fifth at the state meet in 2026
- Was a state qualifier all four years in the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1,600 meters in her career
- Earned All-Conference, All-County, and All-Region three timesÂ
- Started her career as the MVP of running events as a freshman and was the Romeo MVP of Sprinting and MAC Red MVP as a senior
- Won the league's 400m as a junior and senior, as well as won a league title in the 400, 800, and 1,600 meter relay as a senior
- Part of an Undefeated Girls Team as a junior
- Was a part of five school records in the 200m, 400m, 400, 800, and 1,600 relays and competed at the New Balance Indoor Nationals as a seniorÂ
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