UT Secures Seven Event Titles To Close Out 2026 Tennessee Invite

UT Secures Seven Event Titles To Close Out 2026 Tennessee Invite

April 11, 2026 | Track & Field

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee track & field program totaled seven event crowns on Saturday as the Vols and Lady Vols closed out competition at the 2026 Tennessee Invite.

The Big Orange opened Saturday's action with a 1-2 finish in the men's hammer throw from sophomores Igor Olaru (69.66m / 228-6) and Aidan Ifkovits (65.18m / 213-10). Olaru earned the title in his home meet debut, while Ifkovits' mark set a personal best and moved him to No. 7 on Tennessee's all-time list.

The Volunteer quartet of Traunard Folson, Davonte Howell, T'Mars McCallum and Serges Taha took home gold in the men's 4x100-meter relay, clocking a season-best 38.97. The group's time ranks tied for seventh on the 2026 NCAA outdoor list.

For the second year in a row, Kalib Branch claimed the Tennessee Invite title in the men's 110-meter hurdles. The junior from Hampton, Georgia, clocked a season-best 13.62 to win the final, with his mark ranking 16th in the NCAA this season.

Junior jumps standout Grant Campbell took the top spot in the men's high jump in his outdoor opener, clearing 2.16 meters (7-1). His mark ranks tied for seventh in the NCAA and secured his third consecutive Tennessee Invite high jump crown.

Sophomore shot putter JL Van Rensburg was victorious in his first home meet as a Vol, launching a mark of 19.57m (64-2.5) in the fourth round. Tennessee swept the event, as John Bruder (18.04m / 59-2.25) and Derrick Taylor (17.27m / 56-8) placed second and third, respectively.

The Lady Vols closed out Saturday's track events with a win in the 4x400-meter relay, as Ka'Myya Haywood, Maira Scott, Faith Okwose and Jounee Armstrong finished first overall with a time of 3:36.77.

Tennessee rounded out the meet with a victory in the men's long jump from redshirt senior Cade Gray, earning his second title of the meet after winning Friday's pole vault invitational. The Ocala, Florida, native recorded an outdoor personal best of 7.82 meters (25-8) to win the event and rank eighth in the NCAA this season.

UP NEXT: The Big Orange has three meets on the docket next week, competing at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational (Gainesville, Fla.), the Wake Forest Invitational (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and the Bryan Clay Invitational (Azusa, Calif.). All three meets will run Friday and Saturday, April 17-18.