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Virginia Track & Field to Send 11 Athletes to 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track & field team qualified 11 athletes to compete in 12 events at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field hosted by the University of Oregon on Wednesday through Saturday, June 11-14.

The Cavalier contingent includes Margot Appleton (1500m, 5000m), Annika Kelly (Hammer), Celia Rifaterra (High Jump), Jenny Schilling (10,000m), Carly Tarentino (High Jump) and Estel Valeanu (Discus) on the women’s side. On the men’s side, Will Daley (5000m), Keyandre Davis (Hammer), Gary Martin (1500m), Alex Sherman (400m Hurdles) and Justin Wachtel (5000m) will represent UVA. Qualifying to the Championships site is accomplished through performance in the First Rounds. Twelve competitors from each individual event and twelve teams from each relay event advance from each First Round site.

Appleton Headed Back to NCAAs
Margot Appleton will make her third consecutive trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships after a strong 1500-meter quarterfinal and 5000-meter semifinal race.
  • Winning the first heat of two, Appleton executed a strategic race crossing the line in 4:08.04 which was good for sixth overall.
  • Appleton has been the national leader in the event for much of the season with her personal best and school record time of 4:05.68 from the 2025 Raleigh Relays. Her time ranks fourth all-time in collegiate history.
  • Less than three hours later, Appleton toed the line in the women’s 5000-meters where she finished second in her heat and second overall.
  • Appleton secured an automatic bid to the championships clocking 15:25.99.
  • At the NCAA Outdoor Championships a year ago, Appleton finished fourth in the 5000-meters in a time of 15:24.24 to earn first-team All-American honors.
  • The top five in each heat and the next two fastest times advance.
  • Dominant all season, Appleton will look to make noise in the 1500-meters and 5000-meters at the national level.

Kelly Punched a Ticket to Eugene
Annika Kelly booked her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in her career with a record-breaking performance in the women’s hammer throw.
  • Kelly broke the Virginia program record in the women’s hammer throw for the third time this season throwing for 64.94m/213-1 on her first appearance in the ring.
  • Her mark was good for eighth place overall in the competition and solidified her spot for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
  • All three of her throws surpassed 64 meters as she threw for 64.29m/210-11 and 64.67m/212-2 on her second and third attempts.
  • The senior entered the East Regional round as the 14th seed among the top 48 athletes that qualify to the regional rounds.
  • This marks the fourth consecutive year in which Kelly has competed at the NCAA East Regional (prev. Princeton) and the first year in which she advanced to the final site.
  • Kelly will look to be the first Cavalier since Maureen Laffan to earn All-American honors in the event. Laffan garnered second team honors in 2012 with a 14th place finish and mark of 59.89m/196-6.

High Jump Duo Punch Tickets
Celia Rifaterra and Carly Tarentino punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the women’s high jump.
  • Rifaterra cleared 1.82m/5-0.25 on her first attempt at the height to finish third overall to earn a qualifying position.
  • The junior cleared the first two bars on her first attempt before getting over the bar at 1.79m/5-10.50 cleanly on her third attempt.
  • This marks her second time in two years qualifying to Eugene in the women’s high jump.
  • Last season, Rifaterra was the first Cavalier to qualify for the outdoor championships in the event since Sherry Gauld in 1993.
  • For the first time in her career, Tarentino qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
  • Tarentino cleared1.79m/5-10.50 on her first attempt to tie for eighth place and earn a qualifying spot. The senior cleared all three bars on her first attempt.
  • The top 12 athletes between the two flights advance.

Schilling is NCAA Outdoor Championships Bound
Jenny Schilling punched her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in her career in the women’s 10,000-meters.
  • Schilling ran a season-best 32:51.43 to finish ninth in the field of 48 runners.
  • In her NCAA East Regional debut, Schilling qualified to her first NCAA Outdoor Championships.
  • A season of firsts continues, as she was recently crowned the ACC Outdoor Champion while competing in her first ACC Outdoor Championship meet.
  • She also owns the school record in the event which stands at 32:44.19.
  • Schilling will look to be the first Cavalier All-American at 10,000-meters since Cleo Boyd earned first team honors with a ninth-place finish (33:11.22) in 2016.

