SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Illinois State track & field program has 18 student-athletes prepared to compete at the 2023 NCAA Division I West Preliminary Round from Wednesday, May 24 through Saturday, May 27 at Hornet Stadium on the campus of California State University, Sacramento in Sacramento, California.
The men will compete on Wednesday and Friday, while the women will compete on Thursday and Saturday.
Live results for the NCAA West Preliminary Round can be found here. Live coverage of the event will also be provided by ESPN+ each day. However, please note that this only includes events occurring inside the stadium (no throws) during the scheduled hours.
BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 24 – 8 p.m. CT
Thursday, May 25 – 8 p.m. CT
Friday, May 26 – 7:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 27 – 7:00 p.m. CT
MEN'S QUALIFIERS
Amiri Buchanan | Wednesday, May 24 | Hammer (12:00 p.m. CT) | Shot Put (8:00 p.m. CT)
- Buchanan most recently finished second in the men's hammer at the MVC Outdoor Championships, earning All-Valley honors at both the 2023 MVC Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
- He threw a personal-best, and third-highest program mark, in the men's hammer at the MVC Outdoor Championships, finishing with a mark of 62.58m (205-03). With this mark, Buchanan became the first Redbird to eclipse 62m in the event since Akil Mills threw 63.98m (209-11) in 2014.
- This weekend will see Buchanan compete in both the hammer and shot put, as he is one of three Redbirds competing in multiple events out West. He comes into this weekend with the 39th highest regional mark in the shot put (17.90m) and the 38th highest regional mark in the hammer (62.58m).
Joe Boyer | Shot Put | Wednesday, May 24 | 8 p.m. CT
- Boyer qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Round after throwing a mark of 17.66m (57-11.25) to take third at the MVC Outdoor Championships. Boyer would be one of only five athletes to throw 17 meters or better at the MVC Championships.
- He is competing at his second straight NCAA West Preliminary Round and currently has the 47th-best regional mark in the field.
Brandon Ratliff | 110m Hurdles | Wednesday, May 24 | 8:00 p.m. CT
- Ratliff ran a regional qualifying time last month at the Drake Relays, clocking a time of 13.98 seconds.
- This marks Ratliff's third straight appearance in the NCAA West Preliminary Round in the 110m hurdles.
- He ranks No. 47 in the 110m hurdles in the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Riley Wells | 800m | Wednesday, May 24 | 9:50 p.m. CT
- Claimed his second straight MVC Outdoor title in the 800m, clocking a time of 1:50.67. Wells joins former 'Bird Jack Anstey as back-to-back event champions.
- Wells comes to Sacramento with the 29th fastest 800m time, set at the Bryan Clay Invitational in April.
Jaylin Holmes | 400m Hurdles | Wednesday, May 24 |10:20 p.m. CT
- Ended his first MVC Outdoor Championships with an event win in the 400m hurdles, clocking a personal best time of 51.91 and earning All-Valley honors.
- Holmes enters the week with the 39th fastest qualifying time (51.91) and is makes his first appearance at the NCAA West Preliminary Round for the 'Birds.
WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS
Mye'Joi Williams | Shot Put | Thursday, May 25 | 8:00 p.m. CT
- Took home the title of MVC Outdoor women's shot-put champion with a personal best mark of 17.53m (57-6.25).
- Ranks No. 2 in school history in the shot put.
- Became the first Redbird to win the women's outdoor shot-put title since 2017 when Brandy Thomas took home the title.
- She is competing at her first NCAA West Prelims in the shot-put, sitting with a top-10 regional mark and 15th nationally.
Melissa Parrella | Long Jump | Thursday, May 25 | 8:00 p.m. CT
- Parrella jumped 5.66m at the MVC Outdoor Championships to claim eighth place in the long jump.
- Gathered a regional qualifying mark of 6.14m (20-1.75) earlier this season at the Michael Johnson Invitational.
- This weekend will mark Parrella's first appearance as a Redbird at the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Zofia LeHew | Javelin | Thursday, May 25 | 3:30 p.m. CT
- LeHew most recently claimed the title of MVC Outdoor Champion in the javelin, throwing for a personal best mark of 48.82m (160-02).
