News Summary
The BYU men’s and women’s track and field teams are set to compete at the NCAA West Preliminary Round, aiming for qualification to the NCAA Championships. With a strong roster of standout athletes across various events, including steeplechase and javelin, both teams have high hopes for success. Notable competitors include All-American Lexy Halladay-Lowry and James Corrigan, each ranked among the top in their events. The preliminary round is crucial for qualifying athletes for the upcoming NCAA Championships.
College Station, Texas – The BYU men’s and women’s track and field teams are gearing up to compete at the NCAA West Preliminary Round from May 28 to May 31. This event is critical as the top 12 athletes and relays from both the West and East Preliminary Rounds will qualify for the NCAA Championships, scheduled for June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon. Live updates and results will be provided through Meet Central following each event.
The BYU men’s track and field team will have a robust presence at the preliminary rounds with a total of 27 entries across various events. The team features a particularly strong representation in the 400 meters, 400-meter hurdles, 1,500 meters, 3,000-meter steeplechase, 5,000 meters, and javelin, each boasting three entries. Notably, James Corrigan is looking to make a return to the NCAA Championships after a commendable performance last year, where he finished ninth and earned second team All-American honors. Corrigan is currently ranked second in the region and third in the nation for the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a personal best of 8:22.20.
In addition to Corrigan, Isaac Hedengren and Landon Heemeyer are also expected to make an impact in the steeplechase, holding fifth and eighth rankings respectively. Joey Nokes and Creed Thompson will compete in the 5,000/10,000-meter double; Nokes is ranked ninth in the 5,000 meters and 16th in the 10,000 meters. Senior Danny Bryant, who finished fourth at the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships in shot put, arrives with a seasonal best throw of 19.84 meters, ranking 12th in the region. Tyler Mathews is another standout, ranked ninth in the 800 meters after a third place finish at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 1:46.19.
The 1,500-meter event will feature Carter Cutting, who recently broke the four-minute barrier with a time of 3:59.39. Furthermore, Eli Hazlett, Trey Jackson, and Josh Taylor are set to compete in the 400 meters and will partner with Jonah Heimuli in the 4×400-meter relay, where the team holds a rank of fourth in the region and seventh in the nation. In the javelin, Brinton Paulson will join two other BYU athletes in competition.
On the women’s side, BYU will send 24 entries to the preliminary rounds. The team is particularly highlighted by five qualifiers in both the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 1,500 meters. Leading the way in the steeplechase is All-American Lexy Halladay-Lowry, who holds the second-fastest time in the West at 9:10.05. Another notable qualifier, Taylor Lovell, is ranked ninth in the same event.
In the 1,500 meters, Carlee Hansen is making headlines with a ranking of eighth while clocking a time of 4:08.70. In the 800 meters, Meghan Hunter has the top seed with a winning time of 1:58.99 at the Big 12 championships. The Cougars also see success in the 400 meters, where Sami Oblad is ranked second in the West with a time of 50.49 seconds. Jenna Hutchins is another standout, ranked fourth in the region for the 5,000 meters with a personal best of 15:16.95.
Gretchen Hoekstre is set to compete in both shot put and discus, with her ranking ninth in shot put and 14th in discus. Meanwhile, pole vaulters Rebekah Erikson and Maren Garnett are also aiming for NCAA Championship qualifications. Erikson notably holds the outdoor school record.
Following the NCAA West Preliminary Round, the BYU track and field teams will shift their focus to the NCAA National Championships the following week, continuing their pursuit of excellence in collegiate athletics.
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Additional Resources
- BYU Cougars: Robison Invitational
- Wikipedia: NCAA Track and Field
- BYU Cougars: Chamberlain Athlete of the Week
- Google Search: College Station Texas NCAA Preliminary Round
- BYU Cougars: Clinger Wins Big 12
- Google Scholar: BYU Track and Field NCAA Championships
- BYU Cougars: New 4×200-meter Relay Record
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Track and Field
- BYU Cougars: Clinger Breaks 10k Record
- Google News: BYU Track Field East Preliminaries
