RIVERSIDE, Calif. — UC San Diego track and field opened the 2026 outdoor season with a bang on Friday at the RCC Invitational, hosted by Riverside City College. The Tritons won the meet on both the men's and women's sides and finished the day with 16 event wins and six stadium records.
 
Qualification standards for The Big West Championships were reached by 26 Tritons. There were 11 additions or improvements to the team's top 10 all-time performances list, with Miles Bennett (high jump), Jaden Rucker (long jump) and the men's 4x100m team all now second all-time.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
On the Women's Side
Three distance runners won events for the Tritons. Dasha LeFaivre took the 800m title in 2:14.98, Sylvana Northrop won the 1,500m in 4:26.28 and Christel Elkins was victorious in the 3,000m a time of 9:51.38. Northrop's 1,500m is a new stadium record by almost four seconds.
 
The Tritons also had a strong showing in the field. Bella Di Silvestri made her collegiate debut, winning the pole vault event with a final mark of 3.80m. Feyi Olukanni claimed the shot put title with a throw of 14.19m. Both results also are stadium records.
 
Back on the track, two relay teams won their events. The 4x100m team of Jordyn Thomas, Eden Enoru, Brionna Dickens and Lauren McBride did so with a time of 47.03. The 4x400m team set a stadium record of 3:47.63, beating the old mark by five seconds. That group consisted of Rachel Aguilar, Eden Enoru, Jayla Addison and Jordyn Thomas.
 
On the Men's Side
The men's team had nine events wins, six of which came in the field. Miles Bennett won the high jump with a mark of 2.14m, setting a new stadium record in the process. Kenneth Tucker also won a jumping event with a 14.93m result in the triple jump.
 
Zach Lewis had a great day with two event wins. He was victorious in shot put with a final mark of 16.99m before winning discus after throwing 53.21m. Fellow thrower Bryan Chang won the hammer throw at a distance of 57.02m, and Kyle Wood finished on top in javelin with a 54.88m toss, narrowly beating out teammate Sam Betz's 54.62m.
 
A victory in the 4x100m relay also came on the men's side. Jordan Agbettor, Brandon Orlow, Antrell Harris and Anthony Flowers combined to run a stadium-record 40.41. Orlow then won the 200m in 21.37, with Agbettor winning the 400m in 48.62 during his collegiate debut.
 
QUOTABLE
"Great start for the Tritons," head coach Kim Graham-Miller said. "We are really excited about this outdoor season."
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons will be back in action next weekend at two meets. San Diego State's Aztec Coastal Track Classic and Distance Carnival will be across town on Friday, Mar. 13. Fellow Big West school Cal State Fullerton is hosting the Ben Brown Invitational on Saturday, Mar. 14.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.