Thursday, February 26
Boston, MA
University of Louisville
at
ACC Indoor Championships
KJ Byrd Wins Pole Vault Title to Open ACC Indoor Championships
February 26, 2026 | Track & Field
The sophomore cleared a program-record bar of 5.55m (18-2.5) to claim the second ACC crown of his career.
BOSTON, Mass. – The University of Louisville track & field teams opened competition at the ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston with a bang, as KJ Byrd captured the conference title in the men's pole vault, the second ACC title of his career.
Byrd, who currently ranks second nationally in the heptathlon, cleared a program-record bar of 5.55m (18-2.5) to become the first ACC indoor pole vault champion in program history.
The mark bettered the previous program record of 5.47m (17-11.25) that he set at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on Jan. 31, which also currently ranks as the best pole vault mark within a heptathlon in collegiate history.
With the title, the sophomore becomes the first athlete in Louisville history to win ACC indoor titles in multiple events after winning the 2025 ACC title in the men's heptathlon as a freshman.
In addition to Byrd's historic victory, Collin Pate tied for second and Ty McPhail placed fourth as the Cards accounted for three of the top four finishers in the men's pole vault, racking up 22 points in the team race in the process.
Pate made the most of his first ACC Championships while returning to action for the first time since late January, vaulting his way into a share of the silver with a personal-best mark of 5.25m (17-2.75) that moves the redshirt freshman up to fifth in program history.
McPhail closed out his season by clearing a bar of 5.15m (16-10.75) to earn Second Team All-ACC distinction as the fourth-place finisher for the second time in his career.
In the women's pentathlon, Maya Follmer finished seventh with a personal-best total of 3,694 points to score at the conference championship meet for the first time in her career. The junior also notched personal records in two of the five events, notably moving into a tie for ninth in program history in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.71.
Ian Kibiwot closed out the scoring for the Cardinals, claiming eighth place in the men's 5000m after crossing the line in 13:54.96.
The Cardinals also saw a pair of freshman records fall on Friday from Matt Giuliano in the men's weight throw and Nancy Chepleting in the women's 5000m.
Giuliano recorded a toss of 19.27m (63-2.75) to break the weight throw freshman record for the third time this season, while shattering his previous best of 18.90m (62-0.25) from the Bellarmine Open on Jan. 16.
Chepleting clocked a 5000m time of 16:10.67 to notch her third freshman record of the season after setting freshman bests in the mile and 3000m earlier this month at the Husky Classic. The time also took nine seconds off her previous record of 16:19.50 that she set at on Dec. 6 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.
After the first day of competition, the Louisville men rank second in the team standings with 23 points through five events, while the women's team sits in a tie for 13th with two points through four events.
Competition will resume tomorrow afternoon for the Cards at 1:00 p.m. ET when the day's field events begin with the men's long jump. Track events will start at 3:15 p.m. ET with the preliminary rounds of the men's mile. The meet will be televised on ACCNX.
ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships – Day One
February 26, 2026
Boston, Mass. | the TRACK at New Balance
* = Personal Record
(sr) = School Record
(fr) = Freshman Record
Women's 200m
Eve Divinity – 24.02
Women's 5000m
Nancy Chepleting – 16:10.67 * (fr)
Maddie Seaby – 16:14.25 *
Men's 5000m
Ian Kibiwot – 13:54.96
Geoffrey Kirwa – 13:57.43
Spenser Wolf – 14:14.53
Men's High Jump
KJ Byrd – 1.98m (6-6)
Men's Pole Vault
KJ Byrd – 5.55m (18-2.5) * (sr)
Collin Pate – 5.25m (17-2.75) *
Ty McPhail – 5.15m (16-10.75)
Lucas Couron – 5.00m (16-4.75)
Luther Mogelvang – 5.00m (16-4.75) *
Women's Weight Throw
Demaria King – 15.21m (49-11)
Men's Weight Throw
Matt Giuliano – 19.27m (63-2.75) * (fr)
Women's Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 3,694 points *
Women's 800m – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 2:24.78
Women's 60m Hurdles – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 8.71 *
Women's High Jump – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 1.59m (5-2.5)
Women's Long Jump – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 5.60m (18-4.5)
Women's Shot Put – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 9.70m (31-10) *
For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and X account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.
