Saturday, June 13
Eugene, OR.
Florida Gators
vs
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Florida placed second at the Outdoor Championships with 43 points. // Photo by MJ Holloway
Gators Take Second at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships as van Daalen Wins Discus Crown
Sunday, June 14, 2026 | Track and Field
This is the eighth top-five finish since 2010 for the Florida women.
EUGENE, Ore.– Florida women's track & field finished second in the team title race at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, headlined by Alida van Daalen's discus title among nine All-American honors earned within Hayward Field.
The Gators finish as national runners-up for the fourth time in program history, collecting 43 points on their way to their eighth top-five finish since 2010, one of four programs to accomplish the feat in that span, alongside Texas A&M, Oregon and Georgia. The program has finished in the top five of the outdoor championships 12 times in its history.
"I think the biggest thing [about this team] is they battled all weekend," head coach Mike Holloway said. "A lot of pride. A lot of passion. We talk about that a lot in this program and you saw that with the ladies. Everybody that put the uniform on battled like crazy this week and I'm so proud of every single one of them."
On the final day of the Outdoor Championships, van Daalen accomplished the last discus objective of her collegiate career: a national title. The most decorated thrower in UF history by All-American count, she entered the day a three-time First Team All-American in the discus and 11-time All-American overall. Van Daalen was comfortably in the lead heading into the last throw of trials with a toss of 63.09m/207-0, but unleashed an NCAA Championship meet record throw of 65.98m/216-6, capping her storied career with the title of national champion. Five of her six throws would've won the title on their own.
Saturday's title is the first discus title in school history and the 12th All-American accolade of van Daalen's career. Across her four years with the Gators, she scored 44 points at the Outdoor Championships, including a career-best 16 this year, and holds three of the top 10 throws in collegiate history, surpassing 69 meters two times this season. The only Gator to earn four All-American honors in the discus, she ends her career with three SEC titles and becomes just the fourth athlete in collegiate history to earn four First Team All-American honors in the event, joining Seilala Sua (UCLA, 1996–99), Aretha Hill (Washington, 1995–98), and Beck Breisch (Nebraska, 2002–05).
Gabrielle Matthews gave Florida back-to-back First Team All-Americans in the 100-meter dash, following Anthaya Charlton in 2025, with a sixth-place finish in the event on Saturday evening. Running out of lane four, Matthews crossed the line in 11.12 (+0.0) to earn the All-American accolade and three points for the Orange & Blue.
The finish marks the 14th All-American honor for the Gators in the 100-meter dash and the first of Matthews' career in the event. Her personal-best of 10.97 (+0.5), set at the 2026 SEC Outdoor Championships, earned her first conference title in the short sprints and stands as No. 2 in Florida history.
Matthews' day wasn't over, however, as the senior was back in the blocks less than an hour later for the 200-meter dash. She found herself toward the back of the pack through the first 100 meters but chased down her competitors to finish fourth at 22.29 (-0.4), claiming her second First Team All-American honor of the day.
Florida now has 14 All-American honors in the 200-meter dash, with the finish returning Florida to First Team status in the event for the first time since Talitha Diggs placed seventh in 2023. Matthews joins Kisha Jett and Anita Howard as the only Gators to earn All-American honors in both the 100 and 200 meters at the same championship, a feat last accomplished in 1997. Her personal-best of 22.22 (+1.7), set in the semifinal, stands as No. 2 in Florida's outdoor record book. For her career, she now owns seven First Team and three Second Team All-American honors, including both the 100 and 200 this weekend.
In her first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Tia Wilson earned First Team All-American honors, giving Florida its 11th All-American honor in the women's 1500-meter run. Settling into her usual spot toward the back of the pack through the first 800 meters, she began jostling for position with just under two laps remaining. As the leaders pushed the final 400 meters to a 59-second split, Wilson fought her way to a seventh-place finish in 4:15.20, earning her first career All-American honor. Paired with Claire Stegall's Second Team All-American honor, the duo becomes the first since 2014 to earn multiple All-American awards in the 1500 meters in the same year.
Wilson saved her best outdoor season for last, climbing to No. 2 in the Florida record book in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:06.43 at the Wake Forest Invitational, before earning a silver medal and All-SEC honors at the 2026 SEC Championships. Indoors, the senior won the mile title at the 2025 SEC Championships with the No. 4 time in school history, 4:30.10.
