The University of Central Florida track and field team’s 4×400-meter relay squad qualified for the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the final event of the weekend at the UK Track and Field Complex in Lexington, Ky., on May 30.
This marks the first time a UCF women’s 4×400 relay team has reached the NCAA Outdoor Championship under head coach Dana Boone, and it is also the program’s first appearance in this event since 2014. With this qualification, track and field becomes the eleventh of UCF’s sixteen athletic programs to earn an NCAA postseason bid during the current academic year, setting a new school record.
The relay quartet—Deja Shaw-Huckaby, Jazmen Newberry, Janiah Pulliam, and Twaneise Johnson—finished their heat in third place with a time of 3:28.39. This result secured them an automatic qualification to Hayward Field and ranked eighth overall among regional qualifiers. Their time was just three-tenths of a second off their season best.
While UCF’s gold medal-winning season in the 4×100-meter relay concluded Saturday night, Janiah Pulliam will still compete at Eugene as part of the qualifying squad. Jazmen Newberry will also make the trip after finishing her campaign in the individual 400 meters.
Toni Galloway (100-meter hurdles) and Genelle Stephens (400-meter hurdles) wrapped up their seasons at this meet as well.
Boone and her athletes will have ten days to prepare before heading to Eugene, Oregon, for competition at Hayward Field during the NCAA Outdoor Championship.
