Meet: NCAA National Preliminaries (West First Round)
Location: John McDonell Field - Fayetteville, Arkansas
Date: May 27-30
Streaming: ESPN+
Start Lists: https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2026/FirstRounds/West/starts.pdf
Live Results: https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2026/FirstRounds/West/index.htm
General Meet Preview
It's regionals time or national preliminaries time or NCAA First Rounds time! Either name, the road to Eugene and the Outdoor Championships begin here! This meet is one of two regionals meets taking place simultaneously. In NCAA Track, the country is split into two regions: west and east. The Aggies being in the west along with universities and colleges west of the Mississippi (and Illinois and Wisconsin).
To qualify for this meet, the top 48 athlete's with season best marks that are entered in said event qualify. So I'm every individual event there will be 48 athletes. In the relays it will be 24 relays. For the multi events, they just take the top 24 in the country and send them to the national finals in Eugene. 12 from each region will advance to the national finals. Every race besides the relays, the steeplechase, the 5000, and 10000 will have a first round that will eliminate half the field to 24, then the national quarterfinals where the top 12 are selected.
For the first rounds, every race 100-800 including the hurdles, there will be 6 heats of 8 runners. The top 3 in each heat will advance, plus the next 6 fastest times. For the 1500, it's 4 heats of 12, the top 5 in each heat plus the 4 fastest other times will advance.
For the national quarterfinals, every race 100-800 including the hurdles and relays, will be 3 heats of 8 runners. The top 3 on each heat, plus the 3 next fastest times will advance to the national finals in Eugene. Same advancement for the steeple, although it's 3 heats of 16 each. In the 1500, there's 2 heats, top 5 in each heat plus the next two fastest times will advance. Same advancement for the 5000, but there's 2 heats of 24. In the 10000, there's one heat of 48 and the top 12 advance. For field events, throws and horizontal jumps, each competitor gets 3 attempts, top 12 advance. For high jump and pole vault, 12 highest marks advance. Bar keeps rising till 12 are left.
So as Aggie fans our job is to hope anyone in an Aggie uniform performs their absolute best and advances through. Each day I'll have a preview of what events will be contested and who we need to watch out for. Also keep in mind this is a 4 day meet. It will be men only on days 1 and 3, then women on days 2 and 4. We want to get as many Aggies as we can advanced to Eugene. Sometimes you can win a national championship with a few individuals, but it's always better to have more bullets at the gun fight. Below I have compiled who's competing for us and where they rank in each event. Let's hope it's a great weekend for Aggie Track and Field.
Daily previews will come out the night before each day of competition
Location: John McDonell Field - Fayetteville, Arkansas
Date: May 27-30
Streaming: ESPN+
Start Lists: https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2026/FirstRounds/West/starts.pdf
Live Results: https://flashresults.ncaa.com/Outdoor/2026/FirstRounds/West/index.htm
General Meet Preview
It's regionals time or national preliminaries time or NCAA First Rounds time! Either name, the road to Eugene and the Outdoor Championships begin here! This meet is one of two regionals meets taking place simultaneously. In NCAA Track, the country is split into two regions: west and east. The Aggies being in the west along with universities and colleges west of the Mississippi (and Illinois and Wisconsin).
To qualify for this meet, the top 48 athlete's with season best marks that are entered in said event qualify. So I'm every individual event there will be 48 athletes. In the relays it will be 24 relays. For the multi events, they just take the top 24 in the country and send them to the national finals in Eugene. 12 from each region will advance to the national finals. Every race besides the relays, the steeplechase, the 5000, and 10000 will have a first round that will eliminate half the field to 24, then the national quarterfinals where the top 12 are selected.
For the first rounds, every race 100-800 including the hurdles, there will be 6 heats of 8 runners. The top 3 in each heat will advance, plus the next 6 fastest times. For the 1500, it's 4 heats of 12, the top 5 in each heat plus the 4 fastest other times will advance.
For the national quarterfinals, every race 100-800 including the hurdles and relays, will be 3 heats of 8 runners. The top 3 on each heat, plus the 3 next fastest times will advance to the national finals in Eugene. Same advancement for the steeple, although it's 3 heats of 16 each. In the 1500, there's 2 heats, top 5 in each heat plus the next two fastest times will advance. Same advancement for the 5000, but there's 2 heats of 24. In the 10000, there's one heat of 48 and the top 12 advance. For field events, throws and horizontal jumps, each competitor gets 3 attempts, top 12 advance. For high jump and pole vault, 12 highest marks advance. Bar keeps rising till 12 are left.
So as Aggie fans our job is to hope anyone in an Aggie uniform performs their absolute best and advances through. Each day I'll have a preview of what events will be contested and who we need to watch out for. Also keep in mind this is a 4 day meet. It will be men only on days 1 and 3, then women on days 2 and 4. We want to get as many Aggies as we can advanced to Eugene. Sometimes you can win a national championship with a few individuals, but it's always better to have more bullets at the gun fight. Below I have compiled who's competing for us and where they rank in each event. Let's hope it's a great weekend for Aggie Track and Field.
Daily previews will come out the night before each day of competition
