HBCU track and field in 2026 just got its biggest moment yet — and Howard University is leading the charge.
After a dominant run at the NCAA East Regional in Lexington, Kentucky, Howard University qualified four women for the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships — more than any other HBCU program. The championships run June 10–13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Four other HBCUs punched their tickets right alongside them, making this one of the strongest collective HBCU showings at the NCAA level in recent memory.
A Program That Has Been Building Toward This
This moment didn’t happen overnight. Howard’s women’s track and field program has been on a steady rise under Head Coach David Oliver — a Howard alumnus and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist — who has turned the Bison into one of the most consistent programs in the country.
This spring, Howard ranked 13th nationally in the USTFCCCA National Rating Index, the highest ranking in program history. The Bison also claimed their fifth consecutive MEAC Outdoor Championship in May, completing a rare triple crown by winning the cross country, indoor, and outdoor conference titles in the same season. Oliver earned MEAC Coach of the Year for the fifth straight year in the process.
Last year, Howard finished 30th out of 124 teams at the NCAA Championships — the best finish in program history. Now the Bison are back with even more firepower.
“The energy, the execution, the excellence — they left it all on the track,” Oliver said after last year’s championships. “These women are elevating the standard, and as a coach and alum I could not be prouder.”
Who Is Headed to Eugene
Sophomore Yahnari Lyons leads Howard’s contingent in the women’s 200 meters. She ran 22.72 seconds to finish second in her regional heat — a result that fits her perfectly, given she spent most of the spring ranked fourth in the nation in the event. Lyons was also named co-Outstanding Runner of the MEAC Outdoor Championship alongside freshman Nilijah Darden.
In the 400-meter hurdles, Howard sent two athletes. Cenaiya Billups won her quarterfinal heat in a personal-best 55.09 seconds. Teammate Aniya Woodruff ran a personal-best 55.43 to lock in her own spot. Both women delivered their best performances when the stakes were highest.
Five HBCUs Are Making the Trip
Howard led the pack, but the HBCU presence at nationals goes well beyond one program.
North Carolina A&T advanced two field-event athletes. Senior Spirit Morgan cleared 1.82 meters in the high jump to earn her berth. Junior Olivia Dowd recorded a personal-best 13.23 meters in the triple jump to secure hers.
Southern University’s Tashina Alase turned in one of the best individual performances of the entire regional weekend. The junior finished second overall — among all competitors, not just HBCU athletes — in the women’s 100-meter hurdles quarterfinals with a time of 12.74 seconds. That kind of result puts her among the nation’s best heading into Eugene.
Alabama State freshman Daedrian Beville qualified in the triple jump, capping a strong spring for the Hornets. Florida A&M rounded out the group to give the HBCU community five schools and nine total women’s entries at the NCAA Championships.
What This Means for HBCU Athletics
Getting to Hayward Field is not a routine accomplishment. The Eugene venue is the premier track and field facility in the country, and the athletes competing there represent the very best Division I has to offer.
For Howard, four entries at nationals is a statement. A program that ranked 13th in the country, won five straight conference titles, completed a triple crown, and now sends multiple athletes to compete for national glory is a program that has fully arrived on the national stage. Howard VP of Athletics Kery Davis summed it up after last year’s run: “Howard is on track to become a national powerhouse, and the women’s team is leading that charge.”
For programs like Southern, Alabama State, and FAMU, a trip to Eugene tells recruits everything they need to know. HBCU track and field in 2026 develops athletes who compete — and win — at the highest level.
The 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships open June 10 in Eugene. Yahnari Lyons steps into the 200 meters carrying elite national credentials. Cenaiya Billups and Aniya Woodruff bring personal-best momentum into the 400-meter hurdles. NC A&T, Southern, Alabama State, and FAMU round out the HBCU contingent across sprint and field events.
Howard and its fellow HBCUs have earned their spot in Eugene. Now it’s time to see what they can do with it.
