Women's Track and Field 6/2/2026 4:33:00 PM Sam Rubin

Seven Recognized with Team Awards for 2025-26

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale women's track and field team recognized seven student-athletes with a total of nine team awards at the conclusion of the season.

The Lee Calhoun Award, given in memory of Lee Calhoun, Yale Men's Head Coach from 1975 to 1980, honors the most outstanding member of the sprints and hurdles group. This year, the award was presented to junior Lucija Grd (Zagreb, Croatia). Grd was the Ivy League Champion in the 60m hurdles indoors, setting the school record with her time of 8.29. Indoors she was also part of Yale's No. 2 all-time 4x400 meter relay performance (3:41.43). Outdoors, she set the school record in the 100m hurdles (13.43) and was part of the school-record performance in the 4x100m relay (45.41). Outdoors she was also part of relays that rank fifth (4x400m, 3:41.36) and sixth (4x100m, 46.18) in school history.
The Outstanding Middle-Distance Award was given to senior Linde Fonville (Charlotte, N.C.). Indoors, Fonville was part of the fifth-best distance medley relay in school history (11:28.24). Outdoors, she ran the fifth-fastest 1500m time in school history (4:19.72) and was part of the fifth-fastest 4x800m relay in school history (8:45.32).
Senior Charlotte Whitehurst (Annapolis, Md.) earned the Outstanding Distance Runner Award. She also won this award last year. Indoors this year, Whitehurst ran the fourth-fastest 5K time in school history (16:11.90). Outdoors, she ran the fifth-fastest 10K time in school history (34:22.62).
First-year Layni Kaase (College Station, Texas) earned the Outstanding Jumper Award. Indoors, Kaase posted the fourth-best pentathlon total in school history (3545), the fifth-best 60m hurdle time in school history (8.87) and the ninth-best high jump mark in school history (1.66m). Outdoors, Kaase posted the second-best 100m hurdles time (14.17) and the second-best heptathlon point total (4813) in school history.
First-year Constanza Acevedo (Colina, Chile) earned the Outstanding Thrower Award. Acevedo set the school record in the javelin throw (48.47m).
This year's Stroube Family Award, presented annually to a member of the women's track & field team who exemplifies sportsmanship, courage and inspiration, was awarded to senior Makayla White (Cleveland, Ohio). She also won this award last year. Outdoors, White set the school record in the heptathlon (4902).
The Outstanding First-Year Award was given to Acevedo.
Junior Sophie Spokes (San Francisco, Calif.) earned the Most Improved Award for 2026. Indoors, Spokes posted the third-fastest 60mn time in school history (7.55), the seventh-fastest 200m time in school history (24.98) and was part of Yale's No. 2 all-time 4x400 meter relay performance (3:41.43). Outdoors individually, she ran the fifth-fastest 200m time (24.57) and the sixth-fastest 100m time (11.95) in school history. She was part of the school-record performance in the 4x100m relay (45.41) and the No. 2 all-time performance in the 4x400 meter relay (3:40.53). She also was part of relays that rank No. 5 (4x400m relay, 3:41.36) and No. 6 (4x100m relay, 46.18) all-time at Yale.
Grd also received the prestigious James Stack '61 Award. This honor is presented annually to the athlete who best exemplifies the spirit of Jim Stack, captain of the 1961 Yale team that won the "Big Three," Heptagonal and IC4A Championships.

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Players Mentioned

Linde Fonville: Middle Distance; Senior; Middle Distance

Lucija Grd: Hurdles; Junior; Hurdles

Sophie Spokes: Sprints; Junior; Sprints

Makayla White: Multi; Senior; Multi

Charlotte Whitehurst: Distance; Senior; Distance

Layni Kaase: Multi/Hurdles; First Year; Multi/Hurdles

Constanza Acevedo: Throws; First Year; Throws

Players Mentioned

Linde Fonville
: Senior; Middle Distance
: Middle Distance

Lucija Grd
: Junior; Hurdles
: Hurdles

Sophie Spokes
: Junior; Sprints
: Sprints

Makayla White
: Senior; Multi
: Multi

Charlotte Whitehurst
: Senior; Distance
: Distance

Layni Kaase
: First Year; Multi/Hurdles
: Multi/Hurdles

Constanza Acevedo
: First Year; Throws
: Throws