DePaul University Athletics
Friday, March 20
Orlando, Fla.
DePaul University
at
Black & Gold Invitational
Track and Field Opens Outdoor Season After Historic Indoor Run
3/19/2026 4:42:00 PM | TRACK AND FIELD
Blue Demons head to Black & Gold Invite at Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. – DePaul track and field opens the 2026 outdoor season March 20-21 at the UCF Black & Gold Challenge in Orlando, Fla., carrying momentum from one of the most significant indoor championship performances in program history.
The Blue Demons enter the outdoor opener following a historic showing at the 2026 BIG EAST Indoor Championships, where both the men's and women's teams placed runner-up on DePaul's home track at Gately Indoor. It marked the first time in program history both teams finished runner-up or better at the indoor conference championships and the first time DePaul achieved the feat in consecutive championship seasons following the 2025 outdoor meet.
DePaul capped the indoor postseason with 29 All-BIG EAST honors from 19 student-athletes, eight conference event titles and multiple individual conference awards.
UCF Invite
Competition opens Friday at 9:30 a.m. CT with the women's javelin, followed by field events throughout the day including long jump (11 a.m.), hammer throw (11:30 a.m.), pole vault (1 p.m.) and shot put (4 p.m.). Running events begin at 4 p.m. CT and continue into the evening with hurdles, sprints and distance races. Saturday's field events start at 9 a.m. CT, while running events begin at 10 a.m. CT and conclude with the 4x400-meter relays at approximately 3:10 p.m. CT.
Follow Along
Live results will be available via Half-Mile Timing, while Saturday's competition window (11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. CT) will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The Field
The Blue Demons will compete against a strong Division I field that includes UCF, Clemson, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, Yale, Iowa and VCU, as part of a 17-team field in Orlando.
Indoor Recap
The season opened with early success as Jaiden Gary and Jaiah Hopf earned wins at the Blue and Gold Invitational, while Katelyn Welsh cleared 3.50m to break the school record and become DePaul's first female pole vaulter. One week later at the Blue Demon Holiday Classic, the Blue Demons totaled 12 event titles and 21 personal bests.
In January, the Blue Demons continued to build momentum. Isabella Orozco set a school record in the 1000m at the Notre Dame Invitational, while Welsh extended her pole vault record. At the Meyo Invitational, both Ashleigh McArdle and Aubrey Phillips surpassed the previous pentathlon record, with Phillips closing the season as the program record holder. The same weekend saw Sade Miller lower her 60-meter school record, Daniel Fasasi win the 400m and the men's 4x400 relay post one of the top times in program history.
February brought continued success at Gately Indoor. Demetrius Rolle reset the men's 60-meter program record with a 6.69, while multiple Blue Demons added personal-best performances ahead of the postseason. Hopf and Joshua Hill each earned BIG EAST weekly honors during the indoor campaign.
That momentum carried into a landmark conference meet. Miller broke DePaul records in both the 60m and 200m during prelims before sweeping both events and earning BIG EAST High Point Performer of the Meet honors. Hopf claimed the triple jump title and Most Outstanding Performer in Field Events recognition, while Isaiah Hopf added a men's triple jump title. Aisha Kazeem (60m hurdles) and Fasasi (400m) also secured individual titles, and both 4x400-meter relays closed the meet with gold. Jaiah and Isaiah Hopf also made program history as siblings sweeping the men's and women's triple jump titles at the same BIG EAST Championship.
By season's end, the Blue Demons had reset multiple program records across the board. Miller's marks in the 60m and 200m and Rolle's 6.69 in the men's 60m headlined the sprints, while Orozco established a new standard in the 1000m and Welsh continued to raise the bar in the pole vault. In relays, the women's 4x400 team of Kayliah Motes, Nadja Moll, Kazeem and Claire Dunn set a school record of 3:41.35, while the 4x800 relay also established a new program mark. In the multis, Phillips closed the season as DePaul's pentathlon record holder.
Raising the Standard
The indoor championship finish marked a milestone for the program. For the first time in program history, both the men's and women's teams finished runner-up or better at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships. Combined with runner-up finishes at the 2025 outdoor championships, DePaul has now produced consecutive seasons with both programs finishing in the top two.
