Friday, June 12
Eugene, OR.
Florida Gators
vs
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Nilsson is the fourth individual in Florida history to win a 400-meter hurdles title.// Photo by MJ Holloway
Vance Nilsson Hurdles His Way to National Title at NCAA Outdoor Championships
Saturday, June 13, 2026 | Track and Field
Nilsson is the first champion in the men’s 400-meter for the Gators since 2017.
EUGENE, Ore.– Vance Nilsson is a national champion.
The sophomore captured the first men's 400-meter hurdles title since 2017, headlining four All-American honors for Florida's men's track and field team on the final day of the men's NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Gators finished 15th as a team with 18 points.
Nilsson etched his name in collegiate history on his way to the first title of his career. The 2024 U20 world champion in the event, Nilsson burst off the blocks to establish an early lead. As the field closed in along the straightaway, Nilsson held-on to the lead, racing across the line in a collegiate-leading 48.06, making him the ninth-fastest 400-meter hurdler in collegiate history, the current world No. 9 and No. 2 all-time at Florida. The victory is the Orange & Blue's sixth individual title in the event.
Claiming his first individual All-American accolade in style, Nilsson gives the Gators their 23rd honor in the 400-meter hurdles. He finishes the 2026 season with three All-American honors, having also earned First Team recognition at the Indoor Championships as a member of the eighth place 4x400-meter relay team and Second Team on Friday night's 4x400-meter relay team that finished ninth in the standings. During outdoor season, the sophomore secured his first All-SEC award with a third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking a then fifth-best time in school history of 48.77, a time that he replicated at the NCAA East Preliminary.
Justin Braun captured his second individual All-American award on Friday evening, once again competing against the world's best in the 400-meter dash. Running out of lane five, the junior placed sixth with a time of 44.79, securing Florida's 35th All-American honor in the event en route to First Team distinction. The junior's effort gives the Orange & Blue an All-American in the 400 meters in seven of the last eight NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Braun's historic junior season came to a close on Friday, a campaign that saw him become the second Gator in program history to run a sub-44 time in the 400-meter dash, running 43.99 during the NCAA East Preliminary to join Champion Allison, who holds the school record at 43.70. Earlier this season, he captured runner-up honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 400 meters, posting the second-fastest indoor time in school history of 44.67.
In the field, Jarno van Daalen became the first Gator since 1991 to complete the shot put-discus double, collecting Second Team All-American honors in both events. After placing ninth in the shot put Wednesday, the freshman was sitting outside All-American range with a best throw of 56.16m/184-3 heading into final throws of trials. The freshman remained poised. On his final attempt of the day, he recorded his best toss since April, improving to 13th place with a mark of 58.91m/191-3. Van Daalen joins Kai Chang, who placed fifth in the discus at the 2024 Outdoor Championships, as the only Gators since 2007 to earn All-American honors in the event.
After giving the Orange & Blue its 10th All-American honor in the discus on Friday, van Daalen has officially concluded his freshman campaign. The Rotterdam, the Netherlands, native wraps up the season as a three-time All-American, with First Team recognition at the NCAA Indoor Championships by placing seventh in the shot put, in addition to this weeks' results. He also holds the No. 4 mark in Florida history in the discus of 64.60m/198-11 from the Tom Jones Memorial.
In his second NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance, Jaden Lippett claimed Honorable Mention All-America honors in the triple jump, placing 21st with a best jump of 15.43m/50-7.50 (+1.3) on his second attempt. The sophomore recorded the best jump of his Florida career, 16.01m/52-6.50 (+0.2), at the SEC Outdoor Championships, where he scored in seventh position.
Although the Gators did not finish the men's 4x400-meter relay final, their qualifying squad from Wednesday secured Florida's 30th All-American honor in the event with a ninth-place finish. The team of Jayden Horton-Mims, Nicholas Spikes, Malique Smith-Band and Justin Braun punched their ticket to the final with a time of 3:01.25, with Nilsson stepping in for the championship round to earn an additional All-American honor alongside his individual title.
Arkansas' men captured the 2026 outdoor title with 56 points, holding off Georgia's late surge, who ended with 46 points. Tennessee and LSU rounded out the top four with 45 and 42 points, respectively, making it an all-SEC podium sweep.
Heptathlon
Pauline Bikembo began her seven-event journey through the heptathlon on Friday morning with a career-best performance 100-meter hurdles. Entering the day with a personal-best time of 13.86 (-0.5), the junior surpassed that mark with ease, crossing the line at 13.71 (-0.3) to place first in her heat and eighth overall and collect 1020 points.
Bikembo carried momentum into the high jump with another outdoor personal-best performance. After clearing 1.63m/5-4.25, she matched her previous outdoor best of 1.66m/5-5.25 on her third attempt before clearing 1.69m/5-6.50 on her first try to add 842 points to her total.
