The East Tennessee State University men’s and women’s track and field teams are sending split squads to two events during the second week of the outdoor season, according to a March 26 announcement. Five runners will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina for the 2026 Raleigh Relays, while five throwers will compete at the King University Invitational in Bristol.
The participation in these two meets allows ETSU athletes to gain more experience early in the outdoor season. The dual events also provide opportunities for team members to achieve strong marks within their conference.
At the Raleigh Relays, competition begins Friday at Paul Derr Track & Field Facility with a women’s 400-meter sprint at 1:30 p.m., followed by a women’s 3000-meter steeplechase at 5:00 p.m. On Saturday, ETSU athletes will take part in several events including the women’s 800-meter run at noon, men’s long jump at 2:00 p.m., women’s 200-meter sprint at 2:10 p.m., men’s 200-meter dash at 3:05 p.m., and conclude with the men’s 800-meter run scheduled for 3:45 p.m.
Recent performances have placed several ETSU athletes among Southern Conference leaders. Cook leads both the women’s 100- and 200-meter sprints; Smith holds first place in the men’s 200 meters and fourth in the men’s 400 meters; Lance is ranked fifth in the women’s 800 meters following last weekend’s Charlotte event.
Meanwhile, throwers competing at King University begin on Friday afternoon with entries into the women’s hammer throw. The men’s discus event starts Saturday morning. Freshman Winchester is currently sixth in conference rankings for women’s shot put and will attempt her first collegiate hammer throw this weekend.
More information about ETSU track & field can be found on ETSUBucs.com.
