ELON, N.C. — William & Mary track & field closed out a strong opening day at the 2026 Coastal Athletic Association Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday at the Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex on the campus of Elon University, highlighted by multiple event titles, program records and All-CAA performances.
Following the first day of competition, the Tribe women sit second in the team standings with 59 points, while the men are also in second place with 52 points entering Saturday's championship finals.
Freshman Amelia Bawcombe delivered one of the top performances in program history, winning the women's hammer throw with a school freshman-record mark of 62.26m (204-3). The throw ranks third all-time in William & Mary history and currently stands No. 42 nationally this season.
Junior Elizabeth Strobach added another championship performance for the Tribe in the women's pole vault, clearing 4.28m (14-0.5) to win the event while breaking both the William & Mary school record and the CAA Championship meet record. Her mark ranks No. 32 nationally this season. Graduate student Kalli Knott also earned All-CAA honors in the event, tying for third with a clearance of 4.03m (13-2.5), the fifth-best mark in program history.
Freshman Leighton McGee claimed the men's pole vault title after clearing 4.75m (15-7) to score 10 points for the Tribe.
William & Mary also earned multiple additional All-CAA performances in the field events. Sophomore Elaina Perkins placed second in the women's javelin with a throw of 43.30m (142-0), while junior Raiden Lafortune finished runner-up in the men's javelin with a personal-best throw of 63.88m (209-7). Lafortune's mark ranks No. 95 nationally and keeps him ninth all-time in program history.
Junior Tia Taylor earned All-CAA honors in the women's long jump, finishing third with a leap of 5.80m (19-0.5).
On the track, junior Hayes Trapp earned All-CAA honors in the men's 10,000m, placing third in 29:58.84. In the men's 3,000m steeplechase, graduate student Luke Ellwood and junior Eric Fagan both reached the podium, finishing second and third, respectively, with times of 9:19.31 and 9:19.34.
Freshman Veronica Znajda added another strong distance performance for the Tribe, placing fourth in the women's 3,000m steeplechase with a personal-best 10:50.77, moving to ninth all-time in program history.
William & Mary also posted strong results in Friday's preliminary rounds. In the men's 1500m prelims, Brendan DiStefano, Henry Anderson, Caleb Wilcox, Amberson Bauer and Hayden Goodman each recorded qualifying performances to advance to Saturday's finals. Jonathan Kumer and freshman Colby Twyman also qualified for the men's 800m final, while freshman Finn Middleton advanced to the men's 110m hurdles final with a personal-best time of 14.02. Junior Kennedy Reynolds also qualified for the women's 400m hurdles final with a time of 1:01.01, a mark that ranks seventh all-time in program history.
What's Next?
The CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships conclude Saturday, May 16, with field events beginning in the morning and championship finals on the track throughout the afternoon at the Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex in Elon, N.C.
