NCAA West Preliminaries
Mustang Track & Field Earns Program Record 19 Entries in NCAA West Prelims
5/22/2026 3:00:00 PM | Track and Field
WATCH ON ESPN+: DAY 1 / DAY 2 / DAY 3 / DAY 4
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The Cal Poly track and field program secured a program record 19 entries into the 2026 NCAA West Preliminaries, the team learned on Thursday following an official announcement on NCAA.com.
Vincent Atilano, Conrad Bernstein, Chris Caudillo, Michael Chambers, Lexi Evans, Ben Feyrer, Kelli Gaffney, Camrenne Genilla, Dheeraj Gurusamy, Bryce Kueker, Travis Martin, Aidan McCarthy, Colby Neron, Aiden Pastorian, Grace Proudfoot, Isabella Rigby, Lucas Scott, Carson Smith and Astrid Teran will all compete in the NCAA West Prelims — which serves as the first round of competition for the NCAA Championships — on May 27-30 at University of Arkansas’ John McDonnell Field.
The field for the meet is comprised of the top 48 individual marks and top 24 relay times recorded 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 held simultaneously in Lexington, Kentucky, will advance to the NCAA Championships held at University of Oregon's Hayward Field on June 10-13.
The 19 entries in the NCAA West Prelims are a new program record under the current two regional format adopted in 2010, surpassing last year’s 18 the team earned — 17 individual entries and the men’s 4x400-meter relay. The 19 entries are made up of 13 men and six women, matching a program record for the meet for the Cal Poly women (2011). Seven of the 19 qualifiers for the Mustangs are throwers, and seven are distance runners.
Cal Poly earned three West Prelim qualifiers in the men’s javelin (Conrad Bernstein, Colby Neron and Lucas Scott) for the first time in program history, and the Mustangs are sending three steeplechasers to the meet on the men’s side (Michael Chambers, Dheeraj Gurusamy and Bryce Kueker) for the first time since 2010. This also marks the third straight year Cal Poly is sending at least three qualifiers in the men’s 1,500-meter to West regionals (Chris Caudillo, Aidan McCarthy and Carson Smith).
The 13 total West Prelims entries for the men are the second most in program history, trailing only last year’s team that earned 13 individual entries and qualified the men’s 4x400 relay for the first time to give them 14.
Thirteen of the 19 regional qualifiers for the Mustangs have secured a berth to the meet previously while six are set to make their NCAA West Prelims debut. The 19 qualifiers led the Big West, and the Mustangs are also sending the most men to the meet (13) among teams in the conference, which comes as no surprise after Cal Poly captured its third straight Big West men’s team title in dominant fashion this past weekend in Long Beach.
The NCAA West Prelims will be streamed live on ESPN+ each day, with coverage starting at 4 p.m. PDT Wednesday and Thursday for the running events, and at 3 p.m. PDT Friday and Saturday. Live results are available HERE.
Below is some info on each of the 19 Mustangs that will be making the trip to 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, with 10 men scheduled to get things underway on the opening day Wednesday, May 27.
Travis Martin
Men’s Hammer (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, 7:30 a.m. PDT
Making his third straight NCAA West Prelims appearance in the men’s hammer throw, Martin enters the meet with one of the best marks recorded in the nation this season. At the Beach Invitational on April 17, Martin obliterated the school record in the hammer throw for the first time this season and eighth time in his career with a lifetime best of 248 feet, 1 inch (75.62 meters). The mark is ranked No. 4 in the West entering the meet, No. 5 in Division I and is the 28th best recorded in the World so far in 2026.
Martin is fresh off becoming the first Mustang in program history to capture a Big West title in the men’s hammer throw, earning All-Big West honors in the event for the third time after finishing runner-up the previous two years. Last year, Martin placed fifth at the West Prelims to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships, where he took 10th to secure Second Team All-American honors. In his first appearance at regionals in 2024 — which was also held in Fayetteville — Martin finished 26th.
Conrad Bernstein
Men’s Javelin (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, Noon PDT
The Big West men’s javelin champion, Bernstein is headed to the West Prelims for the second time in his career, earning a spot in 2024 while he was at Long Beach State. The El Segundo, Calif. native will look to improve upon his 30th place finish in his first appearance at the meet and enters seeded No. 16 in the event.
Bernstein recorded a lifetime best of 229 feet, 2 inches (69.84 meters) in his season opener at the Gaucho Relays, the mark is the fourth best in school history, No. 17 in the West Region and No. 33 in the country this outdoor season. The third Mustang ever to capture a Big West title in the men’s javelin and the first since All-American Aris Borjas has taken first in three of the five meets he has competed in this season.
Colby Neron
Men’s Javelin (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, Noon PDT
Neron secured a berth to regionals in the men’s javelin for the second straight season, posting a season best of 208 feet, 7 inches (63.59 meters) at the Beach Invitational. The mark ranks No. 51 in the West this year and he is seeded 46th entering the meet.
The Medford, Oregon native placed 18th in his first regionals appearance last season and owns the third best mark in school history (230-11; 70.38m). He placed fourth at this year’s Big West Championships and finished runner-up last season.
