Pirates Punch Ticket to NCAA Outdoor Championship in Eugene

Wednesday, May 27

Lexington, KY

East Carolina University

NCAA East 1st Round Regionals

Pirates Punch Ticket to NCAA Outdoor Championship in Eugene

June 01, 2026 | Track & Field

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The East Carolina University track and field team officially extended its outdoor season for multiple events over the weekend, securing two national championship berths at the 2026 NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships - East First Round at the UK Track & Field Complex.

The Pirates' standout performances were highlighted by a dominant showing from the men's 4x100m relay team and a national-qualifying bid in the women's 100m hurdles, punching their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

The men's 4x100m relay squad turned heads in the quarterfinal round, clocking a blazing, season-best time of 38.71, breaking their previous program record of 39.01.The performance marked the first sub-39 second performance in program history, and earned them a fourth-place overall finish in the region and guaranteed their spot on the ultimate collegiate stage at Hayward Field.

Joining the relay team in Oregon will be ECU standout Kailey Elliot in the women's 100m hurdles, who placed 11th in the region with a time of 12.95. Elliot's personal best also gave a program record performance, holding just under 13 second for the best time in the women's 100m Hurdles in program history. She rounded out a powerful dual-event qualifying contingent for the Pirates.

Beyond the national qualifiers, East Carolina saw immense grit across the board in the sprints, hurdles, and field events:

Ja'Darien Parker and Rashun Fountain both successfully advanced past the opening round of the 200m to compete in the quarterfinals, placing 17th (20.75) and 18th (20.76), respectively. In the 100m opening round, Tyson Tippett crossed the line in 10.32 to finish 31st, while Parker finished 37th in 10.39.

Brianna Clayton laid down a qualifying performance in the first round of the 200m, clocking an initial time of 23.36 to comfortably secure her spot in the next round. She returned to the track for the high-stakes quarterfinals and matched her absolute best, matching her season-best time of 23.31 seconds to place 22nd overall in the region.

Bryson Miller advanced out of the first round with a strong time of 45.76. He went on to finish 24th overall in a highly competitive quarterfinal field, clocking 46.95.

The men's 4x400m relay team capped off their season by leaving it all on the track, running a season-best time of 3:04.61 to finish 17th overall in the quarterfinals.
Senior Shakiel Dacres represented the Pirate field athletes well, launching a mark of 53.94m (177-0) to place 27th in the region.

The qualifying Pirates will now head to Eugene, Oregon, for the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, scheduled for June 10–13 at Hayward Field.