Byrd to compete for 2nd time at NCAA track and field outdoor nationals

KJ Byrd did it the easy way, or the hard way, depending on how you look at it.

The 2024 East Burke High School graduate and current University of Louisville sophomore was the only men’s or women’s member of the Cardinals track and field team to skip the NCAA Division I East Regional championship meet, which was held May 27-30 in Lexington, Ky., as he had already qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for a second consecutive year.

Byrd did so in the men’s decathlon by virtue of his current sixth-best point total nationally.

Byrd, a former ACC decathlon and pole vault champion who is the Cardinals’ program record-holder in the decathlon, is one of 23 Louisville national qualifiers. The NCAA Outdoor Championships will be staged from June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.

Byrd, a 10-time high school state champion at EBHS who has represented the U.S. internationally, finished seventh at outdoor nationals in the decathlon as a freshman in 2025.

Clay concludes stellar career

Madison Clay, a 2022 Patton graduate, recently concluded her four-year career with Catawba College in fine fashion at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Emporia, Kan., from May 21-23.

Clay, a Catawba record holder who was South Atlantic Conference 10K champion this spring, placed 15th in both the 5K (16:47.03) and 10K (35:55.94) at nationals.

BASEBALL

Carson moves to the mound

Zach Carson, a Freedom 2025 grad, moved from everyday player at the prep level to pitcher this spring at the collegiate level for Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte.

Carson pitched 9 1/3 innings over eight outings, going 1-0 with four strikeouts and nine hits allowed. He allowed no runs in his first relief appearance, at Brevard on Feb. 7, and his longest outing came April 11 at Paine College as he lasted 4 1/3 innings, striking out a pair and allowing two earned runs as his team was victorious. The NCAA Division III Wildcats posted a 6-29 overall record in 2026.

Fellow Freedom 2025 grad Kyle Self, who’s also playing for the Burke County Post 21 American Legion squad this summer, recently completed his first season as a pitcher at NJCAA member Minnesota North College-Vermilion. No statistics were available from the season. The Ironhawks posted a 12-29 overall record.