NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt track and field team wrapped up its outdoor regular season with a full-team performance at the Music City Challenge, during which the Commodores had three event wins, a total of 28 top-five finishes, three school records, and a handful of other personal bests and program top 10 updates. It was fitting that on the day Vanderbilt recognized the Class of 2026 and thanked them for their contributions to the program, it was often those names seen making waves.
“I thought it was a good performance,” director of cross country and track and field Althea Thomas said. “First of all, it was amazing to recognize the 21 seniors who we honored and the fact that this was our first senior class that we recruited. So it was very special, and to have 21—the most seniors we’ve ever had—was amazing. Everyone really showed up and did well; we had at three school records and a lot of top 10 performances.
“We really enjoy performing at home and this was a time where we could put it all together and get ready for championships. So I felt really good about it.”
The Dores opened up Day 2 with a 2-3-4 finish in the high jump invite. Mackenzie Dagrosa matched her outdoor personal best in the high jump, clearing the 1.76-meter bar to finish second, followed by Rowan Houston and Marta Sivina both setting new personal bests at 1.72 meters. Houston and Sivina’s marks moved them into a tie for 10th all-time.
Lena Gooden placed third in the triple jump with a top mark of 12.18 meters and Anaya Webster finished right behind her with a mark of 12.16 meters. Sarah Marvin also notched a fourth-place finish in the shot put invite, twice throwing 15.30 meters.
Vanderbilt had another 2-3-4 outcome in its first track event of the day, with Faith Franklin, Josie Donelson, and Madyson Wilson finishing one after another in the 400-meter dash. Franklin posted a time of 52.53 seconds, Donelson 52.61 seconds, and Wilson came across the line in 52.99 seconds, setting a new personal best in the event and moving into a tie with Donelson for fifth all-time.
Falon Spearman, fresh off her program-record-setting qualifying time on Friday, claimed second in the 100-meter hurdles finals on Saturday with a time of 13.20 seconds. Taylor McKinnon ran the race in 13.58 seconds to come in fifth. Gianna Bullock ran in the open 100-meter hurdles and took fourth with a time of 14.04 seconds.
Two Commodores, Danielle Dunning and Alima Kassim, qualified for the 100-meter finals, with the pair finishing within the top four in the finals. Dunning ran a personal best 11.66 seconds in the finals, 0.21 seconds faster than her previous best time, to place second and Kassim ran it in 11.94 seconds to take fourth.
Jayden Hill reset her Vanderbilt record in the 800 meters on Saturday, the third time this season—and second in the last two weeks—she’s set or reset the record. Hill closed the race with a time of 2:02.62, beating her previous personal best by 0.42 seconds and moving her into the top-30 nationally in the 800.
Bringing a close to the Music City Challenge was the 4×400-meter relay team of Joy Moorer, Wilson, Mya Georgiadis, and Mackenzie Culpepper, who combined to finish in 3:46.76 and place fourth.
Vanderbilt is back in action May 14-16 when the Commodores head to Auburn, Alabama, for the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