Throwing all the way to Eugene
Estel Valeanu booked her trip to her third NCAA Outdoor Championships in the women’s discus throw.
  • On her second appearance in the ring, Valeanu launched one out 55.06m/180-8 to finish eighth overall among the four flights.
  • The top 12 athletes overall between the four sections advance.
  • Valeanu owns a personal best in the event of 57.28m/187-11 from the 2025 Virginia High Performance which is the second best in program history.
  • She will look to better her previous performances in the discus at the NCAA Outdoor Championships having placed ninth in 2024 competing for LSU and sixth in 2023 with Harvard.

Davis Punched His Ticket
Keyandre Davis qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in his career in the men’s hammer throw.
  • Davis punched his ticket on his third and final throw in the competition launching one out 66.71m/218-10 to finish in sixth place.
  • The junior opened the competition throwing for 63.87m/209-6 before fouling on his second attempt.
  • Not letting the pressure get to him, Davis saved the best throw for last and was just off his personal and season best of 67.12m/220-2 from the ACC Outdoor Championships.
  • Davis bettered his finish at the NCAA East Preliminary after finishing 41st in the event with his mark of 57.61m/189-0 last season.

Martin is Headed Back to Eugene
Gary Martin punched his ticket to Eugene for the second consecutive year in the men’s 1500-meters.
  • Martin clocked 3:38.94 in the men’s 1500-meter quarterfinal to finish third in his heat and third overall.
  • The junior punched his ticket in the event for the second consecutive year and second time in his career.
  • He will look to better his finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships from a year ago when he finished 21st with his time of 3:41.43.
  • Martin owns the Virginia school record and an outdoor personal best of 3:33.71 from the 2025 Raleigh Relays. His time ranks fourth all-time in collegiate history.
  • The top five in each heat and the next two fastest times advanced.
  • His weekend was not finished after the 1500-meters as he toed the line in the men’s 5000-meters less than two hours later.

Sherman is Eugene Bound
Alex Sherman punched his ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in his career in the men’s 400-meter hurdles.
  • Finishing third in his heat and ninth overall, Sherman earned an automatic bid to the next round clocking 50.13.
  • This marks the third consecutive year in which Sherman has qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the 400-meter hurdles and the second straight year in which he has advanced to the quarterfinals.
  • Sherman just missed qualifying for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships finishing 14th in the quarterfinals with his time of 50.34.
  • The top three in each heat and the next three fastest times advanced.
  • Sherman will look to be the first Cavalier All-American in the event since Steve Delice earned second team honors with a 15th place finish in 2010.

Double Trouble in the 5000m
Will Daley and Justin Wachtel booked tickets to their first NCAA Outdoor Championships after securing automatic qualification in the men’s 5000-meters.
  • In the first heat of two, Wachtel kicked it into gear with 200-meters remaining to finish third in his heat and 11th overall clocking 14:07.91.
  • This marks Wachtel’s second appearance at the NCAA East Regional and first bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
  • Wachtel bettered his finish at the regional meet as he finished 36th clocking 14:31.10 one year ago.
  • The junior owns a personal best of 13:34.44 from the 2025 Raleigh Relays.
  • In the second heat of competition, Daley ran a strong race to finish third in the heat and third overall crossing the line in 13:39.97.
  • This marks Daley’s first NCAA East Regional appearance and first bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
  • Daley owns a personal best of 13:39.11 also from the 2025 Raleigh Relays.
  • The top five in each heat and the next two fastest times advanced.
  • Daley and Wachtel are just the third and fourth Virginia athletes to qualify for the championships in the 5000-meters and will look to become the first All-Americans since Andy Biladeau earned Honorable Mention accolades with a 21st place finish in 2006.

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