2025-26 Track & Field Roster
Kaia Tupu-South
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- High School:
- Westlake
- Hometown:
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Prev School:
- Washington
Kaia Tupu-South TFRRS Profile
CAREER HONORS (Louisville)
• USTFCCCA Outdoor All-America Second Team, Shot Put (2026)
• ACC Outdoor Silver Medalist, Shot Put (2026)
• ACC Outdoor Silver Medalist, Discus Throw (2026)
• ACC Indoor Bronze Medalist, Shot Put (2026)
• All-ACC Indoor First Team, Shot Put (2026)
• All-ACC Outdoor First Team, Shot Put (2026)
• All-ACC Outdoor First Team, Discus Throw (2026)
• NCAA East First Round Qualifier, Shot Put (2026)
• NCAA East First Round Qualifier, Discus Throw (2026)
• ACC Women's Outdoor Co-Field Performer of the Week (Mar. 24, 2026)
CAREER HONORS (Washington)
• Pac-12 Outdoor Bronze Medalist, Shot Put (2023)
• NCAA West First Round Qualifier, Shot Put (2023, 2024, 2025)
• NCAA West First Round Qualifier, Discus Throw (2023, 2024, 2025)
2025-26
Indoor:
• Competed in the shot put at five meets
• Claimed the bronze medal at the ACC Indoor Championships with a final mark of 16.78m (55-0.75)
• Recorded a season-best toss of 17.05m (55-11.25) to finish as the runner-up at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational while moving up to fourth in program history
• Set a new meet record at the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic in her Louisville debut with a mark of 16.46m (54-0)
Outdoor:
• Competed at 10 meets in the shot put and discus throw
• Earned Second Team All-American honors in the shot put, placing 15th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a mark of 16.46m (54-0)
• Qualified for the national championship meet for the first time in her career after placing fifth in the shot put with a mark of 17.53m (57-6.25) at the NCAA East First Round, where she also finished 15th in the discus with a toss of 53.80m (176-6)
• Posted a pair of runner-up finishes at the ACC Outdoor Championships, recording marks of 17.56m (57-7.5) in the shot put and 53.27m (174-9) in the discus
• Launched a personal record of 57.13m (187-5) in the discus at the Oklahoma Throws Series
• Was named ACC Co-Women's Field Athlete of the Week after winning both the shot put and discus at the UCF Knights Invite
2022-25 (Washington):
• Earned the bronze medal in the shot put at the 2023 Pac-12 Outdoor Championships
• Broke both program records in the shot put during the 2025 outdoor season with an indoor mark of 17.60m (57-9) and an outdoor mark of 17.33m (56-10.25)
• Qualified for the NCAA West Regional in both the shot put and discus for three straight seasons, placing as high as 13th in the shot put in 2023 and 21st in the discus in 2024
National:
• Represented New Zealand at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships, placing 16th in the shot put
Personal:
• Majoring in mechanical engineering
CAREER HONORS (Louisville)
• USTFCCCA Outdoor All-America Second Team, Shot Put (2026)
• ACC Outdoor Silver Medalist, Shot Put (2026)
• ACC Outdoor Silver Medalist, Discus Throw (2026)
• ACC Indoor Bronze Medalist, Shot Put (2026)
• All-ACC Indoor First Team, Shot Put (2026)
• All-ACC Outdoor First Team, Shot Put (2026)
• All-ACC Outdoor First Team, Discus Throw (2026)
• NCAA East First Round Qualifier, Shot Put (2026)
• NCAA East First Round Qualifier, Discus Throw (2026)
• ACC Women's Outdoor Co-Field Performer of the Week (Mar. 24, 2026)
CAREER HONORS (Washington)
• Pac-12 Outdoor Bronze Medalist, Shot Put (2023)
• NCAA West First Round Qualifier, Shot Put (2023, 2024, 2025)
• NCAA West First Round Qualifier, Discus Throw (2023, 2024, 2025)
2025-26
Indoor:
• Competed in the shot put at five meets
• Claimed the bronze medal at the ACC Indoor Championships with a final mark of 16.78m (55-0.75)
• Recorded a season-best toss of 17.05m (55-11.25) to finish as the runner-up at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational while moving up to fourth in program history
• Set a new meet record at the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic in her Louisville debut with a mark of 16.46m (54-0)
Outdoor:
• Competed at 10 meets in the shot put and discus throw
• Earned Second Team All-American honors in the shot put, placing 15th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a mark of 16.46m (54-0)
• Qualified for the national championship meet for the first time in her career after placing fifth in the shot put with a mark of 17.53m (57-6.25) at the NCAA East First Round, where she also finished 15th in the discus with a toss of 53.80m (176-6)
• Posted a pair of runner-up finishes at the ACC Outdoor Championships, recording marks of 17.56m (57-7.5) in the shot put and 53.27m (174-9) in the discus
• Launched a personal record of 57.13m (187-5) in the discus at the Oklahoma Throws Series
• Was named ACC Co-Women's Field Athlete of the Week after winning both the shot put and discus at the UCF Knights Invite
2022-25 (Washington):
• Earned the bronze medal in the shot put at the 2023 Pac-12 Outdoor Championships
• Broke both program records in the shot put during the 2025 outdoor season with an indoor mark of 17.60m (57-9) and an outdoor mark of 17.33m (56-10.25)
• Qualified for the NCAA West Regional in both the shot put and discus for three straight seasons, placing as high as 13th in the shot put in 2023 and 21st in the discus in 2024
National:
• Represented New Zealand at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships, placing 16th in the shot put
Personal:
• Majoring in mechanical engineering
Wednesday, July 30
Monday, July 14
Friday, May 16
Monday, February 26
