14 Mustangs Qualify for NCAA West Preliminaries

Wednesday, May 22

Fayetteville, AR / John McDonnell Field

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NCAA West Preliminaries

14 Mustangs Qualify for NCAA West Preliminaries

5/16/2024 2:00:00 PM | Track and Field

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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Following a historic sweep of the team titles at the Big West Championships this past weekend, 14 Cal Poly track and field athletes learned Thursday that they have secured berths to compete in the NCAA West Preliminaries in Arkansas next week.

Davis Bove, Noah Bustos, Chris Caudillo, Tatiana Cornejo, Shelby Daniele, Rory Devaney, Lexi Evans, Travis Martin, Melody Nwagwu, Corban Payne, Spencer Pickren, Carson Smith, MacGregor TeSelle and Lewis Westwood are all set to descend upon the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville on May 22-25 to take part in the NCAA West Prelims.

The 14 West Prelims qualifiers for the Mustangs are the second most in program history under the current two regional format, only trailing the 2011 squad that sent 16 individuals and one relay to the regional meet.

The field for the meet is comprised of the top 48 individual marks and top 24 relay times in the West Region. Qualifiers that finish in the top 12 in each event at the West Regional, along with the top 12 from the East Regional, will advance to the NCAA Championships held at University of Oregon's Hayward Field on June 5-8.

Eleven of the Mustangs that qualified will be making their first appearance at the West regionals. Bove, who transferred to Cal Poly from LSU this past summer, is a two-time East Prelims qualifier, but will be competing in the West Prelims for the first time.

Bove (men's 1,500, 5,000 meters), Devaney (men's discus, hammer throw) and Nwagwu (women's long jump and triple jump) all qualified for the West Prelims in two events. This marks the first time in program history that three Mustangs have qualified for the West Prelims in multiple events in a single season. Cal Poly's five qualifiers in the men's 1,500-meter are also the most the program has had in a single event.

Among Big West teams, Cal Poly has the most entries in the NCAA West Prelims on both sides with 12 for the men and five for the women.

The NCAA West Prelims will be streamed live on ESPN+ each day, with coverage starting at 4 p.m. PDT Wednesday and Thursday, and at 3 p.m. PDT Friday and Saturday. Live results are available here.

Below is some info on each of the 14 Mustangs that have punched their ticket to the West Preliminaries in Fayetteville, listed in the order in which they will compete. All times listed are in Pacific time and at least one Mustang will be competing each day of the meet.

Rory Devaney

Men's Hammer (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 7 a.m. PDT

This marks the second straight year Devaney has earned a trip to the West Prelims in the hammer throw. The sophomore secured a third-place finish in the event at the Big West Championships for the second consecutive season to earn All-Big West honors.

The San Luis Obispo native tossed a lifetime best of 221 feet, 10 inches at the Mt. SAC Relays earlier this season to secure a trip to regionals. The mark ranks No. 22 in the West Region and No. 29 in Division I this spring. Devaney's mark also sits at No. 2 on Cal Poly's all-time list, right behind teammate Travis Martin.

As a true freshman in 2023, the three-time Big West Men's Field Athlete of the Week shattered Tom Pagani's 62-year-old school record in the hammer with a mark of 202-4. At the first meet of this outdoor season, Devaney saw Martin surpass his school record in the event before the two hammer throw phenoms recorded the exact same mark (216-6) at the Mark Conover Classic to share the record for about a week. Devaney held the school record on his own for about a week after tossing his regional qualifying mark at Mt. SAC. Last year, Devaney did not record a mark in the hammer at West regionals.

Travis Martin

Men's Hammer (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 7 a.m. PDT

Martin, a junior college transfer from De Anza College, has certainly had a sensational first season as a Mustang, breaking the school record in the men's hammer a whopping five times. In total between Martin and Devaney, the program record in the hammer has been shattered six times this spring.

Martin, who has raised the bar nearly every meet he has competed in, recorded a PR of 222-3 at the Fresno State Invitational on April 26, which ranks 20th in the West Region this season and No. 27 in Division I.

The San Jose native earned a runner-up finish in the event at the Big West Championships with a mark (221-3) that was just a foot off his PR. Martin also took seventh in the discus (164-11) at the Big West meet, scoring a total of 10 points to help the Cal Poly men capture their first Big West team title in program history.

Noah Bustos

Men's Long Jump (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 4 p.m. PDT

Bustos got his regional qualifying mark out of the way right out of the gates this spring, leaping a lifetime best of 24 feet, 10 inches in the long jump at the season-opening UC Santa Barbara Invitational.

The Los Angeles native will be making his first appearance at West Prelims. The junior placed eighth in the long jump at the Big West Championships and ran the lead-off leg on Cal Poly's second-place 4x100-meter relay which posted a time of 40.59 seconds, the fastest by the Mustangs in 20 years.

