JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the final day of the NCAA East First Rounds, High Point University women’s track and field team had two athletes compete in the quarterfinals in their respective events. Brianna Malone raced in the women’s 1500m, and Alyssa Hendrix ran in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
 
Malone qualified for the quarterfinals after placing top 20 in the first rounds on Thursday afternoon. She went out in the second heat of the 1500m and stayed on pace with the top runners, helping her shatter the program and Big South records with a 4:11.37 time. Her new record time placed her in 14th overall to close out her first NCAA East First Round appearance.
 
Hendrix competed in the 3000m steeplechase immediately following Malone’s 1500m in the first heat. She recorded a 10:21.20 time and placed 26th out of 48 competitors to close out her final season of college.  
 
UP NEXT:
The three NCAA Championship qualifiers – Sydney Horn, Ricardo Montes de Oca and Cole Wilson – will train over the next week to prepare for their trip to Eugene, Oregon. Nationals will begin on June 11 at Hayward Field.
 

#GoHPU x #DefendTheTeam

TEMPE – The Collegiate Water Polo Association has announced the 2025 ACWPC All-American teams and Sun Devils’ junior Millie Quin made the third team and freshman Itziar Almeda earned an honorable mention nod.

The pair of attackers are the second duo in Sun Devil history to each record 100+ points in a season after leading Sun Devil Water Polo to a 19-9 record. This marks back-to-back years for a Sun Devil pair to each record 100+ points in a season.

The selections were picked by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) and are selected based on nominations and voted on by the head coaches of each varsity program.

CLOVIS, Calif. — A transgender athlete bested the competition Saturday at the California high school track and field championship to take home gold in the girls high jump and the triple jump at a meet that has stirred controversy and drawn national attention.

AB Hernandez competed under a new rule change that may be the first of its kind nationally by a high school sports governing body.

Hernandez finished the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 7 inches, with no failed attempts. Co-winners Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle also cleared that height after each logged a failed attempt. The three shared the first-place win, smiling as they stepped together onto the podium.

Hernandez wrapped up the night with a first place finish in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher who trailed by just over a half-meter. Earlier in the afternoon, Hernandez placed second in the long jump.

Olympians Marion Jones and Tara Davis-Woodhall previously set state championship records in the long jump in 1993 and 2017, respectively, both surpassing 22 feet. This year’s winner, Loren Webster, topped 21 feet, with Hernandez trailing by a few inches.

The California Interscholastic Federation announced the new policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez’s success heading into the championships. Under the policy, the federation allowed an additional student to compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified.

The two-day championship kicked off Friday in sweltering heat at a high school near Fresno. Temperatures reached the triple digits during Saturday’s finals.

SEE ALSO: Protesters gather as California transgender student-athlete competes in CIF finals amid controversy

The atmosphere was relatively quiet despite critics – including parents, conservative activists and President Donald Trump – calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing. Some critics wore pink bracelets and T-shirts that read, “Save Girls’ Sports.”

During Friday’s qualifying events, an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour with a banner: “No Boys in Girls’ Sports!” Two groups that oppose transgender athletes participating in women’s sports – the Independent Council on Women’s Sports and Women Are Real – took credit for flying the banner.

California at center of national debate

The federation’s rule change reflected efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls’ participation in youth sports.

“The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law,” the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change.

A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women’s sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats.

The federation announced the change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then.

READ MORE: Threatening to withhold funding for California, Trump cites case of transgender athlete at IE school

The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez’s high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law.

California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

The federation said the rule opens the field to more “biological female” athletes. One expert said the change may itself be discriminatory because it creates an extra spot for “biological female” athletes but not for other trans athletes.

The federation did not specify how it defines “biological female” or how it would verify whether a competitor meets that definition.

Sophia Lorey, outreach director with California Family Council, was among those at the stadium Saturday. She said the federation’s policy is not a fix for the issue and only ends up causing more confusion.

“At the end of the day,” Lorey said, “it shows the girls that we know this is wrong and we’re still letting it happen to you.”

