Three More Wildcats Qualify for NCAA Championships on Day Two of West Prelims
May 24, 2019 | Track & Field
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Kansas State track and field team saw three more individuals, including junior Ashley Petr (discus) and seniors Brett Neelly (discus) and Ranae McKenzie (400-meter hurdles) as the Wildcats closed out day two of the NCAA West Preliminary at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California on Friday.
Neelly and McKenzie earned their fourth-career NCAA Outdoor Championship qualification, while Petr will make her first appearance at the NCAA Championships. With three more qualifiers on Friday, the Wildcats up their total to nine with one day of qualifying action remaining on Saturday.
After placing 42nd at the NCAA West Preliminary a year ago, Petr continued to make huge strides on Friday, where she improved upon her mark of 46.91m/153-11 from a season ago by nearly 10 meters. On Friday, Petr punched her first-career ticket to the NCAA Championships by throwing 56.07m/183-11 on her third and final attempt.
"I'm just looking forward to being there honestly. It's a huge accomplishment to make it this far," Petr said. "This was one of my goals last year and this year especially, so it's finally coming together."
Following Petr's qualification, Neelly looked to punch his fourth-career ticket to the NCAA Championships and first in the discus. After scratching on his first attempt, Neelly stood in 27th with a throw of 53.10m/174-02 going into his final attempt. Needing to throw at least 55 meters to qualify, Neelly came through with a clutch throw of 55.49m/182-00 to secure his bid and place ninth overall.
"It's my first time qualifying for discus and I got it on my last throw," Neelly said after qualifying on Friday. "I'm just excited to get down to Austin and I can't wait to get there."
The final NCAA qualifier came on the track on Friday, where McKenzie successfully defended her No. 1 mark in the West Region by running 56.24 in the women's 400-meter hurdles quarterfinal, which was the fastest time coming out of the West Preliminary. McKenzie's time is also the second-best of her season, as she enters the NCAA Championships with the top mark in the country of 56.11 set at the Michael Johnson Invitational.
Later in the day in the men's 200 meter first round, junior Jullane Walker ran the second-fastest 200 meter time in school history of 20.53 to earn an auto-qualifier into Saturday's quarterfinal, with hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the second time this weekend. Walker's time is No. 2 in K-State outdoor history, behind only Terrell Smith's 20.49 set at the USA Track and Field Championships last year.
In the women's 800 meter quarterfinal, redshirt freshman Kassidy Johnson narrowly missed out on qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championship, running a 2:04.59 to place 11th overall. Johnson's time fell just short of the time qualifier, while she finishes her freshman season with the No. 2 800 meter time in K-State outdoor history of 2:04.45 run at the Sun Angel Classic.
Eight more Wildcat entries will look to qualify for the NCAA Championships on Saturday, beginning at 4:45 pm CT. For more information on the NCAA West Preliminary, including a full schedule of events and more, click here. The NCAA West Preliminary will stream live on FloTrack, available with a paid subscription here. Live results are available here.
NCAA West Preliminary Day Two
Hornet Stadium
Sacramento, Calif.
Men's Javelin First Round
45. Logan Wolfley, 55.18m/181-00
Women's Discus First Round
8. Ashley Petr, 56.07m/183-11 (NCAA Qualifier)
Men's Discus First Round
9. Brett Neelly, 55.49m/182-00 (NCAA Qualifier)
Women's 100 Meter Hurdles First Round
41. Ariel Okorie, 14.06 (1.7)
Men's 100 Meters Quarterfinal
21. Jullane Walker, 10.45 (.8)
Women's 800 Meters Quarterfinal
11. Kassidy Johnson, 2:04.59
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles Quarterfinal
1. Ranae McKenzie, 56.24 (NCAA Qualifier)
Women's 200 Meters First Round
37. Asha Cave, 24.02 (1.5)
Men's 200 Meters First Round
8. Jullane Walker, 20.53Q (1.7) (Second in K-State History)
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Neelly and McKenzie earned their fourth-career NCAA Outdoor Championship qualification, while Petr will make her first appearance at the NCAA Championships. With three more qualifiers on Friday, the Wildcats up their total to nine with one day of qualifying action remaining on Saturday.