Up Next
The Blue Demons return to Illinois as they head to the Joyce Morton-Keif Invite in Normal, March 27-28.
The Blue Demons enter the outdoor opener following a historic showing at the 2026 BIG EAST Indoor Championships, where both the men's and women's teams placed runner-up on DePaul's home track at Gately Indoor. It marked the first time in program history both teams finished runner-up or better at the indoor conference championships and the first time DePaul achieved the feat in consecutive championship seasons following the 2025 outdoor meet.
DePaul capped the indoor postseason with 29 All-BIG EAST honors from 19 student-athletes, eight conference event titles and multiple individual conference awards.
UCF Invite
Competition opens Friday at 9:30 a.m. CT with the women's javelin, followed by field events throughout the day including long jump (11 a.m.), hammer throw (11:30 a.m.), pole vault (1 p.m.) and shot put (4 p.m.). Running events begin at 4 p.m. CT and continue into the evening with hurdles, sprints and distance races. Saturday's field events start at 9 a.m. CT, while running events begin at 10 a.m. CT and conclude with the 4x400-meter relays at approximately 3:10 p.m. CT.
Follow Along
Live results will be available via Half-Mile Timing, while Saturday's competition window (11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. CT) will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The Field
The Blue Demons will compete against a strong Division I field that includes UCF, Clemson, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, Yale, Iowa and VCU, as part of a 17-team field in Orlando.
Indoor Recap
The season opened with early success as Jaiden Gary and Jaiah Hopf earned wins at the Blue and Gold Invitational, while Katelyn Welsh cleared 3.50m to break the school record and become DePaul's first female pole vaulter. One week later at the Blue Demon Holiday Classic, the Blue Demons totaled 12 event titles and 21 personal bests.
In January, the Blue Demons continued to build momentum. Isabella Orozco set a school record in the 1000m at the Notre Dame Invitational, while Welsh extended her pole vault record. At the Meyo Invitational, both Ashleigh McArdle and Aubrey Phillips surpassed the previous pentathlon record, with Phillips closing the season as the program record holder. The same weekend saw Sade Miller lower her 60-meter school record, Daniel Fasasi win the 400m and the men's 4x400 relay post one of the top times in program history.
February brought continued success at Gately Indoor. Demetrius Rolle reset the men's 60-meter program record with a 6.69, while multiple Blue Demons added personal-best performances ahead of the postseason. Hopf and Joshua Hill each earned BIG EAST weekly honors during the indoor campaign.
That momentum carried into a landmark conference meet. Miller broke DePaul records in both the 60m and 200m during prelims before sweeping both events and earning BIG EAST High Point Performer of the Meet honors. Hopf claimed the triple jump title and Most Outstanding Performer in Field Events recognition, while Isaiah Hopf added a men's triple jump title. Aisha Kazeem (60m hurdles) and Fasasi (400m) also secured individual titles, and both 4x400-meter relays closed the meet with gold. Jaiah and Isaiah Hopf also made program history as siblings sweeping the men's and women's triple jump titles at the same BIG EAST Championship.
By season's end, the Blue Demons had reset multiple program records across the board. Miller's marks in the 60m and 200m and Rolle's 6.69 in the men's 60m headlined the sprints, while Orozco established a new standard in the 1000m and Welsh continued to raise the bar in the pole vault. In relays, the women's 4x400 team of Kayliah Motes, Nadja Moll, Kazeem and Claire Dunn set a school record of 3:41.35, while the 4x800 relay also established a new program mark. In the multis, Phillips closed the season as DePaul's pentathlon record holder.
Raising the Standard
The indoor championship finish marked a milestone for the program. For the first time in program history, both the men's and women's teams finished runner-up or better at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships. Combined with runner-up finishes at the 2025 outdoor championships, DePaul has now produced consecutive seasons with both programs finishing in the top two.
Up Next
The Blue Demons return to Illinois as they head to the Joyce Morton-Keif Invite in Normal, March 27-28.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
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Sprints
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Throws
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Jumps
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Jumps
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Hurdles
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Multi
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Mid Distance
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Multi
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Sprints
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Pole Vault
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