HARRIS TAKES 5TH, EARNS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA AT NCAA INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
March 14, 2026
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros track & field senior Nayla Harris earned First Team All-America as she finished fifth in the women’s 60-meter dash Saturday at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Harris ran 7.18 to finish her incredible indoor season with a top 5 finish in the nation.
When Harris secured her spot in the finals Friday, she and head coach Shareese Hicks shared a brief congratulatory hug. Hicks told the senior good job, then said, “Now, you know I have to be critical because the job’s not finished.”
Harris immediately said, “Yes, please.”
The never-satisfied mentality Harris radiates is exactly why she is the first sprinter in UTRGV history to reach the indoor national championship meet. It’s why she was able to snap a 21-year drought and become just the second woman in program history to qualify for the event. It’s why she boasts a department-best four Southland Conference (SLC) championships and owns the top 10 times in the women’s 60-meter dash in program history and the six fastest times in SLC history.
She is hungry. She is coachable. She is confident. She is undeniable. And now, track fans across the nation know her name.
The extremely competitive Harris was subdued after the race. But she made her coach, her team, UTRGV and the entire Rio Grande Valley proud as she put the Vaqueros on the national state.
Harris ends her indoor career as the UTRGV and SLC record holder in the women’s 60-meter dash. She owns all 10 of the fastest races in program history and the five best times in SLC history.