Lucas Scott
Men’s Javelin (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, Noon PDT
A junior college transfer from San Diego Mesa, Scott qualified for his first West Prelims by recording a lifetime best in the men’s javelin of 212 feet, 11 inches (64.89 meters) at the Stanford Invitational, the eighth best mark in school history. The mark is No. 40 in the West this season and he is seeded No. 36 entering the meet in Arkansas. He placed ninth at the Big West Championships.
Chris Caudillo
Men’s 1,500 Meter (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, 4:30 p.m. PDT
For the third straight year, Caudillo is headed to the West Prelims in the men’s 1,500. The Clovis, Calif. native owns one of the fastest times ran in the nation this season, shattering the school record and a 48-year-old conference record at the Franson Last Chance less than two weeks ago with a lifetime best of 3:35.13. The time ranks No. 3 in the West Region this season and No. 8 in Division I, and it’s also the 25th fastest ran in collegiate history.
A five-time All-Big West honoree on the track, Caudillo placed third in both the 1,500 and 5,000 at the Big West Championships. The indoor 5,000 school record holder finished 35th at the West Prelims last year and 47th in 2024.
Four heats of the 1,500 will be ran in the First Round Wednesday, with the top five finishers in each heat along with the next four fastest times across the four heats advancing to the 1,500 quarterfinals at 3:15 p.m. PDT Friday.
Aidan McCarthy
Men’s 1,500 Meter (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, 4:30 p.m. PDT
A three-time First Team All-American in the 800, McCarthy is set to compete in the 1,500 at West Prelims for the first time. The Pleasanton, Calif. native also ran a time fast enough to qualify in the 800, but will only be running the 1,500 in Fayetteville.
McCarthy posted a season best of 3:39.34 in the 1,500 at the Stanford Invitational, No. 39 in the West Region this season and he is seeded No. 31 entering regionals. This past week, McCarthy became the first four-time Big West 800 champion in conference history and took second in the 1,500 to score 18 points for the Mustangs. The four-time NCAA West Prelims qualifier took fifth in the 800 at regionals last year and went on to place fifth at the NCAA Championships to earn First Team All-American honors outdoors for the second time in his career.
Carson Smith
Men’s 1,500 Meter (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, 4:30 p.m. PDT
Qualifying for the West Prelims in the men’s 1,500 for the third straight year, Smith punched his ticket by running a lifetime best in the 1,500 of 3:36.11 at the Franson Last Chance, the third fastest in school history, No. 6 in the West Region and No. 13 in Division I.
Seeded No. 5 in the 1,500 entering the meet, Smith won the Big West title in the event and placed second in the 800 to become a five-time All-Big West honoree and score 18 points for the Mustangs at the conference meet. The Temecula, Calif. native took 43rd at West Prelims a year ago and in 2024 when regionals were in Fayetteville, he advanced to the 1,500 quarterfinals and finished 20th overall.
Ben Feyrer
Men’s Pole Vault (Semifinals)
Wednesday, May 27, 5 p.m. PDT
Making his second straight West Prelims appearance, Feyrer is fresh off becoming the seventh Mustang to win a Big West title in the men’s pole vault and the first since Mathis Bresko went back-to-back in 2022-23. The sophomore cleared a lifetime best of 17 feet, 9 inches (5.41 meters) during the Mark Conover Classic in March, tied for the eighth-best mark in school history, No. 18 in the West Region and No. 34 in Division I this season.
Feyrer placed 26th (16-5.5; 5.02m) in West Prelims a year ago.
Aiden Pastorian
Men’s Shot Put (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, 5 p.m. PDT
Pastorian is set to make his second appearance at West Prelims, qualifying for the meet back in 2024 while at Long Beach State and taking 29th in the shot put that year. The redshirt junior from Temecula finished fourth at this year’s Big West Championships and recorded a lifetime best in the shot put of 60 feet, 8 inches (18.49 meters) at the Mark Conover Classic, No. 2 in school history, tied for No. 27 in the West and tied for No. 48 in Division I this outdoor season.
Vincent Atilano
Men’s 400 Meter Hurdles (First Round)
Wednesday, May 27, 6:20 p.m. PDT
Atilano will be making his first trip to West Prelims as an individual, qualifying last year as part of the Mustangs’ school-record breaking men’s 4x400 relay.
The Carlsbad, Calif. native has shaved over a second off his personal best in the men’s 400 hurdles this season, posting a time of 50.52 seconds at the Mt. SAC Relays — No. 2 in school history, No. 21 in the West Region and No. 43 in Division I. The sophomore placed third in the 400 hurdles at the Big West Championships (50.67) for the second straight year.
Camrenne Genilla
Women’s Javelin (First Round)
Thursday, May 28, Noon PDT
Genilla recorded a lifetime best of 160 feet, 9 inches (49.01 meters) in the women’s javelin at the UCSB Invite to secure a spot at regionals. The mark ranks No. 4 in school history and No. 38 in the West this season. She is seeded 37th entering the meet.
The Manteca, Calif. native secured third in the javelin at the Big West Championships to earn All-Conference honors. She is the first West Prelims qualifier for the Mustangs in the women’s javelin since Melissa Navarro in 2022.
