VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia - A historic weekend awaits for five Knights as the UCF track and field team embarks on the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships, hosted for the first time at the Virginia Beach Sports Center from March 14 to 15.
After jumping four spots from their inaugural Big 12 Indoor Championships performance a season ago, the Knights have qualified five athletes for nationals, the most under head coach Dana Boone at UCF. While the three entries match 2022’s total, the squad’s conference-winning 4x400m relay squad became the second group to qualify in the event in program history.
Each day of competition will be streamed on ESPN+.
UCF Entries
- 400m - Kiah Williams
- 60m Hurdles - Adaobi Tabugbo
- 4x400m Relay - Jazmen Newberry, Twaneise Johnson, Deja Shaw-Huckaby, Kiah Williams
Next stop, Virginia Beach 🏝️
— UCF Track & Field/XC (@UCF_Track) March 5, 2025
🗞️: https://t.co/hxVxxKNFbP pic.twitter.com/0t6t8ksOXN
Each Knight will be making their first appearance at indoor nationals, arguably the hardest NCAA championship to qualify for. The group is made of four transfers, with three embarking on their first season in Black and Gold.
Below is a schedule/breakdown for each event this weekend:
400m (Kiah Williams) - Semis: Friday at 4 pm ET | Finals: Saturday at 3:20 pm ET
Williams will lace ‘em up at the collegiate level for the final time this weekend, looking to put an emphatic bow on what has been a storied career at UCF. The Miami native returned for a final indoor season, a decision that has paid dividends both for herself and the program.
Setting personal bests in each of her premier events, Williams claimed the 400m program record with a remarkable 51.59 in the first round at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. Her prowess has also been felt in the 4x400m relay outings, running the second leg on the squad’s program-record breaking 3:29.93 performance in Arkansas before overtaking the competition in the third leg in Lubbock to propel the Knights to their first Big 12 indoor event title.
Williams will compete in heat three, lane three. The top eight times across each of the four heats will advance to the finals. She currently sits 11th in the NCAA.
How She Got Here
- Jan. 10 (Rod McCravy Memorial) - 54.46
- Jan. 24 (Orange + Purple Invitational) - 52.69
- Feb. 14 (Tyson Invitational) - 52.51
- Feb. 28, Mar. 1 (Big 12 Indoors) - 51.59* | 51.62
Another sub-52 performance from Kiah to claim second in the 400m (51.62) 😤 pic.twitter.com/dvle8JJM9g
— UCF Track & Field/XC (@UCF_Track) March 1, 2025
60m Hurdles (Adaobi Tabugbo) - Semis: Friday at 4:30 pm ET | Finals: Saturday at 3:40 pm ET
After placing third in the 60m hurdles at the 2024 Big 12 Indoor Championships, the senior upped her finish and dropped her time to sub-eight, crossing the line in second at the 2025 edition. The performance was in tune with an overall dominant season from the Nigerian native, continuing to lead the hurdles squad in the post-Rayniah Jones era.
Her 7.99 in Lubbock pushed her to second in program history, jumping UCF legend Jackie Coward in the process and joining the aforementioned Jones as the only athletes to run under eight seconds.
Tabugbo will compete in heat two, once again alongside Naomi Krebs who won the Big 12 title. The top two times in both, plus the next four best, will advance into Saturday’s finals.
How She Got Here
- Jan. 10 (Rod McCravy Memorial) - 8.25 | 8.24 | 8.20
- Jan. 24 (Orange + Purple Invitational) - 8.14 | 8.23 | 8.18
- Jan. 30 (Stan Scott Invite) - 8.15 | 8.26 | 8.06
- Feb. 14 (Tyson Invitational) - 8.23 | 8.12 | 8.11
- Feb. 28, Mar. 1 (Big 12 Indoors) - 8.02 | 7.99*
Left it all out on the track 😤
— UCF Track & Field/XC (@UCF_Track) March 1, 2025
2. Adaobi - 7.99 (PR)
7. Ese - 8.35
➕ 10 Pts. for the Knights pic.twitter.com/eKpx6HnzGi
4x400m Relay (Jazmen Newberry, Twaneise Johnson, Deja Shaw-Huckaby, Kiah Williams) - Finals: Saturday at 4:20 p.m. ET
A seventh-place finish a season ago at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in the 4x400m relay left room for improvement ahead of 2025. With a new era in college athletics upon the sport, head coach Dana Boone hit the portal hard this offseason, eventually landing three transfers that would join the already-established Williams in garnering school history.
Jazmen Newberry (UAlbany), Twaneise Johnson (Kansas State) and Deja Shaw-Huckaby (North Texas/Oklahoma) were vital in the Knights’ conference-winning performance in the event, along with breaking the program record on two occasions. Each has not just contributed to the relay but has climbed into the all-time lists, with the former two sitting at third and fourth, respectively.
Their season-best 3:29.93 is currently 11th in the country, as they’ll compete in heat two, lane three, of Saturday’s final.
How They Got Here
- Jan. 25 (Orange + Purple Invitational) - 3:34.29
- Feb. 1 (Stan Scott Invite) - 3:33.81
- Feb. 15 (Tyson Invitational) - 3:29.93
- Mar. 1 (Big 12 Indoors) - 3:32.95
Absolute cinema 🤯
— UCF Track & Field/XC (@UCF_Track) March 2, 2025
The gold medal winning 4x400m Relay 🎥 pic.twitter.com/5gn4NSQhbB