By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Five student-athletes representing Fort Hays State track and field will travel to Kingsville, Texas to vie for a national title this weekend (May 23-25) at the 2019 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Texas A&M Kingsville. Qualifying for this year’s outdoor national meet is Alexcia Deutscher, Philip Landrum, Brett Meyer, Kolt Newell and Ryan Stanley.
Ryan Stanley will open things for the Tigers when the pole vault competition opens at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. The freshman secured his spot in the national championships when he cleared the 16-9.25 bar at the MIAA Championships earlier this month, placing him 10th in Division II this season. The height was good for a tie for third at the conference championships before placing fourth on a judges decision.
Brett Meyer will begin his quest for a sixth All-American honor Thursday at 6:10 p.m. when he runs in the first of two 1,500m preliminary heats. The senior has earned All-America status outdoors each of the last two years to go along with three indoor All-America accolades. His best finish at the national meet was second place in the indoor mile in 2018. The Scott City, Kan. native’s top finish outdoors was a fourth-place finish in last year’s 1,500m run. Meyer’s college-best 3:43.64 in the 1,500m run is the top time in the 19-man field. His run in the 1,500m finals would take place at 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
Philip Landrum will run in the 200m prelims on Friday at 5:50 p.m. It is the freshman’s second trip to the NCAA Championships this season after qualifying indoors in the 60m dash. He twice ran a 21.07 in the 200m dash this season, including the third-best time in the prelims at the MIAA Outdoor Championships, good for 24th on the national performance chart. The Wichita, Kan. native will hit the track in the third and final preliminary heat. Landrum’s run in the 200m finals would take place at 7:55 p.m. Saturday.
Alexcia Deutscher will compete in the national championships for the third-straight year when the javelin throw opens competition Saturday at 11:30 a.m. The Ellis, Kan. native opened the season with a personal-best heave of 160-2 at the Emporia State Spring Invite, good for seventh in Division II this season. The toss surpassed her previous best by nearly 2.5 feet. She is a two-time All-American, placing eighth last season after earning second team honors with a 10th-place finish as a freshman in 2017.
Kolt Newell’s fourth trip to the national meet is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday when the high jump finals commence. He matched his career-best mark of 6-11 at the Colorado Invitational last month, placing him 14th on the national performance list this season. The Damar, Kan. native is a two-time All-American, including an eighth-place finish indoors this season and a second-team honor with a 12th-place finish last season.
Below is the schedule for the Tigers at the 2019 National Championships.
Thursday, May 23
Men’s pole vault finals (Stanley) – 2:30 p.m. CT
Men’s 1,500-meter prelims (Meyer) – 6:10 p.m. CT
Friday, May 24
Men’s 200-meter prelims (Landrum) – 5:50 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 25
Women’s javelin throw finals (Deutscher) – 11:30 a.m. CT
Men’s high jump finals (Newell) – 5:30 p.m. CT
Men’s 1,500-meters finals (Meyer) – 5:45 p.m. CT
Men’s 200-meter finals (Landrum) – 7:55 p.m. CT