Four Knights Primed for NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene

EUGENE, Oregon - On the grand stage of TrackTown USA and the historic Hayward Field, where legends are born and prosper, four Knights will look to make their mark at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Over a pair of events, head coach Dana Boone and her squad continue their journey after a successful opening two rounds at the East Preliminary.

The premier spotlight for collegiate track and field athletics, the nation's attention will be turned towards Eugene just weeks before a busy summer slate at the professional level. The first day of action on Thursday, June 12, will be televised live on ESPN, before Saturday's finals move over to ESPN2. Each round will commence at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Live Results can be found here.

Below is a breakdown of each event and how the Knights climbed to the national stage:

100m Hurdles - Adaobi Tabugbo

• Thursday: 8:08 p.m. ET (Semifinals) | Heat Three, Lane Three
• Saturday: 9:42 p.m. ET (Finals) | From Semis: Nine Advance, Top Two Each Heat Plus Three Best Times

With former Knight Rayniah Jones passing the hurdles torch to Tabugbo ahead of the 2025 campaign, the standard was set with a historic farewell season, claiming UCF's first Big 12 title and a First Team All-America honor. Now, just a year removed from Jones' final race in Black and Gold, Tabugbo has matched her former teammate every step of the way.

The graduate placed second during indoor before a breakout outdoor slate, winning the Big 12 title in dominating fashion with a personal-best 12.87. With a composed display in Jacksonville at the NCAA East Prelims, Tabugbo now has the chance to match Jones once again and solidify her place in the history books in Eugene.

How She Got Here: After saving her final outdoor season for 2025, Tabugbo looked to build upon a strong indoor phase where she secured Second Team All-America honors and a runner-up finish at the Big 12 Championships. She opened the season at the Florida Relays in April, clocking her first sub-13-second time in the finals to place third (12.93). 

At the Knights Invite, her first time suiting up for the Black and Gold at home, she won the event with a strong 13.06 in the finals. Looking to stay fresh ahead of the conference championships, Tabugbo ran a 13.08 to secure second at the East Coast Relays. Traveling to Lawrence for a chance at the top spot on the podium, she advanced to the finals with a 13.08.

Among the final nine, the race was over from the pistol, as Tabugbo jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. Her personal-best 12.87 was the perfect representation of the fifth year's mentality and experience, not letting the opportunity pass by. With the comfort of that performance, she ran a 12.95 in the quarterfinals at the prelims to tally her first individual ticket to the Outdoor National Championships.

4x100m Relay - Jazmen Newberry, Janiah Pulliam, Adaobi Tabugbo, I'Asia Wilson

• Thursday: 7:05 p.m. ET (Semifinals) | Heat Two, Lane Three
• Saturday: 7:02 p.m. ET (Finals) | From Semis: Nine Advance, Top Two Each Heat Plus Three Best Times

Apart from the hurdles squad, the relays have been an obvious strength for UCF in the coach Boone era. In the fourth season, the Knights have sent a 4x100m squad to Eugene, and each All-America honor has been achieved in years past. Headlined by a first-team nod in 2022 after placing seventh in the nation, the Black and Gold will look to continue a strong tradition on the national stage.

Then first year I'Asia Wilson now leads the group in her fourth season at UCF. The Lakeland, Florida, native is joined by transfer Jazmen Newberry, breakout sophomore Janiah Pulliam and the aforementioned Tabugbo.

How They Got Here: After multiple combos competed throughout the regular season, this quartet made their debut at the East Coast Relays, placing second with a time of 44.06. The lone outing before the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, the squad needed a sub-44-second performance to continue their season into the prelims.

While not among the mix entering the weekend, the Knights broke through to claim third overall and tallied six points for UCF. Their time of 43.74 set the tone for an eventual ninth-place team finish and solidified their place in the NCAA quarterfinals.

In Jacksonville, the group punched their ticket with a ninth-overall finish and a season-best 43.57.