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Tennessee Dominates with 10 Event Titles at McFerrin 12 Degree Invitational!

Tennessee Track & Field Shines at McFerrin 12 Degree Invitational, Winning 10 Titles and Setting a School Record

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Tennessee track & field program made an impressive start to the new year in the Lone Star State, securing 10 first-place finishes and delivering several standout performances at the McFerrin 12 Degree Invitational on Friday at Texas A&M’s R.A. Fasken Indoor Track & Field Facility.

The Vols and Lady Vols claimed victories across the throws, sprints, hurdles, and relays, and also earned two strong runner-up finishes in the pole vault. In total, Tennessee amassed 36 top-five finishes, 13 top-10 marks in school history, and set one new school record at the meet.

Men’s Notables

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Nigerian freshman Consider Ekanem made a stunning debut for Tennessee, capturing first place in the men’s 60-meter final with a time of 6.57 seconds. This personal best is the fifth-fastest in school history and currently leads the SEC for the 2025 season, ranking second among NCAA Division I sprinters for the 2024-25 indoor season.

Teammate T’Mars McCallum also excelled, delivering two impressive 6.61 performances in the 60-meter prelims and final. His time places him fourth in the NCAA this season and seventh on Tennessee’s all-time list.

Cade Gray, returning from a redshirt year, made an unforgettable Tennessee debut in the men’s pole vault with a clearance of 5.56m (18-3), setting a meet record and ranking No. 4 on the Vols’ all-time indoor list while sharing the collegiate lead early in the 2025 season.

Redshirt senior Canaan Anderson set a new men’s 1,000-meter school record with a time of 2:23.38, surpassing Alex Kay’s previous mark of 2:23.91 from 2021. Freshman Gavin Genisio also made history, setting the freshman 1k record at Tennessee with a time of 2:26.15, breaking Kay’s rookie record of 2:26.97 from 2020.

In the throws, rookie Aidan Ifkovits opened the meet with a win in the 35-pound weight throw, marking a distance of 19.01m (62-4.5), narrowly missing the Vols’ all-time top 10 list. Redshirt junior John Bruder added to the team’s success with a victory in the shot put, throwing 18.38m (60-3.75) in his official debut for Tennessee.

Freshman Broderick Davis impressed in his first college meet by winning the men’s 60-meter hurdles final with a time of 7.95, ranking fourth among NCAA Division I freshmen this season.

Women’s Notables

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Lady Vol graduate student Myreanna Bebe made an impressive Tennessee debut in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a collegiate-leading time of 8.06 seconds in the prelims. Her performance tied for the third-fastest time in Lady Vol history.

Tennessee dominated the women’s 60-meter hurdles final, sweeping the top three spots with Bebe securing the win in 8.13 seconds. Layla Anderson finished second at 8.23, while Kiara Smith took third with a time of 8.42. All three marks rank among the top-20 nationally this season.

Freshman thrower Donna Douglas made an unforgettable collegiate debut, winning both the women’s weight throw (19.27m / 63-2.75) and shot put (15.34m / 50-4). Her performances rank No. 10 and No. 6 on Tennessee’s all-time indoor list, respectively.

True freshman Mya Strahm, who joined the Lady Vols just weeks ago, led the team in the pole vault, clearing 4.20 meters (13-9.25) for second place. This mark ranks No. 6 in UT indoor history and second among NCAA Division I freshmen, just two centimeters shy of the program’s freshman record.

Sophomore Faith Okwose claimed victory in the women’s 60-meter dash final with a lifetime-best 7.34 seconds, ranking seventh on the NCAA Division I list.

Fifth-year senior Brianna White put on a strong performance in the women’s 300-meter, running a lifetime-best time of 37.37 seconds. She won her heat, placed second overall, and moved up to No. 3 on Tennessee’s all-time list.

The Lady Vols also excelled in the women’s 1,000-meter race, with sophomore Ka’Myya Haywood dominating the event in 2:52.70. Freshman Kylie Feeney finished a close second with a time of 2:52.87.

Tennessee capped off the meet with a victory in the women’s 4×400-meter relay. The quartet of Javonya Valcourt, Kaniya Johnson, Cydney Wright, and Brianna White posted a time of 3:32.96. This performance ranks eighth in Lady Vol history and currently holds the collegiate lead, with White anchoring the relay with a split of 52.63 seconds.

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