NEW ORLEANS | The University of Alabama in Huntsville women's track and field team earned the top spot in the South Region and cracked the national top 20 in the first United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Outdoor Checkpoint rankings of the 2026 season.

The Chargers checked in at No. 1 in the South Region and No. 20 nationally, powered by a roster that has produced multiple region-best performances through the early weeks of the outdoor campaign.

Leading the charge is junior Amiah Murry, who owns the top marks in the region in both the 200 meters and the 400 meters. Murry ran a 23.67 in the 200 and checked in with a 54.34 in the 400. Junior Aniya Johnson sits second in the region in the 400 with a 55.25.

The 4x400 relay team of Deja Hines, Grace Hampel, Summer Sutherlin and Aniya Johnson owns the top regional mark with a 3:45.41, set at the Ole Miss Classic on March 21. The 4x100 relay squad of Jadlyn Debardlabon, Murry, Hines and Caroline Sanders sits second in the region with a 46.73.

In field events, junior Sarah Tang leads the region in the hammer throw with a toss of 47.20m. Senior Hailey Smith is close behind in third with a mark of 46.94m.

Freshman Cooper Garrett tops the region in the javelin with a throw of 46.71m, while sophomore A'cynthia Brown holds the No. 2 spot in the shot put with a mark of 12.94m.

Junior Jadlyn Debardlabon leads the region in the long jump with a mark of 6.00m. Freshman Tamarah Rice is second in both the long jump (5.72m) and the triple jump (11.56m).

The USTFCCCA Outdoor Checkpoint rankings are based on cumulative team scoring derived from athletes' marks across all events.