ABILENE – The NCAA Thursday revealed its lists of
declared athletes for next week's
Division I Outdoor Track and Field West Preliminary Round, and heading to Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium to represent Abilene Christian will be long jumper
Megan Kirby, throwers
Annina Brandenburg,
Kayla Melgar,
Josh Hunter,
Morgan Knight and
Ryan Simmons, steeplechaser
Ryan Cleary, and the 4x400m relay of
Ryan Linton,
Blaze Brownlow and Avery and
Jared Williams.
Linton additionally will take part in the 200-meter dash set for Friday at 7:55 p.m. (all times Pacific), while Avery and
Jared Williams – the last two outdoor Southland Conference 400m champions – will run their primary event Thursday night at 7:45 p.m.
Thursday's Opening Day slate of events also features Kirby in the long jump and Melgar in the hammer throw. Melgar again will throw the discus and shot put alongside Brandenburg Friday (12 p.m.) and Saturday (5:15 p.m.).
Friday's schedule includes the men's discus throw at 4 p.m. followed by Cleary in the steeplechase (9 p.m.) and the 1600-meter relay (9:45 p.m.).
Each competition with the exception of the 4x400m relay is composed of 48 competitors, and the Wildcats are ranked among the half of their respective fields in six of nine events.
Hunter is seeded eighth in the discus following his launch of 58.69 meters (192-7) at Texas Tech's Fearless Champion Open on March 22, while his teammates Knight (57.23m / 187-9) and Simmons (55.75m / 182-11) are seeded 14th and 24th.
In the women's throwing events, Melgar (16.54m / 54-3.25) and Brandenburg (15.90m / 52-2) are seeded 13th and 24th in the shot put, and 21st and 17th in the discus. Brandenburg's top discus mark of 54.58m (179-1) was recorded at the Texas Relays and Melgar recorded hers (53.96m / 177-0) at ACU's Oliver Jackson Twilight Open.
This same meet also featured Kirby tying the school record in the long jump at 6.28 meters (20' 7.25"), an effort which has her seeded 21st in the west region.
Cleary is the 24th seeded runner in the steeplechase after clocking an 8:51.84 at the Bryan Clay Invitational, and the 4x400m relay's 16th-seeded time of 3:07.76 was posted at the Texas Relays.
Melgar's season best in the hammer (57.52m / 188-8) has her seeded 47th. Linton is No. 44 in the 200m (21.06), while Avery and
Jared Williams are seeded 27th and 33rd in the 400m dash behind season best times of 46.54 and 46.70.
Athletes with the top 12 times/marks and the best 12 relay teams at both the East and West Preliminary Rounds sites will qualify for the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas, June 5-8.
