On Sunday, June 7, 2026, Chaminade Julienne’s girls track and field team secured the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s (OHSAA) Division II Girls State track and field state championship. They dominated the awards podium at the 2026 Jesse Owens State Track and Field Championships, earning 44 overall points to win the state championship.
This team’s coaches are Terrence Glenn, head coach and Marquis Evans, assistant coach.
“This is an unbelievable feeling,” said Glenn. “This is an unbelievable group of student-athletes. I must give a huge shout-out to the school leadership. Their teachers, families and CJ community who believed in us and supported us throughout the season. It feels good to bring home the school’s first girls’ track and field state championship in school history!”
The team made multiple trips to the podium, which included:
Claire Downer ‘27 earned four medals with three second-place finishes. She placed second in the high jump with five feet and five inches and in the long jump with a distance of 18 feet and 7.25 inches. She also placed second in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 43.23 seconds. Downer earned a third-place medal in the 100-meter hurdles, running it in 14.65 seconds
“Standing on the podium was a moment I thought about for a long time but was never fully prepared for how it would feel,” said Downer. “It was incredibly fulfilling to know we finally achieved something that will forever represent the kind of athletes and team we are. What made it more special was the overwhelming support from so many at the meet, simply because I was a Chaminade Julienne athlete representing Dayton. The track community is truly incredible, and doing something that made so many proud is a feeling I’ll never forget.”
Competing in the 100-meter dash, Cloie Williams ‘27 won second place with a time of 12.04 seconds and Sydney Haywood ‘27 placed eighth with a time of 12.27. Williams also placed fourth in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 24.53 seconds.
“It really felt great to make it so far this season, especially with my improvement in both the 100 and 200. It felt amazing to qualify and win state. I felt extremely accomplished and proud of myself and my teammates,” said Haywood.
30 Points from Downer, plus Williams’ 13 points and Haywood’s point, resulted in a four-point lead over Sunbury’s Big Walnut High School.
“CJ’s tradition of excellence was on full display last weekend in Columbus,” said Greg Mueller, CJ principal. “Watching the girls track team take the podium, earning the first team track championship in CJ’s 175-year history, was a moment I will never forget. This small but mighty group of athletes has set the standard of excellence for generations of student athletes to follow.”
“Track and field is the ultimate team sport built on individual effort, and this championship was built on training, sacrifice and determination by our athletes. They learned how to overcome obstacles, trust one another and rose to the occasion,” said Glenn.
Also sharing the spotlight were Daryl Foster, Jr. ‘27 and Devon Wilcox, ‘27 who each finished in fifth place in their respective races in the boys Division III final. Foster completed the 300-meter dash in 38.92 seconds while Wilcox ran the 400 meters in 48.86 seconds.
This is the second state OHSAA title for the Eagle program this year, after the girls basketball program won the Division III state title in March.
Chaminade Julienne also celebrated the Division II Ohio Association of Track and Cross-Country Coaches (OATCCC) indoor state meet as well during the school year. Glenn coached this winning 4×200-meter relay team, which consisted of Olivea Stanley ‘28, Haywood, Downer, and Williams.
“Coach T and the CJ Track and Field coaching staff are the definition of commitment,” said Anthony Turner ‘04, athletic director. “Coach T has built a culture of accountability and family, and this historic state championship is a direct reflection of that commitment they all made back in October, when they started training for the indoor season, which led right into the outdoor season. We are incredibly grateful for the impact he and his staff continue to have on our student-athletes, both on and off the track.”
Newscoverage of Girls Track and Field Team’s OHSAA State Championship
Local schools bring home hardware at state track and field meet, WDTN, June 8
Chaminade Julienne girls win Division II OHSAA state track and field title, Dayton 247, June 10