A powerhouse blend of gold-medal grit, breakout performances, and raw emotion fuels Georgia’s dominant championship run in Eugene.
They didn’t just win—they soared. On a sun-drenched Saturday in Eugene, Oregon, the University of Georgia women’s track and field team crushed expectations and competitors alike, seizing their first-ever NCAA outdoor championship in emphatic fashion. With 73 points on the board, the Bulldogs left traditional titans like USC and Texas A&M trailing far behind.
For a program that had tasted moments of glory but never stood atop the outdoor mountain, this was a thunderclap moment.
Dominant in Numbers, Fearless in Spirit
By the time the final relay baton crossed the finish line, there was no doubt who ruled Hayward Field.
It wasn’t close. Georgia didn’t merely edge out the win—they owned it. The Bulldogs’ 73-point total dwarfed runner-up USC’s 47 and Texas A&M’s 43. The scoreboard told a story of dominance, but it was the women behind the numbers who made it unforgettable.
Head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert, in just her fourth season at the helm, pulled off what many thought would take a decade. And fittingly, she did it against her former school, USC, where she previously won national titles in 2018 and 2021.
What changed the game? Let’s talk names.
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Aaliyah Butler, the Olympic gold medalist, delivered a blistering 49.26 in the 400 meters—the fifth-fastest time in collegiate history.
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Dejanea Oakley backed her up with a 49.65, good for eighth all-time.
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Stephanie Ratcliffe set the tone days earlier with a mammoth hammer throw of 234 feet, 2 inches.
From Shot Puts to Sky-High Jumps: Points Came From Everywhere
This win wasn’t built on one athlete’s shoulders—it came from everywhere. Georgia’s squad spread its talent across disciplines, stacking up points like it was clockwork.
Elena Kulichenko, who tied for the high jump title last year, came back with vengeance. The Russian-born jumper soared 6 feet, 5 inches to win outright this time.
A moment later? Michelle Smith, just a freshman, locked in third in the 400-meter hurdles. Her time—55.20. Her impact? Massive. That single finish mathematically clinched the team title.
And don’t forget Skylynn Townsend, whose sixth-place finish in the triple jump (44-4¼) quietly added crucial points that pushed Georgia further ahead.
Finishing Strong: The 4×400 Was the Icing
Georgia could’ve coasted to the finish. But instead, they closed like champions.
The 4×400-meter relay team came out with fire and finished with fury. When the baton reached Aaliyah Butler for the anchor leg, it was game over. She stormed past the competition and crossed at 3:23.62—enough for the win, and more importantly, the exclamation point.
This wasn’t just for glory—it was personal.
One by one, the team erupted. Tears, hugs, shouts. Years of hard work, heartbreaks, near-misses—it all poured out.
The Building Blocks That Made History
Let’s not forget: Georgia came into the final day already in the lead. Thursday’s field events set the tone, thanks to powerhouse performances that laid the foundation for Saturday’s fireworks.
Here’s how the Bulldogs built their 73-point avalanche:
| Event | Athlete | Result | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer Throw | Stephanie Ratcliffe | 234 ft, 2 in (1st) | 10 |
| 400 Meters | Aaliyah Butler | 49.26 (1st) | 10 |
| Dejanea Oakley | 49.65 (2nd) | 8 | |
| High Jump | Elena Kulichenko | 6 ft, 5 in (1st) | 10 |
| 400m Hurdles | Michelle Smith | 55.20 (3rd) | 6 |
| Triple Jump | Skylynn Townsend | 44-4¼ (6th) | 3 |
| 4x400m Relay | Butler & Team | 3:23.62 (1st) | 10 |
| Others (combined) | 16 |
That’s how you build a champion.
Coach Smith Gilbert: The Architect of a Dream
Make no mistake, this title is as much about leadership as it is about athleticism.
Caryl Smith Gilbert didn’t walk into a dynasty. She built one. Since taking over in 2021, she’s brought a level of intensity, culture, and belief that turned Georgia into a legit national powerhouse.
And yes, she’s no stranger to the pressure. Having already won twice at USC, she knows what winning feels like—but this one? It hit different.
“We’ve been working for this for years,” she reportedly told ESPN. “They believed, every single one of them. And look what they did.”
Smith Gilbert’s fingerprints are on every medal, every personal best, every hug at the finish line.
History Made, But the Journey’s Far From Over
This title wasn’t just a trophy—it was a message.
Georgia’s women have arrived. And with a core of freshmen and sophomores stepping up under the brightest lights, there’s a good chance this isn’t a one-off.
What happens next? Nobody knows.
But for now, they can enjoy what they’ve earned. A place in the record books. A legacy for future Bulldogs to chase. And one unforgettable night in Eugene that’ll live forever.
