Towson, Md. – Towson University track & field student-athlete Baara Stewart has had an historic 2025-26 indoor season – breaking four individual school records in four different events – but what she does on a day-to-day basis might be more impressive.

The junior has shattered long-standing Towson indoor marks in the 600m, 800m, 1000m and 1 mile – earning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Runner of the Week honors four times in a six-week period.

Her first record-setting performance was at the Bucknell Invitational on January 24 when she clocked a time of 2:53.54 in the 1000m, shaving nearly two seconds off her previous best time and surpassing Maureen Shaneman's record that dated back to 1987.

One week later at the Penn State National, she reset two program records. In the 800m, Stewart posted a time of 2:10.08, breaking Shaneman's record – that stood since 1988 - by more than two seconds. Shaneman, a Towson Athletics Hall of Famer, is arguably the best distance runner ever to compete at the school.

"It has taken a very long time to get to this point," Stewart said. "It didn't happen overnight, although it appears that is has. Coming in freshman year was a transition because I played high school basketball, and the way I was racing wasn't working. I was so focused on the results. Now in my junior season, we talk about the process rather than the results. Going through each phase of our race plan and sticking to that is something that has brought me a long way. Focusing on the process, not the end goal, and enjoying what is happening in the moment."

Stewart also broke the 600m record at Penn State National then returned to State College on February 7 and reset the mile mark.

At the final regular season meet of the season last Friday, Stewart continued her standout campaign by resetting her own program record in the 800m, improving her time from 2:10.08 to 2:09.67.

"As a coach it is so rewarding to see how confident she has become in herself and these records," said Evan Freeman, Towson's assistant coach in charge mid-distance and distance runners. "We went to a huge meet at Penn State, surrounded by Power Four athletes, and she just stared it right down. She is just so confident in who she is and what she can do."

What Stewart is doing off the track is also extraordinary.

The Fort Washington, Maryland native is a forensic chemistry major – carrying a 3.9 GPA. She is tutoring chemistry and biology in both the University's Tutoring and Learning Center and Athletics achievement department. In addition, she is the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) chairperson in Towson University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and an ambassador for the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics food drive, a program that provides weekly bags of food to address the needs of students, faculty and staff experiencing food insecurity.

"What Baara is doing embodies what we want at Towson University," said Consandria Walker-Hall, head coach of Towson University cross country and track & field programs. "We want to support our students on all aspects and what we are seeing is a young lady who is taking the opportunity to pursue all those things. We want them to compete at a high level. We want them to perform academically but we also want them to be an outstanding citizen in our community. What you are seeing is that she has taken the opportunities to the next level."

On a typical day, Stewart wakes up at 6:30 a.m., catches a bus to the Towson Center to practice with Freeman at 8 o'clock – five hours before the time when the distance runners practice because of class conflicts. After lift, she has afternoon classes then tutors before doing several hours of research. Her spring schedule includes two chemistry classes as well as biology, forensics and mathematics courses.

"It is amazing when you go down the list of everything she does and all the things she balances." Freeman said. "That is who she is as a person. She is selfless and motivated to help others. She is really good at taking on what she wants to take on and know how to balance them correctly. She very rarely comes into practice with her mind elsewhere. When she is at practice she is at practice. When she is tutoring, she is tutoring. She does a really good job of being present at the moment. That really shines through in her races. That lap is that lap. She does such a good job of breaking life down into what is immediately in front of her and doing the best she can."

Next up for Stewart and her teammates is the CAA Indoor Championship Meet February 22-23 in Boston. She will be running in the 800m prelims on Sunday as well as the Distance Medley Relay (DMR). On Monday, she will be competing with the 4x400 relay team and hopefully the 800m final.

"The most important thing is to be calm and poised during every aspect of each race and hopefully place on the podium," Stewart said.

"Our student-athletes are more than just the times they put on paper and Baara is the living testament to that," Freeman added. "Baara is the type of kid that makes the job really easy. As coaches, we work long hours with weekends away from the family, but when you coach someone like Baara who listens and is willing to be coachable that is the biggest thing that sets her apart."