The final individual event of the championships saw Judy Chepkoech and Hilda Olemomoi earn First Team All-American honors for the Gators in the 5000-meter run. Both Gators began the race in the middle of the pack, working their way into the top nine with a mile remaining before an all-out sprint for the All-American slots in the final 400 meters. Chepkoech surged toward the front to cross the line with the No. 3 time in school history, 15:14.04, in third while Olemomoi posted a season-best 15:16.23 for sixth.
Saturday's result marks Chepkoech's second First Team All-American honor, following her fifth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The freshman's impressive debut season also includes the No. 4 5000-meter run time in school history, a 15:15.98 at the Wake Forest Invitational. She carried that momentum into the postseason, earning a silver medal and Second Team All-SEC honors in the 10K at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
Olemomoi closes her career with nine First Team and three Second Team All-American honors, eight All-SEC selections and two SEC titles. She holds the second-best 5000-meter time in school history, 15:04.65 from the 2025 Bryan Clay Invitational, and placed third in the event at this year's SEC Outdoor Championships. Saturday's pair of honors gives Florida nine All-American awards in the 5000 meters and makes Olemomoi and Chepkoech the first duo to earn All-American status in the event in the same year.
Back in the field, Asia Phillips finally broke through into the top eight of the triple jump to earn the first First Team All-American honor of her career. After collecting three Second Team honors at her first three NCAA Championships, including two ninth-place finishes, Phillips delivered five crucial points for the Gators, using her third jump of the competition, 13.57m/44-6.25 (+3.2), just two centimeters off her personal best, to place fourth.
The sophomore extended Florida's streak of earning an All-American honor in the horizontal jumps at every NCAA Outdoor Championship since 2012, while also securing the program's 23rd All-American honor in the event. During the outdoor season, she claimed an SEC title in the triple jump with the sixth-best mark in program history, 13.59m/44-7 (+0.3). She finishes her sophomore campaign with four All-American honors for her career.
The championships concluded with the Gators securing their second-place team finish, as the 4x400-meter relay team of Quincy Penn, Sydney Sutton, Malia Campbell and Layla Haynes earned First Team All-American honors, becoming the 23rd relay squad in program history to claim All-American status. Sutton once again posted the fastest split for the Gators, running 50.11 on the second leg to help the team to a sixth-place finish in 3:25.73, the second-best time in program history, marking the program's first First Team relay honor since the 2021 squad's fourth-place finish.
Pauline Bikembo capped her seven-event marathon with a personal-best score of 5903, the second-best point total in school history, to earn Second Team All-American honors, her first outdoor accolade, finishing ninth and giving the Gators their first All-American award in the heptathlon since 2022.
Entering Saturday's events in 17th place with 3394 points, she opened the day with a season-best long jump of 6.08m/19-11.50 (+0.2) for 874 points. She then took to the runway for the javelin throw, an event in which she shined, winning it with a best throw of 45.71m/149-11 worth 777 points. In the final event of her championship, the junior ran the best 800 meters of her career, crossing the line at 2:17.47, adding 858 points to secure her ninth-place finish overall.
Akari Isaac capped her Gator career with her debut at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She opened Saturday's competition with a toss of 54.33m/178-4, nearly matching her qualifying mark, to finish 18th and earn Honorable Mention honors. The four-time NCAA East Preliminary qualifier owns the No. 4 mark in Florida history at 56.77m/186-3, set at the 2026 Tom Jones Memorial.
Securing Honorable Mention honors of her own, Gracelyn Leiseth finished right behind Isaac in the discus with a third-round throw of 53.98m/177-1 for 19th place. The 2026 championships marked Leiseth's first qualification in the event, earning her spot with a personal-best and No. 3 mark in school history of 56.89m/186-8 at the NCAA East Preliminary. She also contributed to Florida's Triple Crown with a fifth-place finish in the shot put at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
Saturday saw the end of the 2026 track & field season for the Gators, one highlighted by the women's team completing the first SEC Triple Crown since the 1996–97 campaign. Training will continue, however, with Florida athletes set to compete at next week's USA U20 Track & Field Championships and the USA Track & Field Championships in July.
COACH HOLLOWAY ON ALIDA VAN DAALEN
"I said it to somebody the other day, she is the G.O.A.T of Florida throws and we need to recognize that. I'm very proud of her. She's the G.O.A.T by far."