The Saint-Leu-La-Foret, France, native recorded a toss of 11.11m/36-5.50 in the shot put for 602 points before ending her first day with a near personal-best finish in the 200-meter dash of 24.53 (+0.9), good for 930 points and second in heat two. As the lights go out on day one of the heptathlon, Bikembo sits in 17th with a cumulative 3394 points.
Up Next
The Florida women will wrap-up the 2026 Outdoor Championships on Saturday, with Alida van Daalen getting the action started at 2:30 p.m. ET in the women's discus, while track events will get going with Tia Wilson in the 1500 meters at 8:12 p.m. ET.
DAY THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Men's 400m Hurdles
Vance Nilsson - 48.06, PR, Collegiate Lead, No. 9 Collegiate History, No. 9 in World, No. 2 Florida Outdoor History
DAY THREE ALL-AMERICANS
Men's 400m
6. Justin Braun - 44.79, First Team All-American
Men's Shot Put
13. Jarno van Daalen - 58.91m/193-3, Second Team All-American
Men's 4x400m Relay
9. Jayden Horton-Mims, Nicholas Spikes, Malique Smith-Band, Justin Braun, Vance Nilsson - Second Team All-American
DAY THREE HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Men's Triple Jump
21. Jaden Lippett - 15.43m/50-7.50 (+1.3)
DAY ONE ALL-AMERICANS
Men's 10,000m
7. Kelvin Cheruiyot - 28:13.36, First Team All-American, School Record
Men's Javelin Throw
6. Leikel Cabrera Gay - 76.07m/249-7, First Team All-American
Men's Long Jump
11. Temoso Masikane - 7.73m/25-4.50 (+0.8), Second Team All-American
Men's Shot Put
9. Jarno van Daalen - 19.16m/62-10.50, Second Team All-American
DAY ONE HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Men's 1500m
22. Oussama Allaoui - 3:42.67
Men's Hammer Throw
18. Basel Abosina - 65.75m/215-8
BIKEMBO'S HEPTATHLON SCORE CARD - 3394 POINTS
100m Hurdles
8. 13.71 (-0.3), PR, 1020 points
High Jump
15. 1.69m/5-6.50, Outdoor PR, 842 points
Shot Put
23. 11.11m/36-5.50, 602 points
200m
14. 24.53 (+0.9), 930 points
The sophomore captured the first men's 400-meter hurdles title since 2017, headlining four All-American honors for Florida's men's track and field team on the final day of the men's NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Gators finished 15th as a team with 18 points.
Nilsson etched his name in collegiate history on his way to the first title of his career. The 2024 U20 world champion in the event, Nilsson burst off the blocks to establish an early lead. As the field closed in along the straightaway, Nilsson held-on to the lead, racing across the line in a collegiate-leading 48.06, making him the ninth-fastest 400-meter hurdler in collegiate history, the current world No. 9 and No. 2 all-time at Florida. The victory is the Orange & Blue's sixth individual title in the event.
Claiming his first individual All-American accolade in style, Nilsson gives the Gators their 23rd honor in the 400-meter hurdles. He finishes the 2026 season with three All-American honors, having also earned First Team recognition at the Indoor Championships as a member of the eighth place 4x400-meter relay team and Second Team on Friday night's 4x400-meter relay team that finished ninth in the standings. During outdoor season, the sophomore secured his first All-SEC award with a third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking a then fifth-best time in school history of 48.77, a time that he replicated at the NCAA East Preliminary.
Justin Braun captured his second individual All-American award on Friday evening, once again competing against the world's best in the 400-meter dash. Running out of lane five, the junior placed sixth with a time of 44.79, securing Florida's 35th All-American honor in the event en route to First Team distinction. The junior's effort gives the Orange & Blue an All-American in the 400 meters in seven of the last eight NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Braun's historic junior season came to a close on Friday, a campaign that saw him become the second Gator in program history to run a sub-44 time in the 400-meter dash, running 43.99 during the NCAA East Preliminary to join Champion Allison, who holds the school record at 43.70. Earlier this season, he captured runner-up honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 400 meters, posting the second-fastest indoor time in school history of 44.67.
In the field, Jarno van Daalen became the first Gator since 1991 to complete the shot put-discus double, collecting Second Team All-American honors in both events. After placing ninth in the shot put Wednesday, the freshman was sitting outside All-American range with a best throw of 56.16m/184-3 heading into final throws of trials. The freshman remained poised. On his final attempt of the day, he recorded his best toss since April, improving to 13th place with a mark of 58.91m/191-3. Van Daalen joins Kai Chang, who placed fifth in the discus at the 2024 Outdoor Championships, as the only Gators since 2007 to earn All-American honors in the event.