Lexi Evans
Women’s Pole Vault (Semifinals)
Thursday, May 28, 5 p.m. PDT
Evans will be making her fourth straight and final appearance at the West Prelims. Last year, the San Diego, Calif. native finished in a tie for 14th in the women’s pole vault at the meet, two places and one bar short of qualifying for the NCAA Championships outdoors for the first time.
The senior recorded an outdoor season best of 14 feet, 4 inches (4.37 meters) at the Big West Championships to claim her third straight Big West title in the pole vault and become just the second three-time Big West champion in the event, joining former Mustang Brooke Tjerrild. The mark broke the Big West meet record and ranks No. 16 in the West Region and No. 24 in Division I this outdoor season.
In March, Evans became the first Mustang in 26 years to earn All-American honors in the women’s indoor pole vault and just the third ever, finishing 12th at the NCAA Indoor Championships to earn Second Team All-American honors. The indoor and outdoor pole vault school record holder recorded a lifetime best of 14-9.5 (4.51m) during this indoor season.
Astrid Teran
Women’s Pole Vault (Semifinals)
Thursday, May 28, 5 p.m. PDT
Teran earned her first trip to regionals by clearing a lifetime best in the pole vault of 13 feet, 7.75 inches (4.16 meters) at the Mark Conover Classic, No. 4 in school history and No. 38 in the West this season. Teran, seeded No. 37 entering West Prelims, joined the Mustangs this season after spending the previous two years at Mt. San Antonio College.
This is the first time since 2021 Cal Poly is sending two qualifiers in the women’s pole vault to West Prelims.
Kelli Gaffney
Women’s 10,000 Meter (Semifinals)
Thursday, May 28, 7:10 p.m. PDT
Fresh off scoring 18 points for the Cal Poly women at the Big West Championships, Gaffney is set to compete at regionals in the 10,000 for the second straight year. The junior ran a lifetime best in the 10,000 of 33:49.78 at the Bryan Clay Invitational, third fastest in school history and No. 46 in the West this season. She is seeded 45th entering the meet.
Gaffney became the fourth Mustang in program history to win a Big West title in the women’s 10,000 and the first in seven years. She also placed second in the 5,000 at the meet with the 10th-fastest time in school history (16:15.11). This fall, the Temecula, Calif. native became the first Mustang on the women’s side to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in seven years, finishing 16th overall at the NCAA West Regional to secure her ticket to the meet.
Michael Chambers
Men’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase (Quarterfinals)
Friday, May 29, 3:40 p.m. PDT
In his lone meet so far this outdoor season, Chambers posted a time of 8:46.40 in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Big West Championships to place second and secure his second straight trip to West Prelims. The time ranks No. 38 in the West this year and has him seeded No. 37 entering the meet.
A three-time All-Big West honoree on the track, Chambers ranks No. 5 in school history in the steeplechase (8:42.35) and last year placed 14th at regionals (8:42.47), finishing just over two seconds away from grabbing an automatic qualifier spot to the NCAA Championships.
Dheeraj Gurusamy
Men’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase (Quarterfinals)
Friday, May 29, 3:40 p.m. PDT
Gurusamy is heading to West Prelims for the first time, earning a spot by running the eighth-fastest 3,000 steeplechase time (8:47.60) in school history to place third at the Big West Championships. The time ranks No. 45 in the West Region and he is seeded 44th heading to Fayetteville.
The Livermore, Calif. native scored 14 points for the Mustangs at the conference meet by taking second in the 5,000 and third in the steeplechase.
Bryce Kueker
Men’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase (Quarterfinals)
Friday, May 29, 3:40 p.m. PDT
Kueker shattered a 21-year-old Big West meet record in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase (8:39.21) to become the seventh Mustang in program history to win a Big West title in the event. The San Diego native and three-time All-Big West honoree in the steeplechase is headed to regionals for the second straight year, running a lifetime best of 8:36.07 at the Payton Jordan Invitational — third fastest in school history, No. 13 in the West Region and No. 24 in Division I this season.
In his first appearance at West Prelims in 2025, Kueker took 19th.
Isabella Rigby
Women’s Discus (First Round)
Saturday, May 30, 11 a.m. PDT
The first West Prelims qualifier in the women’s discus for the Mustangs in nine years, Rigby secured her first trip to West Prelims by recording a lifetime best of 168 feet, 11 inches (51.50 meters) at the Mark Conover Classic, the third best mark in school history and No. 46 in the West this season. She is seeded 44th entering the meet.
The Bakersfield, Calif. native earned All-Big West honors in the discus as a true freshman in 2022.
Grace Proudfoot
Women’s High Jump (Semifinals)
Saturday, May 30, Noon PDT
A grad transfer from Oregon State, Proudfoot qualified for the West Prelims for the first time by clearing a lifetime best in the high jump of 5 feet, 10 inches (1.78 meters) at the Mt. SAC Relays. The mark is tied for No. 6 in school history and is tied for No. 38 in the West Region. She placed 10th in the event at the Big West Championships.
