University of Tennessee Athletics
Hannah Grace’s Pole Vault Record Places Sixth At NCAA Championships
June 12, 2026 | Track & Field
EUGENE, Ore. – Tennessee freshman pole vaulter Hannah Grace made her NCAA Outdoor Championships debut in record-breaking fashion on Thursday as the Lady Vols began competition at the national meet. The Wilmington, North Carolina, native cleared a lifetime-best 4.54 meters (14-10.75) to place sixth in the country while improving her own school record in the event.
Grace earned First Team All-America recognition with a top-eight finish at the national championships, becoming the second Lady Vol All-American pole vaulter under event coach Kyle Ellis since 2024. She was the top freshman at the 2026 championship meet and recorded Tennessee's best outdoor NCAA finish in the event since 1998.
The Lady Vols had four performances on the track that advanced to NCAA finals scheduled for Saturday evening at Hayward Field. The 4x100-meter relay quartet of Lauren Jarrett, Dana Wilson, Avia Jones and Cydney Wright qualified on time with a season-best 42.46 seconds that ranks second in school history, while the 4x400-meter relay team of Wright, Javonya Valcourt, Esther Joseph and Maira Scott advanced with a second-place outing in their heat with a time of 3:25.21.
Two individuals advanced to national finals for Tennessee, beginning with Wilson who clocked a lifetime-best 11.01 seconds in the 100-meter dash semifinal. Her time ranks third in school history and improved her own UT freshman record.
In the women's 400-meter dash, Valcourt earned her first individual berth to an NCAA final with a time of 50.75 seconds. The Bahamian Olympian took second in her heat to automatically advance and will vie for points in the final scheduled for Saturday at 9:02 p.m. ET.
Three Lady Vol sprinters earned Second Team All-America status with top-16 performances on Thursday at the national meet. Jarrett placed 14th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.14 seconds, while Joseph and Wright finished 13th and 15th, respectively, in the 400-meter dash with times of 51.52 and 51.62.
UP NEXT: The men's portion of the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships wraps up Friday, with Tennessee set to compete in eight event finals. Action begins at 5:15 p.m. ET with the men's discus and concludes at 10:21 p.m. ET with the men's 4x400-meter relay.
Grace earned First Team All-America recognition with a top-eight finish at the national championships, becoming the second Lady Vol All-American pole vaulter under event coach Kyle Ellis since 2024. She was the top freshman at the 2026 championship meet and recorded Tennessee's best outdoor NCAA finish in the event since 1998.
The Lady Vols had four performances on the track that advanced to NCAA finals scheduled for Saturday evening at Hayward Field. The 4x100-meter relay quartet of Lauren Jarrett, Dana Wilson, Avia Jones and Cydney Wright qualified on time with a season-best 42.46 seconds that ranks second in school history, while the 4x400-meter relay team of Wright, Javonya Valcourt, Esther Joseph and Maira Scott advanced with a second-place outing in their heat with a time of 3:25.21.
Two individuals advanced to national finals for Tennessee, beginning with Wilson who clocked a lifetime-best 11.01 seconds in the 100-meter dash semifinal. Her time ranks third in school history and improved her own UT freshman record.
In the women's 400-meter dash, Valcourt earned her first individual berth to an NCAA final with a time of 50.75 seconds. The Bahamian Olympian took second in her heat to automatically advance and will vie for points in the final scheduled for Saturday at 9:02 p.m. ET.
Three Lady Vol sprinters earned Second Team All-America status with top-16 performances on Thursday at the national meet. Jarrett placed 14th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.14 seconds, while Joseph and Wright finished 13th and 15th, respectively, in the 400-meter dash with times of 51.52 and 51.62.
UP NEXT: The men's portion of the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships wraps up Friday, with Tennessee set to compete in eight event finals. Action begins at 5:15 p.m. ET with the men's discus and concludes at 10:21 p.m. ET with the men's 4x400-meter relay.
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
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