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≡ NCAA T&F CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡
Day two of the 2025 NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon featured the women’s semifinals and six finals, plus the final day of the decathlon for the men. In addition to the expected hot sprint times, the vault was the star attraction.
It took 4.49 m (14-8 3/4) to sort things out, as Washington’s 2024 NCAA Indoor champ Hana Moll took the lead with a first-try clearance. Defending champ Chloe Timberg of Rutgers and twin sister Amanda Moll – no. 2 in the world for 2025 – also cleared, on their third tries, and they ended as the top three.
At 4.59 m (15-0 3/4), Hana cleared again on her first try, while Amanda missed all three and settled for third. Timberg missed once, but moved up to 4.64 m (15-2 3/4) to try and take the lead, but missed twice and finished second. Now the winner, Hana Moll moved up to 4.79 m (15-8 1/2) to try and move to no. 2 worldwide … and got it on her third attempt!
That was a lifetime best and the collegiate record, barely brushing the bar, and the sisters are now 2-3 in the world this year! Pretty good after Hana barely survived her second height, 4.39 m (14-4 3/4), with a third-try clearance.
The only women’s running final was the 10,000 m, with North Carolina State’s Grace Hartman – a 3,000-5,000 m NCAA indoor scorer – pulling the field through 5,000 m in 15:38, ahead of frosh Pamela Kosgei (KEN-New Mexico) and Oregon’s Diana Cherotich (KEN).
Cherotich stepped off after 5,800 m and Kosgei took over past Hartman at 6,100 m and had a 25 m lead by the 6,400 mark, off a 72.6 lap. Kosgei took the bell about 70 m in front and crossed the line with a lifetime best and meet record of 31:17.82, adding to the New Mexico 1-2 in the men’s 10. Hartman, eighth in 2024, stayed consistent and was a clear second in 31:32.15, with Joy Naukot (KEN-West Virginia) also getting a lifetime best in third in 31:34.34.
There was lots of hot action in the qualifying:
● 4×100 m semis: Semi one saw Texas passed first onto the anchor, but was passed by national no. 2 Florida State with 50 m to go and won in 42.93. Then TCU came up in the final 10 m to get second, 42.97 to 43.01. National leader USC had some sloppy passing, but was an easy winner in semi two in 42.13, with Georgia second in 43.13, but later disqualified for a bad pass; LSU (43.30) was advanced into second.
Semi three had Baylor out early, but South Carolina blasted away on the last two legs to win in a season-best 42.55, but Texas A&M’s Jasmine Montgomery moved from fourth to second on the anchor to get second in 42.58.
● 1,500 m semis: A slow start meant a bunched field at the bell in semi one, with North Arizona’s Maggi Congdon taking charge over the final 200 m to win in 4:11.04. Margot Appleton (Virginia) and Oregon’s Silan Ayyildiz (TUR) were 2-3 in 4:11.64 and 4:11.65.
Washington’s Sophie O’Sullivan (IRL) rolled into the lead off the final turn and won semi two in 4:09.39, ahead of Oregon’s Mia Barnett (4:09.61) and Polish Olympian teammate Klaudia Kazimierka (4:09.94).
● 3,000 m Steeple semis: Defending champion Doris Lemngole (KEN-Alabama) broke away with four laps to go and cruised to the semi one win in 9:26.44, the fastest semi ever. Michigan State’s Katelyn Stewart-Barnett (CAN) won a three-way race for second in 9:37.81.
North Carolina State’s Angelina Napoleon and Lexy Halladay-Lowry (BYU) ran together at the front of semi two and finished 1-2 in 9:36.19 and 9:36.24.
● 100 m Hurdles semis: Belgian star Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck of UCLA was out fast and was not challenged in semi one and got a lifetime best of 12.71 (wind: +1.5 m/s), well ahead of Ana-Liese Torian (Auburn) in 12.88.
Oregon’s Aaliyah McCormick pulled away from the field in semi two in the last half of the race and won in 12.76 (+1.0), well clear of Texas’ Akala Garrett (12.93). National leader Habiba Harris (JAM-Florida: 12.84 [0.0]) got to the front by mid-race and she held on at the finish against Jaiya Covington (Texas A&M: 12.93).
● 100 m semis: A first-semi shocker as Florida’s Anthaya Charlton (BAH) ran away in the second half and scored a lifetime best – and national leader – in 10.87 (+1.4). USC’s Samirah Moody was close at 10.93, but TCU star Indya Mayberry was fifth in 11.24.
Semi two had incoming national leader Tima Godbless of LSU, and she got off best in lane three, but was edged at the line by Ohio State’s Leah Bertrand, with both running 10.91w (+2.2). With flying bright red hair, South Carolina’s 200 m star, JaMeesia Ford, stormed to a win in semi three, in 10.87 (+1.6), equaling Charlton’s time and taking a big 0.19 off her lifetime best!
Both are now no. 2 on the 2025 world list! USC’s Dajaz Defrand came up late to challenge and was second in 10.93.
● 400 m semis: World no. 4, national leader Aaliyah Butler (Georgia) was strong from the start and pulled away from Arkansas’ Rosey Effiong, 50.16 to 50.49. LSU’s Ella Onojuvwevwo (NGR) ran away from Arkansas’ Kaylyn Brown on the home straight to win semi two in 50.31, with Brown at 50.91.
