University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
NCAA East Preliminary Round
Young & Umerah Qualify For National Championships
May 28, 2026 | Track & Field
LEXINGTON, KY- Spencer Young and Kosi Umerah both earned their first career trips to Hayward Field for the 2026 NCAA Championships.
Umerah punched her ticket to the national championship in the women's hammer throw. She is the first women's hammer thrower to qualify since Jill Shippee in 2022. Umerah is also the first athlete for coach Kitchell to earn a spot in the national championship, as Kitchell is in his first year as the throws coach. Umerah improved by 4.77 meters over the course of this season.
Young (51.05m) followed up Umerah's qualification with one of her own in the women's javelin. Young had the best series of her life, as she PRed in her first and third throws of the day. Coming into this year, Young's PR was 46.01m, and she improved by five meters, leaving today with a 51.05m personal best mark to advance, becoming the second straight javelin thrower to make it to Oregon, as Kate Joyce qualified last season.
Makayla Paige and Aaliyah Berry both advanced to the quarterfinals in the women's 800m and 100m hurdles. Paige finished 11th, but qualified as she finished second in her heat. Berry advanced by finishing third in her heat and 19th overall.
Berry will run at 6:25 p.m. and Paige will run at 7:05 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Thursday:
Women's Hammer Throw
10. Kosi Umerah, 62.46m (204-11)
Women's Javelin
9. Spencer Young, 51.05m (167-6)
Women's 100m Hurdles
19. Aaliyah Berry, 13.17 [Q]
37. Tori Goodson, 13.62
38. Kalani Witherspoon, 13.62
Women's 1,500m
29. Brynn Brown, 4:17.55
Women's Pole Vault
30. Annie Kerr, 4.07m (13-4¼)
43. Maddy Kelley ,3.92m 12-10¼
Women's 800m
11. Makayla Paige, 2:03.39 [Q]
30. Alli DeLesi, 2:05.43
43. Ella Auderset, 2:09.34
Women's 10,000m
29. Ciara O'Shea, 34:27.19
35. Maddie Gardiner, 34:53.46 .
