KJ Byrd Defends Pole Vault Title to Open ACC Outdoor Championships

Thursday, May 14

LOUISVILLE, KY

University of Louisville

ACC Outdoor Championships

Photo by: Paige Kuwata | Louisville Athletics

KJ Byrd Defends Pole Vault Title to Open ACC Outdoor Championships

May 14, 2026 | Track & Field

Live Results Schedule of Events Meet Information

The sophomore broke the program record with a clearance of 5.53m (18-1.75) to win the third conference title of his career.

By: Sam Gercak

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sophomore KJ Byrd successfully defended his conference title in the men's pole vault as the University of Louisville track & field teams opened competition at the 2026 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday at Owsley B. Frazier Cardinal Park.

Through four events, the Louisville women are tied for second in the team standings with 18 points, while the men's squad sits fourth with a matching total of 18 points.

Byrd, the 2026 indoor ACC champion in the pole vault, cleared a final bar of 5.53m (18-1.75) to claim the third conference title of his young career, having also won the men's heptathlon as a freshman at the 2025 ACC Indoor Championships. The clearance also shattered the previous Louisville program record of 5.36m (17-7) that had stood since last April.

A three-time All-American in the multi-events who currently ranks fourth in the NCAA this season in the decathlon, Byrd will also compete on Friday afternoon in both the men's high jump and long jump.

Along with Byrd's victory in the pole vault, Ty McPhail finished sixth with a mark of 5.23m (17-1.75) to earn Second Team All-ACC distinction, while Lucas Couron, the previous program record holder in the event, finished in a tie for seventh by clearing a bar of 5.08m (16-8) before being forced to retire from the competition due to injury.

Ashley Callahan finished as the ACC outdoor runner-up in the women's pole vault for the second consecutive season, soaring over a height of 4.33m (14-2.5) to earn the silver. Callahan's performance marks the seventh straight year that the Cardinals have earned a spot on the podium in the women's pole vault at the outdoor conference championship meet.

The Cards also saw a pair of outdoor personal records in the women's pole vault to add more points to the team total, as Iliana Triantafyllou also cleared 4.33m (14-2.5) to finish fourth and improve on her No. 4 mark in program history, while Lydia Stuart cleared 4.13m (13-6.5) to round out the scorers in eighth place and improve on her No. 10 mark in program history.

On the track, Nancy Chepleting continued her breakout season with a fifth-place finish in the women's 10000m, earning Second Team All-ACC honors with a time of 33:13.59, the fourth-fastest time ever run by a Louisville woman.

The Cardinals also picked up valuable points on the men's side in the throwing events, as Matt Giuliano and Ryan Drwal both recorded seventh-place finishes to score at the ACC Championships for the first time in their careers.

In the men's hammer throw, Giuliano bettered his No. 2 mark in program history by nearly a meter with a personal-best toss of 64.61m (211-11), while Drwal posted a mark of 59.15m (194-0) to become the first Cardinal to ever score points at the ACC championship meet in the men's javelin throw.

Through the first four events of the women's heptathlon, Lucy Fellows holds the top spot, leading the field by over 100 points heading into the second day of competition after racking up a total of 3,435 points on Thursday.

The junior posted times of 24.37 in the 200m and 14.07 (+2.7) in the 100m hurdles, while also posting a high jump mark of 1.67m (5-5.75) and a toss of 12.64m (41-5.75) in the shot put to position herself to potentially win the first ACC title of her career. The women's heptathlon will continue tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. ET with the long jump, javelin throw, and 800m left on the schedule.

The second day of competition at Card Park will begin Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. ET with the continuation of the men's decathlon. Field events are set to get underway at 3:30 p.m. ET with the men's shot put, while action on the track will begin for the Cardinals with the women's 400m prelims at 5:52 p.m. ET.

ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships – Day One
May 14, 2026
Louisville, Ky. | Owsley B. Frazier Cardinal Park

* = Personal Record
(sr) = School Record
DNF = Did Not Finish
NH = No Height

Women's 200m (Prelims)
Eve Divinity – 23.70 (+2.8)

Women's 1500m (Prelims)
Emma McGill – 4:22.19
Temi Ariyo – 4:24.74 *

Men's 1500m (Prelims)
Leo Brewer – 3:48.22

Women's 10000m
Nancy Chepleting – 33:13.59 *
Heidi Meade – DNF

Men's 10000m
Dylan Wood – 30:52.14

Women's 400m Hurdles (Prelims)
Keira Antoni – 1:01.59

Women's Pole Vault
Ashley Callahan – 4.33m (14-2.5)
Iliana Triantafyllou – 4.33m (14-2.5) *
Lydia Stuart – 4.13m (13-6.5) *
Jaicee Jasmer – NH

Men's Pole Vault
KJ Byrd – 5.53m (18-1.75) * (sr)
Ty McPhail – 5.23m (17-1.75)
Lucas Couron – 5.08m (16-8)
Luther Mogelvang – 4.93m (16-2)
Logan Isaacs – NH
Collin Pate – NH

Women's Hammer Throw
Demaria King – 50.95m (167-2)

Men's Hammer Throw
Matt Giuliano – 64.61m (211-11) *

Women's Javelin Throw
Gianna Rotelli – 39.34m (129-1)

Men's Javelin Throw
Ryan Drwal – 59.15m (194-0)

Women's Heptathlon (through four events)
Lucy Fellows – 3,435 points
Maya Follmer – 3,030 points

Women's 200m (Heptathlon)
Lucy Fellows – 24.37
Maya Follmer – 24.87 *

Women's 100m Hurdles (Heptathlon)
Maya Follmer – 13.94 (+3.5)
Lucy Fellows – 14.07 (+2.7)

Women's High Jump (Heptathlon)
Lucy Fellows – 1.67m (5-5.75)
Maya Follmer – 1.55m (5-1)

Women's Shot Put (Heptathlon)
Lucy Fellows – 12.64m (41-5.75)
Maya Follmer – 9.03m (29-7.5)

Men's Decathlon (through five events)
Dominic Lowe – 3,387 points

Men's 100m (Decathlon)
Dominic Lowe – 11.26 (+2.3)

Men's 400m (Decathlon)
Dominic Lowe – 50.84

Men's High Jump (Decathlon)
Dominic Lowe – 1.77m (5-9.75)

Men's Long Jump (Decathlon)
Dominic Lowe – 6.36m (20-10.5) (+2.2)

Men's Shot Put (Decathlon)
Dominic Lowe – 10.88m (35-8.5)

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.