Tennessee Turns In Seven NCAA Top-10 Performances To Wrap Up Tom Jones Memorial
April 19, 2025 | Track & Field
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Tennessee track & field program rounded out another strong weekend with a plethora of nationally ranked performances on Saturday at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational. The Vols and Lady Vols totaled 12 collegiate top-10 marks at the meet – including seven on the second and final day of competition at Florida's Percy Beard Track at James G. Pressly Stadium.
The meet kicked off with the women's 100-meter hurdles prelims, which saw Lady Vol grad student Myreanna Bebe clock a lifetime-best of 12.89 seconds for the fastest time of the day. Logging the performance in her Tennessee outdoor debut, the Orlando, Florida, native now ranks seventh in the NCAA this season as well as fifth on the UT all-time top 10.
The Big Orange made a splash in the men's 4x100-meter relay, winning their heat with a season-best time of 38.76 seconds. The quartet of Deron Dudley, Davonte Howell, Kalib Branch and T'Mars McCallum marked themselves as the No. 4 group in program history, and their time currently ranks sixth in the NCAA.
On the women's side, UT narrowly missed out on another NCAA Top 10 performance in the 4x100-meter relay. The Lady Vol grouping of Milan Fields, Kaniya Johnson, Elo Blessing Okpah and Faith Okwose got the baton around the oval in a season-best 43.57 seconds, ranking ninth in school history and 11th on the 2025 NCAA Division I list.
Senior record holder Sarah Schmitt improved her own outdoor program standard in the women's pole vault invite, placing first with a personal-best clearance of 4.40m (14-5.25). The mark rose the Midlothian, Virginia, native's school record by two centimeters and currently ranks 10th in the NCAA this outdoor season.
Over in the discus ring, freshman phenom Donna Douglas shattered her UT rookie record with a toss of 58.78m (192-10) on her first throw of the competition. The mark ranks second on the U20 world list for 2025 as well as 10th in the NCAA during the current outdoor season. The Jonesboro, Arkansas, product also ranks second in school history in the discus, trailing Jane Haist's 48-year-old school record by less than six feet.
Five-time All-American Javonya Valcourt was impressive in her 400-meter outdoor season opener, completing one lap around the track in a lifetime-best 50.68 seconds to improve her mark as the No. 3 performer in school history. The Bahamian Lady Vol junior finished fourth at the meet and currently ranks fifth in the NCAA for the 2025 outdoor season.
Sub-10 speedster T'Mars McCallum made his 100-meter season debut on Saturday and posted a time of 10.04 for his fastest-ever 100-meter opener. The mark finished third at the meet and ranks eighth in the NCAA as of Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Vol 4x400-meter relay wrapped up the meet with another top-10 mark nationally, turning in a season-best of 3:29.73. Esther Joseph, Kaniya Johnson, Cydney Wright and Javonya Valcourt finished eighth at the meet and fifth among collegiate teams, while their performance ranks Tennessee as the No. 9 school in the country this outdoor season.
PR TRACKER: Tennessee athletes combined to break or tie nine outdoor, wind-legal personal records on Saturday at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational.
The meet kicked off with the women's 100-meter hurdles prelims, which saw Lady Vol grad student Myreanna Bebe clock a lifetime-best of 12.89 seconds for the fastest time of the day. Logging the performance in her Tennessee outdoor debut, the Orlando, Florida, native now ranks seventh in the NCAA this season as well as fifth on the UT all-time top 10.
The Big Orange made a splash in the men's 4x100-meter relay, winning their heat with a season-best time of 38.76 seconds. The quartet of Deron Dudley, Davonte Howell, Kalib Branch and T'Mars McCallum marked themselves as the No. 4 group in program history, and their time currently ranks sixth in the NCAA.
On the women's side, UT narrowly missed out on another NCAA Top 10 performance in the 4x100-meter relay. The Lady Vol grouping of Milan Fields, Kaniya Johnson, Elo Blessing Okpah and Faith Okwose got the baton around the oval in a season-best 43.57 seconds, ranking ninth in school history and 11th on the 2025 NCAA Division I list.
Senior record holder Sarah Schmitt improved her own outdoor program standard in the women's pole vault invite, placing first with a personal-best clearance of 4.40m (14-5.25). The mark rose the Midlothian, Virginia, native's school record by two centimeters and currently ranks 10th in the NCAA this outdoor season.
Over in the discus ring, freshman phenom Donna Douglas shattered her UT rookie record with a toss of 58.78m (192-10) on her first throw of the competition. The mark ranks second on the U20 world list for 2025 as well as 10th in the NCAA during the current outdoor season. The Jonesboro, Arkansas, product also ranks second in school history in the discus, trailing Jane Haist's 48-year-old school record by less than six feet.
Five-time All-American Javonya Valcourt was impressive in her 400-meter outdoor season opener, completing one lap around the track in a lifetime-best 50.68 seconds to improve her mark as the No. 3 performer in school history. The Bahamian Lady Vol junior finished fourth at the meet and currently ranks fifth in the NCAA for the 2025 outdoor season.
Sub-10 speedster T'Mars McCallum made his 100-meter season debut on Saturday and posted a time of 10.04 for his fastest-ever 100-meter opener. The mark finished third at the meet and ranks eighth in the NCAA as of Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Vol 4x400-meter relay wrapped up the meet with another top-10 mark nationally, turning in a season-best of 3:29.73. Esther Joseph, Kaniya Johnson, Cydney Wright and Javonya Valcourt finished eighth at the meet and fifth among collegiate teams, while their performance ranks Tennessee as the No. 9 school in the country this outdoor season.
PR TRACKER: Tennessee athletes combined to break or tie nine outdoor, wind-legal personal records on Saturday at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational.
- Deron Dudley – Men's 100m – 10.17
- Kalib Branch – Men's 110m Hurdles – 13.58
- Kaniya Johnson – Women's 100m – 11.25
- Javonya Valcourt – Women's 400m – 50.68
- Cydney Wright – Women's 400m – 51.77
- Myreanna Bebe – Women's 100m Hurdles – 12.89
- Sarah Schmitt – Women's Pole Vault – 4.40m (14-5.25)
- Caroline Weems – Women's Pole Vault – 4.15m (13-7.25)
- Donna Douglas – Women's Discus – 58.78m (192-10)
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/ Track & FieldEverything Orange S2 | Sarah Schmitt (Track & Field)
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