Friday, May 26
Sacramento, CA
University of Oregon
at
NCAA West Preliminary
Photo by: Bob Solorio
Men of Oregon Add Four NCAA Qualifiers
05/26/23 | Track and Field
The 2023 NCAA Championships will be contested June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
EUGENE, Ore. – The Men of Oregon picked up four NCAA qualifiers Friday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary in Sacramento, Calif. The Ducks started the day with a qualifying effort from their 4x100-meter relay, and went on to get national performances from Micah Williams (100 meters), Matthew Erickson (800 meters) and Alex Slenning (steeplechase).
Coupled with Rafael Raap in the decathlon, the UO men are sending five to the NCAA Championships (June 7-10) in Austin, Texas.
On the heels of its bronze finish at the Pac-12 Championships, the Ducks' 4x100-meter relay secured a national qualifier in the first event on the track. The team of Williams, Ryan Mulholland, Xavier Nairne and PJ Ize-Iyamu, Jr., got the baton around the oval in 39.13 to win heat two, good for the fifth-fastest time of the day. The time was also just .05 off their season best.
Slenning produced a lifetime best of 8:34.29 and finished fifth in the first of three heats. With only the top three advancing automatically, he would have to wait out the next two races to see if his time held for one of the three at-large spots. Only Rob McManus of Montana would post a faster non-auto effort over the next two heats which meant Slenning held on as the final qualifier.
In addition to being a first-time NCAA qualifier, Slenning became the No. 10 performer in UO history in the steeplechase with Friday's outing. The Portland, Ore., native entered the day with a best of 8:43.23 from 2019. He also began his postseason with a third-place finish at the conference meet.
Williams added a second qualifying performance but this time with a solo effort in the 100 meters. Out of lane two, he produced a season best of 10.04 to grab a top-three finish in the second of three heats. Williams' time was good for fourth overall and marked his fastest of the year, surpassing his 10.13 from his outdoor opener at the Desert Heat Classic (April 29).
For the second time in as many races, Erickson posted a lifetime best with his 1:46.84 outing in heat one Friday. He made a charge down the final 100 meters to threaten a top-three spot but came up just short of Christopher Conrad of Missouri (1:46.79). Like Slenning in the steeplechase, Erickson had to sit by and wait for the final two heats to confirm his national spot.
The UO sophomore finished in sixth overall as the fastest on-time qualifier. The first heat produced four of the six-fastest times on the day. Erickson came into the meet with a previous best of 1:48.27 from last year's NCAA West Preliminary.
Notable: Jonah Tactay (15.61m/51-2.75W, +6.9) finished 15th in triple jump qualifying; measure is a new all-conditions best…places 11 through 15 were separated by just five centimeters…also had a wind-legal mark of 15.54m/51-0 which is a lifetime best…Giuliano Scasso, in his NCAA West debut, ran 8:58.76 and finished 36th overall in the steeplechase.
Up next: With five national qualifiers already, the UO women are back at it Saturday with 20 chances in 12 events to add to their NCAA Championships roster. The Ducks' schedule on the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary begins at 1 p.m. with the discus, one of two events (1500) where UO has three entries. Competition on the track starts at 5 p.m. with the 4x100-meter relay.
Friday Results
Q – advances to NCAA Championships
MEN
100 Meters
4. Micah Williams – 10.04Q (SB)
800 Meters
6. Matthew Erickson – 1:46.84Q (PB)
3,000m Steeplechase
10. Alex Slenning – 8:34.29Q (PB) [No. 10 UO]
36. Giuliano Scasso – 8:58.76
4x100m Relay
5. Ryan Mulholland/Micah Williams/Xavier Nairne/PJ Ize-Iyamu Jr. – 39.13Q
Triple Jump
15. Jonah Tactay – 15.61m/51-2.75W (+6.9)
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Coupled with Rafael Raap in the decathlon, the UO men are sending five to the NCAA Championships (June 7-10) in Austin, Texas.
On the heels of its bronze finish at the Pac-12 Championships, the Ducks' 4x100-meter relay secured a national qualifier in the first event on the track. The team of Williams, Ryan Mulholland, Xavier Nairne and PJ Ize-Iyamu, Jr., got the baton around the oval in 39.13 to win heat two, good for the fifth-fastest time of the day. The time was also just .05 off their season best.
EUG ? ATX | #NCAATF qualifier
— oregontf (@OregonTF) May 27, 2023
Ryan Mulholland
Micah Williams
Xavier Nairne
PJ Ize-Iyamu Jr.
? 39.13
Fifth-fastest time of the round, just .05 off their season best.#GoDucks
?? ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/VF1LjVTDu5
Slenning produced a lifetime best of 8:34.29 and finished fifth in the first of three heats. With only the top three advancing automatically, he would have to wait out the next two races to see if his time held for one of the three at-large spots. Only Rob McManus of Montana would post a faster non-auto effort over the next two heats which meant Slenning held on as the final qualifier.
In addition to being a first-time NCAA qualifier, Slenning became the No. 10 performer in UO history in the steeplechase with Friday's outing. The Portland, Ore., native entered the day with a best of 8:43.23 from 2019. He also began his postseason with a third-place finish at the conference meet.
Williams added a second qualifying performance but this time with a solo effort in the 100 meters. Out of lane two, he produced a season best of 10.04 to grab a top-three finish in the second of three heats. Williams' time was good for fourth overall and marked his fastest of the year, surpassing his 10.13 from his outdoor opener at the Desert Heat Classic (April 29).
For the second time in as many races, Erickson posted a lifetime best with his 1:46.84 outing in heat one Friday. He made a charge down the final 100 meters to threaten a top-three spot but came up just short of Christopher Conrad of Missouri (1:46.79). Like Slenning in the steeplechase, Erickson had to sit by and wait for the final two heats to confirm his national spot.
The UO sophomore finished in sixth overall as the fastest on-time qualifier. The first heat produced four of the six-fastest times on the day. Erickson came into the meet with a previous best of 1:48.27 from last year's NCAA West Preliminary.
Notable: Jonah Tactay (15.61m/51-2.75W, +6.9) finished 15th in triple jump qualifying; measure is a new all-conditions best…places 11 through 15 were separated by just five centimeters…also had a wind-legal mark of 15.54m/51-0 which is a lifetime best…Giuliano Scasso, in his NCAA West debut, ran 8:58.76 and finished 36th overall in the steeplechase.
Up next: With five national qualifiers already, the UO women are back at it Saturday with 20 chances in 12 events to add to their NCAA Championships roster. The Ducks' schedule on the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary begins at 1 p.m. with the discus, one of two events (1500) where UO has three entries. Competition on the track starts at 5 p.m. with the 4x100-meter relay.
Friday Results
Q – advances to NCAA Championships
MEN
100 Meters
4. Micah Williams – 10.04Q (SB)
800 Meters
6. Matthew Erickson – 1:46.84Q (PB)
3,000m Steeplechase
10. Alex Slenning – 8:34.29Q (PB) [No. 10 UO]
36. Giuliano Scasso – 8:58.76
4x100m Relay
5. Ryan Mulholland/Micah Williams/Xavier Nairne/PJ Ize-Iyamu Jr. – 39.13Q
Triple Jump
15. Jonah Tactay – 15.61m/51-2.75W (+6.9)
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Players Mentioned
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