AUSTIN, Texas – When Wisconsin Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne addresses the team, one of his usual messages is to not let the meet or competition beat the student-athletes.

Three Wisconsin men's track and field student-athletes took that message to heart on Friday at the 2017 NCAA West Preliminary Round as Rashid Coulibaly, Riley Budde and Josh McDonald all qualified for the NCAA outdoor championships thanks to outstanding performances.

"All year long we've talked to our kids at pre-meet team meetings about competing and what exactly that means," Byrne said. "It means giving it all you've got and not backing away and not being afraid of the competition. We have a saying, don't let the meet beat you. Very often that happens.

"Today Rashid, Josh and Riley competed hard and gave it their all and no coach can ask for anything more than that."

Cool as Coulibaly: Freshman punches ticket to NCAA championships
Despite being a freshman, Wisconsin pole vaulter Rashid Coulibaly showed no nerves on Friday at the 2017 NCAA West Preliminary Round as Coulibaly finished 11th to advance to this year's NCAA outdoor championships.

But his performance came days after the Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire native had to deal with some adversity.

"To be honest, when we practiced a couple days ago I was not ready to vault at all," Coulibaly said. "I snapped a pole on Wednesday so that kind of shook me a little bit but I came in today saying that I don't feel like I'm going to do well but I'm still going to try my best. I just gave it all I had."

Coulibaly, the No. 37 seed in the competition, earned a pair of final-attempt clearances, including one at 17 feet, 6 ½ inches, to earn one of the 12 spots at this year's national meet.

"For the first one I just knew I needed to switch some things up," Coulibaly said. "I knew what I had to do so on the last vault I told myself I know I can make this, it's not going to be a problem. On my third attempt on the second height coach told me to do this one thing and that I would be able to soar through it. As I was on the runway I was thinking just give it my all, I don't have any other choices now so I might as well try it and it worked out very, very well for me."

"What a great performance by Rashid," Byrne said. "To come out here and see him get his last two bars on the last effort, that's the definition of competing."

After suffering only one miss on his first three bars, Coulibaly faced some adversity at 17-2 3/4, missing on his first two attempts. He coolly cleared it on his final attempt to set a new personal best and became the 10th in school history to clear 17 feet in the pole vault outdoors.

Coulibaly entered the ensuing bar, 17-6 1/2, in 17th place, knowing the top-12 finishers earned spots to the NCAA meet.  After recording misses on his first two attempts, Coulibaly again cleared the bar on his final attempt to punch his ticket.

"I'm was definitely a little shocked," Coulibaly said. "All of my friends were telling me that you got this!"

Coulibaly's clearance is tied for third in the school's all-time list as he looks to build on his mark on Wednesday, June 7 at 7 p.m. CT at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Throwdown in Texas: Budde, McDonald advance in shot put
At the NCAA West Preliminary Round, there's no difference between first place and 12th place as the top-12 advance to the national championship.

Wisconsin juniors Riley Budde and Josh McDonald finished 11th and 12th in the men's shot put to advance to the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

"There were a lot of guys in that competition that had season or lifetime bests," Byrne said. "There are a lot of guys getting left home. Our guys competed and they live to fight another day in Eugene. What more can you ask of those guys? One after the other these guys are getting out there and competing. That's a great job."

For Budde, it marks the second time he's qualified for the national championships this weekend as he also finished 11th in the hammer throw Thursday. Budde threw the shot 59-7 1/2 to advance.

"The hammer and shot are the two events I came in seeded the highest," Budde said "The goal was to make it in both of them and I was able to do that so I'm really excited about that.

"I actually didn't even think I got in so I was kind of bummed afterwards and then Josh said we both made it in and was awesome! I definitely would've liked to throw over 19 meters but I'm in and that's all that matters."

McDonald was one of the final throwers in the shot put, as he was seeded 45th out of the field of 48. But McDonald's throw from the first flight of 59-7, a personal-best mark, was good enough for 12th.

"I was just happy that I threw a PR in my last meet of the year potentially," McDonald said. "It's exciting to make it in obviously and I'm just happy that I performed well."

A native of Wentzville, Missouri, McDonald's showing on Friday was similar to his situation in the discus last year. McDonald was seeded 38th in the discus heading into the 2016 NCAA West Preliminary Round before finishing 12th to advance to the NCAA meet.

"I didn't expect the mark to hold up to be honest," McDonald said "This is the lowest mark I've ever seen get through."

Budde and McDonald will compete in the shot put at the NCAA championships on Wednesday, June 7 at 8:40 p.m.

"It's great we both made it," Budde said. "We train with each other every day and we push each other every day so it's going to be awesome competing with him at the meet."

Sophomore Eric Brown finished 19th in the 800 meters thanks to a time of 1 minute, 51.99 seconds while senior Lorenzo Larry, in his final race for the Cardinal and White, was 35th in the 200 meters with a time of 21.19. Tim Guthrie also competed in the pole vault as he finished 39th with a clearance of 15-11.

Wisconsin wraps up the NCAA West Preliminary Round on Saturday in Austin, Texas. Budde and McDonald will kickstart things for the Badgers by throwing the discus at 1 p.m.