Thirty-three to NCAA Prelims – Stanford University Athletics

STANFORD, Calif. – Thirty-three Stanford track and field athletes – 15 men and 18 women – plus three relay teams have qualified for the NCAA West Prelims, the meet that determines the NCAA Championships field.

The West regional, at Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium on May 24-27, is one of two in the country, along with another in Jacksonville, Florida. Athletes qualified by achieving the top 48 marks from each half of the country. The exceptions are the relays, in which 24 teams advanced.

The fields were completed Thursday, though medical scratches are being accepted through Monday.

The top 12 in each event advance to the NCAA Championships, creating a 24-participant field. The NCAA Championships, are June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.

Top-12 men’s seeds for Stanford are: Udodi Onwuzurike (No. 1, 200; No. 6, 100), Charles Hicks (No. 1, 10,000; No. 12, 5,000), Ky Robinson (No. 2, 10,000; No. 4, 5,000), and Devin Hart (No. 11, 10,000). 

Top-12 women’s seeds are: Alyssa Jones (No. 2, long jump; No. 10 high jump), Roisin Willis (No. 3, 800), Melissa Tanaka (No. 3, 1,500), Zofia Dudek (No. 4, 5,000), Lucy Jenks (No. 5, 5,000), Juliette Whittaker (No. 8, 1,500), and the 4×400 relay team (No. 8). 

The most representatives in any event for Stanford is in the men’s 10,000, with five qualifiers – Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau, Devin Hart, Charles Hicks, Ky Robinson, and Cole Sprout. Top women’s representation comes from the 800 and 5,000, with four each. Ellie Deligianni, Taylor James, Anna Tovkach, and Roisin Willis run the 800. Grace Connolly, Zofia Dudek, Lucy Jenks, and Riley Stewart run the 5,000. 

Four true freshmen women advanced: Jones, Willis, Whittaker, and Riley Stewart (5,000).

Other Stanford first-time qualifiers: Audrey DaDamio (women’s 10,000), Robert DiDonato (men’s 5,000), Allan Hunter (men’s long jump), Taylor James (women’s 800), John Kroeger (men’s long jump), Samantha Thomas (women’s 400 hurdles), and Cydney Wright (women’s 200). Grad transfer Anna Tovkach (women’s 800) twice advanced to the NCAA East Prelims while at Army. 

The members of the men’s 4×100 relay team that recorded its fastest time this season were Kroeger, Olufemi Cole, Gabriel Navarro, and Onwuzurike. 

The members of the women’s 4×100 that recorded its season best were Olivia Okoli, Alyssa Jones, Wright, and Rossum. Members of Stanford’s fastest 4×400 this season were Wright, Rossum, Valmon, and Whittaker. 

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