LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV track & field team will send seven student-athletes to Sacramento, California, next week for the NCAA West Preliminary, which will be hosted at Hornet Stadium by Sacramento State.
The three-day meet, May 23-25, will serve as the first and second rounds of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Each individual event will consist of 48 competitors, with the top 12 advancing to the NCAA Championships (June 5-8) in Austin, Texas.
The Scarlet & Gray will be represented by
Jasmyne Graham (11th/13.07),
Jada Hicks (15th/133.13) and
Taylor Pegram (13.16m) in the 100m hurdles, while Graham is also a qualifier in the long jump (45th/6.11m).
Avi'Tal Wilson-Perteete and
Elisa Rovere will participate in the 800m, as the former leads the country in the event with a time of 2:02.41, while the latter sits 39th (2:07.48).
Kaysha Love and
Mackenna Howard will also make the trek to the Golden State in the 100m (15th/11.38) and shot put (17th/16.19m), respectively.
QUOTABLE: "I am really proud of the student-athletes that have advanced to the NCAA preliminary round," said head coach
Yvonne Wade. "We had hoped to get a few more events through, but fell short this season. The conference meet was about the team and now these individuals can go out and see how far they can advance and matchup against the rest of the country in their respective events."
WEST PRELIM SCHEDULE:
- Thursday, May 23: First Round 100m (6:30 pm), Long Jump (6:45 pm) & 800m (8:35 pm)
- Friday, May 24: First Round 100m Hurdles (4:30 pm); Second Round 100m (6:00 pm) & 800m (6:30 pm)
- Saturday, May 25: Second Round 100m Hurdles (7:05 pm) & First Round Shot Put (5:15 pm)
FAMILIAR TERRITORY: Six of the seven Rebels – minus Hicks – that qualified for next week's NCAA meet in Sacramento have previously competed collegiately at Hornet Stadium. All six took part in the same meet and events last year's NCAA West Preliminary. Additionally, UNLV took part in Sacramento State's Mondo Team Challenge earlier in the 2018 outdoor campaign.
Wilson-Perteete ran a time of 2:01.14 in the 800m at last year's NCAA West Preliminary and it was the second-fastest clocked by an NCAA DI student-athlete in 2018. Moreover, the time was not only a personal best, but it was also second in UNLV's all-time performance records.
