LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Purdue track & field team concluded the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships East First Round with two season-best marks on Saturday evening in Lexington, Kentucky.
On a warm and muggy sun-filled evening at Kentucky's Outdoor Track & Field Complex, all three Boilermakers that competed on the fourth and final day of the regional competition placed better than they were seeded entering the meet.
Today's performances comes after Purdue had five entries that advanced to the NCAA Championships as the top 12 finishers in their events.
On Saturday, junior Rieko Wilford placed 13th overall in the triple jump with a mark of 12.80 meters. At her third NCAA meet, Wilford improved her mark with each of her three jumps. Her first attempt was 12.50m, followed by a 12.54m before her final jump proved to be her best of the 2024 season. While she was one spot short of qualifying for nationals for the first time in her career, Wilford's 13th-place finish is her best at the NCAA First Round meet by more than 20 places and comes after she entered the week seeded No. 30 in the 48-athlete field.
Freshman Alexia Smith ran her second top-10 time in school history this weekend, as she raced in the 400-meter quarterfinals and finished in 52.70 seconds. Smith improved on her spot at No. 5 in the Boilermaker record books and topped her PR of 53.00 which she set on Thursday. Smith was 18th overall in Saturday's race after she was seeded 42nd coming into her first NCAA First Round.
Saturday began with the 3,000m steeplechase, where junior Emma Squires was 33rd in 10:36.82. Purdue's first distance runner to qualify for NCAAs, indoors or outdoors, since 2018, Squires finished 15 places ahead of where she was seeded. She made her NCAA track & field debut, though Squires has raced at three NCAA Cross Country Regionals.
On Friday, the men's 4x400 relay, graduate students Cameron Miller (200-meter) and Safin Wills (triple jump), junior Praise Aniamaka (triple jump) and sophomore Seth Allen (discus) all punched their tickets to the national championships with top-12 finishes in their respective events. The Boilermakers' five entries will compete at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from June 5-8.
On Wednesday to begin the weekend, Miller advanced to the quarterfinals in the 200m, and on Thursday, Smith moved on in the 400m.
The Boilermakers had 16 qualifiers this week represented by 18 student-athletes in 14 different events. Purdue had multiple competitors in two events, and one relay also is among the field for the Old Gold and Black.
The NCAA East First Round, along with the West First Round, featured 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 advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.
On a warm and muggy sun-filled evening at Kentucky's Outdoor Track & Field Complex, all three Boilermakers that competed on the fourth and final day of the regional competition placed better than they were seeded entering the meet.
Today's performances comes after Purdue had five entries that advanced to the NCAA Championships as the top 12 finishers in their events.
On Saturday, junior Rieko Wilford placed 13th overall in the triple jump with a mark of 12.80 meters. At her third NCAA meet, Wilford improved her mark with each of her three jumps. Her first attempt was 12.50m, followed by a 12.54m before her final jump proved to be her best of the 2024 season. While she was one spot short of qualifying for nationals for the first time in her career, Wilford's 13th-place finish is her best at the NCAA First Round meet by more than 20 places and comes after she entered the week seeded No. 30 in the 48-athlete field.
Freshman Alexia Smith ran her second top-10 time in school history this weekend, as she raced in the 400-meter quarterfinals and finished in 52.70 seconds. Smith improved on her spot at No. 5 in the Boilermaker record books and topped her PR of 53.00 which she set on Thursday. Smith was 18th overall in Saturday's race after she was seeded 42nd coming into her first NCAA First Round.
Saturday began with the 3,000m steeplechase, where junior Emma Squires was 33rd in 10:36.82. Purdue's first distance runner to qualify for NCAAs, indoors or outdoors, since 2018, Squires finished 15 places ahead of where she was seeded. She made her NCAA track & field debut, though Squires has raced at three NCAA Cross Country Regionals.
On Friday, the men's 4x400 relay, graduate students Cameron Miller (200-meter) and Safin Wills (triple jump), junior Praise Aniamaka (triple jump) and sophomore Seth Allen (discus) all punched their tickets to the national championships with top-12 finishes in their respective events. The Boilermakers' five entries will compete at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from June 5-8.
On Wednesday to begin the weekend, Miller advanced to the quarterfinals in the 200m, and on Thursday, Smith moved on in the 400m.
The Boilermakers had 16 qualifiers this week represented by 18 student-athletes in 14 different events. Purdue had multiple competitors in two events, and one relay also is among the field for the Old Gold and Black.
The NCAA East First Round, along with the West First Round, featured 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 advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.