- With her win, LeHew became the first Redbird women's athlete to win the javelin title since 2012 (Leigh Petranoff).
- LeHew's mark moved her into the top-35 and advances her to her first ever NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Hassy Fashina-Bombata | Thursday, May 25 | 100m Hurdles (8:00 p.m. CT) | 200m (10:45 p.m. CT) | Saturday, May 27 | Women's 4x100m Relay (7:00 p.m. CT)
- Fashina-Bombata won her first Missouri Valley Conference title in the 100m hurdles two weeks ago, clocking a time of 13.41 as she became the first Redbird women's outdoor 100m champion since 2018 (D'Jenne Egharevba).
- Set her regional qualifying time of 23.50 in the 200m at the Gibson Invitational in mid-April. This time places the Nanaimo, B.C., Canada native second in school history.
- Part of a 4x100m relay squad that holds the school record and is coming off a 2023 MVC Outdoor Championships title in the event, setting a new home track facility record and the first event winners for ISU since 2010.
Rachel Hickey | 800m | Thursday, May 25 | 9:50 p.m. CT
- Hickey gathered a silver medal at the MVC Outdoor Championships, clocking a time of 2:07.69 to finish second in the event
- Ran a regional qualifying time of 2:07.37 at the Wisconsin Classic earlier this month.
- She will make her second straight appearance in the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Kayla Perry | 400m Hurdles | Thursday, May 25 | 10:20 p.m. CT
- Earned All-Valley honors and the MVC Outdoor Championships title in the 400m hurdles, clocking a time of 59.20.
- Ranks No. 3 all-time in school history for the 400m hurdles with her regional qualifying time (59.20) set two weeks ago.
- Perry is making her first appearance as a Redbird at the NCAA West Preliminary Round.
Taylor Kesner | Javelin (3:30 p.m. CT) | Thursday, May 27 | Discus (3:00 p.m. CT) | Saturday, May 27
- Finished as the MVC runner-up in the javelin while also coming in the top-five of the discus at the MVC Outdoor Championships two weeks ago, throwing a personal-best of 47.68 meters (156-05 ft.) in the javelin and a mark of 48.76 meters (159-11 ft.) in the discus
- Competing at her first NCAA West Prelims this week
- Ranks No. 3 in the javelin and No. 4 in the discus in ISU history
Macy Byer | Discus | Saturday, May 27 | 3:00 p.m. CT
- Finished sixth in the discus at the MVC Championships with a throw of 47.35 meters (155-04 ft.)
- Byer set her regional qualifying throw of 52.29 meters (171-7 ft.) at the first outdoor meet of the season (EIU Big Blue Classic) back in late March.
- This week will be her first time competing at the NCAA West Prelims
Claire Fuhlhage | 3,000m Steeplechase | Saturday, May 27 | 7:40 p.m. CT
- Fuhlhage recently finished second in the 3000m steeplechase at the MVC Outdoor Championships, clocking a personal best time of 10:10.21.
- Currently ranks No. 5 in school history for the event.
- The senior is coming into Sacramento with the 18th fastest time in the 3000m steeplechase, as she is joined in the event field by teammate Mattison Plummer.
Mattison Plummer | 3,000m Steeplechase | Saturday, May 27 | 7:40 p.m. CT
- At the MVC Outdoor Championships, Plummer ran a personal best time of 10:19.46, finishing fourth in a highly competitive field.
- Currently ranks No. 7 in school history for the event.
- Making her first appearance in the NCAA West Preliminary Round
Women's 4x100m Relay | Saturday, May 27 | 7:00 p.m. CT
- Includes Hassy Fashina-Bombata, Arianna Walker, Lindsey Miller, and Madison Saunders
- Set a new Redbird T&F Complex record at the MVC Outdoor Championships, clocking a championship time of 44.65
- Became the first ISU women's outdoor 4x100m relay champions since 2010, when ISU turned in a winning time of 45.54.
- Currently ranks No. 1 in school history, No. 22 in the region, and No. 78 nationally in the event.
UP NEXT
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 7-10 in Austin, Texas at Mike A. Meyers Stadium and Soccer Field.
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