Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

Action at the 2013 NCAA Division I West Outdoor Track and Field Preliminary Round begins Thursday for Sam Houston’s nine entries.

The three days of competition take place at Mike A. Myers Stadium and feature some of the nation’s premier student-athletes.

Qualifying teams and individuals advance to the 2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 5-8, 2013.

To advance to the NCAA Finals in Oregon, each of the West Preliminary Round competitors must finish among the top 12 in their respective event.

Karique Stephen and Charles White enter the NCAA West meet with the highest regional rankings of any Bearkat, both competing in the triple jump.

Stephen, a senior from Baytown, stands No. 11 with a best mark of 51’ 9”.

White, a junior from Las Vegas, Nev., ranks No. 16 with a top performance of 51’ 3.75”.

The pair placed first and second in the triple jump at the Southland Conference championships in Lake Charles.

Sam Houston’s Brek Christensen and Trevor Sealy both will throw in the men’s hammer.

Sealy, a junior from Pearland, stands No. 26 with a top mark of 200 feet nine inches. Christensen, a senior from Cypress Fairbanks, owns a best throw 198 feet six inches to rank No. 30 in the competition.

In both the hammer and the triple jump, the 16 best marks (after tiebreakers) will qualify from the first round of three preliminary attempts to a final round of three tries.

The top 12 advance to the NCAA meet.

The hammer is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m.

The triple jump will wrap up the meet Saturday at 6 p.m.

Matt Johnson, senior from Port Neches Groves, already has qualified for a trip to Eugene in the decathlon.

Johnson won the Southland Conference men’s decathlon championship last weekend in Lake Charles with a final point total of 7,496.

Johnson also will compete in the West Preliminary Round in the 110 hurdles where he will joined by teammate Matthew Viverette.

A junior from Barbers Hill, Viverette will compete in both hurdles events.

He comes into the meet ranked No. 23 in the 400 hurdles (51.54) and No. 25 in the 110 hurdles (14.11).

Johnson stands No. 45 in the 110 hurdles (14.35).

The first round of the 400 hurdles will start at 5 p.m. Thursday with the quarterfinals on Friday at 7:45 p.m.

The 110 hurdles first round is Friday at 5:30 p.m. with quarterfinals Saturday at 7:20 p.m.

Kristen Mitchell and Jarrick Wright will represent the Bearkats in the 100 meters. Mitchell, a junior from Houston, stands No. 29 in the West with a best time of 10.46 this spring.

Wright’s best mark is 10.56 which earned the Houston Eisenhower a No. 48 ranking.

The first round of the 100 meters is set for 6:55 p.m. Thursday with the quarterfinals to decide who advances to Oregon Friday at 6:45 p.m.

In both the hurdles events and the 100 meters, the top three finishers from six first round heats plus the next six fastest times will advance to the quarterfinals.

Shelbie Zotyka is the lone Sam Houston woman’s competitor in the NCAA West Meet.

The senior from Wallis won the Southland Conference women’s pole vault with a mark of 12 feet, 10.75 inches.

She enters the NCAA West Meet with a No. 43 regional ranking.

The women’s pole vault is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday.

Sam Houston’s NCAA West Preliminary Round Schedule:
Thursday, May 23
5 p.m. – Men’s 400 meter hurdles first round
6:55 p.m. – Men’s 100 meter dash first round

Friday, May 24
1 p.m. – Women’s pole vault
2 p.m. – Men’s hammer
5:30 p.m. – Men’s 110 meter hurdles first round
6:45 p.m. – Men’s 100 meter dash quarterfinals
7:45 p.m. – Men’s 400 meter hurdles quarterfinals

Saturday, May 25
6 p.m. – Men’s triple jump
7:20 p.m. – Men’s 110 meter hurdles quarterfinals