JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Purdue track & field team commenced the 2023 NCAA East Preliminary Round with one top-10 time in team history on Wednesday, May 24, in Jacksonville, Florida.
Freshman Connor Czajkowski entered the record books in the 200-meter event as he made his NCAA debut on Wednesday night. Fifth-year Johnny Vanos also competed at his first outdoor NCAA meet in the hammer throw early Wednesday afternoon after a rain-filled morning, while fifth-year Justin Becker joined Czajkowski in the 200m and raced at his fourth NCAA prelims but first in an individual event.
The Boilermaker trio are the first three of 11 entries at the four-day NCAA East Prelims at North Florida's Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium. In each event, Purdue is competing for a top-12 finish and a qualification to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas, from June 7-10.
In the first heat of the 200m on Wednesday, Czajkowski ran a personal-best time of 20.80. That moved him into the top-10 list in school history for the first time in his career, in a tie at No. 10. As Czajkowski ran the fourth top-10 time in the last three seasons in the event, he matched Leo Settle's mark set in 1995.
Czajkowski was 31st overall after he entered the meet as the No. 47 seed. The first-year Boilermaker bested his previous PR of 20.81-w, and his wind-legal PR 21.20, which was set less than two weeks ago at the Big Ten Championships.
Becker was right behind Czajkowski with a time of 20.84. He finished 34th overall. Becker has qualified for the NCAA prelims, and advanced to the NCAA Championships, each of his first three seasons in the 4x100 relay, though his berth in the 200m was his first-ever NCAA race in an individual event.
Both Czajkowski and Becker will return to the track on Friday to race in the 4x100 relay with a spot at the NCAA Championships on the line for the top 12 finishers.
Vanos opened the day, and the meet, in the hammer throw and placed 20th overall with a mark of 63.25 meters. It came on his third and final attempt and improved on his mark of 62.03m that was reached on his second throw.
The fifth-year made the NCAA prelims for the first time after he qualified for his first career NCAA Championships indoors in the weight throw and collected All-America accolades earlier in 2023. Vanos concludes an impressive career with top-10 marks in program history in both the weight throw (No. 2, 22.12m) and hammer throw (No. 6, 66.32m), both achieved in 2023.
The Boilermakers are represented by 18 competitors in 11 events, eight individual and three relays, at the four-day NCAA East Preliminary Round. Six women's events and five men's events for Purdue earned a spot at the regional meet for a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
The meet continues on Thursday, May 25 with the opening day for the women, while the men are back in action on Friday, May 26, and the women conclude the meet on Saturday, May 27. Thursday sees the Boilermakers race in the 400m first round at 7:25 p.m. ET. On Friday, the discus starts at 1 p.m., followed by the 4x100 relay at 5 p.m., the triple jump at 6 p.m. and the 200m quarterfinal at 7:50 p.m. Saturday's action gets underway for the Old Gold and Black with the high jump at 2:30 p.m. and the 4x100 relay at 5 p.m. The triple jump is at 6 p.m., the 400m quarterfinal is at 6:50 p.m. and the meet concludes with the 4x400 relay at 8:45 p.m.
Fans unable to cheer on the Boilermakers in person can follow along with live results, and watch all of the action live on ESPN+ (Thursday | Friday | Saturday), with live streams beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday and 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Additional East Prelims information, including tickets and the complete schedule, is available at UNFOspreys.com and at NCAA.com. Updates from Jacksonville, including schedule adjustments should weather have an impact, can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Direct links to follow along also are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
The NCAA East Prelims, along with the West Prelims, feature 48 qualifiers in each individual event and 24 teams in each relay. The top 12 finishers in every event from both the east and west will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas, from June 7-10.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Freshman Connor Czajkowski entered the record books in the 200-meter event as he made his NCAA debut on Wednesday night. Fifth-year Johnny Vanos also competed at his first outdoor NCAA meet in the hammer throw early Wednesday afternoon after a rain-filled morning, while fifth-year Justin Becker joined Czajkowski in the 200m and raced at his fourth NCAA prelims but first in an individual event.
The Boilermaker trio are the first three of 11 entries at the four-day NCAA East Prelims at North Florida's Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium. In each event, Purdue is competing for a top-12 finish and a qualification to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas, from June 7-10.
In the first heat of the 200m on Wednesday, Czajkowski ran a personal-best time of 20.80. That moved him into the top-10 list in school history for the first time in his career, in a tie at No. 10. As Czajkowski ran the fourth top-10 time in the last three seasons in the event, he matched Leo Settle's mark set in 1995.
Czajkowski was 31st overall after he entered the meet as the No. 47 seed. The first-year Boilermaker bested his previous PR of 20.81-w, and his wind-legal PR 21.20, which was set less than two weeks ago at the Big Ten Championships.
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Becker was right behind Czajkowski with a time of 20.84. He finished 34th overall. Becker has qualified for the NCAA prelims, and advanced to the NCAA Championships, each of his first three seasons in the 4x100 relay, though his berth in the 200m was his first-ever NCAA race in an individual event.
Both Czajkowski and Becker will return to the track on Friday to race in the 4x100 relay with a spot at the NCAA Championships on the line for the top 12 finishers.
Vanos opened the day, and the meet, in the hammer throw and placed 20th overall with a mark of 63.25 meters. It came on his third and final attempt and improved on his mark of 62.03m that was reached on his second throw.
The fifth-year made the NCAA prelims for the first time after he qualified for his first career NCAA Championships indoors in the weight throw and collected All-America accolades earlier in 2023. Vanos concludes an impressive career with top-10 marks in program history in both the weight throw (No. 2, 22.12m) and hammer throw (No. 6, 66.32m), both achieved in 2023.
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The Boilermakers are represented by 18 competitors in 11 events, eight individual and three relays, at the four-day NCAA East Preliminary Round. Six women's events and five men's events for Purdue earned a spot at the regional meet for a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
The meet continues on Thursday, May 25 with the opening day for the women, while the men are back in action on Friday, May 26, and the women conclude the meet on Saturday, May 27. Thursday sees the Boilermakers race in the 400m first round at 7:25 p.m. ET. On Friday, the discus starts at 1 p.m., followed by the 4x100 relay at 5 p.m., the triple jump at 6 p.m. and the 200m quarterfinal at 7:50 p.m. Saturday's action gets underway for the Old Gold and Black with the high jump at 2:30 p.m. and the 4x100 relay at 5 p.m. The triple jump is at 6 p.m., the 400m quarterfinal is at 6:50 p.m. and the meet concludes with the 4x400 relay at 8:45 p.m.
Fans unable to cheer on the Boilermakers in person can follow along with live results, and watch all of the action live on ESPN+ (Thursday | Friday | Saturday), with live streams beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday and 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Additional East Prelims information, including tickets and the complete schedule, is available at UNFOspreys.com and at NCAA.com. Updates from Jacksonville, including schedule adjustments should weather have an impact, can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Direct links to follow along also are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
The NCAA East Prelims, along with the West Prelims, feature 48 qualifiers in each individual event and 24 teams in each relay. The top 12 finishers in every event from both the east and west will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas, from June 7-10.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.