COACH HOLLOWAY ON VANCE NILSSON
"As far as Vance goes, he had some personal things going on last year and I'm man enough to admit that I mismanaged his talent. We sat down, he gave me another chance and I'm glad he did because he showed the world who Vance Nilsson really is."
TEAM SCORES (Top 5)
1. Georgia - 50
2. Florida - 43
3. Arkansas 38
4. Oregon - 36
5. USC - 32
DAY FOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Women's Discus Throw
Alida van Daalen - 65.98m/216-6, NCAA Championship Meet Record, First Discus Title in School History
DAY FOUR ALL-AMERICANS
Women's 100m
6. Gabrielle Matthews - 11.12 (+0.0), First Team All-American
Women's 200m
4. Gabrielle Matthews - 22.29 (-0.4), First Team All-American
Women's 1500m
7. Tia Wilson - 4:15.20, First Team All-American
Women's 5000m
3. Judy Chepkoech - 15:14.05, PR, No. 3 Florida Outdoor History, First Team All-American
6. Hilda Olemomoi - 15:16.23, SB, First Team All-American
Women's 4x400m Relay
6. Quincy Penn, Sydney Sutton, Malia Campbell, Layla Haynes - 3:25.73, No. 2 Florida Outdoor History, First Team All-American
Women's Triple Jump
4. Asia Phillips - 13.57m/44-6.25 (+3.2), First Team All-American
Women's Heptathlon
9. Pauline Bikembo - 5902, PR, No. 2 Florida Outdoor History, Second Team All-American
DAY FOUR HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Women's Discus Throw
18. Akari Isaac - 54.33m/178-3
19. Gracelyn Leiseth - 53.98m/177-1
DAY TWO ALL-AMERICANS
Women's Shot Put
3. Alida van Daalen - 18.12m/59-5.50, Season Best, First Team All-American
Women's 400m
10. Quincy Penn - 51.33, Second Team All-American
Women's 800m
16. Layla Haynes - 2:01.67, Second Team All-American
Women's 1500m
13. Claire Stegall - 4:10.04, Second Team All-American
Women's 10,000m
9. Hilda Olemomoi - 32:21.62, Second Team All-American
DAY TWO HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Women's Hammer Throw
21. Imani Washington - 60.49m/198-5
The Gators finish as national runners-up for the fourth time in program history, collecting 43 points on their way to their eighth top-five finish since 2010, one of four programs to accomplish the feat in that span, alongside Texas A&M, Oregon and Georgia. The program has finished in the top five of the outdoor championships 12 times in its history.
"I think the biggest thing [about this team] is they battled all weekend," head coach Mike Holloway said. "A lot of pride. A lot of passion. We talk about that a lot in this program and you saw that with the ladies. Everybody that put the uniform on battled like crazy this week and I'm so proud of every single one of them."
On the final day of the Outdoor Championships, van Daalen accomplished the last discus objective of her collegiate career: a national title. The most decorated thrower in UF history by All-American count, she entered the day a three-time First Team All-American in the discus and 11-time All-American overall. Van Daalen was comfortably in the lead heading into the last throw of trials with a toss of 63.09m/207-0, but unleashed an NCAA Championship meet record throw of 65.98m/216-6, capping her storied career with the title of national champion. Five of her six throws would've won the title on their own.
Saturday's title is the first discus title in school history and the 12th All-American accolade of van Daalen's career. Across her four years with the Gators, she scored 44 points at the Outdoor Championships, including a career-best 16 this year, and holds three of the top 10 throws in collegiate history, surpassing 69 meters two times this season. The only Gator to earn four All-American honors in the discus, she ends her career with three SEC titles and becomes just the fourth athlete in collegiate history to earn four First Team All-American honors in the event, joining Seilala Sua (UCLA, 1996–99), Aretha Hill (Washington, 1995–98), and Beck Breisch (Nebraska, 2002–05).
Gabrielle Matthews gave Florida back-to-back First Team All-Americans in the 100-meter dash, following Anthaya Charlton in 2025, with a sixth-place finish in the event on Saturday evening. Running out of lane four, Matthews crossed the line in 11.12 (+0.0) to earn the All-American accolade and three points for the Orange & Blue.
