Track and Field Splits Action at USF and Duke InvitationalsTrack and Field Splits Action at USF and Duke Invitationals

Track and Field Splits Action at USF and Duke Invitationals

by Alex Clough

ORLANDO - The UCF Track and Field team will be dividing and conquering this weekend as it splits up to make appearances at both the Duke Invitational and the USF Invitational. The action is set to span this Friday and Saturday for both Invitationals, with UCF facing many strong teams.

UCF’s jumping squad and heptathlon teams are heading to Duke to compete at the Morris Williams Stadium. The heptathlon kicked off today with senior Natalia Madison leading the charge for the Knights. Further south, the sprint and distance squads are gearing up for a strong performance at South Florida. The Knights last traveled to Tampa in the 2021 season, where they saw immense success in the 100m hurdles, with former Knight Raniyah Jones posting a winning time of 13.35. The Knights are looking to continue the momentum in this event with fifth-year Adaobi Tabugo, who has been a standout athlete for the Knights.

LAST TIME OUT

The UCF Black and Gold team began its competition at the 2025 Florida Relays with success, garnering qualifying performances across the board. The 4x100m squad, featuring Tabugbo, Jazmen Newberry, Aaliyah Gipson, and I’Asia Wilson, placed seventh with a time of 44.39. Junior Penelopa Sosa secured a third-place finish in the 1500m with a new personal best of 4:34.99. 

Junior Coco Branch ran a 24.61 in the 200m, while sophomore Y’Vette Harris achieved a sub-one minute time in the 400m hurdles, placing 21st. Natalia Madison placed 11th in the high jump and landed in the top 10 in the long jump with a 5.70m attempt. A successful day culminated in an impressive performance from Tabugo, as the Nigerian athlete achieved a personal best of 12.93 seconds in the 100m hurdles finals, finishing 3rd overall. 

STARTING BLOCKS

  • Tabugo is currently ranked 7th in the nation in the 100 Hurdles following her personal best 12.93 run. She currently shares that spot with Auburn's Ana-Liese Torian, as both ran this exact time at the Florida Relays.
  • UCF’s 4x100m squad put up an impressive time at the Florida Relays, running a 44.39. The relay team featuring Gipson, Newberry, Tabugo, and Wilson now sits at No. 21 in the rankings.
  • Tabugbo’s recent personal record landed her in the history books. Her 12.93 was the third fastest in program history, making her the third Knight to run sub-13 at UCF.