McCallum’s World Lead, School Record Leads Eight Friday Qualifiers At NCAA East Prelims
May 30, 2025 | Track & Field
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tennessee junior sprinter T'Mars McCallum stormed to a school record and 2025 world-leading mark of 19.83 seconds in the 200-meter dash on Friday, securing his third of three qualifications for the upcoming NCAA Outdoor Championships during an action-packed Day 3 at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in Jacksonville, Florida.
Tennessee had eight qualifying marks to the national meet during Friday's competition at Hodges Stadium. To qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, athletes must finish top 12 out of 48 competitors in their respective events at the NCAA East Prelims.
The Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, native registered his time of 19.83 with a legal tailwind of +1.4 m/s, taking down the school record of 19.85 set by VFL Christian Coleman during his 2017 Bowerman winning campaign. The 19.83 clocking ranks McCallum as the sixth-fastest performer in collegiate history and edged two-time Grand Slam champion Kenny Bednarek's 19.84 as the fastest time in the world for the 2025 outdoor season.
Additionally, McCallum's performance set a Hodges Stadium facility record and ranks the Volunteer junior as the 19th-fastest American all-time in the outdoor 200-meter dash.
McCallum had a hand in three tickets punched to the national meet on Friday, also qualifying individually in the 100-meter dash with a heat victory in 10.04 seconds. Prior to that, he anchored the Vols' reigning SEC champion 4x100-meter relay to an NCAA Championship berth with a time of 38.63 along with teammates Deron Dudley, Davonte Howell and Kalib Branch.
Howell gave the Vols two NCAA qualifiers in the men's 100-meter, dashing to a personal-best time of 10.05 to finish sixth at the meet and earn his first career individual entry at the NCAA Championships. The Cayman Islands product is now tied with legendary Tennessee sprinters Justin Gatlin and Leonard Scott as the No. 4 performers in school history.
Tennessee had a pair of field athletes punch their tickets to Eugene during Friday's early session, beginning with senior pole vaulter Sarah Schmitt qualifying with a leap of 4.24 meters (13-11) to place first overall in the regional competition. The Midlothian, Virginia, native has qualified for back-to-back NCAA Outdoor Championship meets and is seeking her third career All-America honor in the women's pole vault.
Vol sophomore Aron Alvarez Aranda also earned his second-straight trip to nationals in the men's discus on Friday, launching a third-round heave of 59.17m (194-1) to finish fifth in the East Region.
The UT 400-meter hurdles duo of Saad Hinti and Harry Barton both advanced to Eugene out of Friday's quarterfinal. The Vol tandem ran in Heat 3, which Hinti won in 49.83 seconds before Barton took fourth in 50.13 – finishing 10th overall in the regional field.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols round out the 2025 NCAA East Preliminary Rounds on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. ET with Donna Douglas in the women's discus first round. The regional meet will conclude with the women's 4x400-meter relay quarterfinal, scheduled for approximately 8:45 p.m.
Tennessee had eight qualifying marks to the national meet during Friday's competition at Hodges Stadium. To qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, athletes must finish top 12 out of 48 competitors in their respective events at the NCAA East Prelims.
The Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, native registered his time of 19.83 with a legal tailwind of +1.4 m/s, taking down the school record of 19.85 set by VFL Christian Coleman during his 2017 Bowerman winning campaign. The 19.83 clocking ranks McCallum as the sixth-fastest performer in collegiate history and edged two-time Grand Slam champion Kenny Bednarek's 19.84 as the fastest time in the world for the 2025 outdoor season.
Additionally, McCallum's performance set a Hodges Stadium facility record and ranks the Volunteer junior as the 19th-fastest American all-time in the outdoor 200-meter dash.
McCallum had a hand in three tickets punched to the national meet on Friday, also qualifying individually in the 100-meter dash with a heat victory in 10.04 seconds. Prior to that, he anchored the Vols' reigning SEC champion 4x100-meter relay to an NCAA Championship berth with a time of 38.63 along with teammates Deron Dudley, Davonte Howell and Kalib Branch.
Howell gave the Vols two NCAA qualifiers in the men's 100-meter, dashing to a personal-best time of 10.05 to finish sixth at the meet and earn his first career individual entry at the NCAA Championships. The Cayman Islands product is now tied with legendary Tennessee sprinters Justin Gatlin and Leonard Scott as the No. 4 performers in school history.
Tennessee had a pair of field athletes punch their tickets to Eugene during Friday's early session, beginning with senior pole vaulter Sarah Schmitt qualifying with a leap of 4.24 meters (13-11) to place first overall in the regional competition. The Midlothian, Virginia, native has qualified for back-to-back NCAA Outdoor Championship meets and is seeking her third career All-America honor in the women's pole vault.
Vol sophomore Aron Alvarez Aranda also earned his second-straight trip to nationals in the men's discus on Friday, launching a third-round heave of 59.17m (194-1) to finish fifth in the East Region.
The UT 400-meter hurdles duo of Saad Hinti and Harry Barton both advanced to Eugene out of Friday's quarterfinal. The Vol tandem ran in Heat 3, which Hinti won in 49.83 seconds before Barton took fourth in 50.13 – finishing 10th overall in the regional field.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols round out the 2025 NCAA East Preliminary Rounds on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. ET with Donna Douglas in the women's discus first round. The regional meet will conclude with the women's 4x400-meter relay quarterfinal, scheduled for approximately 8:45 p.m.
Players Mentioned
Throws
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Hurdles
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Throws
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Sprints
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Hurdles
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Sprints
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Sprints/Jumps
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Pole Vault
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