Track & Field Secures Four More National Championship Berths at NCAA East First Round

Thursday, May 28

Lexington, KY

University of Louisville

NCAA East First Round

Ashley Callahan and Iliana Triantafyllou punch their tickets to the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Track & Field Secures Four More National Championship Berths at NCAA East First Round

May 28, 2026 | Track & Field

Results

Ashley Callahan (women’s pole vault), Iliana Triantafyllou (women’s pole vault), Kaia Tupu-South (women’s shot put), and Eve Divinity (women’s long jump) punched their tickets to Eugene on Thursday.

By: Sam Gercak

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Louisville women's track & field team punched four more tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships as the Cardinals closed the second day of competition at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field East First Round.

Ashley Callahan (women's pole vault), Iliana Triantafyllou (women's pole vault), Kaia Tupu-South (women's shot put), and Eve Divinity (women's long jump) punched their tickets to Eugene on Thursday, bringing the total number of national qualifiers for the Cardinals to eight with two more days of regional competition remaining.

Callahan and Triantafyllou became the first Louisville duo to advance to the national championship meet in the women's pole vault since 2022, when eventual national champion Gabriela Leon and Aliyah Welter both earned NCAA qualifications.

Callahan booked her second consecutive trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing the day with a clean sheet and a final clearance of 4.27m (14-0) to finish in a tie for first in the region.

Triantafyllou earned every bit of her first career NCAA Outdoor Championships qualification, winning a jump-off that broke a three-way tie at 4.22m (13-10) and secured her spot in Eugene.

Kaia Tupu-South also qualified to the national championship meet for the first time in her career, posting a mark of 17.53m (57-6.25) on her first attempt of the competition to finish fifth in the women's shot put. The redshirt senior will have an opportunity to book a second ticket to Eugene when she returns to the ring on Saturday for the women's discus throw.

In the women's long jump, Eve Divinity put down a wind-legal personal best leap of 6.45m (21-2) to finish fourth in the competition and punch the fourth and final ticket of the day for the Cardinals. Sophia Day also contested the women's long jump, placing 42^nd with a mark of 5.75m (18-10.5) at her second career regional meet.

Nancy Chepleting closed out the day for the Cards on the track, narrowly missing out on a national championship bid in the women's 10000m after placing 14^th in a time of 33:23.63. The sophomore will have another opportunity to punch a ticket on Saturday evening when she toes the line in the women's 5000m.

The Louisville men will return to competition on the third day of action in Lexington, with the Cardinals set to field six athletes across four different events. The full schedule of Friday's events for Louisville athletes can be found below.

Friday Competition Schedule
5:40 p.m. ET | Men's 3000m Steeplechase | Geoffrey Kirwa
6:00 p.m. ET | Men's Triple Jump | Miller Jones, Roman Kuleshov
7:05 p.m. ET | Men's 800m | Ryan Farrell
8:10 p.m. ET | Men's 5000m | Leo Brewer, Elsingi Kipruto

The link to live results for the meet can be found here, while the full schedule of the day's events can be found here. Tomorrow's action will be streamed live on ESPN+ beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET.

NCAA East First Round – Day Two
May 28, 2026
Lexington, Ky. | University of Kentucky Outdoor Track & Field Facility

Women's 10000m
Nancy Chepleting – 33:23.63

Women's Long Jump
Eve Divinity – 6.45m (21-2)
Sophia Day – 5.75m (18-10.5)

Women's Pole Vault
Ashley Callahan – 4.27m (14-0)
Iliana Triantafyllou – 4.22m (13-10)

Women's Shot Put
Kaia Tupu-South – 17.53m (57-6.25)

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.