The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
NCAA West Preliminary Round
Men's Track adds three more qualifiers to nationals on final day of NCAA West Preliminary Round
05.25.2013 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
May 25, 2013
Results | Texas Quotes
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NCAA West Preliminary Round Headquarters | NCAA Outdoor Championships - Declarations/Start Lists/Results
The Men's Track and Field team added to its total of qualifiers for the national meet on the final day of the NCAA Division I West Preliminary Round.
Keiron Stewart (110-meter hurdles), Reese Watson (pole vault) and Patrick McGregor (1,500 meters) all earned berths Saturday, giving the eighth-ranked Longhorns 15 total qualifiers in nine events for next month's NCAA Outdoor meet.
For Stewart, who was making his final appearance as a collegian at Mike A. Myers Stadium, it was a relief to make the national meet after being unable to compete due to injury over the last two months.
"It's a bittersweet feeling," Stewart said. "I wish it could have been better. I wish my senior year could have been a more memorable one, but in life we have obstacles and we just have to face them as they come."
Still, the senior will be making his fourth-straight appearance at the national meet in the 110mh. He was one of 12 qualifiers in the 110mh from the West Region after finishing second in the first of three quarterfinals heats in a time of 13.64 (w2.1).
"I felt comfortable most of the way," Stewart said. "From the warmup I felt real good and then went into the race I felt good. I ran a good time and qualified so I'm ready for the next two weeks."
Another senior Patrick McGregor will be making his second-straight appearance in the national meet, though just barely.
McGregor was seventh in the second of two quarterfinal heats in a time of 3:45.66, but that was good enough to be one of the 12 qualifiers to advance to the four-day meet (June 5-8) in Eugene, Ore. 

"You never know what is going to happen in this race," McGregor said. "I just tried to move up when I could. I was not as sharp as I would have liked to be, especially in that last 100 meters. There are some things that I will work on."
Watson, meanwhile, saved his best performance of the season for the biggest stage to date.
The freshman was seeded 20th entering the West Prelims and nearly didn't make it past his second bar of the day. He passed at the opening height, then cleared 16-6 3/4 (5.05m) on his second attempt, but needed three tries to get over at 17 3/4 (5.20m).
But that got him rolling.
"I went ahead and passed [at 17-4 1/2] because there was already 13 vaulters over so if I would have even made it, it wouldn't have made a difference," Watson said since. "I had to skip and then luckily made it on the second."
The next height he cleared - 17-6 1/2 (5.35m) - was his collegiate best. Then Watson clinched a trip to the national meet when he posted a personal-best 17-8 1/2 (5.40m). He finished eighth overall, with the top 12 finishers guaranteed a spot in the NCAA field.
"I'm super excited," Watson said. "I finally got a new outdoor PR and I get to join the rest of the team in Eugene."
However, some other Longhorns who competed Saturday did not advance out of Austin.
Jarard Bruner was unable to compete in the triple jump. The senior recently injured a hamstring. He warmed up, but couldn't go.
Senior Kyle Merber, who advanced out of the first round of Friday's 1,500 meters, finished 16th (3:49.96) in the quarterfinals. Jake Wohlford was 21st in the quarterfinals of the 110mh (14.21).
But overall, the Longhorns had a consistent and successful three-day meet at their home track. They collected five qualifiers Thursday and five more Friday. Decathletes Johannes Hock and Isaac Murphy qualified for the NCAAs during the regular season.
"We feel really good," head coach Bubba Thornton said. "We talked about getting through this one, and once you get [to nationals], it's another ball game. Who knows about on those semifinal rounds and those finals."
There have been contributions from both the veterans and newcomers.
"We're in a good place, our freshmen class looks really good, our graduating seniors look really good, our underclassmen look really good, the program looks solid, so let's go get after them now."
Notes:
- Including decathletes Johannes Hock and Isaac Murphy, Texas has 15 qualifiers in nine events for the NCAA Outdoor Championhips (Ryan Crouser - discus and shot put; Blake Jakobsson - discus; Clint Harris - discus; Hayden Baillio - shot put; Will Spence - shot put; Zack Bilderback - 400 meters; Trevor Van Ackeren - steeplechase; Ryan Dohner - 10,000 meters; Craig Lutz - 10,000 meters; Reese Watson - pole vault; Patrick McGregor - 1,500 meters;>Keiron Stewart - 110mh).
- Keiron Stewart will be making his fourth-straight appearance in the 110-meter hurdles at the national meet. His best finish was a fifth-place showing in 2011.
- Reese Watson was the only freshman to advance to the national meet from the NCAA West Preliminary Round in the pole vault. He also moved from tied for ninth to eighth on the UT all-time performers list with his clearance of 17-8 1/2 (5.40m).
TEXAS RESULTS- NCAA WEST PRELIMINARY ROUND (All times Central)
Austin, Texas - Mike A. Myers Stadium
Thursday, May 23
- Discus - First Round: 4.(Ryan Crouser, 189-9 (57.84m)*; 5. Blake Jakobsson, 188-0 (57.30m)*; 6. Clint Harris, 187-5 (57.12m)*; 23. Hayden Baillio, 174-8 (53.25m); 27. Will Spence, 173-5 (52.87m)
- 400-Meter Hurdles - First Round: 47. Josh Brudnick, 55.90
- 1,500 Meters - First Round: 9. Patrick McGregor, 3:44.52; 12. Kyle Merber, 3:49.04
- 400 Meters - First Round: 10. Zack Bilderback, 46.67
- 800 Meters - First Round: 34. Kyle Thompson, 1:50.83
- 10,000 Meters - Semifinal: 5. Ryan Dohner, 30:04.45*; 9. Craig Lutz, 30:18.01*; 36. Rory Tunningley, 31:53.35
Friday, May 24
- 110-Meter Hurdles - First Round: 8.>Keiron Stewart, 14.02; 21. Jake Wohlford, 14.24
- Shot Put - First Round: 1.(Ryan Crouser, 62-11.25 (19.18m)*; t-5Hayden Baillio, 62-0.25 (18.90m)*; 12. Will Spence, 59-9.50 (18.22m)*
- 400 Meters - Quarterfinal: 7. Zack Bilderback, 46.10*
- 3,000-Meter Steeplechase - Quarterfinal: 9. Trevor Van Ackeren, 8:46.05*; 14. Austin Bussing, 8:45.55; 47. Austin Roth, 9:39.26
Saturday, May 25
- Pole Vault - First Round: 8. Reese Watson, 17-8 1/2 (5.40m)*; t-23. Casey Wicker, 17-0 3/4 (5.20m); t-31. Mark Thomas, 16-6 3/4 (5.05m)
- Triple Jump - First Round: -->Jarard Bruner, DNS
- 1,500 Meters - Quarterfinal: 12. Patrick McGregor, 3:45.66*; 16. Kyle Merber, 3:49.96
- 110-Meter Hurdles - Quarterfinal: 4.>Keiron Stewart, 13.64 (w2.1)*; 21, Jake Wohlford, 14.21
* Advanced to NCAA Championships
