UVA Opens Competition at NCAA Championships Starting Wednesday
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track & field teams will be represented by 10 individuals and two women’s relay teams at this week’s NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships. The four-day event runs Wednesday, June 9 through Saturday, June 12 at Oregon’s Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The national championships alternate between the men’s championship on Wednesday and Friday and the women’s championships on Thursday and Saturday. Attendance for the event will be limited to 4,400 fans per day.
The top eight finishers in each event will receive first-team All-America honor while places nine through 16 will be second-team All-Americans. All other athletes are honorable mention All-Americans.
How to Watch / Follow
Live results are linked on VirginiaSports.com and available at this link. Updates will be provided on UVA’s Twitter account @UVATFCC.
The entire competition will be broadcast live on ESPN Networks. Here is the schedule:
Day Time Network
Wednesday 8-9 p.m. ET ESPNU
9-11:30 p.m. ET ESPN2
4-11:30 p.m. ET ESPN3
Thursday 6:30-10 p.m. ET ESPN2
12:30-10 p.m. ET ESPN3
Friday 8-10:30 p.m. ET ESPN2
3-10:30 p.m. ET ESPN3
Saturday 6-8:30 p.m. ET ESPNU
2-8:30 p.m. ET ESPN3
Schedule of Events
Competitor Time Date Event Round
Sam Young 8:30 pm ET Wednesday Pole Vault Final
Derek Johnson 8:32 pm ET Wednesday 3000m Steeplechase Semifinal
Women’s 4×100 6:32 pm ET Thursday 4×100 Relay Semifinal
Khyasia Caldwell 8:00 pm ET Thursday Long Jump Final
Jada Seaman 8:00 pm ET Thursday Long Jump Final
Michaela Meyer 8:14 pm ET Thursday 800 Meters Semifinal
Andrenette Knight 8:30 pm ET Thursday 400 Hurdles Semifinal
Maria Deaviz 8:40 pm ET Thursday Shot Put Final
Women’s 4×400 9:48 pm ET Thursday 4×400 Relay Semifinal
Jacob Lemmon 7:35 pm ET Friday Discus Final
Claudio Romero 7:35 pm ET Friday Discus Final
Owayne Owens 8:20 pm ET Friday Triple Jump Final
Derek Johnson 8:24 pm ET Friday 3000m Steeplechase Final
Women’s 4×100 6:02 pm ET Saturday 4×100 Relay Final
Michaela Meyer 7:14 pm ET Saturday 800 Meters Final
Andrenette Knight 7:27 pm ET Saturday 400 Hurdles Final
Women’s 4×400 8:21 pm ET Saturday 4×400 Relay Final
Women’s Individual Qualifiers
Khyasia Caldwell • Long Jump • Sophomore • Pocono Summit, Pa.
Participating in her first NCAA Championships … placed 11th at NCAA East Preliminary Round … best leap was PB 6.26m (20’ 6.5”) which came on her first attempt … that ranks No. 9 on UVA all-time performance list … was a second-team All-American at 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships where she placed 16th in the long jump … has earned All-ACC honors five times during her career … will be joined by teammate Jada Seaman in the event
Maria Deaviz • Shot Put • Freshman • Souderton, Pa.
Placed 12th in shot put at NCAA East Preliminary Round with put of 16.52m (54’ 2.5”) … one of two freshmen to qualify from the meet … set UVA record with put of 17.18m (56’ 4.5”) to win the Raleigh Relays … that result was more than a foot past previous school record … entered NCAAs ranked No. 2 nationally among freshmen in the event … was fourth at ACC Championships … won four shot put events during the season
Andrenette Knight • 400-Meter Hurdles • Graduate Student • Morant Bay, Jamaica
Competing at NCAA Championships in 400mH for fourth time in her career … competed in 2017 while at San Diego State … won the 40mH competition (56.07) at NCAA East Preliminary Round … Repeated as ACC 400mH champ with winning time of 55.75 that was school record and meet record … ran a leg for UVA’s 4×400 relay team that qualified for NCAAs … that group turned in a school record time of 3:30.44 at NCAA regional … a three-time All-American and seven-time All-ACC honoree
Michaela Meyer • 800 Meters • Graduate Student • Southbury, Conn.
Participating in her first NCAA Outdoor Championships … won the 800m at NCAA East Preliminary Round with SR and FR time of 2:00.40 … that ranks as the fastest time in NCAA Preliminary Round (combined) history since meets began in 2010 … also owns the UVA school record in the 1500m (4:09.78) that she set while winning the ACC Championships … finished third in 800m at ACC Championships in a then-school record time (2:01.52) … ran a leg for UVA’s 4×400 relay team that qualified for NCAAs … that group turned in a school record time of 3:30.44 at NCAA regional … named the team’s Coach’s Award for Excellence winner this season.
Jada Seaman • Long Jump • Freshman • Pikesville, Md.
