It is Outdoor Track & Field National Championship season in the Division II ranks, with a wealth of HBCU athletes ready to compete for the top prize.
Here are all of the HBCU athletes who will be represented at the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.
Men
100m
Tajai Duffus, Lincoln (Mo.)
Lincoln (Mo.) sophomore Tajai Duffus enters Outdoor Nationals with the 13th-best qualifying time in the 100m (10.26 seconds). At the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) championships, he finished in second place behind teammate Rosean Smith with a time of 10.44 seconds. This is his first career national championship appearance.
100m, 200m
Leonie Bentley, Virginia State
Also making his first career national championship appearance is Virginia State sophomore Leonie Bentley, qualifying for the men’s 100m and 200m. Despite a disappointing performance at the CIAA championships, in which he false-started in the 100m final and finished third in the 200m final, he made it into nationals tied for the 13th-best time in the 100m and the eighth-best in the 200m (20.64 seconds).
400m
Adoni Nembhard-Belcher, Albany State
Continuing the trend of athletes qualifying for their first national championships, Albany State sophomore Adoni Nembhard-Belcher had a breakout performance in the SIAC championships. This included winning the 200m and 400m titles, while also taking part in the team’s 4×100 relay win. He squeaks into the 400m field with a qualifying time of 46.63 seconds.
110, 400 Hurdles
Brandon Harris, Lincoln (Mo.)
Lincoln (Mo.) hurdler Brandon Harris continues his magical freshman season with a double qualification in the 110 and 400 hurdles. During the indoor season, the freshman sensation excelled in the 60-meter hurdles, earning a spot in the event’s national championship field. He holds the ninth-best time in the 110-hurdles (13.79 seconds) and ranks in the top 20 of the 400 hurdles (51.80 seconds).
400 Hurdles
Princewell Martin, Johnson C. Smith
Johnson C. Smith freshman Princewell Martin’s transcendent outdoor season continues with a national championship berth in the 400 hurdles. Martin took home his first career conference title in the event, breezing through in just 52.74 seconds. This time is dwarfed by his season-best of 51.27 seconds, the 11th-best qualifying time in the field.
4×100 Relay
Albany State
For the third straight season, Albany State has a team competing in the men’s 4×100 relay at Outdoor Nationals. In a unit that includes 400m qualifier Nembhard-Belcher, the Golden Rams have the seventh-best time in the country of 39.76 seconds.
4×400 Relay
Lincoln (Mo.)
After finishing in second in this event at last year’s Outdoor National Championships, Lincoln (Mo.) returns to the 4×400 relay field to finish the job. This team includes Keano Charles and Donovon Bruce, each of whom finished in the top five of the 400m final at GLVC Championships.
Lincoln (Pa.)
It will be a Lincoln sweep in the men’s 4×400 relay as the Pennsylvania representatives will be joining their Missouri counterparts at Nationals. The CIAA 4×100 Relay champions are highlighted by the 400m champion Carlo Johnson, the third-place finisher Sahfi Reed, and the 400 hurdles second-place finisher Phillip Burney.
Long Jump
Zach Washington, Benedict
Returning to Outdoor Nationals for the second straight year is Benedict long jumper Zach Washington. Washington finished in fifth place in the long jump at last year’s event and in this year’s Indoor National Championships. He claimed the SIAC championship, posting a mark 0.20m ahead of second place. The senior enters tied for seventh place in the long jump field with a season-best 7.61m mark.
Triple Jump
Malik Drummond, Lincoln (Mo.)
Lincoln (Mo.) Malik Drummond returns to the Outdoor championship stage for the second straight year, looking to build on his strong 2026 season. Finishing fourth in the triple jump at the Indoor National Championships, Drummond has finished in the top 3 of every long jump event during this outdoor season. Of his eight events, he placed first five times, including a win at the GLVC Championships.
Discus Throw
Zachary Jones, Virginia Union
Rounding out the men’s participants is Virginia Union junior Zachary Jones, making his first career National Championship appearance. After claiming the CIAA Indoor championship in Shot Put, Jones went on a win streak to begin the Outdoor season in the discus throw, leading to his second straight CIAA championship in the event. He has the seventh-best qualifying mark in the National Championship field.
Women
100m
Chavondria Crimes, Albany State
Making her first appearance on the National Championship stage is Albany State junior Chavondria Crimes. Crimes makes it into the National 100m field with a season-best time of 11.50 seconds (14th best in Division II). She finished second at the SIAC championships.
100m, 200m
Cadence Cray, Albany State
Crimes’ teammate, Cadence Cray, who took home the 100m championship at the SIAC championships, will compete for the 100m and 200m National Championship double. Craw won the conference titles in each event, boasting top-20 times in the country.
100 Hurdles
Aaliyanah Anderson, Lincoln (Mo.)
The most populous event for HBCU athletes in the Division II Outdoor National Championships is the 100 hurdles. The first of three athletes set to compete is Lincoln (Mo.) junior Aaaliyanah Anderson, appearing in Outdoor Nationals for the third time in her career (second time in the 100 hurdles). The two-time GLVC 100 hurdle champion has the eighth-best time of all qualifiers. At Indoor Nationals, she made it to the finals of the 60-meter hurdles.
Charnessa Reid, Winston-Salem State
Charnessa Reid returns to the Outdoor National Championships, where she placed fourth at last year’s event in the 100 hurdles. Red fell short of her second straight CIAA championship, coming in third with a time of 14.09 seconds in the finals. She holds a season-best time of 13.70 seconds (tied for 16th best in the country).
100, 400 Hurdles
Morgan Coverson-Springs, Claflin
Rounding out the list of HBCU athletes in the women’s 100m championship field is Claflin’s Morgan Coverson-Springs. Also taking part in the 400 hurdles, Coverson-Springs ranks in the top 10 in each event, including fourth in the 100 hurdles with a season-best time of 13.43 seconds.
400 Hurdles
Odeshia Nanton, Lincoln (Mo.)
National Championship veteran Odeshia Nanton returns to the big stage for the third time in her career. Nanton enters after having claimed her third straight 400-hurdle conference championship (second straight in the GLVC). She is tied for the 13th-best time in the field with a season-high of 59.05 seconds.
4×100 Relay
Albany State
Albany State makes it into the 4×100 relay pool with a team that includes 100m competitors [Cadence] Cray and [Chavondria] Crimes. The Golden Rams took home the SIAC title in a season-best 45.07-second time, tied for 12th best in Division II.
Claflin
Joining Albany State in the 4×100 relay field is Claflin on a team that features three of four athletes who claimed conference titles at CIAA championships. They have the second-best time of all relay teams this season, having posted a 44.34-second mark.
4×400 Relay
Lincoln (Mo.)
Lincoln (Mo.), the reigning 4×400 relay National Champions, returns to the big stage to defend their title. This, however, is an entirely different team from the previous year that finished second at the GLVC Championships.
Triple Jump
Jhnyia Knuckles, Claflin
Rounding out the list of HBCU athletes that will compete at the Outdoor Track & Field Championships is the only woman’s field athlete, Claflin junior Jhnyia Knuckles. This is Knuckles’ second-straight year qualifying for Outdoor Nationals in the triple jump. She enters tied for 12th in the country with a mark of 12.40m.
