Track & Field Heads to Tyson Invitational For Regular-Season Finale

ORLANDO - UCF Track and Field is traveling Northwest to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Tyson Invitational starting Friday, Feb. 13, and wrapping up Saturday, Feb. 14, at Randal Tyson Track Center. The meet documents the Knights' final regular season competition before the start of the postseason, before they transition to the outdoor season. 

LAST TIME OUT  
The Knights split up last weekend, with distance runners at the Gainesville Classic and the sprinters and field athletes at the Charlie Thomas Invitational. Both meets were full of record-breaking performances and personal bests. 

In the sprints, the 200 meters highlighted Jasmen Newberry (23.59s) and Khristel Martindale, clocking in at 24.36s. The 60-meter hurdles stood out, with Alexia Reid posting a personal-best 8.46s and Toni Galloway’s 8.32s mark moving to No. 10 all-time in program history. Paige Laffoon delivered a personal best 2:27.05 in the 800m and competed in her first pentathlon of the season, scoring 3598 points to rank No. 6 all-time at UCF. In the 4x400m, Twaniese Johnson powered the squad to a 3:35.31 finish, the third-fastest time in program history. 

Out in Gainesville, the long distance recorded multiple personal bests and top-10 program marks. The 5K was an event to remember, with Avery Latto (17:13.05), Paige Jaszczak (17:31.24), and Ava Quattrochi (17:34.43) all scoring PRs. Masha Dorofeev led the way in the 3000m with a personal-best 9:56.28, ranking No.6 all-time. Madison Patchan joined the PR club at 10:02.21 in the 3000m. Meanwhile, the Knights made their season debut in the distance medley relay, as Brianna Rodriguez, Kendall Hughes, Bailey McLain, and Yvone Sandui combined to rank seventh in program history at 11:49.95. 

STARTING BLOCKS 

• PR Momentum: The Knights have had a force propelling them to record personal bests at every meet this season, building strong momentum heading into their final regular-season competition. 
• One for the Record Book: UCF continues to reshape its record book with members moving up each weekend. Most recently highlighted by Laffoon in the Pentathlon at No. 6 all-time, Galloway in 60H, capturing No. 10 all-time, and Dorofeev in the 3000m, clocking in at No.6 all-time.
• Field Progress: Omaria Gordon secured a fifth-place finish in the long jump (6.07m) at the Charlie Thomas Invitational, continuing to bolster the jumps squad's record-setting season.
• Last Visit to Fayetteville: Last season's visit to the Tyson Invitational saw the Knights break two program records to close out the regular season. Twaniese Johnson, Kiah Williams, Jazmen Newberry, and Deja Shaw-Huckaby clocked a 3:29.93, breaking the 4x400m record they had set just two weeks earlier, solidifying both their top spot in program history and in the Big 12 2025 indoor season. Meanwhile, former Knight Ashera Collins took the program record for triple jump, leaping a distance of 13.30m. 

EVENTS TO WATCH

Field

• Long Jump (Friday, 2:15 PM): Four Knights will compete, including Omaria Gordon, who previously posted a 6.07m mark, securing a fifth-place finish.

Track

• 60M Hurdles (Friday, 12:50 PM): Aaliyah Gipson recorded personal bests in back-to-back weekends, embracing a 7.53s that qualified her for finals at the Charlie Thomas Invitational. She returns to competition this weekend.
• 4x400M Relay (Saturday, 3:45 PM): Newberry, Janiah Pulliman, Genelle Stephens and Twaneise Johnson are slated to compete. Earlier this season at the Rod McCravey Invitational, this relay team gathered for a fourth-place finish with the 10th-fastest time in program history (3:39.49). 
• 200M (Saturday, 1:15 PM): Newberry, Pulliam and Samiyah Roberson will represent the squad in an event that has produced consistent personal bests this season.
• Mile (Saturday, 12:00 PM): Three Black and Gold members are lining up to race, including Bailey McClain, Alexandra Raquet and Kendall Hughes, who continue to impress and build depth in their distance events.