University of Tennessee Athletics
JL Van Rensburg’s Shot Put School Record Finishes Second at NCAA Championships
June 11, 2026 | Track & Field
EUGENE, Ore. – Tennessee sophomore JL Van Rensburg earned a national runner-up finish on Wednesday as UT opened competition at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The South African shot putter tied the school record with a toss of 20.33 meters (66-8.5) to finish second overall, capping his debut season on Rocky Top with First Team All-America honors.
Van Rensburg was one of three Vols with top-eight finishes on Wednesday as UT totaled 14 points on the opening day of competition. In the men's team standings, Tennessee is currently tied for fourth place.
The Mossel Bay, South Africa, native tied the school record held by former Vol and SEC champion Jordan West. Van Rensburg's performance on Wednesday also marked Tennessee's best-ever finish in the shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Tennessee began the national meet with sophomore Igor Olaru competing in the men's hammer final. The Moldovan international placed eighth to earn his first career All-America certificate, recording a mark of 71.11 meters (233-3) and posting UT's best result in the NCAA men's hammer competition since 1997.
In the men's pole vault, reigning SEC champion Ismaila Sawaneh earned a podium finish with his fourth-place outing on Wednesday. The Normandy, France, native cleared 5.70 meters (18-8.25) on his third attempt to place fourth overall, score five points and record UT's best outdoor finish in the event since Jake Blankenship won the national title in 2016.
On the track, Tennessee advanced five entries to the NCAA men's finals, which will take place Friday evening in Eugene. The men's 4x100-meter relay quartet of Traunard Folson, Davonte Howell, T'Mars McCallum and Elijah Clark opened Wednesday's running events with a heat victory in 38.47 seconds, while the 4x400-meter relay crew of Andre Jackson II, Premier Wynn, Marc Anthony Ibrahim and Harry Barton qualified on time with a performance of 3:01.73.
Individually, Howell advanced to his second consecutive NCAA 100-meter final with a time of 10.08 in the semifinal, while McCallum qualified for his second-straight NCAA 200-meter final with a mark of 20.28.
Ibrahim advanced in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 49.18, giving the Vols an NCAA finalist in the event for the fourth consecutive season under head coach Duane Ross.
Folson and Blake Sifferlin each claimed Second Team All-America status with top-16 finishes on Wednesday. Folson placed 10th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.15, while Sifferlin tied for 14th in the pole vault with a mark of 5.35 meters (17-6.5).
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols kick off the women's portion of the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Thursday, beginning at 8:05 p.m. ET with the 4x100-meter relay semifinal and concluding at approximately 11:36 p.m. ET with the 4x400-meter relay semifinal.
Van Rensburg was one of three Vols with top-eight finishes on Wednesday as UT totaled 14 points on the opening day of competition. In the men's team standings, Tennessee is currently tied for fourth place.
The Mossel Bay, South Africa, native tied the school record held by former Vol and SEC champion Jordan West. Van Rensburg's performance on Wednesday also marked Tennessee's best-ever finish in the shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Tennessee began the national meet with sophomore Igor Olaru competing in the men's hammer final. The Moldovan international placed eighth to earn his first career All-America certificate, recording a mark of 71.11 meters (233-3) and posting UT's best result in the NCAA men's hammer competition since 1997.
In the men's pole vault, reigning SEC champion Ismaila Sawaneh earned a podium finish with his fourth-place outing on Wednesday. The Normandy, France, native cleared 5.70 meters (18-8.25) on his third attempt to place fourth overall, score five points and record UT's best outdoor finish in the event since Jake Blankenship won the national title in 2016.
On the track, Tennessee advanced five entries to the NCAA men's finals, which will take place Friday evening in Eugene. The men's 4x100-meter relay quartet of Traunard Folson, Davonte Howell, T'Mars McCallum and Elijah Clark opened Wednesday's running events with a heat victory in 38.47 seconds, while the 4x400-meter relay crew of Andre Jackson II, Premier Wynn, Marc Anthony Ibrahim and Harry Barton qualified on time with a performance of 3:01.73.
Individually, Howell advanced to his second consecutive NCAA 100-meter final with a time of 10.08 in the semifinal, while McCallum qualified for his second-straight NCAA 200-meter final with a mark of 20.28.
Ibrahim advanced in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 49.18, giving the Vols an NCAA finalist in the event for the fourth consecutive season under head coach Duane Ross.
Folson and Blake Sifferlin each claimed Second Team All-America status with top-16 finishes on Wednesday. Folson placed 10th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.15, while Sifferlin tied for 14th in the pole vault with a mark of 5.35 meters (17-6.5).
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols kick off the women's portion of the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Thursday, beginning at 8:05 p.m. ET with the 4x100-meter relay semifinal and concluding at approximately 11:36 p.m. ET with the 4x400-meter relay semifinal.
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