The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
NCAA West Preliminary Round
No. 5/5 Track and Field opens NCAA West Preliminary
05.26.2021 | Track & Field / Cross Country
The Longhorns advanced three men’s competitors to the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Wednesday.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 5/5 Texas Track and Field program opened the NCAA West Preliminary Round on Wednesday, with three Longhorns clinching their spot in the NCAA Outdoor Championship field next month.
Steffin McCarter and O'Brien Wasome were the first Longhorns to punch their tickets to Eugene, Ore. On Wednesday, with both doing so in the long jump. McCarter placed second in the field with a best jump of 8.03m/26-4.25 (+1.6), while Wasome finished 11th, just under the cut line, with a mark of 7.68m/25-2.5 (+1.4).
Tripp Piperi also secured a bid to his third NCAA Outdoor Championships with a one-and-done effort in the men's shot put. Piperi, in just his second appearance of the outdoor season, threw the shot a season-best 20.23m/66-4.5 on his first attempt and finished second in a strong regional field. The Woodlands, Texas native is the reigning NCAA Outdoor shot put champion, winning the title in Austin back in 2019, the last time the national meet was held outdoors.
On the track, Texas advanced eight student-athletes into Friday's quarterfinal rounds.
Four of those came in the men's 400-meter dash, with Jonathan Jones (45.61) finishing as the fastest competitor in the field on Wednesday. Jones, a five-time All-American, placed fourth in the quarter-mile race at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships as a freshman. He will be joined in the Friday-night quarterfinal by teammates Willington Wright (45.89), Matthys Nortje (46.65) and Jon Maas (46.67).
Crayton Carrozza (1:47.56) and Yusuf Bizimana (1:50.54) both earn spots in the 800-meter quarterfinal, with Carrozza's time finishing as the fourth-fastest in the 48-man field. Both Longhorns will be looking to qualify for their first NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance on Friday night.
The final two Longhorns to advance to the quarterfinals were Charles Brockman III (50.13, 400m Hurdles) and Micaiah Harris (20.42, 200m). Brockman was the fifth-fastest competitor in the field Wednesday night, while Harris was the fastest among the 48-man field in his event. Harris, a five-time All-American, placed fifth in the 200-meter dash at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin.
The Longhorns continue action in College Station on Thursday, with the Texas women set to take center stage after the men did so Wednesday. Action for the Horns begins at 1:30 p.m. CT with the women's javelin and field competition before racing on the track begins at 6 p.m. CT.
2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships Qualifiers
Women's Heptathlon: Kristine Blazevica*
Men's Long Jump: Steffin McCarter, O'Brien Wasome
Men's Shot Put: Tripp Piperi
Men's Decathlon: Leo Neugebauer*
*Multi-event qualifiers are selected based on top scores this season. Multi-events are not contested at the East or West Preliminary Round
Players Mentioned
