JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Virginia women’s track & field team concluded competition at the NCAA East Preliminaries Saturday (May 31) at Hodges Stadium as Margot Appleton, Celia Rifaterra, Carly Tarentino and Estel Valeanu punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.
The Virginia men’s and women’s team will send 11 Cavaliers (5 men, 6 women) to compete in 12 events at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The team equaled the number of athletes from a season ago sending 11 to the 2024 Outdoor Championships.
Appleton Headed Back to NCAAs
Margot Appleton will make her third consecutive trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships after a strong 1500-meter quarterfinal and 5000-meter semifinal race.
- Winning the first heat of two, Appleton executed a strategic race crossing the line in 4:08.04 which was good for sixth overall.
- Appleton has been the national leader in the event for much of the season with her personal best and school record time of 4:05.68 from the 2025 Raleigh Relays. Her time ranks fourth all-time in collegiate history.
- Less than three hours later, Appleton toed the line in the women’s 5000-meters where she finished second in her heat and second overall.
- Appleton secured an automatic bid to the championships clocking 15:25.99.
- At the NCAA Outdoor Championships a year ago, Appleton finished fourth in the 5000-meters in a time of 15:24.24 to earn first-team All-American honors.
- The top five in each heat and the next two fastest times advance.
- Dominant all season, Appleton will look to make noise in the 1500-meters and 5000-meters at the national level.
Light work, no reaction 😎
Margot Appleton cruises the finish to win heat 1 of the women’s 1500m quarterfinal (4:08.04)!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/hjnWBxSYcP
— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 31, 2025
High Jump Duo Punch Tickets
Celia Rifaterra and Carly Tarentino punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the women’s high jump.
- Rifaterra cleared 1.82m/5-0.25 on her first attempt at the height to finish third overall to earn a qualifying position.
- The junior cleared the first two bars on her first attempt before getting over the bar at 1.79m/5-10.50 cleanly on her third attempt.
- This marks her second time in two years qualifying to Eugene in the women’s high jump.
- Last season, Rifaterra was the first Cavalier to qualify for the outdoor championships in the event since Sherry Gauld in 1993.
- For the…