MADISON, Wis. – The quest for national championships starts next week for the Wisconsin women's track and field team as the Badgers will have 15 entries at the 2018 NCAA West Preliminary Championships in Sacramento, California. 

The opening round of the national meet starts on May 24 at Hornet Stadium and wraps up on May 26. The top-12 finishers from the NCAA West Preliminary Championships will join the top-12 finishers from the NCAA East Preliminary Championships at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, June 6-9, at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. 

A seven-time All-American, Georgia Ellenwood will compete not only at the NCAA West Preliminary Round in the high jump, but the senior has secured a spot at the NCAA outdoor championships in the heptathlon. Ellenwood is the top seed in the heptathlon thanks to her conference-record score of 6,173 points set at the 2018 Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Ellenwood will also look to qualify for the national championships in the high jump as she has a seed mark of 5-10 (1.78m)

Making her second appearance at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships is Alicia Monson, who is slated to compete in the 5000 meters. Monson is coming off of a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in the event and enters with a seed time of 16 minutes, 11.81 seconds. Joining her on the track is Shaelyn Sorensen, who will make her third appearance at the opening round. 

After advancing to the NCAA outdoor championships last spring, senior Brenna Detra will compete in her signature event — the 400 hurdles — next week in Sacramento. Detra is the No. 10 seed for this year's meet thanks to her season-best time of 57.70, which she earned at the 2018 Big Ten Outdoor Championships en route to a fourth-place finish. 

Another Badger who will make their NCAA West Preliminary debut is Alissa Niggemann, who qualified for the 3000 steeplechase with her time of 10:18.81 from the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Her time also ranks No. 3 in UW school history.

A school record-setting relay squad will also compete at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships. The 4x100 relay of Meagan Blair, Gabrielle DesRosiers, Brenna Detra and Ebony McClendon come in ranked No. 19 with a time of 44.83.

Making her fourth-straight appearance in the prelims is senior Taylor Amann. A three-time Big Ten champion, Taylor enters as the No. 3 seed in the pole vault with a personal-best mark of 14-3 1/2 (4.36m). Teammate Rayce Albino will also vault in the meet for the second time in her collegiate career after competing for Missouri her freshman year. 

Chinne Okoronkwo will compete at the NCAA West Preliminary Round for the second time in her career, as she is slated to compete in the triple jump with a seed mark of 41-10 1/2 (12.76m).

Freshman Sophia Rivera and junior Banke Oginni will compete in the shot put as Rivera is the No. 13 seed with a mark of 55-1 1/2 (16.80m). Oginni will compete for her third-straight year in the event and comes in with a seed mark of 53-1 (16.18m).

Rivera will also compete in the javelin and is the No. 8 seed with a school-record mark of 175-2 (53.40m).

Josie Schaefer and Hanna Barton will also make their NCAA debuts in the discus. Schaefer enters with a seed mark of 174-3 (53.11m) and Barton comes close behind with her mark of 173-10 (52.99m).

An honorable mention All-American in the hammer throw in 2016, Haley Showalter heads to Sacramento with a seed mark in the hammer of 194-10 (59.38m).

For the first time in meet history, FloTrack will stream both NCAA preliminary championships live while ESPN will carry the final round. 
 
NCAA West Preliminary Championships Qualifiers
5000 Meters
32. Alicia Monson – 16:11.81
41. Shaelyn Sorensen – 16:21.31
 
400 Hurdles
10. Brenna Detra – 57.70

3000 Steeplechase
20. Alissa Niggemann – 10:18.89
 
4x100 Relay
19. Meagan Blair, Gabrielle DesRosiers, Brenna Detra, Ebony McClendon – 44.83
 
High Jump
T-23. Georgia Ellenwood – 5-10 (1.78m)
 
Pole Vault
T-3. Taylor Amann – 14-3 1/2 (4.36m)
T-25. Rayce Albino – 13-7 (4.14m)
 
Triple Jump
31. Chinne Okoronkwo – 41-10 1/2 (12.76m)
 
Shot Put
T-13. Sophia Rivera – 55-1 1/2 (16.80m)
24. Banke Oginni – 53-1 (16.18m)
 
Discus
T-24. Josie Schaefer – 174-3 (53.11m)
26. Hanna Barton – 173-10 (52.99m)
 
Hammer Throw
33. Haley Showalter – 194-10 (59.38m)
 
Javelin
8. Sophia Rivera – 175-2 (53.40m)
 
2018 NCAA Championships Qualifiers
Heptathlon
1.Georgia Ellenwood – 6,173 points