Six Cougars make trip to NCAA championships

Six representatives from the Washington State men’s and women’s track and field teams will represent the Cougars at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships after qualifying in the NCAA West Regional at the University of Arkansas.

The championships will be held at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon next week from June 8 - 11.

Athletes must finish in the top 12 of their event during regionals to qualify for the NCAA championships. The WSU athletes qualified for NCAA’s in five different events.

Grad transfer Colton Johnsen finished ninth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:38.24. The preliminary rounds for the 3000m steeplechase will begin at 5:02 p.m. on June 8 for a chance to advance to the finals on June 10.

Graduate student Mitch Jacobson placed third in the men’s high jump at the NCAA regionals, earning his spot in the NCAA championships. His third-place finish was the highest among any Cougar during regional competition. The preliminary rounds of the high jump will begin at 3:40 p.m. on June 8, with the finals being held on June 10.

Johnsen and Jacobson are the only two Cougars to return to national competition of the eight Cougars who made the cut in 2021.

Senior Jacob Englar placed ninth in the men’s pole vault competition at regionals with a height of 5.29 meters. Preliminary rounds of the pole vault will begin on June 8 at 5 p.m., with the finals beginning at 1:30 p.m. on June 9.

Redshirt freshman Micaela De Mello placed 12th in the women’s 100m hurdles, punching her ticket to the NCAA championships. Her time of 12.98 seconds is now a freshman and WSU record in the women’s 100m hurdles. This is the fourth time this season that De Mello has set a new record in the 100m hurdles. Preliminary rounds of the event will begin on June 9 at 6:32 p.m., with the finals beginning at 3:12 p.m. on June 11.

Junior Aislinn Overby placed 12th in the women’s high jump, clearing her distance of 1.81m on the third attempt. The women’s high jump will be part of a heptathlon beginning on June 10 at 7:43 p.m.

Freshman Valentina Barrios Bornacelli placed 11th in the women’s javelin throw with a distance of 51.63m. Barrios Bornacelli, in her first collegiate season, placed second at the Pac-12 Championships in the javelin throw. Her event will also be part of a heptathlon.

Coverage of the NCAA Track and Field Championships will be on ESPNU on June 8 and 9, ESPN2 on June 10 and ESPN on June 11.

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.