The McFerrin 12 Degree Showdown: A Central Track Extravaganza!

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Tennessee track & field team commences 2025 with over 40 competitors ready to participate on Friday at the McFerrin 12 Degree Invitational, organized by Texas A&M at the R.A. Murray Fasken Indoor Track & Field Facility.

Activities in College Station kick off at 11 a.m. ET with field competitions, followed by track events starting at 3:10 p.m. The event will be broadcast online via SEC Network+, and live statistics will be shared continuously throughout the event by Flash Results, Inc.

Third-year head coach Duane Ross guides a collection of sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, throwers, pole vaulters, and distance runners into Friday’s competition with 49 athletes ready to make their 2025 season debuts in College Station. The event initiates with Aron Alvarez Aranda and Aidan Ifkovits in the men’s weight throw at 11 a.m. and wraps up around 7:47 p.m. with the men’s 4×400-meter relay.

BIG ORANGE DEBUTS: A total of 24 competitors will make their Tennessee track & field debuts on Friday, comprising 12 transfers and 12 true freshmen.

• Fr. Jakob Alperin (Men’s Shot Put)
• Jr. Andrew Brown (Men’s 400m)
• R-Jr. John Bruder (Men’s Shot Put)
• Fr. Clarke Byram (Men’s Pole Vault)
• Fr. Broderick Davis (Men’s 60mH, Long Jump)
• Fr. Consider Ekanem (Men’s 60m)
• Gr. Patrick Fehm (Men’s High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump)
• Sr. Keontae’ Gaines (Men’s 60m, 200m)
• Fr. Gavin Genisio (Men’s 1,000m)
• R-Jr. Cade Gray (Men’s Pole Vault)
• Fr. Aidan Ifkovits (Men’s Weight Throw)
• Fr. Jarryn Lowe (Men’s 1,000m)
• Fr. Paul Migas (Men’s Pole Vault)
• Jr. Blake Sifferlin (Men’s Pole Vault)
• Fr. Rickey Williams III (Men’s 300m)
• So. Victoria Aransiola (Women’s 60m, 200m)
• Gr. Myreanna Bebe (Women’s 60mH)
• Fr. Donna Douglas (Women’s Shot Put, Weight Throw)
• Fr. Kylie Feeney (Women’s 1,000m)
• Sr. Milan Fields (Women’s 60m)
• Jr. Kaniya Johnson (Women’s 60m, 300m)
• So. Elo Blessing Okpah (Women’s 60m, 200m)
• R-Fr. Faith Okwose (Women’s 60m, 200m)
• Fr. Mya Strahm (Women’s Pole Vault)

2024 REWIND: In the previous season, the Vols and Lady Vols accumulated 17 school records, 39 All-America accolades, and 12 SEC medals throughout the 2024 indoor and outdoor seasons. The women’s team was rated as high as No. 6 nationally during the regular indoor season, while the men reached No. 11 in outdoor competitions.
 
Under the leadership of Duane Ross, the Vols and Lady Vols finished 16th and 10th, respectively, in the 2023-24 NCAA Division I Program of the Year rankings, which are based on the aggregation of postseason outcomes from every national championship event in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track – marking the initial time UT placed in the top-20 on both genders since the award’s inception in 2008-09.
 
UP NEXT: The indoor season continues next week with a journey to the midstate for the Vanderbilt Invitational, scheduled for Jan. 17-18 in Nashville.