Tennessee Opens Indoor Season With Nine Event Titles At Winter Commodore Challenge

Saturday, December 6

Nashville, Tenn.

University of Tennessee

Winter Commodore Challenge

Tennessee Opens Indoor Season With Nine Event Titles At Winter Commodore Challenge

December 06, 2025 | Track & Field

Results

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee track & field program opened its 2025-26 indoor campaign with nine event victories on Saturday at the Winter Commodore Challenge. The winning efforts were highlighted by sophomore sprinter Esther Joseph, who set a school record with her time of 37.01 in the women's 300-meter dash.

Joseph's performance was one of 10 that cracked Tennessee's all-time indoor top 10 lists over the course of Saturday's action at Vanderbilt.

The Vols had a pair of standout showings in the men's pole vault during the early portion of the meet, with redshirt senior Cade Gray and sophomore Clarke Byram both clearing a personal-best height of 5.61 meters (18-4.75) to earn the top two spots in the competition. The duo now ranks tied for third in UT indoor history in the men's pole vault.

Junior newcomer Skye Tolbert helped UT earn a second pole vault victory in her Tennessee debut, winning the women's competition with a personal-best clearance of 4.25 meters (13-11.25) to rank fourth in Lady Vol history on the program's all-time indoor top 10.

Tennessee posted two more field event titles in the horizontal jumps, beginning with redshirt sophomore Justice Jones taking first in the men's long jump with a leap of 7.70 meters (25-3.25) in his official UT debut. True freshman Endia Smith also earned a victory in her first action with the Lady Vols, winning the women's triple jump and tying her PR with a mark of 12.55 meters (41-2.25).

On the track, UT showcased its dominance in the 300-meter dash events. Joseph took the title with her new Lady Vol program standard, while graduate student Cydney Wright finished third with a time of 37.47 to set a new personal record and land herself sixth on the all-time Lady Vol charts.

Tennessee put together a podium sweep in the men's 300-meter as Saad Hinti (32.94), Premier Wynn (33.05) and Andre Jackson II (33.16) each thrived in their first indoor appearances for the Big Orange. The trio claimed the top three spots in Saturday's competition and ranked third, fourth and sixth, respectively, in UT indoor history.

Ka'Myya Haywood started her junior season strong with a victorious effort in the women's 1,000-meter run, stopping the clock in a personal-best 2:51.24 to finish first at Vanderbilt. Additionally, her mark ranks ninth in school history.

Redshirt sophomore Faith Okwose needed just one race on Saturday to make her mark on the Tennessee record book, posting the top time in the women's 60-meter prelims after clocking in at 7.21 seconds. The mark ranks eighth in school history and is one of five Tennessee top-10 marks in the women's 60-meter produced during the Duane Ross era.

The Big Orange closed out the meet sweeping the men's and women's 4x400-meter relays. The Lady Vol quartet of Javonya Valcourt, Wright, Jounee Armstrong and Joseph turned in a time of 3:35.49, while the men's squad of Hinti, Jackson, Harry Barton and Andrew Brown won their event with a time of 3:07.00.

PR TRACKER: Tennessee athletes combined to break or tie 14 indoor personal records on Saturday at the Winter Commodore Challenge.

Kalib Branch – Men's 60m – 6.86
Premier Wynn – Men's 300m – 33.05
Harry Barton – Men's 300m – 33.42
Clarke Byram – Men's Pole Vault – 5.61m (18-4.75)
Cade Gray – Men's Pole Vault – 5.61m (18-4.75)
Faith Okwose – Women's 60m – 7.21
Lauren Jarrett – Women's 60m – 7.27
Avia Jones – Women's 60m – 7.44
Cydney Wright – Women's 300m – 37.47
Kaniya Johnson – Women's 300m – 38.15
Ka'Myya Haywood – Women's 1,000m – 2:51.24
Endia Smith – Women's Long Jump – 5.89m (19-4)
Endia Smith – Women's Triple Jump – 12.55m (41-2.25)
Skye Tolbert – Women's Pole Vault – 4.25m (13-11.25)

UP NEXT: After the holiday break, UT will begin a six-week march to the 2026 indoor postseason. The Big Orange returns to action Jan. 9-10 at the Clemson Invitational.