News Summary
Jacksonville is hosting the NCAA East First Round at Hodges Stadium with a variety of track and field events. Local schools have several athletes competing, including scholars from North Florida and Brunswick High School. The event showcases emerging talents and established athletes with Olympic aspirations, as they vie for national title qualifications. Anticipation surrounds local standout Riyon Rankin, seeded first in the men’s high jump. This prestigious event promises to attract significant attention from fans and participants alike.
Jacksonville is set to host the NCAA East First Round in track and field, taking place at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium from May 28-31. This prestigious event will feature men’s events on May 28 and 30, and women’s events on May 29 and 31, attracting top athletes with aspirations of qualifying for the national championships and potential Olympic futures.
Field events will commence daily at 10 a.m. on the first two days with the hammer throw, followed by discus events at 1 p.m. on the latter two days. Races will start on the international-caliber track at 6 p.m. on May 28 and 29, and at 5 p.m. on May 30 and 31. The top 12 athletes from each event after the preliminary rounds will advance to the national championships scheduled for June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.
Jacksonville has a notable history of hosting the NCAA East First Round, previously welcoming the event in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, and most recently in 2023. The city has also been designated as the host for the same event in 2027, demonstrating its commitment to promoting track and field athletics.
Past competitors at this event have found success on the national and international stage, with several athletes moving on to compete in the Olympics. Notable alumni include hurdler Grant Holloway and sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who have both made significant marks in their respective events.
This year, local standout athlete Riyon Rankin, a sophomore from the University of Georgia and graduate from Brunswick High School, is seeded first in the men’s high jump and ranked among the world’s top 10 for 2025 after achieving a jump of over 2.29 meters. His performance is keenly anticipated by local fans eager to support the rising star.
The University of Florida’s men’s track and field team has recently dominated the NCAA championships, securing victory for the last three years. The women’s team has consistently performed well, finishing in the top two for three consecutive years, indicating depth in the program and strong competition.
Several NCAA track qualifiers with ties to Northeast Florida will participate in this year’s East First Round:
- Parker High School (Tennessee): Competing in men’s 4×100 and 4×400-meter relays, currently ranked No. 1 and No. 20 respectively.
- North Florida: Athlete Chandler qualified for the women’s 800 with a personal best time of 2:04.89, which is the No. 41 seed.
- Yulee High School (South Florida): Competing in women’s 4×100 and 4×400 relays.
- Sandalwood High School (Georgia Southern): Participating in the women’s 4×100 relay, currently seeded 10th.
- Mandarin High School (Navy): Competing in men’s 400 hurdles and 4×400 relay, seeded 29th with a time of 50.76.
- Bishop Kenny High School (Tennessee): Competing in women’s 800 and 4×400 relay, seeded 27th with a time of 2:04.37.
- Creekside High School (Miami): Competing in women’s 100 hurdles, currently seeded 40th with a time of 13.35.
- Mandarin High School (Florida): Competing in men’s 800, currently seeded 17th with a time of 1:47.27.
- North Florida: Men’s 10,000m athlete seeded fourth with a time of 28:18.59.
- Creekside High School (Miami): Also competing in women’s 4×100 and 4×400 relays.
- Providence School (East Carolina): Competing in women’s hammer throw, seeded 29th with a distance of 59.85 meters.
- Brunswick High School (Georgia): Participating in men’s high jump, ranked No. 1.
- Jacksonville: Competing in women’s long jump and women’s 400 meters, with entries of 6.2 meters and 52.81 seconds, respectively.
- South Florida (Episcopal School of Jacksonville): Competing in women’s 400 and relays, with a seed of 38th (52.95).
The NCAA East First Round promises to be an exciting event for both participants and spectators, showcasing emerging talent and established athletes gearing up for national and international competition.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Florida Set to Host NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track Championship
Additional Resources
- University of North Florida Ospreys – NCAA East Region First Round
- Wikipedia: NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- NC State Athletics – Track News
- Google Search: NCAA East First Round
- North Carolina A&T Aggies – NCAA Nationals
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Track and Field
- Florida Gators – Track and Field News
