HBCU Track Stars Advance to NCAA DI Championship Finals

EUGENE, Ore. — HBCU track and field athletes continue to shine on the national stage as several competitors advanced to championship finals at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.

From record-breaking performances to inspiring comebacks, HBCU student-athletes will be well represented in Friday’s and Saturday’s championship rounds.

Friday’s Finals

North Carolina A&T hurdler Jason Holmes delivered one of the top performances of the week, setting both a Colonial Athletic Association and school record in the men’s 110-meter hurdles. Holmes crossed the finish line in 13.17 seconds to secure a place in Friday’s national championship final.

Twin-powers were activated when Isaiah Taylor advanced to Friday’s national championship finals with time of 49.00 seconds in the men’s 400-meter hurdles. His brother Xzaviah Taylor joined him in the event with a time of 49.28 seconds.

The Aggies continued their strong showing in Eugene by advancing both men’s relay teams.

North Carolina A&T’s men’s 4×400-meter relay team posted a season-best 3:02.19 to earn a spot in Friday’s championship race. The Aggies also qualified their men’s 4×100-meter relay squad after clocking a CAA-record 38.53 seconds.

Saturday’s Finals

Southern University hurdler and SWAC-record holder, Tashina Beyioku Alase, earned a place in the women’s 100-meter hurdles final after winning her semifinal heat in 12.90 seconds.

Alase’s performance carries added significance because she returned to competition after last season’s head-on collision. The accident injured her toe and sidelined her from outdoor competition.

The Jaguars standout showed resilience and determination on Thursday, trailing slightly after the last hurdle before winning the heat and placing herself in one of track and field’s biggest events.

Entering Saturday’s final, Alase ranks among the contenders. Oregon’s Aaliyah McCormick leads the field with a season-best 12.56 seconds, while Alase is tied for fifth with Texas A&M’s Jalya Covington.

The women’s 100-meter hurdles final is scheduled for 5:42 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Howard University will also have representation in the championship rounds, with two student-athletes advancing.

Sophomore hurdler Cenaiya Billups advanced to the women’s 400-meter hurdles final after posting a qualifying time of 55.44 seconds. Billups will compete for a national title Saturday at 9:27 p.m. ET.

Fellow Bison hurdler Aniya Woodruff narrowly missed advancing after finishing her semifinal race in 56.30 seconds.

Howard junior sprinter Yahnari Lyons secured her place in the women’s 200-meter final by winning her semifinal heat in 22.36 seconds. Lyons automatically qualified for Saturday night’s championship race, scheduled for 9:37 p.m. ET.

The Bison’s women’s 4×100-meter relay team — Lyons, graduate student Marcia Sey, junior Mackenzie Robinson, and freshman Nilijah Darden — narrowly missed advancing to the final. Howard finished in 43.66 seconds, falling just short of a qualifying position.

HBCU Excellence on Display

With national titles on the line, HBCU athletes have again shown they can compete with the nation’s elite programs. As the weekend unfolds in Eugene, Holmes, Alase, Billups, Lyons, the Taylors and North Carolina A&T’s relay squads will carry the banner for HBCU athletics on track and field’s biggest stage.

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