Hernandez told the publication Capital & Main this month that she cannot worry about critics.

“I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person,” she said.

Other students break records

California’s championship stands out from that of other states because of the sheer number of competitors. The state had the second-largest number of students participating in outdoor track and field in the nation during the 2023-2024 school year, behind Texas, according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

The boys 100-meter heats also were a highlight, with junior Jaden Jefferson of De La Salle High School in Concord finishing in 10.01 seconds Friday, 0.19 seconds faster than a meet record set in 2023. But he fell just shy of making it count as a meet record with a final time of 10.27 seconds in Saturday’s final.

Athletes set new meet records in several events, including boys and girls relay races, hurdle competitions and the boys pole vault.

RELATED:
Central Valley lawmakers call for removal of transgender athlete from upcoming CIF girls finals
DOJ investigating whether CA violated federal law by allowing transgender athletes in girls’ sports

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Tia Oliver concluded Sacramento State’s time at the NCAA West First Round by placing 40^th in the women’s steeplechase at Texas A&M.
 
Oliver, who was making her first appearance at the NCAA postseason outdoor meet, ran the race in 10:41.70. The senior will depart Sacramento State as the school record holder in the steeplechase (10:24.82). She is also ninth in the indoor mile (4:58.07) and second in the indoor 3K (9:45.23).
 
The Hornets had six student-athletes compete at the NCAA West First Round, its highest total since 2019. Senior Miles Grant was able to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the high jump. He will compete on June 13 in Eugene, Ore.
 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The North Carolina Central University men’s and women’s track and field teams had five qualifiers compete at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships East First Round on May 28-31 at Hodges Stadium.

Division I student-athletes from all over the East region battled for a spot in the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Only the top 12 qualifiers from each event could punch their ticket to Hayward Field, meeting up with the same number of qualifiers from the West region first round at Texas A&M.

Melanne Sutton opened for NCCU on May 29 in the women’s 100m first round. Sutton finished 37^th in the preliminary round in 11.47 seconds out of 48 sprinters. The top three from each heat, along with the six fastest times advanced to the next round. Sutton finished seventh in her heat.

The next day, Malcolm Forbes competed in the men’s triple jump. The junior leaped 14.49m in his first round, but closed out the third round with a mark of 14.57m, placing 41^st in the event.

Jonathan Raijon-Koger was two spots outside of the top 12 in the men’s high jump, hanging tough in the event. Raijon-Koger cleared 2.10m, tying for 14^th overall. Fellow Eagle Theodore Skinner didn’t record a height in the event.

Tia Lucas was also in striking distance in the women’s high jump on the final day. Lucas tied for 17^th after clearing 1.74m in her second jump. She attempted the 1.79m mark but couldn’t successfully clear it, which would have topped her personal record of 1.77m.

With the conclusion of the postseason for NC Central, the Maroon & Gray will turn its attention to reaching new heights next season.

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.

2024: Appeared in five matches and nine sets, making two starts … Averaged 0.82 kills per set and finished the year with two digs and four blocks … Had five kills, two digs and two blocks in her first-collegiate appearance at Penn (Oct. 5) … Had three kills and a block at Columbia (Nov. 16).

Before Brown: Played volleyball at Hinsdale Central High School … Was named All-State Second Team and AVCA All-Region Team … Named All-Conference three times and was three time Athlete of the Month … Played for 1st Alliance Volleyball Club and took first in both the Windy City Qualifier and Great Lakes Region (Open Divisions) … Placed third overall at Nationals in the Open Division … Is a four-time member of the All-State Academic Team, four-time member of the Dean’s List and National Merit Finalist.

Personal: Father Michael and brothers Michael and Will played football at Michigan. Mother Kimberly was a track & field athlete at Ohio State. Third brother Charlie played football at Columbia.

Why Brown?: “I chose Brown because of the unique opportunity to compete at a university that offers both high academics and athletics. The team and coaching staff were immediately welcoming and cultivated a culture I couldn’t wait to be a part of.”