LIVONIA, MICH. – Former Crusader Tyler Villarreal won the men’s T64 high jump at the USA Track & Field Outdoor & Para National Championships in July, clearing 1.91 meters to finish first across all classifications.
Villarreal, who is from Dawson, Texas, and has a below-the-knee amputation on his left leg, had planned to become a welder. A connection through USA Track & Field led him to Madonna coach Calvin Sullins, and he transferred to Madonna after the Fall 2025 semester, competing for the Crusaders during the 2026 indoor and outdoor seasons.
It was the first time Villarreal had been coached in the high jump. In high school, he wore basketball shoes and took off from the grass.
“My form was atrocious when I came out of high school,” Villarreal told U.S. Paralympics Track & Field.
He and Sullins started over with his technique, working on his run-up, his steps, and his form. He jumped 1.85 meters at Madonna, then topped that by six centimeters at nationals in New York, where he competed alongside Madonna alum Daveyon Blacknell. He also placed third in the 200 meters.
After nationals, Villarreal cleared 1.95 meters at a meet in Colombia, ranking him No. 1 in the world in the T64 high jump.
Villarreal’s next goal is making Team USA for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
Read Tyler’s full story from U.S. Paralympics Track & Field, or learn more about Madonna Crusaders Athletics.
