NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Track & Field is set to travel to the University of Arkansas for the 2022 NCAA Division I West Preliminary Round from Wednesday, May 25 through Saturday, May 28 at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Seven student-athletes will represent Illinois State at the West Prelims.
The men will compete on Wednesday and Friday, while the women will compete on Thursday and Saturday. Student-athletes with the top-12 times/marks, and the best 12 relay teams at both the East and West Preliminary Round sites, will move on to the NCAA Championships held June 8-11 in Eugene, Oregon at historic Hayward Field.
Live results for the NCAA West Preliminary Round can be found here with live coverage of the event also being provided by the SEC Network+.
SEASON RECAP
Ariel Atias – Javelin – Wednesday, May 25 – 2:00 p.m.
- Sophomore Ariel Atias was crowned champion of the javelin and decathlon most recently at the 2022 MVC Outdoor Championships. With the win in the decathlon, Atias became the first Valley student-athlete since 2018 to sweep both the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon in the same season.
- At the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, Atias set a personal best in the javelin with a mark of 63.64m (208-9), which currently ranks as the 37th best mark in the field. His mark also ranks No. 4 in school history.
- Atias will compete at the NCAA West Preliminary Round for the first time in his career.
Brandon Ratliff – 110m Hurdles – Wednesday, May 25 – 6:00 p.m.
- Sophomore Brandon Ratliff ran a qualifying time of 14.05 in the 100m Hurdles at the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.
- His lifetime best of 13.94 ranks No. 4 in school history
- Ratliff enters the Prelims with the 42nd best time in the field. He has qualified for the NCAA West Prelims in back-to-back years.
Logan Calvin – Shot Put – Wednesday, May 25 – 7:00 p.m.
- Redshirt senior Logan Calvin most recently earned All-Valley honors in the shot put at the MVC Outdoor Championships, where he set a personal best of 20.24m (66-5). Calvin and UNI's Darius King each threw the same mark at the meet. The winner was determined by the thrower with the second-best mark, and Calvin finished second.
- Calvin enters the competition with the fourth-best mark in the field. He also ranks No. 7 in the NCAA. Calvin will compete in his third and final NCAA West Preliminary Round.
- Calvin's personal best throw of 20.24m (66-5) ranks second in school history and just short of the school record at 20.33m (66-8.5).
Joe Boyer – Shot Put – Wednesday, May 25 – 7:00 p.m.
- Sophomore Joe Boyer threw a regional-qualifying mark of 18.00m (59-0.75) at the Illini Invitational this season.
- Most recently, Boyer placed fifth in the discus and sixth in the shot put at the 2022 MVC Outdoor Championships.
- This weekend will mark Boyer's first time competing at the NCAA West Preliminary Round. He ranks No. 37 in the field.
Riley Wells – 800m Run – Wednesday, May 25 – 7:50 p.m.
- Recently crowned MVC Champion in the men's 800m, Riley Wells ran a qualifying time of 1:49.44 at the Drake Relays. His time is the sixth-fastest in school history.
- With a win at the 2022 MVC Outdoor Championships, Wells has now won three MVC titles in his Redbird career.
- Wells is competing at the NCAA West Preliminary Round for the second straight year. He enters the weekend ranked 36th in the field.
Cole Maguire – 400m Hurdles – Wednesday, May 25 – 8:45 p.m.
- Senior Cole Maguire was crowned champion of the 400m Hurdles at the MVC Outdoor Championships with a new lifetime best of 51.09 seconds.
- Maguire's time ranks third in school history and is just 0.41 seconds off the school record.
- This weekend will mark Maguire's first time competing at the NCAA West Preliminary Round, as he enters the field ranked No. 24.
Rachel Hickey – 800m Run – Thursday, May 26 – 7:50 p.m.
- Newly crowned school record holder in the 800m run, Rachel Hickey qualified for her first NCAA West Preliminary Round with a time of 2:05.06, which she ran at the Billy Hayes Invitational.
- Hickey earned All-MVC honors at the 2022 MVC Outdoor Championships, where she finished second in the 1500m and third in the 800m.
- Hickey ranks 19th in the field of women's 800m runners.
BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 25 – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 26 – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, May 27 – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 28 – 5:00 p.m.
UP NEXT
Student-athletes who qualify – those who finish in the top-12 in their respective event at the West Prelims – will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, scheduled for June 8-11 in Eugene, Oregon.
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