Continuing to cement its reputation as one of the program’s strongest relay squads, the Kentucky women’s 4×400-meter relay team placed third at the NCAA East First Round hosted in Lexington, Kentucky.

The team, consisting of A’Laji Bradley, Hannah Douglas, Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera and Cha’iel Johnson, crossed the finish line in 3:26.81, securing the final qualifying spot to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Kentucky’s mark was the second fastest qualifying time in the second heat and the third fastest overall performance of the event.

This marked Nyagisera’s second ticket to Eugene, clutching her first ticket earlier that day in the 400-meter hurdles. She ran the fourth fastest time in the quarterfinals, crossing the finish line with a time of 55.13, just 0.1 second behind her personal record.

Douglas earned her fourth NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifying spot of her career in the women’s 400-meters. The senior finished in 50.88 seconds. Bradley boasted a time of 51.55 to secure her spot in Oregon as well.

Since 2020, the Kentucky women’s 4×400-meter relay has continued to shock the track and field world with its speed and dominance.

In 2020, the Cats competed at the Rod McCarvey Memorial with its 4×400-meter relay team, composed of Megan Moss, Abby Steiner, Dajour Miles and Alexis Holmes. This race had a time of 3:31.29, making it the second fastest time in school history and the No. 1 time in the world.

Two years after the 2020 performance, the following Kentucky women’s 4×400 relay team with Karimah Davis, Dajour Miles, Abby Steiner and Alexis Holmes got a time of 3:21.93, setting a collegiate record and taking home the NCAA 4×400-meter relay title.

Holmes and Steiner were team USA runners as well as Olympic gold medalists.

Overall, Kentucky’s women’s 4×400-meter relay team has continued to establish itself as one of the nation’s premier relay squads and will carry that momentum into Eugene, Oregon, for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.