AUSTIN, Texas – Two years ago, Wisconsin men's track and field distance ace Joe Hardy qualified in the 1500 meters as a freshman for the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Hardy punched his return ticket to the national championships on Saturday, this time in the 5000 meters as the Seattle, Washington native finished fifth in his section at the 2017 NCAA West Preliminary Round at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

"My plan was just to stay in the top four, five, or six people and just try to stay up there for as long as possible and go whenever everybody started going," Hardy said. I did that pretty well. I got out good and got into second, third and just kind of rolled with it."

Hardy's performance in the 5000 meters came two days after the junior competed in the 1500 meters at the NCAA West Prelims, where he finished sixth in his section, narrowly missing a spot in the quarterfinals.

"I was really hoping to go back in the 1500 this year and had two really disappointing races to end the season," Hardy said. "I knew I was in good shape and I really, really, really wanted to get there and this is so much sweeter. This is the best feeling after a race that I've ever had."

"All of the 1500 meter guys in his section jogged around and it became a sprint and he was on the bad end of that," UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said. "We kept talking about this being an opportunity in the 5,000 meters and try to take advantage of that opportunity. Joe put himself in a position up front right from the start and was committed to the race.

"It looked like he was on a mission out there tonight and was able to hold on and did an incredible job when it really mattered."

The race started off quickly despite hot and humid conditions in Austin as an Arkansas runner broke away from the field of 24 very early in the race.

Hardy led the chase pack throughout the early part of the race and continued to be in the top five once the group caught up with the leader.

With 800 meters remaining, the pace picked up to a sprint, but Hardy remained in the top-five to earn an automatic spot to the national championship.

"That last 800 meters was pretty blistering and he did a good job of keeping his composure. I guess he really wanted it. He was disappointed after the 1500 and he gets rewarded with a trip to Eugene for hanging in there and not giving up on himself."

Hardy will race in the 5000 meters at Hayward Field on Friday, June 9 at 9:25 p.m. CT as he looks to continue UW's rich history in the event.

"We're missing Morgan (McDonald) this year and that's a huge loss," Hardy said. "He would definitely be up there and be good at nationals. What happened to him sucked. I wanted to represent him and to represent the legacy. There are so many amazing runners that come from here and we have the best coaches in the NCAA. They just believe in you and with that knowledge you can do anything.

"I definitely didn't have the fastest time but I had all that legacy and history behind me and I just really wanted to get it done."

Senior Russ Sandvold was 23rd in the 5000 meters in 14:45.54, while freshman Zack Snider started strong, but pulled out of the event due to injury. 

After earning spots at the NCAA championships in both the hammer throw and shot put, junior Riley Budde was looking to punch his third ticket of the weekend in the discus. Budde came close to advancing, throwing the discus 179-3, but ultimately finished 15th. Fellow junior Josh McDonald, who qualified for the NCAA meet in the shot put on Saturday, was 30th in the discus with a heave of 174-8.

"In the discus we thought we might get a qualifier but we didn't," Byrne said. "We got an unexpected one in the shot yesterday so that's part of the rollercoaster we're on at this crazy meet."

Junior Carl Hirsch finished 11th in his section of the men's 1500 meters with a time of 4:02.07.

Following the 2017 NCAA West Preliminary Round, Wisconsin will send five men – Budde, Rashid Coulibaly, Hardy, McDonald and Malachy Schrobilgen - to compete at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships, June 7-10, in Eugene, Oregon.

"Overall, across the board I think we've had a good meet," Byrne said. "We got some unexpected qualifiers and a couple of kids we expected to qualify didn't. You look at these results across the board and, man, a lot of great athletes have been left behind and are not going to Eugene. It's just the nature of this crazy meet."