The UCF track and field team will compete in the Big 12 Outdoor Championships beginning May 14 in Tucson, Arizona. The three-day event at Roy P. Drachman Stadium will include field events, combined events, and preliminary running competitions, concluding Saturday with championship finals.
The Knights enter the postseason aiming to defend their outdoor 4×400-meter relay title after winning gold last season with a time of 3:33.62. This year’s relay squad features returning athletes Twaneise Johnson, Janiah Pulliam, and Jazmen Newberry, joined by freshman Datavia Hunter. The group set a new school record earlier this spring with a time of 3:30.33.
Despite losing standout hurdler Adaobi Tabugbo—last year’s Big 12 champion in the 100-meter hurdles—the team looks to maintain its strength in sprints and hurdles under head coach Dana Boone. UCF is pursuing its third consecutive conference title in the event after Raniyah Jones led them to gold previously.
Sprinters Jazmen Newberry (22.81 seconds) and Janiah Pulliam (22.96 seconds) have both broken the 23-second barrier in the 200 meters this season as the sprint squad reaches peak form for championship weekend. In distance events, Alexandra Raquet holds top-three program times in both the 1500m and 5000m races, while Raquel Edwards has achieved a personal best of 2:09.47 in the 800 meters.
Toni Galloway is now leading UCF’s hurdle efforts with a recent mark of 13.06 seconds at the East Coast Relays—just one hundredth off her personal best—and transfers Eva Bruce (5,366 points) and Paige Laffoon (5,090 points) have posted top-10 heptathlon scores for UCF this season.
Key events highlighted for fans include Thursday-Friday’s heptathlon featuring Eva Bruce; Friday’s preliminary rounds of both the women’s hurdles—with Toni Galloway and Ese Awusa competing—and women’s open quarter mile led by Newberry; as well as Saturday night’s final event—the defending champion Knights’ bid to retain their title in the women’s four-by-four relay.
