University of Tennessee Athletics
#14 Lady Vols Total 10 NCAA Championship Entries After Nine Tickets Punched On Saturday
May 30, 2026 | Track & Field
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tennessee women's track & field closed out the 2026 NCAA East Preliminary Rounds with nine qualifying performances for the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Saturday, bringing its total to 10 entries for the national meet June 10-13 in Eugene, Oregon. The combined men's and women's program, led by head coach Duane Ross, punched 26 tickets to the national championships over the course of the preliminary rounds.
To advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, athletes must finish among the top 12 in their respective events at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds.
After recently earning bronze at the SEC Championships, Tennessee's 4x100-meter relay team of Lauren Jarrett, Dana Wilson, Avia Jones and Cydney Wright punched its ticket to nationals with a season-best time of 42.63 seconds. The mark won the third heat at the NCAA East Prelims and improved the quartet to No. 3 on Tennessee's all-time performance list.
Tennessee's distance squad logged back-to-back top-12 finishes in the women's 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter steeplechase to earn NCAA bids. Lady Vol freshman Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka secured the 12th and final qualifying spot in the 1,500-meter with a time of 4:13.09, while Amelia Wills earned an automatic berth in the steeplechase after clocking 9:53.65 to place third overall in the opening heat.
Two Lady Vols punched national tickets in the 100-meter dash quarterfinals, led by rookie Dana Wilson's season-best time of 11.09 that finished ninth overall and reset her own Tennessee freshman record. Senior Lauren Jarrett claimed the 12th and final qualifying position with a time of 11.11, advancing to the national meet on a tiebreaker decided by the thousandth of a second.
The Lady Vol quarter-mile trio of Javonya Valcourt, Wright and Esther Joseph each qualified for the women's 400-meter dash after recording personal-best times Saturday. Valcourt clocked 50.26, Wright finished in 50.52 and Joseph crossed in 50.97, ranking second, third and fifth, respectively, on Tennessee's all-time list while punching their tickets to Eugene. Tennessee will be the only school in the country with three entries at the national meet in the women's 400-meter dash.
The regional meet concluded with the All-SEC women's 4x400-meter relay team of Wright, Valcourt, Maira Scott and Joseph earning its spot at nationals with a time of 3:26.96, placing fourth overall and second in its heat.
UP NEXT: Tennessee will send 26 entries to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
To advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, athletes must finish among the top 12 in their respective events at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds.
After recently earning bronze at the SEC Championships, Tennessee's 4x100-meter relay team of Lauren Jarrett, Dana Wilson, Avia Jones and Cydney Wright punched its ticket to nationals with a season-best time of 42.63 seconds. The mark won the third heat at the NCAA East Prelims and improved the quartet to No. 3 on Tennessee's all-time performance list.
Tennessee's distance squad logged back-to-back top-12 finishes in the women's 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter steeplechase to earn NCAA bids. Lady Vol freshman Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka secured the 12th and final qualifying spot in the 1,500-meter with a time of 4:13.09, while Amelia Wills earned an automatic berth in the steeplechase after clocking 9:53.65 to place third overall in the opening heat.
Two Lady Vols punched national tickets in the 100-meter dash quarterfinals, led by rookie Dana Wilson's season-best time of 11.09 that finished ninth overall and reset her own Tennessee freshman record. Senior Lauren Jarrett claimed the 12th and final qualifying position with a time of 11.11, advancing to the national meet on a tiebreaker decided by the thousandth of a second.
The Lady Vol quarter-mile trio of Javonya Valcourt, Wright and Esther Joseph each qualified for the women's 400-meter dash after recording personal-best times Saturday. Valcourt clocked 50.26, Wright finished in 50.52 and Joseph crossed in 50.97, ranking second, third and fifth, respectively, on Tennessee's all-time list while punching their tickets to Eugene. Tennessee will be the only school in the country with three entries at the national meet in the women's 400-meter dash.
The regional meet concluded with the All-SEC women's 4x400-meter relay team of Wright, Valcourt, Maira Scott and Joseph earning its spot at nationals with a time of 3:26.96, placing fourth overall and second in its heat.
UP NEXT: Tennessee will send 26 entries to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
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