Fourteen University of Wyoming track and field members have qualified to compete in the NCAA West Preliminary on May 29-31 in Fayetteville, Ark., the governing body announced Thursday. The eight Cowboy and six Cowgirl contenders tie the program’s highest total ever, as Wyoming sent the same number in 2012.
 
To reach the NCAA’s East or West Preliminary meet, an athlete must be ranked in the region’s top 48 of his/her event. From there, the top 12 finishers in each event at the two regional meets will receive an invitation to the NCAA Championships on June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore.
 
Senior Mason Finley is the top Cowboy qualifier, sitting second in the West in the discus with a mark of 210-6. Fellow senior Garrett Zans runs in his third regional meet in the steeplechase with a time of 8:50.45 for 10th. He also ran the event at the 2011 and 2012 meets. Junior Paul Thomas competes in his third-straight NCAA meet by qualifying 13th in the discus at 190-11. Graduate student Harry Fisher advances in the 800 meters with a time of 1:49.51 for 22nd, while sophomore Scott Carter is 26th in the triple jump at 50-6 3/4. Freshman Jordan Charles ranks 31st in the 110-meter hurdles, sophomore Tyler Anderson is 42nd in the hammer at 198-0 and sophomore Amos Bowen is 44th in the 5,000 meters at 14:07.20.
 
Senior Taylor Gardner is the top Cowgirl at 13th in the 400-meter hurdles in 58.14. She also qualified in the event last season. Sophomore Kereston Thomas made the top 48 in the 100 and 200 meters. Her time of 11.57 in the 100 is 28th and 23.85 in the 200 is 35th. Senior Jenna Mann made two events as well, the 100-meter hurdles and long jump. She ranks 31st in the hurdles in 13.58 and 47th in the long jump at 19-6 1/4. Mann, Thomas and Gardner will combine with senior Katy Hall to run the 4x100-meter relay, which is ranked 22nd at 45.32. Junior Shreese Daniels makes her third-straight trip to the regional meet and second in the hammer with a throw of 190-6 to rank 39th. Redshirt freshman Audra DeStefano is 32nd in the steeplechase at 10:24.04.
 
Wyoming has advanced just one student-athlete past the preliminary round in the four years of the current qualifying system, as Jeremiah James made the NCAA Championships in the triple jump in 2010.
 
Wyoming’s NCAA West Preliminary Qualifiers
Cowboys (8)
Tyler Anderson – Hammer – 198-0 – 42nd West
Amos Bowen – 5,000 Meters – 14:07.20 – 44th West
Scott Carter – Triple Jump – 50-6 3/4 – 26th West
Jordan Charles – 110 Hurdles – 14.11 – 31st West
Mason Finley – Discus – 210-6 – 2nd West
Harry Fisher – 800 Meters – 1:49.51 – 22nd West
Paul Thomas – Discus – 190-11 – 13th West
Garrett Zans – Steeplechase – 8:50.45 – 10th West
 
Cowgirls (6)
Shreese Daniels – Hammer – 190-6 – 39th West
Audra DeStefano – Steeplechase – 10:24.04 – 32nd West
Taylor Gardner – 400 Hurdles – 58.14 – 13th West
Jenna Mann – Long Jump – 19-6 1/4 – 47th West
Jenna Mann – 100 Hurdles – 13.58 – 31st West
Kereston Thomas – 100 Meters – 11.57 – 28th West
Kereston Thomas – 200 Meters – 23.85 – 35th West
Mann, Thomas, Gardner, Katy Hall – 4x100 Relay – 45.32 – 22nd West

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