MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's track and field team will have 10 student-athletes compete in 11 different events at the 2019 NCAA West Preliminary Championships, this Thursday through Saturday, at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California.
The top-12 finishers in each event from the regional competition will advance to the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, June 5-8, at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
Live results will be available here while fans can also watch all track events on FloTrack ($). Fans can also follow the action on Twitter (@BadgerTrackXC).
1. LAST TIME OUT: Wisconsin opened up championship season with the 2019 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Iowa City, Iowa, on May 10-12.
Morgan McDonald won the 10,000 meters in his collegiate track debut in the event while Olli Hoare finished second for the Cardinal and White in the 1500 meters.
Eric Brown finished third in the 800 meters,
Austin Glynn was fourth in the discus and
Robby Hatch placed sixth in the 400 hurdles.
2. TRENT'S HEADING TO TEXAS: One Badger has already advanced to the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships as
Trent Nytes will compete in the decathlon in Austin. A first-team All-American in the heptathlon earlier this year, Nytes will make his second-straight appearance at the outdoor national meet after finishing 11th last year. The Kaukauna, Wisconsin, native is coming off of a fifth-place finish at Big Tens and has a season-best score of 7,618 points, which ranks 10th nationally.
3. LOOKING TO RETURN TO NCAAS: Three men will look to return to the NCAA outdoor championships in senior
Morgan McDonald and juniors Olli Hoare and
Rashid Coulibaly. A three-time NCAA champion during the 2018-19 season, McDonald looks to make his return to the outdoor championships after finishing fifth in the 5000 meters at the 2016 meet. Hoare looks to defend his NCAA title in the 1500 meters as he enters this weekend with the top time in the country in the event of 3 minutes, 37.20 seconds set at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Coulibaly competed at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships after soaring a personal-best 17 feet, 6-12 inches at the 2017 NCAA West Prelims.
4. NEWCOMERS TO NCAAS: Four Badgers will make their NCAA debuts this weekend in Sacramento as sophomore Zack Dybul will compete in the high jump, redshirt freshman
Austin Glynn will throw both the discus and hammer, redshirt freshman
Hudson Kugel will race in the 800 meters and true freshman
Robby Hatch will compete in the 400 hurdles.
5. ABOUT THE MEET: This weekend's meet in Sacramento features the top-48 student-athletes from the West Region in each individual event and the top 24 relay teams. The NCAA West Preliminary Championships is held at the same time as the NCAA East Preliminary Championships, which will take place in Jacksonville, Florida. The top-12 finishers from each site will advance to the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas.
