Cowboy Outdoor Track & Field Punches Six More Tickets to Eugene on Third Day of NCAA West Prelims

Wednesday, May 22

Fayetteville, AR

All Day

Oklahoma State University

NCAA West Prelims

Cowboy Outdoor Track & Field Punches Six More Tickets to Eugene on Third Day of NCAA West Prelims

May 24, 2024 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Oklahoma State outdoor track & field wrapped up men's action at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds Friday, with five Cowboys and the 4x400 Meter Relay squad punching their tickets to the big dance.

Alex Stitt set the tone early in the day in the 1,500 Meters, taking one of five automatic bids to the semifinals in his heat with a time of 3:40.54. Stitt qualifies for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second straight year in the event, looking to earn the program's first first team All-America honor since Josh Thompson in 2017.

Multi-time All-American Victor Shitsama immediately followed Stitt's performance with a dominant performance in the Steeplechase. Shitsama continued the legacy of great Cowboy Steeplechasers by qualifying for his second consecutive NCAA Championship as the NCAA West Prelim Champion. Shitsama joined Cowgirl Taylor Roe (10,000 Meters) as the second regional champion of the weekend with his mark of 8:37.15.

Fellow 2023 All-American Mehdi Yanouri became the third Cowboy on the day to punch his ticket to Eugene with his time of 1:47.52 in the 800 Meters. Yanouri is seeking to become the first Cowboy to earn back-to-back first team All-America honors in the 800 Meters.

The final two Cowboy individuals to advance to the big dance were Alex Maier and Brian Musau in the 5,000 Meters. Maier doubled back from the 10,000 Meters on Wednesday and earned his second NCAA qualifying mark of the weekend, taking fourth in his heat to book his ticket in the 5k.

Joining Maier is Musau, who took home the heat victory with his time of 13:47.55, defeating a pair of two-time NCAA Champions in Northern Arizona's Nico Young and Stanford's Ky Robinson in the process. Musau continues his dominant freshman campaign, already earning All-America honors during the cross country and indoor seasons. He enters the NCAA Championships with the best mark in the country this season and is one of just two underclassmen to qualify through the west region.

Rounding out the evening was the Cowboy 4x400 Meter Relay crew of Jordon Smith, Blake Wynne, Caio Almeida and DJ McArthur. The Cowboy quartet became the first 4x400 Relay to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the event this century, breaking the school record in the process with their time of 3:05.23.

Quarterfinal action for the Cowgirls begins Saturday with Saara Hakanen in the High Jump at 2:00 p.m. CT. The rest of the Cowgirls' schedule can be found below (all times CT):

1,500 Meters – 5:15 p.m.

Billah Jepkirui, Grace Boone

Steeplechase – 5:40 p.m.

Payton Hinkle

Triple Jump

Winny Bii

800 Meters – 7:05 p.m.

Gabija Galvydyte, Kaylie Politza

5,000 Meters – 8:10 p.m.

Taylor Roe, Victoria Lagat

The entirety of the NCAA West Preliminary rounds are streamed live on ESPN+ and live results for the meet can be found here.

For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back with okstate.com.

Men's Individual Results
1500 Meters - Quarterfinals
8. Alex Stitt - 3:40.54 – Q

3000 Meter Steeplechase - Quarterfinals
1. Victor Shitsama - 8:37.15 - Q

800 Meters - Quarterfinals
7. Mehdi Yanouri - 1:47.52 – Q
20. Hafez Mahadi – 1:49.91

5,000 Meters - Semifinals
4. Alex Maier - 13:47.06 - Q
5. Brian Musau - 13:47.55 - Q
36. Will Muirhead - 14:37.37

4x400 Meter Relay - Quarterfinals
11. Blake Wynne, Jordon Smith, DJ McArthur, Caio Almeida - 3:05.23 – Q

Q – Advances to next round