COLLEGE STATION, Texas (May 31, 2025) -- The Big West produced five national qualifiers on the third day of the 2025 NCAA Track & Field West Preliminaries, Friday at Texas A&M’s E.B. Cushing Stadium.
The third day of the West Preliminaries is treated as the quarterfinals of the national championships for men's events. Women's events will be run on Saturday in the same format. The competition is narrowed to 12 athletes (or relay teams) in each event that qualify for the NCAA Track & Field Championships in approximately two weeks at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
The Cal State Fullerton 4x100m relay of John Clifford, Carter Birade, Dominic Gates and Ian Dossman booked a trip to Oregon by finishing third in heat three, ninth overall, with a time of 39.26.
Cal State Fullerton’s Joshua Hornsby claimed the last spot to nationals, placing 12th overall in the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.58.
Long Beach State’s Tristyn Flores earned a spot to nationals in two events, the 100m and 200m. Flores ran the 100m in 10.05, a new personal best, school record and conference record, to place 12th overall. In the 200m, Flores crossed the line in second in heat two, 13th overall, with a time of 20.46 to go to Eugene. UC Irvine’s Justin Johnson ran 20.69 for 22nd place in the half-lap race.
Cal Poly’s Aidan McCarthy took second in heat two, fifth overall, with a 1:47.01 performance to claim a ticket to nationals.
The Cal Poly duo of Michael Chambers (8:42.47) and Bryce Kueker (8:48.85) placed 14th and 19th overall, respectively, in the 3000m steeplechase. UC Santa Barbara's Parker Simmons, Cal State Fullerton’s Talman Young (9:17.30) and UC Irvine’s Joshua Schuld (9:22.04) took 22nd, 40th and 44th, respectively, in the event.
Cal Poly’s Chase Walter was 19th in the 400m with a 46.19 performance.
Long Beach State’s Kyle Jankans was one spot shy of making it to nationals in the high jump, coming in 13th place with a clearance of 2.14m/7’0.25”. Cal State Fullerton’s Sebastian Ikolo (T-25th; 2.09m/6’10.25”), Long Beach State’s TJ Funches (T-33rd; 2.04m/6’8.25”) and UC San Diego’s Miles Bennett (T-41st; 2.04m/6’8.25”) were also competitors in the event.
In the discus, Long Beach State’s Canaan Wharry (55.57m/182’3”) and UC Irvine’s Jacob Hawkins (49.15m/161’3”) finished 27th and 47th, respectively.
UC Riverside's Kyan Thomas (27th; 15.46m/50'8.75"), Long Beach State’s Novye’ James (29th; 15.39m/50’6”), CSUN’s Jay Louison-Roe (31st; 15.37m/50’5.25”) and UC Santa Barbara’s William Denning (32nd;15.19m/49’10”) competed in the triple jump.
– The Big West