Participating in her first NCAA Outdoor Championships … placed 12th at NCAA East Preliminary Round … qualifying leap (6.23m / 20’ 5.25”) came on her final attempt … top mark this year (6.56m / 21’ 6.25”) came on final attempt at ACC Championships where she finished first … that ranks No. 2 on UVA all-time performance list … earned All-America honors at 2020 and 2021 NCAA Indoor meet in long jump … ran No. 2 leg for 4×100 and 4×400 relays teams at NCAA East Preliminary Round that also advanced to NCAA Championships … both relays set school records (43.75 in 4×100 and 3:30.44 in 4×400) during the meet … three-time ACC Champion … eight-time All-ACC
4×100 Relay Team
• Based on NCAA East Preliminary Round – Anna Jefferson (Grad. Student, Warren, Mich), Seaman, Kayla Bonnick (Fr., St. Catherine, Jamaica) and Halle Hazzard (Jr., Commack, N.Y.)
Posted the best time of the three “next best” teams to advance with school record performance of 43.75 at NCAA regional … Jefferson and Seaman were also on UVA’s 4×400 relay team that advanced to NCAAs
4×400 Relay Team
• Based on NCAA East Preliminary Round – Jefferson, Seaman, Meyer, Knight
Posted sixth best time (3:30.44) which set UVA school record … bettered old mark by almost two seconds … qualified for NCAAs with a top-three finish in their heat … one of three ACC relay teams to advance in the event … Jefferson and Seaman were also on UVA’s 4×100 relay team that advanced to NCAAs
Men’s Individual Qualifiers
Derek Johnson • 3000-Meter Steeplechase • Sophomore • Leesburg, Va.
Participating in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships … had fifth-best time (8:41.99) in 3000-meter steeplechase at NCAA East Preliminary Round … finished fourth in 3000m steeplechase at ACC Championships with PB of 8:36.86 … his time at ACCs ranks No. 2 on UVA all-time list
Jacob Lemmon • Discus • Freshman • Sanibel, Fla.
Qualified for NCAA Championships with 12th-place finish at NCAA East Preliminary Round … his top throw (56.45m / 185′ 2″) came on his final attempt … Had PB (58.54m / 192’ 1”) in discus at Virginia Invitational that figures fifth on UVA all-time list … joined in discus event at NCAA Championships by freshman classmate Claudio Romero … a three-time All-ACC honoree
Owayne Owens • Triple Jump • Sophomore • Montego Bay, Jamaica
Participating in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships … finished sixth in triple jump at 2021 NCAA Indoor meet … qualified for NCAA Championships with an 8th-place finish at NCAA East Preliminary Round (16.03m / 52″ 7.25″) … won ACC triple jump title (15.97m / 52′ 4.75″) … top mark this season was at Virginia Challenge (16.45m / 53′ 11.75″) and improved his third-place standing on UVA all-time performance list … named recipient of Ralph Sampson Scholarship Award (for excellence in athletics, leadership and academics) and the Ernest H. Ern Award (for the impact he has made on student and community life)
Claudio Romero • Discus • Freshman • Santiago, Chile
The Southeast Region Male Field Athlete of the Year … finished second at NCAA East Preliminary Round in discus with school-record throw of 65.78m (215′ 10″) on his third throw … had previously set school record in second round with throw of 63.79m (209′ 3″) … Won ACC title in discus on his final throw with mark of 61.21m (200′ 10″) … named ACC Field Performer of the Week three times during the season … joined in discus competition by fellow freshman Jacob Lemmon … three-time All-ACC during his career … men’s recipient of team’s Coach’s Award for Excellence
Sam Young • Pole Vault • Graduate Student • Lewes, Del.
Participating in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships … finished 8th at NCAA East Preliminary Round (5.25m / 17′ 2.75″) … previously won the Raleigh Relays with that same height … that mark ranks No. 2 on UVA all-time performance list … 2020 ACC Indoor pole vault champion … five-time All-ACC honoree
Lananna Returns to Eugene
The 2021 NCAA Championships marks the return of Vin Lananna, the UVA Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, to Eugene where he had a tremendous impact on the Oregon program and the local running community.
Lananna led the Oregon program for seven seasons (2005-12). During his tenure, Oregon won six NCAA titles (2007-08 men’s cross country, 2009 men’s indoor track and field, 2010-11-12 women’s indoor track and field) and 13 conference titles. He also coached several Olympians as well as numerous NCAA and Pac-12 event champions.
Since its inception in 2008, until his resignation as president in 2018, he was involved in the direction and leadership of TrackTown USA, a non-profit organization committed to setting a standard of excellence in the sports of track and field and running by hosting premier events, creating a supportive environment for elite athletic performances and improving facilities.
While working at Oregon and for TrackTown USA, he helped to lead the organization of the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, the 2015 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships and three Olympic Trials (2008, 2012 and 2016). He also played a significant role in Oregon being selected the site for seven NCAA Track & Field Championships (2010, 2013-2018) and the 2009 and 2011 USATF Championships.
At Oregon, he helped to establish and oversee Oregon Track Club Elite, the professional branch of the Oregon Track Club. Based in Eugene, it has produced an impressive number of Olympic medal winners, world champions and American champions under his direction.
Lananna was instrumental in the two-year renovation of Oregon’s historic Hayward Field that has been the site for numerous national competitions and will again host the NCAA Championships in 2022.