Byrd, who currently ranks second nationally in the heptathlon, cleared a program-record bar of 5.55m (18-2.5) to become the first ACC indoor pole vault champion in program history.
The mark bettered the previous program record of 5.47m (17-11.25) that he set at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on Jan. 31, which also currently ranks as the best pole vault mark within a heptathlon in collegiate history.
With the title, the sophomore becomes the first athlete in Louisville history to win ACC indoor titles in multiple events after winning the 2025 ACC title in the men's heptathlon as a freshman.
In addition to Byrd's historic victory, Collin Pate tied for second and Ty McPhail placed fourth as the Cards accounted for three of the top four finishers in the men's pole vault, racking up 22 points in the team race in the process.
Pate made the most of his first ACC Championships while returning to action for the first time since late January, vaulting his way into a share of the silver with a personal-best mark of 5.25m (17-2.75) that moves the redshirt freshman up to fifth in program history.
McPhail closed out his season by clearing a bar of 5.15m (16-10.75) to earn Second Team All-ACC distinction as the fourth-place finisher for the second time in his career.
In the women's pentathlon, Maya Follmer finished seventh with a personal-best total of 3,694 points to score at the conference championship meet for the first time in her career. The junior also notched personal records in two of the five events, notably moving into a tie for ninth in program history in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.71.
Ian Kibiwot closed out the scoring for the Cardinals, claiming eighth place in the men's 5000m after crossing the line in 13:54.96.
The Cardinals also saw a pair of freshman records fall on Friday from Matt Giuliano in the men's weight throw and Nancy Chepleting in the women's 5000m.
Giuliano recorded a toss of 19.27m (63-2.75) to break the weight throw freshman record for the third time this season, while shattering his previous best of 18.90m (62-0.25) from the Bellarmine Open on Jan. 16.
Chepleting clocked a 5000m time of 16:10.67 to notch her third freshman record of the season after setting freshman bests in the mile and 3000m earlier this month at the Husky Classic. The time also took nine seconds off her previous record of 16:19.50 that she set at on Dec. 6 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.
After the first day of competition, the Louisville men rank second in the team standings with 23 points through five events, while the women's team sits in a tie for 13th with two points through four events.
Competition will resume tomorrow afternoon for the Cards at 1:00 p.m. ET when the day's field events begin with the men's long jump. Track events will start at 3:15 p.m. ET with the preliminary rounds of the men's mile. The meet will be televised on ACCNX.
ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships – Day One
February 26, 2026
Boston, Mass. | the TRACK at New Balance
* = Personal Record
(sr) = School Record
(fr) = Freshman Record
Women's 200m
Eve Divinity – 24.02
Women's 5000m
Nancy Chepleting – 16:10.67 * (fr)
Maddie Seaby – 16:14.25 *
Men's 5000m
Ian Kibiwot – 13:54.96
Geoffrey Kirwa – 13:57.43
Spenser Wolf – 14:14.53
Men's High Jump
KJ Byrd – 1.98m (6-6)
Men's Pole Vault
KJ Byrd – 5.55m (18-2.5) * (sr)
Collin Pate – 5.25m (17-2.75) *
Ty McPhail – 5.15m (16-10.75)
Lucas Couron – 5.00m (16-4.75)
Luther Mogelvang – 5.00m (16-4.75) *
Women's Weight Throw
Demaria King – 15.21m (49-11)
Men's Weight Throw
Matt Giuliano – 19.27m (63-2.75) * (fr)
Women's Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 3,694 points *
Women's 800m – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 2:24.78
Women's 60m Hurdles – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 8.71 *
Women's High Jump – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 1.59m (5-2.5)
Women's Long Jump – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 5.60m (18-4.5)
Women's Shot Put – Pentathlon
Maya Follmer – 9.70m (31-10) *
For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and X account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.
Players Mentioned
Multis
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Sprints
/ Track & Field
Multis
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Distance
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