University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
NCAA East Preliminary Round
T&F Qualifies 22 Athletes For NCAA East Preliminary Round
May 26, 2026 | Track & Field
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.- Carolina track and field qualified 22 athletes for the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Lexington, Kentucky. The meet runs from Wednesday, May 27- Saturday, May 30.
The men's team qualified seven athletes to compete in the NCAA East Preliminary Round. The women's team qualified 15 athletes.
Live Results can be found on Flash Results. The event schedule can be found here. The meet will be broadcast on ESPN+. The specific link for each day can be found on the UNC track and field schedule on GoHeels.
Men's entries:
Trevor Paschall, Men's 400m
First appearance
2026 ACC 400m Silver Medalist
Ran under 46 seconds (45.99, seventh all-time) for the first time in his career to earn his spot in the finals. Both his times
Nick Pennington, Men's Pole Vault
First appearance
Moved into a tie for fourth all-time (5.36m) at the Dani Palooza Last Chance, the day after the ACC Championships.
Adam Smith, Men's Discus
Second appearance, first at Carolina
Landed the eighth farthest throw in program history (55m.02) at the Vertklasse meeting 2026
Grad transferred to Carolina from Miami (Ohio)
Scored at ACCs (8th)
Tomer Tarragano, Men's 10,000m
First appearance (First year in the NCAA, ran at the University of Birmingham)
2026 ACC 10k Bronze Medalist
Ran the sixth fastest 10k in program history (28:54.91) at Raleigh Relays
Robert Mechura, Men's 5,000m
First appearance
Finished tenth at ACCs in the men's 10k as a freshman
Will Coogan, Men's 5,000m
Second appearance
Aiden Neal, Men's 1,500m
Third appearance
Finished in 13th last year in the 1,500m
ACC Men's Track Athlete of the Week as he won the 1500m at the Duke Invitational in April, 10 2026
Women's Entries
Spencer Young, Women's Javelin
First appearance
Threw in a PR in her return from an injury sustained at the 2024 ACC Championships.
PRed three times this season
Moved into eighth all-time at the Duke Invitational (50.79m 166' 8")
Makayla Paige, Women's 800m
Third appearance
2026 800m ACC Champion (first career)
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Won by nearly two seconds
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Makayla ran under 2:01 in the 800m for the 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇 time in her career. She is the only athlete in program history to run under 2:01 indoors and outdoors.
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Set NCAA record in the DMR at Penn Relays: 10:36.82
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2025 800m NCAA Silver medalist (Outdoors)
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2025 800m NCAA Champion (Indoor)
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2026 800m All-American (6th, Indoor)
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Program record holder (1:58.97, Outdoor)
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Program record holder (2:00.39, Indoor)
Kosi Umerah, Women's Hammer Throw
Second appearance (First at Carolina, Vanderbilt)
Scored at ACCs (6th)
Launched the second farthest throw in Carolina history at the Virginia Challenge. (65.71m 215' 7")
Annie Kerr, Women's Pole Vault
First appearance (Freshman)
Finished ninth at ACCs, tying her outdoor PR (4.13m, sixth all-time)
Maddy Kelley, Women's Pole Vault
Second appearance
Scored at ACCs with a massive PR (6th) (4.23m, T-second all-time, outdoors)
Kalani Witherspoon, Women's 100m hurdles
Second appearance
Scored at ACCs in the Women's 100m hurdles (8th)
Ran the seventh fastest time in program history at the South Florida Invitational (13.28)
Tori Goodson, Women's 100m hurdles
First appearance (Freshman)
Ran the sixth fastest time in program history at the Duke Twilight (13.26)
Scored at ACCs in the Women's 100m hurdles (4th)
Aaliyah Berry, Women's 100m hurdles
Second appearance
Ran the third fastest time in program history at the South Florida Invitational (13.09)
Maddie Gardiner, Women's 10,000m
First appearance
Ran the ninth fastest 10k (33:47.93) in program history at Raleigh Relays.
Brynn Brown, Women's 5,000m/1,500m
Fourth appearance
Ran the seventh fastest 1,500 in program history at Raleigh Relays (4:13.60)
Scored at ACCs in the 5,000m (15:57.15)
Vera Sjoberg, Women's 5,000m
Fourth appearance
2026 ACC Bronze Medalist in the 5k and 10k
Set NCAA record in the DMR at Penn Relays: 10:36.82
In her lone year in Chapel Hill, Vera has set four program records and is in the top ten for two others.
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1st: Mile: 4:29.14
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1st: 10k: 32:48.29
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1st: 3k: 8:43.06
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1st: DMR: 10:36.82
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3rd: 1,500: 4:10.36
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2nd: 5k: 15:34.31
2025 NCAA 5k Runner Up (BU)
Sydney Masciarelli , Women's 3,000m steeplechase
Second appearance
Finished fifth at the ACC Championships in the steeplechase
Set NCAA record in the DMR at Penn Relays: 10:36.82
Set the program record last season: 9:48.12
Alli DeLisi, Women's 800m
First appearance
Ella Auderset, Women's 800m
Second appearance, but first as an Individual (qualified in the 4x400m in 2024)
