Five Meet Records Fall On The First Day Of Women's Schedule At NCAA Championships

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Tim Healy and Keith Webber Photos

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

EUGENE – This time, the eighth time, Alyssa Jones got it just right in the long jump.

The Stanford senior hit a “banger” on her first attempt, breaking the NCAA Championships record with 7.07m (23-2). It was a mark that held up and sent her to the top of the award podium after three previous second-place finishes (indoors and out), three third-place finishes and a fourth.

“I really wanted to get that collegiate record, but I’m happy with a win,” Jones said. “It’s been a long four years, I’ve been here multiple times and never gotten first. I’m just thankful and grateful for the win.”

In addition to the 100-meter exploits by Adaejah Hodge during Thursday’s session at Hayward Field, Jones was part of a record-breaking binge to open the women’s action at the NCAA Championships.

Jones came into the meet as the favorite after soaring 7.09m (23-3.25) in th NCAA West Preliminary Round in Fayetteville, Ark. That nearly took down Tara Davis-Woodhall's collegiate record of 7.14m (23-5.25).  

In the women's pole vault, Washington twins Amanda and Hana Moll went 1-2, reversing their order from 2025. 

Amanda, who seemed to lag behind her sister a bit this year, came through when it mattered most. She cleared 4.84m (15-10.50), tacking an extra centimeter on Hana's collegiate outdoor record from the Big Ten Championships. Amanda took two attempts at 4.92m (16-1.75) before retiring. 

Hana took second with 4.74m (15-6.50). 

Nebraska's Axelina Johansson completed an NCAA Indoor/Outdoor sweep of the shot put and she thoroughly dominated the competiton. Any of her five legal throws would have won. And her best came in the third round with 19.92m (65-4.25). 

That broke Adelaide Aquilla's 2022 meet record of 19.64m and fell just a bit short of Jaida Ross' 2024 collegiate record 20.01m (65-7.75). 

In the heats of the women's 800 meters, Sanu Jallow-Lockhart of ran a fast time of 1:58.89 to lead a group of nine sub-2 minute qualifiers into the final. 

Another big performance came at the start of the action on the track, when USC became the second school in collegiate history to run the 4x100 relay under 42 seconds. The quartet of Dajaz DeFrand, Mia Brahe-Pedersen, Madison Whyte and Brianna Selby ran an NCAA-leading time of 41.96 seconds. 

The Trojans are aiming to defend their national title in the event, but will have to deal with Hodge and Georgia after the Bulldogs ran 42.00. 

The record belongs to Texas and the incredible 41.55 seconds in ran with Julien Alfred on the anchor in 2023.

BYU standout freshman Jane Hedengren led a large chunk of the women's 10,000 meters but was unable to kick with Iowa State's Mercyline Kirwa and New Mexico defending champion Pamela Kosgei, both of whom passed her on the backstretch of the final lap. 

Kirwa won the 25-lap race in 31:54.88. Kosgei was second in 31:56.49. And Hedengren, the indoor 3,000 and 5,000 champion, was third in 31:57.94.

The men’s championship resume Friday with the discus starting at 2:15 p.m.

Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn, the new world record holder in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, is set to race in the final at 5:42 p.m.

The only men competing Thursday were the decathletes. BYU's Ben Barton, the new father of a three-week-old baby boy, broke through the 8,000 points barrier for th first time and won the NCAA title with 8,169 points. He won by a narrow nine-point margin over Louisville's Kenneth Byrd, who scored 8,160. 

Nine of the top 10 men in the competition recorded new personal bests. Barton was the quickest in the 100 (10.65) and 400 (47.25) and had the best high jump (2.13m/6-11.75).