No. 11/14 Track & Field preview: 2026 SEC Outdoor Championships

Thursday, May 14

Auburn, Ala.

11:30 a.m. CT

University of Texas

SEC Outdoor Championships

No. 11/14 Track & Field preview: 2026 SEC Outdoor Championships

05.13.2026 | Track & Field / Cross Country

Meet Schedule

Longhorns enter postseason with multiple top-24 national marks throughout the track & field events.

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 11/14 Texas Track & Field opens outdoor postseason competition on Thursday, May 14 at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Auburn, Ala.

No. 11/14 Texas at 2026 SEC Outdoor Championships
When: Thursday, May 14 – Saturday, May 16
Where: Auburn, Ala.
Facility: Hutsell-Rosen Track
Watch: SEC Network+

HOW TO FOLLOW:

Live stats will be available on Athletic Live.
Fans can also follow @TexasTFXC for live updates of the meet on Twitter/X.
The meet will stream on SEC Network +.
Meet Schedule | Meet Information

NOTES

Kody Blackwood ranks No. 3 nationally and in the SEC in the 400-meter hurdles with a season-best 49.26. He also sits No. 15 nationally and ninth in the conference in the 400 meters at 45.24, ranking him as the fourth-fastest performer in program history.
Kendrick Smallwood owns the No. 3 time nationally and the No. 2 mark in the SEC in the 110-meter hurdles at 13.16. Smallwood continues to hold the top 13 performances in event history at Texas.
Amelliah Birdow leads a strong Texas group in the 400-meter hurdles, ranking No. 2 nationally and in the SEC with a season-best 54.96 that ranks her as the fifth-fastest performer in program history.
Also among the nation's top 16 in the women's 400-meter hurdles are Mackenzie Collins, who sits No. 11 nationally and sixth in the SEC, and Anouk Krause-Jentsch, who ranks No. 14 nationally and eighth in the conference.
In the women's 100 meters, Abigail Wolfe ranks No. 5 nationally and fourth in the SEC with a time of 11.01, while Carleta Bernard is No. 10 nationally and seventh in the conference at 11.04.
Texas has two nationally ranked sprinters in the women's 200 meters, led by Elise Cooper at No. 17 nationally and No. 12 in the SEC with a season-best 22.67. Bernard follows closely at No. 18 nationally and 13th in the conference at 22.68.
Texas has both women's relay squads ranked among the nation's top groups. The 4x100-meter relay team of Bernard, Cooper, Wolfe and Naomi London ranks ninth nationally and seventh in the SEC, while the 4x400-meter relay squad of Birdow, Cooper, Elliott and Bayleigh Minor sits among the conference leaders.
Texas also boasts a pair of nationally ranked athletes in the women's 400 meters, led by Minor at No. 13 nationally and ninth in the SEC with a season-best 51.22. Cooper follows closely at No. 14 nationally and No. 10 in the conference at 51.24.
Michael Pinones moved into ninth on the program's all-time performers list in the shot put after recording a winning mark of 19.79m (64-11.25) at the Texas Invitational. His season best ranks sixth nationally and second in the SEC.
Giavonna Meeks ranks No. 11 nationally and second in the SEC in the hammer throw with a season-best mark of 67.42m (221-2). She has produced each of the top 13 throws in program history this season.
Kelsey Daniel is among the nation's leaders in both horizontal jumps, ranking No. 12 nationally in the long jump and No. 13 in the triple jump. His season-best marks of 7.89m (25-10.75) in the long jump and 16.23m (53-3) in the triple jump both rank fourth in the SEC.
Mathis Vaitulukina sits No. 24 nationally and sixth in the SEC in the long jump with a season-best leap of 7.78m (25-6.25).
Jayden Jones ranks No. 14 nationally and ninth in the SEC in the 200 meters at 20.40, while Chris Brinkley Jr. sits No. 15 nationally and seventh in the conference in the 400-meter hurdles at 49.92.
Tabea Eitel ranks No. 16 nationally in the heptathlon after scoring 5,648 points at the Texas Relays as the top collegiate finisher. The total ranks fourth in the SEC and third in Texas history.
Jeanne Le Goff ranks No. 20 nationally and fourth in the SEC in the women's triple jump with a season-best mark of 13.17m (43-2.50).
In the men's pole vault, Sam Abati ranks No. 22 nationally and sixth in the SEC with a clearance of 5.50m (18-0.50), tying him as the No. 8 performer in program history.
The men's 4x400-meter relay quartet of Sihle Mahlangu, Logan Popelka, John Rutledge and Brinkley ranks No. 14 nationally and seventh in the SEC.
Texas also owns the No. 19 ranking nationally and No. 8 spot in the SEC in the men's 4x100-meter relay. The quartet of Smallwood, Neo Modibe, Jones and Rutledge posted a season-best 39.10 earlier this season.