Bustos' mark in the long jump ranks No. 5 in Cal Poly history and is tied for No. 44 in the West Region this season. Bustos, the current men's indoor long jump school record holder, is seeded 40th in the event entering regionals.

Davis Bove

Men's 1,500 (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 4:30 p.m. PDT

After an impressive cross country campaign in the fall, Bove has continued tearing it up on the track this spring.

The graduate student ran the second-fastest time in school history in the men's 1,500 (3:40.19) at the Oxy Invitational on May 4 to punch his ticket to regionals in his first and only season running track for the Mustangs. The Franklin, Tenn. native was a two-time NCAA East Prelims qualifier (2021, 2023) in the 1,500 while competing for LSU from 2019-23, advancing to the quarterfinals at the meet in 2023 and finishing just three places short of securing a berth to the NCAA Championships. Bove's 1,500 time ranks No. 16 in the West Region and No. 30 in Division I this season. He is seeded 11th entering the meet following scratches.

Bove scored a total of 18 team points for the Mustangs at the Big West Championships, winning the conference title in the men's 1,500 and securing second in the men's 5,000.

During this indoor season, Bove became one of just five Mustangs ever to run a sub-four minute mile time (3:58.0) and established a school record in the 1,000 (2:20.97). This fall, Bove captured the Big West individual cross country title and qualified for the NCAA Championships by placing eighth at the NCAA West Regional — tied for the second-highest individual finish by a Mustang man at the West Regional in program history and the best since Sean Ricketts took eighth in 2003.

Chris Caudillo

Men's 1,500 (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 4:30 p.m. PDT

A highly-touted prospect coming out of Clovis High in 2023, Caudillo has lived up to expectations in his first year as a Mustang and will be making his West Prelims debut in Fayetteville.

Caudillo ran the sixth-fastest men's 1,500 time in school history (3:41.69) at the Oxy Invite to earn his regional qualifying mark. His time ranks 39th in the West Region and is seeded No. 28 entering the meet following scratches.

At the Big West Championships, Caudillo garnered All-Big West honors in the 1,500 by placing third and also took fifth in the 5,000 to score a total of 10 team points.

In the fall, Caudillo was named the Big West XC Men's Freshman of the Year after being the fifth runner to cross the finish line for the Mustangs at the conference championships.

Spencer Pickren

Men's 1,500 (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 4:30 p.m. PDT

Pickren is set to compete in the 1,500 at the West Prelims for the second straight year after placing 29th in the First Round of the 1,500 in 2023 in Sacramento.

The junior ran the eighth-fastest 1,500 time in program history (3:42.87) at the Oxy Invite to earn a return trip to regionals. His time is the 60th best recorded in the West Region this year and he is seeded 45th entering the meet.

At the Big West Championships, Pickren secured All-Big West honors in the 5,000 by grabbing third and also finished sixth in the 1,500 to score 9 team points for the men. The Folsom, Calif. native placed sixth individually at the conference cross country meet in the fall. He owns the indoor school record in the men's 3,000 (8:02.53) and the third fastest mile time in program history (3:59.38).

Carson Smith

Men's 1,500 (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 4:30 p.m. PDT

Smith, who also ran a sub-four-minute mile this indoor season (3:59.41), punched his ticket to regionals for the first time by running the fourth-fastest men's 1,500 time in program history (3:41.48).

The sophomore is seeded No. 26 in the 1,500 entering the West Prelims.

Smith captured second in the 1,500 at the Big West Championships for the Mustangs, scoring 8 team points. Earlier this season, the Temecula, Calif. native also ran the sixth-fastest men's 800 time in school history (1:49.51).

Lewis Westwood

Men's 1,500 (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 4:30 p.m. PDT

Westwood will be making his first appearance at the West Regional thanks to his personal best time of 3:43.18 in the men's 1,500, which he ran at the Oxy Invite. The time is the ninth-fastest in school history and he is seeded 47th entering West Prelims.

The sophomore finished fifth in the 1,500 at the 2024 Big West Championships after placing sixth in the event as a true freshman at conference last year.

Corban Payne

Men's Shot Put (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 5 p.m. PDT

Payne has brought the pain all season long and locked up his first trip to regionals with an impressive lifetime best of 59-0.25 in the shot put at the Mark Conover Classic. The marks ranks No. 4 in Cal Poly history and he is seeded 33rd in the event entering the West Prelims.

Payne, the current indoor school record holder in the men's shot put, placed fifth in the event for the second straight year at the Big West Championships.

MacGregor TeSelle

Men's 200 (First Round)

Wednesday, May 22, 6:45 p.m. PDT

TeSelle has had a breakout sophomore campaign, earning his first trip to the NCAA West Prelims.

The Rocklin, Calif. native secured his berth to regionals in the men's 200 by running a wind-aided personal best of 20.81 seconds (+2.1 m/s) at the Big West Championships to place third. He is seeded 44th entering the regional meet.