After placing 42nd at the NCAA West Preliminary a year ago, Petr continued to make huge strides on Friday, where she improved upon her mark of 46.91m/153-11 from a season ago by nearly 10 meters. On Friday, Petr punched her first-career ticket to the NCAA Championships by throwing 56.07m/183-11 on her third and final attempt.
The moment Ashley Petr punched her ticket to Austin #KStateTF ???? pic.twitter.com/WIZX0eX5oR
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) May 24, 2019
"I'm just looking forward to being there honestly. It's a huge accomplishment to make it this far," Petr said. "This was one of my goals last year and this year especially, so it's finally coming together."
Following Petr's qualification, Neelly looked to punch his fourth-career ticket to the NCAA Championships and first in the discus. After scratching on his first attempt, Neelly stood in 27th with a throw of 53.10m/174-02 going into his final attempt. Needing to throw at least 55 meters to qualify, Neelly came through with a clutch throw of 55.49m/182-00 to secure his bid and place ninth overall.
Brett Neelly is going to Austin! #KStateTF ??????
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) May 25, 2019
Neelly comes through clutch with a final throw of 55.49m/182-00 to punch his first-career ticket to Nationals in the discus! pic.twitter.com/AvcFjhsafg
"It's my first time qualifying for discus and I got it on my last throw," Neelly said after qualifying on Friday. "I'm just excited to get down to Austin and I can't wait to get there."
The final NCAA qualifier came on the track on Friday, where McKenzie successfully defended her No. 1 mark in the West Region by running 56.24 in the women's 400-meter hurdles quarterfinal, which was the fastest time coming out of the West Preliminary. McKenzie's time is also the second-best of her season, as she enters the NCAA Championships with the top mark in the country of 56.11 set at the Michael Johnson Invitational.
Ranae McKenzie is headed ?? to NCAA's #KStateTF ??????
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) May 25, 2019
The Wildcat senior qualifies for her FOURTH-career NCAA Outdoor Championship, running a 56.24 to earn an auto-qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles! pic.twitter.com/CRSiCupGej
Later in the day in the men's 200 meter first round, junior Jullane Walker ran the second-fastest 200 meter time in school history of 20.53 to earn an auto-qualifier into Saturday's quarterfinal, with hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the second time this weekend. Walker's time is No. 2 in K-State outdoor history, behind only Terrell Smith's 20.49 set at the USA Track and Field Championships last year.
In the women's 800 meter quarterfinal, redshirt freshman Kassidy Johnson narrowly missed out on qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championship, running a 2:04.59 to place 11th overall. Johnson's time fell just short of the time qualifier, while she finishes her freshman season with the No. 2 800 meter time in K-State outdoor history of 2:04.45 run at the Sun Angel Classic.
Eight more Wildcat entries will look to qualify for the NCAA Championships on Saturday, beginning at 4:45 pm CT. For more information on the NCAA West Preliminary, including a full schedule of events and more, click here. The NCAA West Preliminary will stream live on FloTrack, available with a paid subscription here. Live results are available here.
NCAA West Preliminary Day Two
Hornet Stadium
Sacramento, Calif.
Men's Javelin First Round
45. Logan Wolfley, 55.18m/181-00
Women's Discus First Round
8. Ashley Petr, 56.07m/183-11 (NCAA Qualifier)
Men's Discus First Round
9. Brett Neelly, 55.49m/182-00 (NCAA Qualifier)
Women's 100 Meter Hurdles First Round
41. Ariel Okorie, 14.06 (1.7)
Men's 100 Meters Quarterfinal
21. Jullane Walker, 10.45 (.8)
Women's 800 Meters Quarterfinal
11. Kassidy Johnson, 2:04.59
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles Quarterfinal
1. Ranae McKenzie, 56.24 (NCAA Qualifier)
Women's 200 Meters First Round
37. Asha Cave, 24.02 (1.5)
Men's 200 Meters First Round
8. Jullane Walker, 20.53Q (1.7) (Second in K-State History)
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
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