Tennessee Earns Two School Records, Seven Event Titles at Arkansas and Vanderbilt

Tennessee Earns Two School Records, Seven Event Titles at Arkansas and Vanderbilt

January 16, 2026 | Track & Field

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With Vols and Lady Vols competing at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, the Tennessee track & field program compiled two school records, seven event titles and numerous notable performances from its contingents at both indoor competitions on Friday.

RECORD OUTINGS

Lady Vol sprinters Esther Joseph and Javonya Valcourt rounded out the successful showings for UT at the University of Arkansas with a 1-2 finish in the women's 300-meter dash. Joseph's 36.41 shattered the school record and ranked her No. 8 on the NCAA all-time list, while Valcourt's mark of 36.46 was a personal-best and slotted her No. 9 in collegiate history.
At Vanderbilt, Vol junior Carter Knox clocked the fastest 1,000-meter in Tennessee history with his time of 2:22.79, taking down the previous program record of 2:23.38 that was set in 2025 by VFL Canaan Anderson. Knox's performance finished fifth at the meet overall.

LONG JUMP LEADERS

The Vols had two strong showings in the men's long jump competitions in Nashville and Fayetteville, with both events happening simultaneously on Friday evening.
In his long jump season opener, redshirt senior Cade Gray leaped a lifetime-best 7.97 meters (26-1.75) to grab the 2025-26 collegiate lead and rise to No. 4 on Tennessee's all-time list in the event. The mark earned a first-place finish at the Vanderbilt Invitational.
Redshirt sophomore Justice Jones jumped a personal-best 7.81 meters (25-7.5) to finish second overall at Arkansas, moving up to No. 6 on the 2025-26 collegiate list and No. 9 all-time at Tennessee indoors.

ADDITIONAL ARKANSAS NOTABLES

Andrew Brown led the Vols in the men's 400-meter dash on Friday, turning in an indoor personal-best of 46.72 seconds. The Vol senior from Antioch ranked No. 2 on the NCAA Division I list at the time of his performance and currently ranks sixth on UT's all-time indoor list.
Sophomore JL Van Rensburg was second in the men's shot put at Arkansas, equaling his indoor PR with a heave of 19.06m (62-6.5). The mark ranks sixth on Tennessee's all-time indoor list and No. 6 on the NCAA 2025-26 leaderboard.
Lady Vol junior Skye Tolbert etched her name on UT's all-time top 10 in the women's 60-meter hurdles, tying her personal-best with a mark of 8.19 seconds in the semifinal. The performance ranked 10th in Tennessee history and 10th on the 2025-26 NCAA list.
Cedricka Williams closed out Friday's action with a victory in the women's weight throw, launching a mark of 19.39m (63-7.5) on her first attempt to set a PR for the second weekend in a row. The performance ranks seventh on UT's all-time list and top 25 in the country this season.

ADDITIONAL VANDERBILT NOTABLES

Vol senior Blake Sifferlin notched another victory for Tennessee in the men's pole vault, clearing a season-best mark of 5.40m (17-8.5) to place first overall in Nashville. His performance ranked 12th in the NCAA this season.
In addition to Knox's school record, sophomore Gavin Genisio clocked a personal-best in the men's 1,000-meter with a time of 2:24.59 – rising to No. 5 on the all-time UT list.
The Vols and Lady Vols closed out Friday's action at Vanderbilt with wins in the women's and men's distance medley relay. Tula Fawbush, Jounee Armstrong, Ka'Myya Haywood and Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka combined for a time of 11:18.18 on the women's side, while the men's quartet of Genisio, John Robinson IV, Knox and Nelson Mapi Setek turned in a time of 9:51.88.

PR TRACKER

Tennessee athletes combined to break or tie 12 indoor personal records on Friday at the Arkansas Invitational and Vanderbilt Invitational.
- Andrew Brown – Men's 400m – 46.72
- Carter Knox – Men's 1,000m – 2:22.79
- Gavin Genisio – Men's 1,000m – 2:24.59
- Cade Gray – Men's Long Jump – 7.97m (26-1.75)
- Justice Jones – Men's Long Jump – 7.81m (25-7.5)
- JL Van Rensburg – Men's Shot Put – 19.06m (62-6.5)
- Esther Joseph – Women's 300m – 36.41
- Javonya Valcourt – Women's 300m – 36.46
- Skye Tolbert – Women's 60m Hurdles – 8.19
- Endia Smith – Women's Long Jump – 5.97m (19-7)
- Endia Smith – Women's Triple Jump – 12.58m (41-3.25)
- Cedricka Williams – Women's Weight Throw – 19.39m (63-7.5)

UP NEXT

Tennessee track & field returns to Clemson, South Carolina, next week for the Orange & Purple Invitational, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23-24.