USC Earns Eight Finals Berths At NCAA T&F Championships

Wednesday, June 11

Eugene, Ore.

TBA

USC

NCAA Championships

Photo by: Travis Ellison

USC Earns Eight Finals Berths At NCAA T&F Championships

June 11, 2025 | Track & Field

Day 1 Results (PDF)

Thomas qualifies in three events, moves up Trojans' all-time 200m list

USC's men's track and field team earned eight berths to NCAA finals during the first day of the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships being held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. today (June 11).

To advance to a final at the NCAA Championships, an athlete had to finish in the top two of his heat or have one of the next three fastest times.

The Trojans began the day with the men's 4x100m relay team taking second in its heat with a time of 38.71 to automatically advance to the event final on Friday at 5:02 p.m. The group of senior Travis Williams, junior Max Thomas, grad transfer Taylor Banks and sophomore transfer Edward Nketia ran the seventh-fastest 4x100m relay in school history. USC's time ended up ninth among the qualifiers.
Thomas and Nketia qualified for the 100m final on Friday at 5:52 p.m., the first NCAA 100m final for both runners. Thomas automatically advanced by taking second in his heat with a time of 10.09 (+0.1) and Nketia placed third in his semifinal heat and had the final nonautomatic qualifying time of 10.10 (-0.2). The pair had the eighth and ninth-fastest qualifying times to the final, respectively. Junior JC Stevenson had a time of 10.19 to place 13^th overall, Williams had a time of 10.21 (-0.2) to finish 16^th overall and Banks had a time of 10.24 (-0.2) to finish 20^th overall. Stevenson and Williams earned second-team All-America honors in the 100m dash and Banks was honorable mention.
Junior William Jones took care of business in his men's 400m semifinal, placing second in his heat with a time of 45.12 to automatically advance to Friday's final at 6:02 p.m. Jones' time ended up third among the qualifiers to the final. This will be his first NCAA 400m final.
Senior Johnny Brackins Jr. placed second in his men's 400m hurdles semifinal heat with a time of 50.14 to automatically advance to the final on Friday at 6:27 p.m. His time was seventh among the qualifiers. It will be his first NCAA 400m hurdles final.
Junior transfer Garrett Kaalund won his 200m semifinal heat with a time of 20.01 (+0.4) to automatically advance to Friday's event final at 6:37 p.m. Thomas placed third in his semifinal with a PR of 20.02 (+0.9), the top nonautomatic qualifier. Kaalund advances third and Thomas fourth on time to the 200m final. Thomas also moved from seventh to sixth on USC's all-time 200m list. It will be the first NCAA 200m final for both runners. Nketia had a time of 21.08 (+0.4) to finish 23^rd and earn honorable mention All-America status.
The Trojans closed out the first day's action with the men's 4x400m relay team winning its heat with a time of 3:02.76 to automatically advance to Friday's final at 7:21 p.m. USC's team of sophomore Jacob Andrews, Jones, junior Jaelen Knox and Kaalund had the second-fastest time among the qualifiers.
After his 100m semifinals heat, Stevenson went over to compete in the long jump and fouled in his first two attempts. He landed a solid jump in the third round of 25-5.25/7.75 (+0.7), but that only landed him in 11^th place, an inch out of advancing to the finals and no chance to defend his 2024 NCAA long jump title. Stevenson earned second-team All-America honors in the long jump.
Brackins Jr. also competed in the men's 110m hurdles had a time of 13.60 (+1.1) to place seventh in his semifinal heat and 16th overall. Brackins Jr. earned second-team All-America honors.