The Rutgers track and field program returned from Lincoln, Nebraska, with the kind of finish that backs up the huge buildup given to their latest meet. Across three days at the 2026 Big Ten Outdoor Championships this past weekend, the Scarlet Knights collected 12 podium finishes, an individual Big Ten title, two school records, and what program director Bobby Farrell says will be the program’s biggest NCAA Championships group ever. “It was great to break a few records and get a champion,” said Farrell,
the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. “It’s been a historic year and a lot to build on for the future. Plus, we’re excited to send the most ever to NCAAs in two weeks.” Farrell’s bold prediction back in March finally came true, and it was the hard work of his athletes that proved him right. Friday opened slowly for Rutgers on the scoreboard, but with real storylines running underneath. In the men’s javelin, senior Robert Paneque hit 67.25m for his best mark in three trips to the Big Ten Championships, finishing seventh. Junior Justin Kolpan, who won the IC4A title in April and entered Lincoln after a 68.97m throw at the Hurricane Invitational, took eighth in his Big Ten debut at 65.57m. Together, they accounted for both men’s podium finishes on Day 1. Junior Bryce Tucker did the day’s eye-catching work on the track, winning his heat of the 400m hurdles in 50.54, the third-fastest time in program history and just 0.01 off the leader. This mark advanced him to Sunday’s final. On the women’s side, sophomore Kelseigh O’Neil ran a 34:51.11 in the 10,000m to take 10th, the third-best 10K time in school history and the best by a Scarlet Knight at this meet. Graduate javelin thrower Alianna Eucker, the program’s school record holder in the event, did not finish in scoring position. Unfortunately, despite the strong showing, the women’s team left Day 1 without a point on the board. If Friday felt patient, Saturday belonged to Celine-Jada Brown. The senior won the Big Ten women’s long jump with a leap of 6.48m, becoming the first Rutgers women’s Big Ten champion since pole vaulter Chloe Timberg in 2024. Brown was later named to the All-Big Ten First Team for the performance. Brown’s gold came inside a strong day for the program in the long jump pit. On the men’s side, graduate Sincere Robinson, who entered the meet with the No. 2 long jump in the nation at 8.13m, took bronze with a 7.88m mark, finishing behind Minnesota’s repeat champion Charles Godfred, who had a mark of 7.99m. Senior Donavan Anderson placed seventh at 7.54m to give Rutgers two men’s long jump podium finishes on the day. Graduate Charlee Crawford added a fifth-place finish in the women’s 400m at 53.06 to round out the scoring. By the end of Day 2, Rutgers’ women had climbed from last to eighth in the team standings, while the men sat in a tie for eighth. The closing day delivered the biggest haul yet as there were seven podium finishes and another piece of program history. In the men’s pole vault, brothers Brian and Kevin O’Sullivan each cleared a school-record 5.62m, with senior Kevin earning bronze on fewer attempts and junior Brian taking fourth. Kevin had owned the previous program mark at 5.60m, set at the IC4A Championships in April. The brothers had traded the school record back and forth three times this spring, and on Sunday, they tied it together. The men’s 4x100m relay added the second school record of the day. Daniel Duncan, Shamali Whittle, Greg McQueen, and freshman Andrew Boakye finished fifth at 39.16, breaking the program mark of 39.37 set by Duncan, Whittle, McQueen, and Zach Love at the season opener in March. The women’s 4x100m of Llyric Driscoll, Naylah Jones, Paige Floriea, and Cynthia Boakye reached the podium as well, finishing seventh in 44.62, the second-best time in program history. Senior Joseph Oduro continued his late-season run in the triple jump, setting a personal best of 15.63m to take seventh, the No. 2 mark in school history. Tucker added a sixth-place finish in the 400m hurdles final at 51.95. The women’s 4x400m of Sierra Latonnel, Floriea, Cynthia Boakye, and Success Duruzor closed Sunday with an eighth-place finish in 3:38.79. Rutgers will now turn its attention to the NCAA East First Round from May 27-30 in Lexington, Kentucky, with Farrell promising a program-record contingent. Last year’s outdoor cycle sent eight Scarlet Knights to the NCAA Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. By Farrell’s count, the 2026 group will go past that mark. “We can’t wait to get down to Kentucky,” he said. If the spring’s school-record pace and Sunday’s seven podiums are any indication, the rest of the Rutgers Track and Field postseason might not be done just yet.
