CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field program kickstarted the outdoor track season with the 2026 Virginia Opener at Lannigan Field on Saturday (March 21) as nine Cavaliers recorded program top 10 marks including Cale Ayers, Hannah Byrd-Leitner, Aixa Corbacho, Cate DeSousa, Christiana Ellina, Bree Lumpkin, Brooke Lumpkin, Charlotta Sandkulla, and Grace Smith.
Cavalier Top10s...
- Cate DeSousa recorded a huge personal best to win the women’s 800-meters and become No. 4 all-time in program history. DeSousa completed the two-lap race in 2:04.67 to finish five second ahead of the rest of the field and better her previous best of 2:11.69.
- Charlotta Sandkulla won the women’s hammer throw competition throwing for 64.92m/213-0 to become No. 2 all-time in program history.
- Sandkulla’s mark was just off Annika Kelly’s school record of 64.94m/213-1 set at the NCAA East Regional last season. Also in the competition, former Cavalier Kelly finished fifth with her mark of 56.99m/186-11.
- Bree Lumpkin bettered her Virginia No. 5 mark throwing a new personal best of 60.03m/196-11 to finish third in the hammer throw.
- In collegiate debut, Aixa Corbacho threw a program No. 8 mark of 57.73m/189-5 to finish fourth overall in the hammer throw competition.
- In the men’s hammer throw, Cale Ayers bested the field with his mark of 64.50m/211-7 while adding his name at No. 7 all-time.
- Brooke Lumpkin led a Cavalier sweep in the women’s shot put as she recorded a new personal best of 16.27m/53-4.50 to move up to No. 5 all-time.
- Virginia swept the long jump events as Grace Smith won the women’s long jump with her mark of 6.22m/20-5. Her mark tied Mia Barron from 2016 at No. 10 all-time.
- Also in the women’s long jump were combined event athletes in Cassie Callis (5.87m/19-3.25) and Elsa Spoor (5.42m/17-9.50 PB) in second and seventh place.
- As the only competitor over four meters, Hannah Byrd-Leitner won the women’s pole vault competition clearing 4.10m/13-5.25.
- Byrd-Leitner tied Trina Barcarola’s mark from last season at No. 4 all-time in program history. Her mark also ranks No. 3 among freshman all-time.
- Christiana Ellina won the women's javelin competition throwing for a new personal best of 53.45m/175-4 on her fifth throw. With her mark, Ellina moves up to No. 4 all-time in program history.
On the Track…
- Virginia went 1-2-3 in the women’s 100-meter hurdles led by indoor 60-meter hurdles school record holder and outdoor Virginia No. 3 all-time, Maya Rollins clocking 13.61.
- Just behind Rollins was freshman Ava Rice (13.77) and Sophia Akpan (14.23). Rice’s time ranks No. 5 among freshman in program history.
- Peter Djan and Henry Sullivan went 2-3 in the men’s 110-meter hurdles clocking 14.09 and 14.34. Sullivan’s time was a new personal best for the combined event athlete.
- The women’s 4x100-meter relay team of Kaela Swift, Ma’Khi Falkquay, Ariel Fletcher, and Sarah Akpan sprinted away from the field clocking 45.27.
- After anchoring the relay to victory, Akpan won the women’s 100-meter dash crossing the line in 11.79, while Falkquay won the women’s 200-meter dash clocking 24.20.
- Just behind Akpan was Lola Kolawole in second place with her time of 11.96.
- Ariel Fletcher won the women’s 400-meter dash clocking 55.12 while Brooke’Lyn Drakeford finished runner-up in the women’s 400-meter hurdles clocking 1:00.81.
- The quartet of Sarah Akpan, Ma’Khi Falkquay, Cassie Callis, and Elsa Spoor bested the field in the women’s 4x400-meter relay clocking 3:46.79.
- Virginia won both the men’s and women’s relay as the team of Gage Gose, Anders Felts, James Ford, and Harry Economon combined efforts to win the 4x400-meters in 3:14.69
From the Field… - Led by Brooke Lumpkin, Janae Profit (15.34m/50-4) and Suzie Kennelly (15.27m/50-1.25) finished in second and third place in the women’s shot put.
- The Cavaliers went 1-2 in the men’s long jump as Caleb Holman leapt out to a new personal best of 7.31m/23-11.75 while Liam Panque jumped 7.27m/23-10.25.
- In the women’s long jump were combined event athletes in Cassie Callis (5.87m/19-3.25) and Elsa Spoor (5.42m/17-9.50 PB) in second and seventh place.
- Samantha Romano (3.90m/12-9.50) and Madison Townsend (3.75m/12-3.50) recorded top five finishes in the pole vault in second and fourth place respectively.
- In the men’s pole vault, Henry Sullivan cleared a new personal best at 4.70m/15-5.
- Also turning in a top five finish in the women's javelin was Abigail Meckes in fourth place with her mark of 42.48m/139-4.
- Combined event athletes in Elsa Spoor (25.41m/83-4.50) and Cassie Callis competed in the women's javelin competition with Spoor recording a personal best on her first attempt.
From Director of Track & Field Vin Lananna:
"It was a beautiful day at Lannigan Field with great competition that set the stage for an impressive start to the 2026 outdoor track and field season. I am very proud of our student athletes."
"It was a beautiful day at Lannigan Field with great competition that set the stage for an impressive start to the 2026 outdoor track and field season. I am very proud of our student athletes."
Up Next
The Virginia men's and women's track and field teams travel to Raleigh, N.C. to compete at the 2026 Raleigh Relays at the Paul Derr Track & Field facility Thursday through Saturday, March 26-28 before returning home to host the Virginia Grand Prix at Lannigan Field on Friday, April 3.