ARLINGTON, Texas – The road to TrackTown USA begins for six UT Arlington track & field student-athletes as they qualified for the NCAA DI West First Round, set for next Wednesday, May 27, and runs through Saturday, May 30, in Fayetteville, Ark., hosted by the University of Arkansas.
 
UTA will be represented in six events with four men's competitors – Lucas Cano, Jayden Haynes, Abisayo Gbakinro and Alex Kalmar. On the women's side, UTA will be represented by Alexis Cain and Arieanna Mcpeak.
 
Four of six UTA's NCAA West First Round qualifiers are freshmen, showcasing the depth and emerging talent within the Mavericks' program.
 
Kalmar will represent UTA in the men's 800m after qualifying for the NCAA West First Round for the second consecutive season. The senior captured the WAC Outdoor Championship title in the event and recorded five first-place finishes during the outdoor campaign. The Temecula, Calif., native also broke his own school record twice this season, posting a program-best time of 1:46.55 at the SMU Invite.
 
Cano qualified in the men's shot put following an impressive freshman campaign. He earned seven top-three finishes in the discus and shot put combined, highlighted by a victory at the Clyde Hart Classic in the shot put with a mark of 52.59m. Cano also claimed the WAC title in the discus with a throw of 54.93m and currently ranks second in program history in the event with a personal-best mark of 55.96m.
 
Haynes will compete in the men's 400m after a standout debut season for the Mavericks. The freshman tallied six top five finishes in the event, including a WAC Outdoor Championship title. The Plano, Texas native recorded a personal best at the OU O'Ring Alumni Invite, earning first and clocking a time of 45.99.

Gbakinro earned a spot in the men's triple jump after producing a strong freshman season in both the long jump and triple jump. He recorded four top five finishes in the triple jump, including a personal-best second place leap of 15.51m at the TCU Alumni Invitational.
 
Cain qualified in the women's 400m after a record-breaking junior campaign. The Euclid, Ohio native broke both the indoor and outdoor school records in the event, including an outdoor-best 52.53 at the OU O'Ring Alumni Invite and an indoor mark of 54.49. Cain also qualified for the NCAA West First Round during the 2024 outdoor season.
 
Mcpeak will represent the Mavericks in the women's long jump following an impressive freshman campaign. During the indoor season, she was named WAC Co-Women's Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet and earned WAC Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year honors. The Ferris, Texas native collected five event titles during the outdoor season between the long jump and triple jump. She earned a silver medal in the event at WAC Outdoor Championships and recorded a personal-best mark of 6.21m earlier this season at the SMU Invite.
   
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