ISU Secures 32 Entries for NCAA West Prelims

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State secured 32 entries for NCAA West Prelims, announced by the NCAA Thursday. The men have 19 entries in 12 events while the women total 13 in 10 events.

Both the men's and women's 4x400m relay squads locked up their spots at regionals. The women's squad is ranked 10^th in the West and the men enter ranked No. 15.

School record-holder Mikey McClain earns the No. 7 seed in the 200m with 20.41, set at Big 12 Championships as the sophomore came .001 seconds off the title. This will be McClain's second-straight trip to regionals in the event. Brooklyn Sandvig will make her first trip, entering as the No. 42 seed in the 200m (23.39m, No. 2 ISU) for the women. Sandvig also will run the 100m after qualifying with 11.49 (No. 2 ISU) in the 100m.

The 400m star Rachel Joseph heads into the event ranked fourth in the West with 50.79. The junior has gone sub-51 six times, including twice this outdoor season.

Darius Kipyego and Dugion Blackman are in for the 800m. Kipyego is the No. 8 seed (1:46.18) and Blackman the No. 10 seed (1:46.60, PR) with times the duo ran in the Big 12 800m final. Kipyego ranks second in school history with a PR of 1:45.40, while Blackman ranks eighth. For the women, Makayla Clark holds the No. 7-seed time of 2:01.99. Kaia Holtkamp also advances with her PR of 2:07.40.

In the 1,500m, the duo of Emanuel Galdino and Devan Kipyego will continue their dominant season. Galdino is the No. 16 seed (3:38.26, No. 2 ISU) and Kipyego the No. 25 seed (3:39.37, No. 7 ISU). Bella Heikes and Becca Heitzig advance for the women, with Heikes the No. 30 seed (4:17.41, No. 4 ISU) and Heikes the No. 26 seed (4:18.82, No. 7 ISU).

Robin Kwemoi Bera and Ryan Watts will run in the 5,000m, entering as the No. 11 and No. 41 seeds. Bera's best time of 13:28.12 ranks fifth in school history and Watts ranks just off the top 10 with 13:37.23. On the women's side, Maelle Porcher holds the ninth-fastest time in the West with 15:32.59 (No. 3 ISU), and Heikes also qualified with 15:59.06 (No. 10 ISU).

A trio of Cyclones are entered in the men's 10K, with Said Mechaal the No. 5 seed (27:48.08, No. 2 ISU) and Rodgers Kiplimo the No. 8 seed (27:52.12, No. 3 ISU). Watts will double with the 5K, going into the 10K as the No. 34 seed (28:22.71, No. 10 ISU).

Alec Carr advances in the 400m hurdles with his PR of 51.15 (No. 10 ISU) for the No. 42 seed time. Carr makes his second trip in the event.

In the men's steeple, Joash Ruto is the third-fastest entrant with his school record of 8:25.42, and Quinton Orr ranks at No. 20 in the West with 8:39.90 (No. 8 ISU). For the women, Kiki Connell (10:16.83, No. 5 ISU) is the No. 27 seed.

Braden Goellner will enter regionals with the T-No. 36 mark in the West of 6-11 (2.11m).

Five-time All-American Cam Jones is the No. 19 seed with a shot put season best of 62-5 (19.02m).

Daniel Norris improved his discus season best at conference and earns the No. 40 seed with 184-11 (56.36m).

Two men's hammer throwers move on, with Zach Verzani entering with a PR of 213-4 (65.03m, No. 2 ISU) and Garret Wagner with his PR of 205-0 (62.49m, No. 5 ISU). Verzani is the No. 26 seed and Wagner is the No. 45 seed. Women's school record-holder Kaitlyn Burson is also in, heading into NCAA Prelims with a season best of 191-4 (58.32m, No. 40 seed).

Amari Laing advances in the long jump with her PR of 20-2 1/2 (6.16m, No. 7 ISU) as the No. 46 seed.

Texas A&M hosts the West region next week, Wednesday, May 28 through Saturday, May 31. The men will compete Wednesday and Friday, while women compete Thursday and Saturday. The top 12 will advance to NCAA Outdoor Championships June 11-14 at Oregon's Hayward Field.

Iowa State NCAA West Prelims Entries

Hammer (M): Zach Verzani, Garret Wagner

Hammer (W): Kaitlyn Burson

Shot Put (M): Cam Jones

Discus (M): Daniel Norris

Long Jump (W): Amari Laing

High Jump (M): Braden Goellner

400m Hurdles (M): Alec Carr

100m (W): Brooklyn Sandvig

200m (M): Mikey McClain

200m (W): Brooklyn Sandvig

400m (W): Rachel Joseph

800m (M): Darius Kipyego, Dugion Blackman

800m (W): Makayla Clark, Kaia Holtkamp

1,500m (M): Emanuel Galdino, Devan Kipyego

1,500m (W): Bella Heikes, Becca Heitzig

3,000m Steeplechase (M): Joash Ruto, Quinton Orr

3,000m Steeplechase (W): Kiki Connell

5,000m (M): Robin Kwemoi Bera, Ryan Watts

5,000m (W): Maelle Porcher, Bella Heikes

10,000m (M): Said Mechaal, Rodgers Rotich, Ryan Watts

4x400m (M)

4x400m (W)

Players Mentioned

Robin Kwemoi Bera

Dugion Blackman

Kaitlyn Burson

Alec Carr

Makayla Clark

Kiki Connell

Emanuel Galdino

Braden Goellner

Bella Heikes

Becca Heitzig

Kaia Holtkamp

Cam Jones

Rachel Joseph

Rodgers Kiplimo

Darius Kipyego

Devan Kipyego

Amari Laing

Mikey McClain

Said Mechaal

Daniel Norris

Quinton Orr

Maelle Porcher

Joash Ruto

Brooklyn Sandvig

Zach Verzani

Garret Wagner

Ryan Watts

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