Bulldogs Kick Off Indoor Season With Six Event Wins At Ted Nelson Invitational

Friday, January 24

Bryan-College Station, Texas

University of Georgia

Ted Nelson Invitational

Bulldogs Kick Off Indoor Season With Six Event Wins At Ted Nelson Invitational

January 25, 2025 | Track & Field

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas --- The Georgia track & field teams collected six wins, three top-10 marks in program history, two meet records, and a facility record as they kicked off the 2025 indoor season at the Ted Nelson Invitational on Saturday.

Fast Facts

The women's 4x400-meter relay team of Dejanea Oakley, Michelle Smith, Sydney Harris, and Aaliyah Butler flew to victory with a meet-record time of 3:30.39. The quartet became the No. 3 performers in program history with the time, which ranks first in the NCAA this season, while shattering the meet record by over two seconds.
Butler set a meet record individually with her victory in the 400-meter dash, clocking a 51.71 to post a facility record. The Olympic gold medalist led a UGA top-five sweep in the event as assistant coach Bailey Lear, Oakley, Smith, and Harris rounded out the top five.
Sophomore Micah Larry matched classmate Brody Buffington's No. 5 60-meter dash time in program history, posting a 6.63 in the prelims and finals to earn his first victory of 2025.
Seniors Elena Kulichenko and Nikolai van Huyssteen claimed victory in the high jump and pole vault, respectively, to highlight a big day for Georgia's jumpers. Kulichenko cleared 1.90 meters/6 feet, 2.75 inches, jumping eight inches higher than the nearest competitor to earn her first win of the season. Van Huyssteen came within two centimeters of his indoor personal best with a clearance of 5.33m/17-5.75 to open his season.
Freshman jumper Skylynn Townsend earned her first long jump victory in her collegiate debut, jumping 6.22m/20-5.00 on her second attempt to outjump her nearest competition by 0.10 meters.
For full results from the Ted Nelson Invitational, please visit: https://gado.gs/cin.

Up Next
The Bulldogs will compete in their second meet in as many weeks on Friday-Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Razorback Invitational. The meet will take place at the Randal Tyson Track Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Where To Find Bulldogs News
Results and recaps from the Bulldogs' indoor season will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.