After giving the Orange & Blue its 10th All-American honor in the discus on Friday, van Daalen has officially concluded his freshman campaign. The Rotterdam, the Netherlands, native wraps up the season as a three-time All-American, with First Team recognition at the NCAA Indoor Championships by placing seventh in the shot put, in addition to this weeks' results. He also holds the No. 4 mark in Florida history in the discus of 64.60m/198-11 from the Tom Jones Memorial.
In his second NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance, Jaden Lippett claimed Honorable Mention All-America honors in the triple jump, placing 21st with a best jump of 15.43m/50-7.50 (+1.3) on his second attempt. The sophomore recorded the best jump of his Florida career, 16.01m/52-6.50 (+0.2), at the SEC Outdoor Championships, where he scored in seventh position.
Although the Gators did not finish the men's 4x400-meter relay final, their qualifying squad from Wednesday secured Florida's 30th All-American honor in the event with a ninth-place finish. The team of Jayden Horton-Mims, Nicholas Spikes, Malique Smith-Band and Justin Braun punched their ticket to the final with a time of 3:01.25, with Nilsson stepping in for the championship round to earn an additional All-American honor alongside his individual title.
Arkansas' men captured the 2026 outdoor title with 56 points, holding off Georgia's late surge, who ended with 46 points. Tennessee and LSU rounded out the top four with 45 and 42 points, respectively, making it an all-SEC podium sweep.
Heptathlon
Pauline Bikembo began her seven-event journey through the heptathlon on Friday morning with a career-best performance 100-meter hurdles. Entering the day with a personal-best time of 13.86 (-0.5), the junior surpassed that mark with ease, crossing the line at 13.71 (-0.3) to place first in her heat and eighth overall and collect 1020 points.
Bikembo carried momentum into the high jump with another outdoor personal-best performance. After clearing 1.63m/5-4.25, she matched her previous outdoor best of 1.66m/5-5.25 on her third attempt before clearing 1.69m/5-6.50 on her first try to add 842 points to her total.
The Saint-Leu-La-Foret, France, native recorded a toss of 11.11m/36-5.50 in the shot put for 602 points before ending her first day with a near personal-best finish in the 200-meter dash of 24.53 (+0.9), good for 930 points and second in heat two. As the lights go out on day one of the heptathlon, Bikembo sits in 17th with a cumulative 3394 points.
Up Next
The Florida women will wrap-up the 2026 Outdoor Championships on Saturday, with Alida van Daalen getting the action started at 2:30 p.m. ET in the women's discus, while track events will get going with Tia Wilson in the 1500 meters at 8:12 p.m. ET.
DAY THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Men's 400m Hurdles
Vance Nilsson - 48.06, PR, Collegiate Lead, No. 9 Collegiate History, No. 9 in World, No. 2 Florida Outdoor History
DAY THREE ALL-AMERICANS
Men's 400m
6. Justin Braun - 44.79, First Team All-American
Men's Shot Put
13. Jarno van Daalen - 58.91m/193-3, Second Team All-American
Men's 4x400m Relay
9. Jayden Horton-Mims, Nicholas Spikes, Malique Smith-Band, Justin Braun, Vance Nilsson - Second Team All-American
DAY THREE HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Men's Triple Jump
21. Jaden Lippett - 15.43m/50-7.50 (+1.3)
DAY ONE ALL-AMERICANS
Men's 10,000m
7. Kelvin Cheruiyot - 28:13.36, First Team All-American, School Record
Men's Javelin Throw
6. Leikel Cabrera Gay - 76.07m/249-7, First Team All-American
Men's Long Jump
11. Temoso Masikane - 7.73m/25-4.50 (+0.8), Second Team All-American
Men's Shot Put
9. Jarno van Daalen - 19.16m/62-10.50, Second Team All-American
DAY ONE HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA
Men's 1500m
22. Oussama Allaoui - 3:42.67
Men's Hammer Throw
18. Basel Abosina - 65.75m/215-8
BIKEMBO'S HEPTATHLON SCORE CARD - 3394 POINTS
100m Hurdles
8. 13.71 (-0.3), PR, 1020 points
High Jump
15. 1.69m/5-6.50, Outdoor PR, 842 points
Shot Put
23. 11.11m/36-5.50, 602 points
200m
14. 24.53 (+0.9), 930 points
Players Mentioned
FR/FR | Throws
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Distance
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Heptathlon
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Throws
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Distance
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Jumps
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Jumps
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Hurdles
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Throws
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Distance
/ Track and FieldTuesday, April 28
Saturday, February 07
Saturday, February 07
Thursday, January 22
