Juniors Allyria McBride and Falon Spearman competed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from June 12-15. Both runners advanced out of the NCAA East First Round earlier this month, punching their ticket to the season finale with a shot at a national title. 

McBride had a fantastic showing in the 400-meter hurdles semifinal, finishing in 56.25 seconds — good for second in her heat and an automatic qualification to the next round later in the week.  

Spearman couldn’t quite advance to the 100-meter hurdles final, bowing out in the semifinals with a time of 13.46 seconds.

Three days later, McBride returned to the track and finished eighth in the 400-meter hurdles final with a time of 56.20 seconds, topping her semifinal mark. The finish earned her First Team All-American honors for the first time in her career. In 2023, McBride became the program’s first true freshman All-American since 1997 when she was a second-team selection in the 400-meter hurdles.

“Coming to this championship and having Allyria [McBride] become a First Team All-American in her third year in the program and second time at this meet means a lot,” Vanderbilt director of cross country and track and field Althea Thomas said. “It’s showing the growth of the program.”

Under Thomas, the Commodores have produced a program record eight First Team All-Americans.

“It shows consistency,” Thomas said. “In our sport, everyone thinks about who’s the fastest, who can jump the highest or throw the farthest, but our sport is really about consistency. It’s showing, not just consistency in one person, but consistency in the program. It’s showing what we’re building.”