JACKSONVILLE, Fla./COLLEGE STATION, Texas – A total of eight student-athletes representing American Athletic Conference schools posted national qualifying marks on the opening day of competition at 2021 NCAA Track & Field Preliminary Regionals on Wednesday. Three competitors advanced out of the NCAA East Regional at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville and an additional five turned in automatic qualifying showings at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station.
 
East Carolina’s Ryan Davis was the first American athlete to punch his ticket to the national meet after finishing 10th in the men’s hammer throw standings at the NCAA East Regional. Davis, The American champion in the event, covered 65.70m (215-7.0) to clinch his first career national berth into the NCAA Championships. Robert Walton from Memphis took 25th in the men’s hammer throw (61.65m, 202-3.0) and Sam Meece from Cincinnati placed 36th (58.52m, 192-0). Wichita State’s Michael Bryan joined Davis after placing ninth at the West Regional with a top attempt of 66.30m (217-6.0). Wichita State’s Cory Martens added a 22nd-place showing (61.81m, 202-9.0) and Houston’s Miles Marhofer was 46th in the event (52.23m, 171-4.0).
 
Austin Edwards of Cincinnati narrowly missed a qualifying mark in the men’s long jump event at the East Regional, finishing just outside the top-12 with a 7.49m (24-7.0) attempt to place 15th in the field. Houston’s Benjamin Okafor took eighth in the long jump at the West Regional to earn his spot at NCAA Nationals. Okafor established a PR with an attempt of 7.73m, 25-4.50).
 
Memphis’ Max Emmerich finished in 27th place at the East Regional in the men’s javelin with a top throw of 64.01m (210-0). Wichita State’s Davis Dubbert (62.11m/203-9.0) and Taran Taylor (61.86m/202-11.0) were 23rd and 24th in the javelin, respectfully, at the West Regional and teammate Cauy Lindsay placed 35th (58.74m/192-8.0).
 
Stone Baker of South Florida punched his ticket to NCAA Nationals in the men’s pole vault, clearing 5.25m. 17-2.75) to share 11th place in the East Regional. Robin Nool of Memphis tied for 16th place with a clearance of 5.15m, 16-10.75. In the West Regional, Houston’s Antonio Ruiz (5.45m, 17-10.50) and Christyan Sampy (5.40m, 17-8.50) finished 11th and 12th, respectively, to advance Nationals in the men’s pole vault. Cougar teammate Ben Percefull tied for 33rd place with a top clearance of 5.15m, 16-10.75.
 
Cincinnati’s Isaiah McCall was the top American finisher in the men’s 110-meter hurdles at the East Regional, taking 34th place with a time of 14.13. At the West Regionals, Dayo Akindele from Houston finished eighth in the field with a qualification time of 13.58. Brother DJ Akindele was just behind in ninth place at 13.59 to also qualify for the next Regional round on Friday. Wichita State’s Antonio Norman added an additional qualifying time by finishing in 18th place with a time of 13.84.
 
Zack Penrod from Wichita State was the top American runner in the West Regional’s opening round of the men’s 1500-meter run, placing 13th with a time of 3:45.46 to advance to Friday’s quarterfinal. Teammate Jed Helker just missed the top 24 with a 28th-place time of 3:46.57. Tulsa’s Isaac Akers took 32nd place in 3:48.66.
 
There were many familiar faces representing Houston who advanced to the next round in the West Regional’s men’s 100-meter dash. Reigning American champion Shaun Maswanganyi finished third in the opening heats with a time of 10.05 to pace the Cougars, with teammates Travis Collins (eighth, 10.18) and Jordan Booker (10th, 10.20) also among the top 10. Other Houston competitors advancing to Friday were Christian Hamberlin (13th, 10.22), Edward Sumler IV (14th, 10.24) and Dylan Brown (21st, 10.28).
 
South Florida’s Duncan Agyemang advanced out of the first round of the East Regional men’s 400-meter hurdles, clocking a ninth-place showing with a time of 50.87. Memphis’ Adam Yakobi narrowly missed the top 24 by .01 in 25th place with a time of 51.91. In the West Regional, Houston’s Quivell Jordan moved out of the opening round with a third-place time of 49.97.
 
Houston’s Tyrell Valentine (17th, 46.54) and Jermaine Holt (23rd, 46.68) moved on from the opening round of the West Regional’s 400-meter dash to represent The American.
 
Cincinnati’s Chris Borzor narrowly missed advancing in the 200-meter dash first round at the East Regional, clocking a 25th-place showing in 20.93.
 
Aaron Bienenfeld from Cincinnati placed fourth in a competitive men’s 10,000-meter run semifinal heat at the East Regional to earn a bid to Nationals, crossing the line with a time of 28:42.45. Teammate Alec Sandusky finished 18th with a time of 29:26.63. Tulsa’s Patrick Dever turned in a similar solid performance in the men’s 10,000 at the West Regional, placing fifth with a time of 29:11.08 to advance to the national meet. Tulsa’s Scott Beattie (17th, 29:41.26) and Peter Lynch (30th, 30:24.54) narrowly missed out on qualifying times.
 
