Completed Event: Track & Field at Raleigh Relays on March 26, 2026 , , Completed
T-F
Final
James Madison
at Raleigh Relays
Completed
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Byrd Qualifies for NCAA East First Round
5/21/2026 1:15:00 PM | Track & Field
INDIANAPOLIS – Freshman Bria Byrd will represent James Madison track & field in the long jump at the NCAA East First Round in Lexington, Ky., May 27-30, as announced by the NCAA on Thursday.
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The women's long jump is scheduled to compete at 6 p.m. ET at Kentucky's Outdoor Track and Field Complex. Fans can stream the action on ESPN+ for all four days and can visit NCAA.com for more information.
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Quoting Director Delethea Quarles
"We are excited to return to the national stage to represent our great university at the NCAA East First Round meet. It's a big deal to qualify for nationals and extra special as a freshman. Bria's hard work and commitment paid off this year with several amazing performances that also qualified her for the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships later in June. She is a great talent, a hard worker ,and an even better person. Her future is very promising. Go Dukes!"
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Byrd enters the preliminary championship with a qualifying mark of 6.30m (20-8), which is tied for 22nd in the region. The effort – set at the Virginia Challenge in April – ranks second in program history and tied for second in the Sun Belt Conference this season.
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The Norfolk, Va. native is the first Duke to compete at regionals since Skyla Davidson (Triple Jump) and Shelby Staib (Javelin) qualified in 2023. Additionally, Byrd is the first true freshman to make the preliminary round since 2016, when Olivia Viparina qualified in the steeplechase.
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The 2026 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Track and Field Championships will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., June 10-13.
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Qualifying to the Championships site is accomplished through performance in the First Rounds. Twelve competitors from each individual event and twelve teams from each relay event advance from each First Round site. The individual event student-athletes and relay teams accepted into Championships competition based on their performance at the First Rounds will be announced and posted on NCAA.com the week prior to Championships competition.
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The last member of the JMU track & field program to advance to the Championships was thrower Amber Monroe in 2016. Monroe recorded a shot put mark of 16.67m (54-8.25) for sixth after entering the competition seeded No. 14. At the championships final site, Monroe finished 15th overall with an effort of 16.30m (53-5.75) to earn Second Team All-America honors.
Â
The women's long jump is scheduled to compete at 6 p.m. ET at Kentucky's Outdoor Track and Field Complex. Fans can stream the action on ESPN+ for all four days and can visit NCAA.com for more information.
Â
Quoting Director Delethea Quarles
"We are excited to return to the national stage to represent our great university at the NCAA East First Round meet. It's a big deal to qualify for nationals and extra special as a freshman. Bria's hard work and commitment paid off this year with several amazing performances that also qualified her for the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships later in June. She is a great talent, a hard worker ,and an even better person. Her future is very promising. Go Dukes!"
Â
Byrd enters the preliminary championship with a qualifying mark of 6.30m (20-8), which is tied for 22nd in the region. The effort – set at the Virginia Challenge in April – ranks second in program history and tied for second in the Sun Belt Conference this season.
Â
The Norfolk, Va. native is the first Duke to compete at regionals since Skyla Davidson (Triple Jump) and Shelby Staib (Javelin) qualified in 2023. Additionally, Byrd is the first true freshman to make the preliminary round since 2016, when Olivia Viparina qualified in the steeplechase.
Â
The 2026 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Track and Field Championships will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., June 10-13.
Â
Qualifying to the Championships site is accomplished through performance in the First Rounds. Twelve competitors from each individual event and twelve teams from each relay event advance from each First Round site. The individual event student-athletes and relay teams accepted into Championships competition based on their performance at the First Rounds will be announced and posted on NCAA.com the week prior to Championships competition.
Â
The last member of the JMU track & field program to advance to the Championships was thrower Amber Monroe in 2016. Monroe recorded a shot put mark of 16.67m (54-8.25) for sixth after entering the competition seeded No. 14. At the championships final site, Monroe finished 15th overall with an effort of 16.30m (53-5.75) to earn Second Team All-America honors.
Players Mentioned
Jumps/Sprints
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