UCF Track and Field Kicks Off Indoor Season at Rod McCravy InvitationalUCF Track and Field Kicks Off Indoor Season at Rod McCravy Invitational

UCF Track and Field Kicks Off Indoor Season at Rod McCravy Invitational

by Aiden Kocol
Opens in a new window Live Results UCF Events Schedule

ORLANDO – For the third straight year, UCF track and field will begin its indoor season in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Rod McCravy Invitational with events beginning on Friday, Jan. 9, and concluding Saturday, Jan. 10.

The two-day competition, hosted by the Kentucky Wildcats, will showcase several of the country’s top programs at the Norton Health Sports and Learning Center, one of the nation’s premier indoor facilities. The Knights will be represented by a well-rounded roster, with competitors entered in numerous events throughout the meet.

UCF will open competition on Friday, beginning with a pair of field events before shifting to the track for a busy afternoon. Action starts with the 60-meter sprint preliminaries at 3 p.m. and concludes at 8:10 p.m. with the 1,000-meter run.

STARTING BLOCKS

  • Sprint/Hurdle Core Returns: Nine key contributors are back, led by Deja Shaw-Huckaby, Twaneise Johnson, and Jazmen Newberry, all integral to Big 12–championship 4x400 relays and NCAA-contending performances. All three of the aforementioned athletes will compete in multiple events throughout the weekend, including the 4x400m relay, giving Knight fans a peek at what could be another gold-medal-contending year for Boone and the squad.
  • Highly Touted Transfers: U Albany transfer Toni Galloway adds proven firepower to the hurdles after winning the 100m hurdles at the Black & Gold Challenge, while Orlando native Omaria Gordon is poised to lead the multis after scoring 2,961 points at the SEC Indoor Championships last season.
  • Hurdles Tradition Continues: Ese Awusa steps into a leading role following an NCAA East Prelims appearance. Returner Y’vette Harris will join Awusa in the early core hurdle group, as UCF looks to extend a streak of five straight conference titles in the 100m hurdles.
  • Elite Freshman Class: On that note, New Balance 100m hurdles champion Alexia Reid is set to make her collegiate debut Friday in the 60m hurdle preliminaries. She won’t be the only freshman to watch in the sprints and hurdles, as Datavia Hunter and Samiyah Roberson will also open their collegiate careers.
  • Jumps/Multis Reset: With only one returner, assistant coach Brody Honeycutt ushers in a new era for the jumps and multis, adding six transfers and three freshmen to reshape the group. Lone returner Angelina Horn assumes a leadership role, while freshman standout Jasmine Ross, a two-time Missouri 5A champion and state-record holder in the long jump, will make her collegiate debut Friday.
  • Distance Squad Gains Speed: Coming off a program-best NCAA Regional finish under assistant coach Bryan Harmon, the distance squad returns 12 athletes, including a veteran senior class led by Kendall Hughes, Paige Jaszczak, and Izzy Richardson. Though small in number, the newcomer class adds immediate value, highlighted by transfer Alexandra Raquet, who posted the best regional finish in program history and the second-fastest 6K time ever by a Knight, this cross country season.

4x5.png

EVENTS TO WATCH
Field

  • Long Jump (Friday, 1 PM) - Four new Knights will represent UCF including Ross. The incoming freshman is the Missouri State record holder in the event.

Track

  • 60m Prelims (Friday, 3 PM) - Featuring 10 Knights spread across 11 heats, the race offers an early glimpse of what’s to come this season, with a mix of six returners and four newcomers taking the track.
  • 60H Prelims (Friday, 3:40 PM) - Six members of the Black and Gold will be in action, highlighted by veteran hurdler Awusa and freshman standout Reid.
  • Mile (Saturday, 12 PM) - Eight members of the distance squad will take the track, including Raquet, Ava Quattrocchi, and Madison Patchan, all of whom will be looking to build on their breakout cross country season.
  • 4x400 Relay (Saturday, 2:30 p.m.) - Four teams will take the track, showcasing the depth of the 2026 squad with a blend of experienced returners and talented freshmen in the lineup.

COMPETING TEAMS
Bellarmine, Cumberlands, Louisville, Western Kentucky, UCF, Cincinnati, Indiana, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Purdue and Vanderbilt.