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NCAA West Preliminary RoundAs the Lobos enter the final stages of the 2018 season, they know that there are virtually no guarantees beyond this weekend.
But they can count on one thing: succeed and advance.
The University of New Mexico track & field team is aiming for the national championships as it sends 17 individuals to the 2018 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field West Preliminary Championships competition this week in Sacramento.
Led by their No. 16 women’s squad and a defending men’s national titlist, the Lobos are vying for top-12 finishes in their respective events during the three-day meet at Hornet Stadium, which would advance an athlete to next month’s NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Although this week’s competition is just the opening act of the national championships, moving on to the next round will require some outstanding performances from this pack of Lobos.
The top 48 athletes and top 24 relay teams in the NCAA West Region qualify to the West Prelims, which amount to about 1,600 athletes competing for a limited number of bids to the NCAA finals.
However, New Mexico has the experience and pedigree to succeed and advance this week in Sacramento.
With 17 Lobos participating at the NCAA West Prelims, UNM is continuing a streak of qualifying at least 10 athletes to the meet that stretches back to 2010 when the NCAA reconfigured its preliminary rounds into two regions.
During that streak, the Lobos have advanced no fewer than four athletes to the finals of the NCAA Championships
Additionally, five New Mexico athletes are ranked in the top five of their respective events in the NCAA, which is tied for eighth-most in the NCAA and tops among all Non-Power Five schools.
For the seventh time this season, Josh Kerr was named to the Watch List for The Bowerman, earning a spot on the Post-Conference Championships list! The Bowerman is collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/rgX7ugtO1l
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) May 17, 2018
Among that group of five is Josh Kerr, the reigning NCAA Champion in the 1500-meter run. Arguably one of the best middle-distance runners in the nation, Kerr enters the meet with a seed time of 3 minutes, 35.01 seconds that doubles as the NCAA record.
Already a two-time NCAA qualifier in the 1500, Kerr is looking to become the first male track athlete in UNM history to make three straight NCAA finals since Lee Emanuel (2008-10).
Kerr will also be joined in the metric mile by teammate Ian Crowe-Wright in the event, who owns a time of 3:43.19 that has him seeded 14th.
For the New Mexico women, they head to California with four highly ranked athletes who are all seeded within the top three of their respective events.
Ednah Kurgat leads the West Region in the 5000, entering at the No. 1 seed with a UNM and Mountain West record time of 15:20.06. Weini Kelati comes in as the No. 3 seed in the event behind her time of 15:22.71.
The Lobo women also have a pair of No. 2 seeds in Alice Wright and Charlotte Prouse.
Wright, a three-time All-American in the 10,000, takes aim in that same event with a school-record time of 32:15.73 and looks to become the first athlete in program history to make four straight NCAA Championships.
Prouse looks to translate her seed time of 9:50.47.in the 3000 steeplechase to a finals berth.
Two other Lobos are making return trips to the NCAA West Prelims, with Kieran Casey in the 1500 (seeded 25th, time of 4:22.29) and Sophie Eckel in the 10,000 (36th, 34:19.40) both looking for spots in Eugene.
New Mexico women’s track & field checks in at No. 1??6?? heading into this week’s NCAA West Preliminary Round in Sacramento! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/QCfS78o9OH
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) May 21, 2018
Rounding out the women’s qualifiers are first-time prelim-round competitors in Alondra Negrón Texidor in the 3000 steeplechase (31st, 10:24.45), Ada’ora Chigbo in the high jump (27th, 5-9 ¾) and Michelle Traynham in the javelin (35th, 155-3).
On the men’s side, Tanner Battikha joins Kerr as the only Lobo returning to the NCAA West Prelims, as he’s seeded 44th in the long jump with a distance of 24-8 ½.
Six of the men’s nine qualifiers are making their first appearance at the meet, including a pair in the 800. Michael Wilson is seeded 15th with a time of 1:48.35, while Kristian Uldbjerg Hansen is seeded 33rd with a time of 1:49.77.
Carlos Salcido is also making his first NCAA West Prelim as he puts his 29th-seeded clocking of 46.53 in the 400 to the test. Additionally, Jonny Glen is seeded 42nd in the 3000 steeplechase with a time of 8:56.82.
Mountain West championships Brent Dionisio is the men’s final qualifier, as he is the No. 29 seed in the high jump with a clearance of 6-11 ½.
The meet kicks off for the Lobos on Thursday at 1 p.m. MT with the women’s javelin and 6:30 p.m. MT with the men’s 1500. The meet will continue through Friday and Saturday.
FloTrack is set to stream the entire meet, with live results provided by the NCAA at FlashResults.com. Check back at the conclusion of each day for a quick recap on the Lobos’ action and again on Saturday for a full recap.
Fans can follow @UNMLoboXCTF on Twitter and Instagram to keep track of the Lobos!