ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington track and field teams are sending 11 student-athletes to compete in nine events next week at the NCAA Track and Field West First Rounds being held in Fayetteville, Arkansas at John McDonnell Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
 
Kaliah Jones, the WAC Champion in the women's high jump qualified for a spot in the regionals after taking home the top spot at the WAC Outdoor Championships with a jump of 1.76m. That height was her best mark of the outdoor season as well as the best mark of her outdoor collegiate career and has her sitting tied for the 38th best mark in the West.
 
After winning gold at the 2024 WAC Outdoor Championships, Alexis Cain qualified for a spot at regionals in the women's 400m after clocking in with a season's best and outdoor personal best time of 53.65.
 
2024 WAC Outdoor Champion in the men's high jump, Calen Jones punched his ticket to the regionals. His season's best mark of 2.11m that he set back on March 22 at the Clyde Hart Classic has him tied for the 34th best mark in the West.
 
Randon Gray and Scott Frazier both qualified for regionals in the men's pole vault. Gray placed 2nd at the 2024 WAC Outdoor Championships, but his mark of 5.30m he set back early in the outdoor season at the UTA Invitational, has him sitting tied for 21st in the West. Frazier's mark of 5.16m he set back on April 5 at the 44 Farms Team Invitational has him tied for the 47th best mark in the West.
 
In the women's 100m, both Madison Pippins and Adeyemi Talabi qualified for regionals. Both ran their fastest times of the outdoor season back in late April at the Texas Invitational. Pippins clocked in with a time of 11.32, which has her tied for the 26th fastest time in the West while Talabi ran a time of 11.45 which has her with the 48th fastest time in the West region.
 
Winnie Kipsang has the 31st fastest time in the West region for the women's 800m. Her time of 2:04.61 came back in mid-April at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
 
In the men's 400m hurdles, Lucas Van Klaveren has the 36th fastest mark in the West region. His time of 51.47 came at the 2024 WAC Outdoor Championships.
 
In the women's 400m hurdles, Zaire Moore ran a 58.86 at the 2024 WAC Outdoor Championships. This mark has Moore with the 45th fastest time in the West region.
 
Khalid Mendez qualified for the West Regional in the men's 200m, where his time of 20.76 has him with the 49th fastest time in the West.
 
Arkansas will serve as host of the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field West First Rounds on Wednesday, May 22, through Saturday, May 25. The four-day competition takes place at John McDonnell Field on the University of Arkansas campus.
 
Qualifying individuals and relays advance to the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, held on June 5-8 at Hayward Field.
 
Athletes who rank among the top 48 in their respective event earn a berth into the NCAA West First Rounds. In addition, the best 24 relays times advance to the NCAA preliminaries. Athletes with the top 12 times/marks and the best 12 relay teams at both the East and West First Rounds sites will qualify for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
 
The decathlon and heptathlon will not be held during the NCAA First Rounds. Instead, the top 24 decathlon and heptathlon scores in the nation earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship site.
 
Van Klaveren has already punched his ticket to Eugene in the men's decathlon, where his 7785 total points is the 7th best mark in the country.
   
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