Pirates Clock Top Times Day One of Outdoor Conference Championships
May 15, 2026 | Track & Field
DENTON, Texas – The East Carolina Pirates opened competition at the 2026 American Conference Outdoor Championships on Thursday with a strong showing across the track, highlighted by multiple athletes advancing to event finals and standout sprint performances on day one in Denton, Texas.Â
On the women's side, sophomore Kelly Ufodiama delivered one of the top performances of the opening day, posting the fastest qualifying time in the 200-meter preliminaries at 22.57 to secure a spot in Saturday's final. Brianna Clayton also advanced in the event after clocking a 23.31 in prelim competition. Â
The Pirates also saw success in the women's 1500-meter prelims as junior Abrielle Schweitzer qualified automatically for the finals with a time of 4:32.27. Senior Katrina Ford advanced after finishing in 4:36.11, while senior Navaya Zales earned an at-large qualifying spot with a 4:36.66 effort. Â
On the men's side, junior Rashun Fountain led the way in the 200-meter preliminaries, recording the top qualifying time in the field at 20.41. Junior Ja'Darien Parker also secured a place in the finals with a qualifying mark of 20.66. Â
East Carolina added two more competitors in the men's 1500-meter prelims as sophomore Will Palopoli crossed in 3:59.86 and sophomore Judah Lacroix finished in 4:01.79. Â
The American Conference Outdoor Championships continue Friday with additional preliminaries and field event finals before concluding Saturday evening.Â
