Masai and Sanders Earn NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship Berths

Friday, May 26

Jacksonville, Fla.

University of Akron

NCAA East Preliminary Round Championships

Masai and Sanders Earn NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship Berths

May 26 | Track & Field

NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY ROUND: FRIDAY RESULTS (PDF) | THURSDAY RESULTS (PDF) | WEDNESDAY RESULTS (PDF) | MEET INFORMATION | SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | LIVE STATS | WEDNESDAY LIVE VIDEO | THURSDAY LIVE VIDEO | FRIDAY LIVE VIDEO | SATURDAY LIVE VIDEO | 2023 NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY ROUND MEN'S QUALIFYING LIST | 2023 NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY ROUND WOMEN'S QUALIFYING LIST

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of Akron Track and Field program will send four Zips to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas (June 7-10) after freshman Brian Masai (Kitale, Kenya) and redshirt senior Charles Sanders (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded qualifying marks on the third day of the NCAA East Preliminary Round Track and Field Championships hosted by the University of North Florida on Friday, May 26.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Sanders crossed the line in the men's 400 meters in a time of 46.95 and appeared to be on the outside of a qualifying time as he stood 13th following the third of three heats. After a pair of race reviews, Sanders' status was elevated to qualifier after a disqualification in his heat enabled his performance to be an automatic-qualifying time. Sanders will race in the semifinal round in Austin, Texas on June 7 at 9 pm ET.
• Masai continued his dominating rookie campaign garnering an automatic qualifying time of 13:53.98 in the men's 5,000 meters. Masai advances to the finals of the 5,000 meters at 10:55 p.m. ET on June 9 in Austin, Texas.
• Junior Dimitrije Novakovic (Belgrade, Serbia) recorded a mark of 49-2.25 (14.99m) in qualifying in the men's triple jump.

UP NEXT:
Competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships opens on Wednesday, June 7.

FRIDAY MEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
Triple Jump: Dimitrije Novakovic (34th-49-2.25/14.99m); 400 Meters: Charles Sanders (12th-46.95); 5,000 Meters: Brian Masai (4th-13:53.98)

THURSDAY WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
Javelin: Laurel Bristow (24th-147-4/44.92m); Pole Vault: Brynn Rychlik (37th-12-6.25/3.82m)

THURSDAY WOMEN'S PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
200 Meters: Amya Clarke (43rd-23.71)

WEDNESDAY MEN'S FINALS RESULTS:
Hammer: William Gross (12th-216-5/65.97m), Jabari Neal-Jackson (18th-207-8/63.31m), Milton Wilson (39th-190-10/58.18m); Long Jump: Dimitrije Novakovic (33rd-23-8.75/7.23m), Haruki Sakai (38th-23-5.25/7.14m); Pole Vault: Hunter Garretson (17-8.50/5.40m), Oscar Prieto (33rd-16-6.75/5.05m), Robert Artrip (NH)

WEDNESDAY MEN'S PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
400 Meters: Charles Sanders (21st-46.80Q); 400-Meter Hurdles: Jimmy Harkelroad (26th-51.86)

* denotes career-best time
Q denotes automatic qualifying time