Houston will be well represented in the men’s 200-meter dash quarterfinals at the West Regional, as Collins (fourth, 20.51), Hamberlin (fifth, 20.51), Maswanganyi (seventh, 20.55), Booker (13th, 20.62) and Brown (19th, 20.79) moving on to Friday’s next round. Nicholas Alexander of Houston placed 29th with a time of 20.98.
 
American Athletes At The NCAA East Regionals – Wednesday, May 26

Cincinnati
Aaron Bienenfeld, Men’s 10,000-Meter Run (*fourth, 28:42.45)
Chris Borzor, Men's 200-Meter Dash (25th, 20.93)
Austin Edwards, Men’s Long Jump (15th, 7.49m/24-7.0)
Isaiah McCall, Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles (34th, 14.13)
Sam Meece, Men’s Hammer Throw (36th, 58.52m/192-0)
Alec Sandusky, Men’s 10,00-Meter Run (18th, 29:26.63)
 
East Carolina
Ryan Davis, Men’s Hammer Throw (*10th, 65.70m/215-7.0)
 
Memphis
Max Emmerich, Men’s Javelin (27th, 64.01m/210-0)
Adam Neelly, Men's Shot Put (28th, 17.78m/58-4.0)
Robin Nool, Men’s Pole Vault (16th, 5.15m/16-10.75)
Robert Walton, Men’s Hammer Throw (25th, 61.65m/202-3.0)
Adam Yakobi, Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles (25th, 51.91)
 
South Florida
Stone Baker, Men’s Pole Vault (*11th, 5.25m/17-2.75)
Duncan Agyemang, Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles ($ninth, 50.87)
 
 
American Athletes At The NCAA West Regionals – Wednesday, May 26

Houston
Dayo Akindele, Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles ($eighth, 13.58)
DJ Akindele, Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles ($ninth, 13.59)
Nicholas Alexander, Men’s 200-Meter Dash (29th, 20.98)
Jordan Booker, Men’s 100-Meter Dash ($10th, 10.20); Men’s 200-Meter Dash ($13th, 20.62)
Dylan Brown, Men’s 100-Meter Dash ($23rd, 46.68); Men’s 200-Meter Dash ($19th, 20.79)
Travis Collins, Men’s 100-Meter Dash ($eighth, 10.18); Men’s 200-Meter Dash ($fourth, 20.51)
Christian Hamberlin, Men’s 100-Meter Dash ($13th, 10.22); Men’s 200-Meter Dash ($fifth, 20.51)
Jermaine Holt, Men’s 400-Meter Dash ($17th, 46.54)
Quivell Jordan, Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles ($third, 49.97)
Miles Marhofer, Men’s Hammer Throw (46th, 52.23m/171-4.0)
Shaun Maswanganyi, Men’s 100-Meter Dash ($third, 10.05); Men’s 200-Meter Dash ($seventh, 20.55)
Benjamin Okafor, Men’s Long Jump (*eighth, 7.73m/25-4.50)
Ben Percefull, Men’s Pole Vault (33rd, 5.15m/16-10.75)
Antonio Ruiz, Men’s Pole Vault (*11th, 5.45m/17-10.50)
Christyan Sampy, Men’s Pole Vault (*12th, 5.40m/17-8.50)
Edward Sumler IV, Men’s 100-Meter Dash ($14th, 10.24)
Tyrell Valentine, Men’s 400-Meter Dash ($17th, 46.54)
 
Tulsa
Isaac Akers, Men’s 1500-Meter Run (32nd, 3:48.66)
Scott Beattie, Men’s 10,000-Meter Run (17th, 29:41.26)
Patrick Dever, Men’s 10,000-Meter Run (*fifth, 29:11.08)
Peter Lynch, Men’s 10,000-Meter Run (30th, 30:24.54)
 
Wichita State
Michael Bryan, Men’s Hammer Throw (*ninth, 66.30m/217-6.0)
Davis Dubbert, Men’s Javelin (23rd, 62.11m/203-9.0)
Jed Helker, Men’s 1500-Meter Run (28th, 3:46.57)
Cauy Lindsay, Men’s Hammer Throw (35th, 58.74m/192-8.0)
Cory Martens, Men’s Hammer Throw (22nd, 61.81m/202-9.0)
Antonio Norman, Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles ($18th, 13.84)
Zack Penrod, Men’s 1500-Meter Run ($13th, 3:45.46)
Taran Taylor, Men’s Javelin (24th, 61.86m/202-11.0)
 
*- Qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships June 9-12 in Eugene, Oregon
$- Advanced to the next round