The finish marks the 14th All-American honor for the Gators in the 100-meter dash and the first of Matthews' career in the event. Her personal-best of 10.97 (+0.5), set at the 2026 SEC Outdoor Championships, earned her first conference title in the short sprints and stands as No. 2 in Florida history.
Matthews' day wasn't over, however, as the senior was back in the blocks less than an hour later for the 200-meter dash. She found herself toward the back of the pack through the first 100 meters but chased down her competitors to finish fourth at 22.29 (-0.4), claiming her second First Team All-American honor of the day.
Florida now has 14 All-American honors in the 200-meter dash, with the finish returning Florida to First Team status in the event for the first time since Talitha Diggs placed seventh in 2023. Matthews joins Kisha Jett and Anita Howard as the only Gators to earn All-American honors in both the 100 and 200 meters at the same championship, a feat last accomplished in 1997. Her personal-best of 22.22 (+1.7), set in the semifinal, stands as No. 2 in Florida's outdoor record book. For her career, she now owns seven First Team and three Second Team All-American honors, including both the 100 and 200 this weekend.
In her first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Tia Wilson earned First Team All-American honors, giving Florida its 11th All-American honor in the women's 1500-meter run. Settling into her usual spot toward the back of the pack through the first 800 meters, she began jostling for position with just under two laps remaining. As the leaders pushed the final 400 meters to a 59-second split, Wilson fought her way to a seventh-place finish in 4:15.20, earning her first career All-American honor. Paired with Claire Stegall's Second Team All-American honor, the duo becomes the first since 2014 to earn multiple All-American awards in the 1500 meters in the same year.
Wilson saved her best outdoor season for last, climbing to No. 2 in the Florida record book in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:06.43 at the Wake Forest Invitational, before earning a silver medal and All-SEC honors at the 2026 SEC Championships. Indoors, the senior won the mile title at the 2025 SEC Championships with the No. 4 time in school history, 4:30.10.
The final individual event of the championships saw Judy Chepkoech and Hilda Olemomoi earn First Team All-American honors for the Gators in the 5000-meter run. Both Gators began the race in the middle of the pack, working their way into the top nine with a mile remaining before an all-out sprint for the All-American slots in the final 400 meters. Chepkoech surged toward the front to cross the line with the No. 3 time in school history, 15:14.04, in third while Olemomoi posted a season-best 15:16.23 for sixth.
Saturday's result marks Chepkoech's second First Team All-American honor, following her fifth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The freshman's impressive debut season also includes the No. 4 5000-meter run time in school history, a 15:15.98 at the Wake Forest Invitational. She carried that momentum into the postseason, earning a silver medal and Second Team All-SEC honors in the 10K at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
Olemomoi closes her career with nine First Team and three Second Team All-American honors, eight All-SEC selections and two SEC titles. She holds the second-best 5000-meter time in school history, 15:04.65 from the 2025 Bryan Clay Invitational, and placed third in the event at this year's SEC Outdoor Championships. Saturday's pair of honors gives Florida nine All-American awards in the 5000 meters and makes Olemomoi and Chepkoech the first duo to earn All-American status in the event in the same year.
Back in the field, Asia Phillips finally broke through into the top eight of the triple jump to earn the first First Team All-American honor of her career. After collecting three Second Team honors at her first three NCAA Championships, including two ninth-place finishes, Phillips delivered five crucial points for the Gators, using her third jump of the competition, 13.57m/44-6.25 (+3.2), just two centimeters off her personal best, to place fourth.
The sophomore extended Florida's streak of earning an All-American honor in the horizontal jumps at every NCAA Outdoor Championship since 2012, while also securing the program's 23rd All-American honor in the event. During the outdoor season, she claimed an SEC title in the triple jump with the sixth-best mark in program history, 13.59m/44-7 (+0.3). She finishes her sophomore campaign with four All-American honors for her career.
The championships concluded with the Gators securing their second-place team finish, as the 4x400-meter relay team of Quincy Penn, Sydney Sutton, Malia Campbell and Layla Haynes earned First Team All-American honors, becoming the 23rd relay squad in program history to claim All-American status. Sutton once again posted the fastest split for the Gators, running 50.11 on the second leg to help the team to a sixth-place finish in 3:25.73, the second-best time in program history, marking the program's first First Team relay honor since the 2021 squad's fourth-place finish.
