Track and Field Set for Inaugural Big 12 Indoor ChampionshipsTrack and Field Set for Inaugural Big 12 Indoor Championships

Track and Field Set for Inaugural Big 12 Indoor Championships

by Alex Clough

LUBBOCK, Texas – A meteoric rise, spanning 29 years and three conferences, will come to fruition this weekend in Lubbock, Texas, as the UCF track and field team is set to compete in the 2024 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships. The two-day event will usher in a new era for the program, which will look to make a statement in its inaugural conference appearance.

Hosted by Texas Tech at the Sports Performance Center, UCF will compete alongside 13 other teams, including its three fellow newcomers (BYU, Cincinnati and Huston), on Friday and Saturday. James Westling and John Nownes will be on the call as ESPN+ will provide coverage throughout the weekend.

REGULAR SEASON RECAP

Head coach Dana Boone and her squad competed in nine meets across six states and five weekends during the regular-season slate. A talented crop of freshmen, along with a tenured group of veterans, displayed strong performances ahead of the conference championships.

Rayniah Jones has had a vibrant commencement to her final collegiate campaign as she’s taken home four event wins along with the nation’s second-fastest time in the 60m hurdles with her 7.95 performance at the Tiger Paw Invite earlier this month. The All-American went sub-eight for the first time since 2022 as she currently leads the Big 12 ahead of her much-anticipated debut on the conference stage.

Her hurdles partner, Adaobi Tabugbo, has continued her growth as her times continued to improve throughout the season, eventually securing an 8.17 in the semifinals of the Tiger Paw Invite. The duo sits one-two in the conference and will look to represent the Knights on the podium Saturday afternoon.

I’Asia Wilson and Kiah Williams are among the top of the conference leaderboards in the 60m and 400m, as the former secured her first collegiate event win at the Crimson Elite in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a 7.26 in the finals. Both sit sixth in their respective events ahead of prelims on Friday.

Asherah Collins is among the mix in the triple jump once again, as she’s aiming to qualify for her first NCAA Indoor Championships. The junior is fifth in the Big 12 and banging on the door of her record (13.15m) following a 13.14m performance at the Crimson Elite.

The distance squad has been infused with a strong group of freshmen, led by Abigail Stratton who already places among the top UCF athletes all-time in multiple events. She currently holds the sixth-fastest 800m time (2:09.26) and fifth-fastest mile (4:52.44). Stratton and fellow English native, Charlotte Crook, who made her return to the track by breaking her program record in the 1000m (2:52.16) at the Vanderbilt Invitational in January, will look to make statements throughout the weekend.

CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

Eighteen Knights are set to represent the Black and Gold across the two-day event. Holly Cassels and Natalia Madison, who each secured personal best across two meets during the regular season, will begin action on Friday at 11 a.m. ET in the pentathlon. The five events will run until 4 p.m. ET with the conclusion of the 800m.

Prelims will then get underway with the mile at 4:10 p.m. ET, followed by the 60m hurdles (4:40 p.m. ET) and 60m (5 p.m. ET). At 7 p.m. ET, Collins will compete in the long jump.

Four more track events will lead to the finals of the women’s 5000m at 7:50 p.m. ET as Ali Del Re and Isabella Richardson will represent the Knights. Friday will conclude with the distance medley relay at 8:40 p.m. ET.

Saturday will begin with the triple jump at 2 p.m. ET as Collins, Madison and Alexis Waller will compete for the Knights. The finals begin with the 60m hurdles at 3 p.m. ET, followed by the 60m at 3:20 p.m. ET and the mile at 3:40 p.m. ET. Cassels and Madison will compete in the last field event (high jump) at 5 p.m. ET.

Five more finals on the track will lead to the meet’s final event, the 4x400 relay, at 6:40 p.m. ET. As with each conference championship, the scoring goes as follows for each event: first (10), second (eight), third (six), fourth (five), fifth (four), sixth (three), seventh (two) and eighth (one).

Oklahoma State enters the 2024 edition as the reigning champion on the women’s side following its 146-point performance in Lubbock a year ago.

UCF SCHEDULE

FRIDAY (All times EST) | Finals: Pentathlon, Long Jump, 5000m, DMR

SATURDAY (All times EST) | Finals for every event

  • 2:00 p.m. | Triple Jump: Asherah Collins, Natalia Madison, Alexis Waller
  • 3:00 p.m. | 60mH: Top two each heat plus next two best times (Prelims)
  • 3:20 p.m. | 60m: Top one each heat plus next four best times (Prelims)
  • 3:40 p.m. | Mile: Top two each heat plus next three best times (Prelims)
  • 4:30 p.m. | 400m: Top three each heat plus next two best times (Prelims)
  • 4:50 p.m. | 1000m: Top three each heat plus next two best times (Prelims)
  • 5:10 p.m. | 800m: Top eight best times (Prelims)
  • 5:30 p.m. | 200m: Top eight best times (Prelims)
  • 5:50 p.m. | 3000m: Charlotte Crook, Ali Del Re, Isabella Richardson, Penelope Sosa, Abigail Stratton
  • 6:40 p.m. | 4x400: Y’Vette Harris, Kai’lyn Kirkland, Hannah Taylor, Kiah Williams