Georgia’s Dejanea Oakley (JAM) ran away down the straight with semi three at 50.18, with Iowa State senior Rachel Joseph second in 50.77.
● 800 m semis: The 2023 winner, LSU’s Michaela Rose got to the lead right away and stayed there, going wire-to-wire, winning in 1:58.95, taking down the 1990 meet record of Suzy Favor (Wisconsin: 1:59.11). Duke’s Lauren Tolbert got a lifetime best of 1:59.39 in second.
BYU’s Meghan Hunter took control of semi two with 200 m to go and had the lead until the final 2 m, when she was passed by Makayla Paige (North Carolina), 1:59.92 to 1:59.96. Roisin Willis of Stanford, the 2024 runner-up, led at the bell, and ran away down the straight, winning in 2:00.33. Indiana’s Veronica Hargrave from fourth to second and was an automatic qualifier in 2:01.54.
● 400 m hurdles semis: The 2023 winner, Canadian Savannah Sutherland (Michigan), rolled over the field, winning by almost 40 m in 54.13, with Allyria McBride of Vanderbilt second in 56.26. Georgia frosh Michelle Smith took charge of semi two after the seventh hurdle and won in 55.65, with TCU’s Amelliah Birdow getting second at the line in 56.44.
Akayla Garrett of Texas came back from the 100 m hurdles to win semi three in 55.07, with Sanaa Hebron (Miami) moving into second in the final 20 m, and getting second at 55.73.
● 200 m semis: USC’s Madison Whyte took control off the turn and won semi one in 22.44 (-0.5), with Jayla Jamison (South Carolina) edging LSU’s Godbless, 22.54 to 22.59. Texas A&M’s Montgomery won semi two in 22.36, taking control into the straight and hanging on. Texas’ Keondra Davis got second with a lifetime best of 22.45.
South Carolina’s Ford, the national leader, got going right away and ran away from the field in 21.98 (+0.9), a lifetime best and fastest in the nation this year and now no. 3 in the world for 2025. USC’s Defrand also got a lifetime best, at 22.20 for second to move on to the final.
● 4×400 m semis: Collegiate record holder Arkansas passed first in semi one, but Michigan’s Sutherland was almost even after a 50.71 second leg. Tennessee gained a small lead at the final exchange, but Effiong took over (49.46) and the Razorbacks won easily in 3:26.08. Duke was second in 3:28.98 and Tennessee in third (3:32.03); Michigan faded to sixth (3:33.75).
LSU’s Rose ran into the lead on the second leg of the second semi, and had a 3 m lead at the exchange. South Carolina’s Sylvia Chelangat (KEN: 53.56) took the lead into the straight and then Ford took over, even with LSU and Auburn. Ford took over and broke away on the straight to win in 3:27.95. But the fight for second saw Texas A&M move up hard on the straight to get second (3:29.00) and UCLA in third (3:29.63).
Semi three had Georgia’s Butler (49.96!) taking the pole on the second leg and opening a 5 m lead on USC at the second exchange. The Bulldogs passed with a 3 m lead on Iowa at the final exchange, but it got tight into the final straight, with Georgia’s Oakley (51.20) staying steady to win in 3:26.89. USC’s Whyte ran down Iowa in the last 40 m to get second in 3:27.31.
The four remaining field-event finals:
● Long Jump: Stanford’s Alyssa Jones, third in 2024, popped into the lead right away at 6.70 m (21-11 3/4) in the first round and it looked like it might stand up. But Synclair Savage of Louisville – ranked seventh coming in – found the board and a lifetime best in the final round at 6.72 m (22-0 3/4) to steal the title!
National leader Alexis Brown of Baylor finished third at 6.63 m (21-9).
● Shot Put: Senior Mya Lesner of Colorado State, the national leader, was the only one to reach 19 m in the prelims, leading at 19.01 m (62-4 1/2) and no else could get close.
Illinois senior Abria Smith managed 18.85 m (61-10 1/4) for second and Nina Ndubuisi (GER-Texas) got third at 18.50 m (60-8 1/2).
● Hammer: Georgia’s 2023 champion Stephanie Ratcliffe (AUS), the SEC runner-up, got a seasonal best and the collegiate leader with her 71.37 m (234-2) throw in round four and that was enough to win. Shelby Frank of Texas Tech moved into second in the fifth round at 71.05 m (233-1).
● Javelin: Georgia’s Manuela Rotundo (URU) got the lead in round two at 60.35 m (198-0) and held on, until round six. That’s when Valentina Barrios Bornacelli (COL-Missouri) arched a lifetime best of 62.00 m (203-5) to win, as Rotundo could not match her as the final thrower. TCU’s Ireme Jepkemboi (KEN) got third with a lifetime best of 60.31 m (197-10).
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The decathlon was all about Payton Bair, the Mississippi State junior, who was way out in front after the first day and stayed that way. He was fifth in the 110 m hurdles (14.27) and fourth in the javelin to enter the 1,500 m with a 426-point lead over Louisville frosh Kenneth Byrd.
Bair finished 10th in the 1,500 m in 4:35.69 and finished with a lifetime best of 8,363, best in the nation in 2025. Brad Thomas of UCSB held on to second, scoring 7,888, with Kansas State’s Emil Uhlin (SWE) getting a lifetime best of 7,859. Byrd finished fourth at 7,842.
Friday’s men’s championship day will start at 5 p.m. Pacific time, on ESPN.
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