Pauline Bikembo capped her seven-event marathon with a personal-best score of 5903, the second-best point total in school history, to earn Second Team All-American honors, her first outdoor accolade, finishing ninth and giving the Gators their first All-American award in the heptathlon since 2022.
Entering Saturday's events in 17th place with 3394 points, she opened the day with a season-best long jump of 6.08m/19-11.50 (+0.2) for 874 points. She then took to the runway for the javelin throw, an event in which she shined, winning it with a best throw of 45.71m/149-11 worth 777 points. In the final event of her championship, the junior ran the best 800 meters of her career, crossing the line at 2:17.47, adding 858 points to secure her ninth-place finish overall.
Akari Isaac capped her Gator career with her debut at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She opened Saturday's competition with a toss of 54.33m/178-4, nearly matching her qualifying mark, to finish 18th and earn Honorable Mention honors. The four-time NCAA East Preliminary qualifier owns the No. 4 mark in Florida history at 56.77m/186-3, set at the 2026 Tom Jones Memorial.
Securing Honorable Mention honors of her own, Gracelyn Leiseth finished right behind Isaac in the discus with a third-round throw of 53.98m/177-1 for 19th place. The 2026 championships marked Leiseth's first qualification in the event, earning her spot with a personal-best and No. 3 mark in school history of 56.89m/186-8 at the NCAA East Preliminary. She also contributed to Florida's Triple Crown with a fifth-place finish in the shot put at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
Saturday saw the end of the 2026 track & field season for the Gators, one highlighted by the women's team completing the first SEC Triple Crown since the 1996–97 campaign. Training will continue, however, with Florida athletes set to compete at next week's USA U20 Track & Field Championships and the USA Track & Field Championships in July.
COACH HOLLOWAY ON ALIDA VAN DAALEN
"I said it to somebody the other day, she is the G.O.A.T of Florida throws and we need to recognize that. I'm very proud of her. She's the G.O.A.T by far."
COACH HOLLOWAY ON VANCE NILSSON
"As far as Vance goes, he had some personal things going on last year and I'm man enough to admit that I mismanaged his talent. We sat down, he gave me another chance and I'm glad he did because he showed the world who Vance Nilsson really is."
TEAM SCORES (Top 5)
1. Georgia - 50
2. Florida - 43
3. Arkansas 38
4. Oregon - 36
5. USC - 32
DAY FOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Women's Discus Throw
Alida van Daalen - 65.98m/216-6, NCAA Championship Meet Record, First Discus Title in School History
DAY FOUR ALL-AMERICANS
Women's 100m
6. Gabrielle Matthews - 11.12 (+0.0), First Team All-American
Women's 200m
4. Gabrielle Matthews - 22.29 (-0.4), First Team All-American
Women's 1500m
7. Tia Wilson - 4:15.20, First Team All-American
Women's 5000m
3. Judy Chepkoech - 15:14.05, PR, No. 3 Florida Outdoor History, First Team All-American
6. Hilda Olemomoi - 15:16.23, SB, First Team All-American
Women's 4x400m Relay
6. Quincy Penn, Sydney Sutton, Malia Campbell, Layla Haynes - 3:25.73, No. 2 Florida Outdoor History, First Team All-American
Women's Triple Jump
4. Asia Phillips - 13.57m/44-6.25 (+3.2), First Team All-American
Women's Heptathlon
9. Pauline Bikembo - 5902, PR, No. 2 Florida Outdoor History, Second Team All-American
DAY FOUR HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Women's Discus Throw
18. Akari Isaac - 54.33m/178-3
19. Gracelyn Leiseth - 53.98m/177-1
DAY TWO ALL-AMERICANS
Women's Shot Put
3. Alida van Daalen - 18.12m/59-5.50, Season Best, First Team All-American
Women's 400m
10. Quincy Penn - 51.33, Second Team All-American
Women's 800m
16. Layla Haynes - 2:01.67, Second Team All-American
Women's 1500m
13. Claire Stegall - 4:10.04, Second Team All-American
Women's 10,000m
9. Hilda Olemomoi - 32:21.62, Second Team All-American
DAY TWO HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Women's Hammer Throw
21. Imani Washington - 60.49m/198-5
Players Mentioned
SO/SO | Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
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SO/FR | Distance
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JR/R-SO | Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Throws
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Hurdles
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Distance
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Jumps
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Distance
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Distance
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