Centre College stars Serena McNeilly and Chloe Hein both had sensational junior seasons during both the indoor and outdoor track seasons and now have both qualified for the 2026 USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships July 23-26 at the Icahn Stadium in New York City.

Hein will compete in the long jump and McNeilly will compete in the high jump on July 26 with the high jump starting at 3:45 p.m. and long jump beginning at 4:05.

Hein was named the Outstanding Female Field Performer at the Division III national outdoor championships after winning the long jump and finishing fifth in the triple jump and 100-meter dash to bring her total of All-American honors to 11.

She leaped a school record 21-1 1/4 inches to win the long jump by over nine inches to go with her indoors title that she won by over a foot.

Hein, McNeilly, JP Vaught and Annie Rodenfels are the only Centre athletes to win two national championships in a single school year.

Hein had been training for the USA Track & Field Championships since the NCAA Championships ended hoping she would qualify. On Wednesday both Centre athletes found out they were one of 16 athletes from all NCAA divisions as well as American professional athletes earning invitations.

Both Centre juniors are ranked 14th in their events but that is still a huge honor for a Division III athlete.

“This is a huge accomplishment in which only three Centre track & field student-athletes have qualified for,” Centre track coach Lisa Owens said.