LEXINGTON, Ky. – Junior Lucheyona Weaver, on the brink of her first NCAA outdoor championship, and her junior teammate Pebbles Scott showcased their skills during the second day of the 2024 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track and Field Facility on Thursday.
Following the men's competition on Wednesday, it was the ladies' turn to shine in their respective first-round events. Weaver, a seasoned competitor, took on the women's 100-meter hurdles, while Scott aimed to secure her spot in the quarterfinals of the 100 and 200 meters. For Weaver, it was another milestone in her season of firsts.
Weaver won her first indoor conference title, the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) 60H, in February and her first outdoor conference title, the CAA 110H, in May. Last week, she qualified for her first NCAA regional meet as the No. 16 seed with a personal record 13.11.
After Thursday, Weaver has another first. Weaver toppled her 13.11 record by running a personal-record 12.94 in the first round of the 100H to finish second in the fifth heat and become an automatic qualifier by finishing in the top 3 of her heat. Weaver will compete in her first NCAA quarterfinal for a chance to reach the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore., for the first time in her career.
Weaver finished behind UCF's Rayniah Jones in the fifth heat after Jones broke the facility record by running a 12.72. Scott also had the opportunity to compete in her first NCAA regional meet in an individual event after competing in the 4x400-meter relay last season at the NCAA East Prelims. In the 100m on Thursday, Scott finished seventh in the first heat with a time of 11.54, eliminating her from quarterfinal contention.
Later, Scott competed in the 200m and posted a 23.64. As a result, Scott finished sixth in the sixth heat to miss out on qualifying for the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Weaver will return Saturday night to compete in the 100H quarterfinals at 6:15.
The men return to action Friday night in the 110H, 400H, and 4x100-meter relay. Director of Track and Field Allen Johnson will choose his foursome to run the event from a list that includes senior Aveon Reid, redshirt freshman Jason Holmes, junior Jaeden Gumbs, senior Caleb Jackson, and freshmen Xzaviah Taylor and Isaiah Taylor. The race starts at 5 p.m.
The 110H is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Sophomore Thomas Smith IV, Holmes, and Reid hope to reach the semifinals in Eugene, Ore., June 5-8. Xzaviah Taylor and Reid will look to do the same in the 400H, which starts at 7:25 p.m.