TeSelle currently ranks No. 6 in school history in the 200 (20.84 seconds) and is also No. 10 all-time in the 400 (47.03 seconds).

In addition to his podium finish in the 200 at conference, TeSelle also ran legs on Cal Poly's second place 4x100 relay and third place 4x400 relay at the Big West Championships, helping contribute 20 team points. The 4x400 time (3:08.96) was the second fastest in school history and the 4x100 time (40.59) was the fastest by the Mustangs in 20 years.

TeSelle is the current school record in both the men's indoor 60 and 200.

Melody Nwagwu

Women's Long Jump (First Round)

Thursday, May 23, 4 p.m. PDT

Nwagwu had a sensational showing at the Big West Championships to earn berths to the West Regional in not one, but two events.

Nwagwu, who will be making her West Prelims debut, swept the Big West titles in the women's long jump and triple jump becoming the first Big West athlete since 1991 to accomplish the feat and the third overall. The junior leaped a lifetime best of 20-3.75 on her final attempt to become Cal Poly's third Big West champion in the long jump. The mark is the second best in school history and has her seeded 44th entering the First Round of the women's long jump at West Prelims.

Thanks to her two conference titles, Nwagwu, the women's indoor long jump school record holder, scored a total of 20 team points for the Mustang women to help them capture their second Big West title in program history and first since 2021.

Lexi Evans

Women's Pole Vault (First Round)

Thursday, May 23, 4:30 p.m. PDT

Evans is headed to the West Prelims for the second straight year after another impressive season in the pole vault. Last year as a true freshman, Evans took 30th in the First Round at the meet.

The stellar sophomore ran away with the Big West title in the women's pole vault, clearing a collegiate best of 13-10 to secure her spot at regionals. The mark is the second best in school history and ranks No. 26 in the West Region and No. 40 in Division I this season.

Shelby Daniele

Women's 200 (First Round)

Thursday, May 23, 6:45 p.m. PDT

In her final conference meet, Daniele made sure to go out in style, running a wind-aided personal best in the 200 of 23.51 seconds (+2.3 m/s) to lock her first career trip to the West regionals. Her performance allowed her to finish second at the Big West Championships and has her seeded 45th entering prelims.

With a runner-up finish in the 200, the Clovis native became a four-time All-Big West individual honoree and she contributed a total of 14 team points for the Mustangs at conference.

Daniele is the school record holder in the women's indoor 200 and ranks No. 2 all-time in the 100 (11.57 seconds) and No. 3 in the outdoor 200 (23.57 seconds).

Rory Devaney

Men's Discus (First Round)

Friday, May 24, 11 a.m. PDT

Devaney will wrap up his showing at the West Prelims on Friday when he competes in the First Round of the men's discus.

Devaney broke a 25-year-old school record in the discus with his mark of 189-1 at the Fresno State Invitational, which is seeded No. 24 in the West Region and ranks No. 43 in Division I this season.

Davis Bove

Men's 5,000 (Semifinals)

Friday, May 24, 6:10 p.m. PDT

Bove will race in the 5,000 semifinals at the West Prelims on Friday night.

Bove's 5,000 time of 13:48.0 is seeded 35th entering the meet and is the third fastest in school history.

Melody Nwagwu

Women's Triple Jump (First Round)

Saturday, May 25, 4 p.m. PDT

Nwagwu wraps up her first career trip to regionals when she competes in the women's triple jump.

The junior from Aurora, Colo. leaped a lifetime best of 42-0 on her final attempt to win the Big West women's triple jump title. The mark is the fourth best in school history and has her seeded 36th entering regionals.

Tatiana Cornejo

Women's 5,000 (Semifinals)

Saturday, May 25, 6:10 p.m. PDT

Cornejo will be the final Mustang to compete at the NCAA West Prelims and she has had a truly remarkable sophomore campaign.

The Elk Grove, Calif. native ran the fourth-fastest women's 5,000 time in school history (15:56.19) at the Bryan Clay Invitational to punch her ticket to her first West Prelims. The time is seeded No. 31 entering the meet.

At the Big West Championships, Cornejo became the first athlete in Mustang history to sweep the Big West titles in the women's 800 and 1,500. She's just the second Mustang to claim a Big West title in the 1,500 and the third ever to win a Big West crown in the 800. Cornejo's performance allowed her to score 20 team points and be named Big West Women's Track Athlete of the Meet.

Cornejo ran the 10th-fastest 1,500 time (4:20.70) earlier this season, and indoors broke the school record in the 5,000 (16:01.47) and posted the third-fastest 3,000 time (9:16.93).

In the fall, Cornejo placed seventh at the Big West Cross Country Championships and secured 23rd at the NCAA West Regional to earn USTFCCCA All-West Region honors. She was the highest finisher for the Mustangs at the West Regional meet since 2018.

The full list of qualifiers for the West Preliminaries can be found below:

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