The Big West will be represented by six institutions at the NCAA Track and Field Championships this week -- Wednesday, June 6 through Saturday, June 9 -- in Des Moines, Iowa with 13 individuals competing in 11 meet events.

 

UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara lead the pack with three individuals apiece competing in separate events. 

The Highlanders advance three individuals in field events: Travis Smith in the men’s shot put, Caleb Stuart in the hammer throw, and Ryan Swafford in the men’s triple jump. It will be the first time in the program's Division I history that a trio of Highlander athletes will head to the NCAA Championships.

Big West decathlon and heptathlon champs Derek Masterson and Barbara Nwaba are set to contend for UCSB in the multi-event contests.  Nwaba broke the Big West meet record in the heptathlon with 5,709 points and received an automatic berth in the NCAA finals with teammate Masterson, who scored 7,355 points to claim the Big West decathlon title.

Cal Poly’s John Prader advanced in men’s pole vault after clearing 17 feet, 6.5 inches in the prelims last week. He'll join teammate Whitney Sisler, who qualified in the women’s high jump when she cleared 5 feet,10.75 inches, matching her season best.

Long Beach State’s Ben Woodruff, who earned his ticket in the men’s javelin with a mark of 232-04, will be accompanied by teammate Katrina Graves-Johnson, who advanced in the women’s high jump.

The Big West women’s team champion UC Davis also sends a pair of athletes to Des Moines, including Big West discus champion Ashley Hearn, who placed fifth in the prelims with a throw of 177-07, and Big West Track Athlete of the Year Sarah Sumpter, who qualified in the 10,000-meter run.

The popular 800-meter duo of UC Irvine’s Charles Jock and UC Santa Barbara’s Ryan Martin advanced at the preliminaries with top-five finishes. They bring high hopes to the NCAA Championships along with the top two collegiate times in the country this year: 1:44.75 (Jock) and 1:44.77 (Martin), both accomplished at the Big West Championships.

School	Individual	Event	Qualifying Mark
Cal Poly	John Prader	Men's Pole Vault	17-feet, 6.5 inches
	Whitney Sisler	Women's High Jump	5-feet, 10.5 inches
Long Beach State	Katrina Graves-Johnson	Women's High Jump	5-feet, 9.25 inches
	Ben Woodruff	Men's Javelin	232 feet, 0.4 inches
UC Davis	Ashley Hearn	Women's Shot Put	177-feet, .07 inches
	Sarah Sumpter	Women's 10,000 meter	34:24.87
UC Irvine	Charles Jock	Men's 800 meter	1:47.93
UC Riverside	Travis Smith	Men's Shot Put	60-feet, 6.75 inches
	Caleb Stewart	Men's Hammer Throw	208-feet, .08 inches
	Ryan Swafford	Men's Triple Jump	51-feet, .10 incehs
UC Santa Barbara	Ryan Martin	Men's 800 meter	1:47.79
	Barbara Nwaba	Women's Heptathlon	5,709
	Derek Masterson	Men's Decathlon	7,355