WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Track & Field earned 24 individual entries and three relay entries to the 2026 NCAA East First Round in Lexington, Kentucky (May 27-30). 14 entries are from the men’s side, while 13 are from the women’s side.
Purdue’s 27 total entries are five more than the program had last season. The women’s side qualified eight more this season than last.
The top 48 individuals and top 24 relays in the east and west region each qualify for NCAA First Round competition. The top 12 individuals and top 12 relays at each regionals site qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon (June 10-13).
Praise Aniamaka headlines Purdue’s qualifications to the NCAA East First Round with his No 2 ranking in the triple jump (16.73m / 54-10.75). His best as a Boilermaker won the Big Ten title to conclude his conference career as a three-time outdoor champion. The jump elevated Aniamaka to the top five nationally. He is a four-time All-American, twice outdoors, including a sixth-place finish in his last outdoor campaign in 2024.
Amarianna Lofton leads the women’s side with her 1.83m (6-00.00) clearance in the high jump that is tied for fifth. The junior was tied for seventh at her first Big Ten Championships. She joined Purdue after she was a Division II All-American at Central State.
Alexia Smith earned silver at the Big Ten Championships in the 400m and ran 51.22 in the prelims to rank 13th in the east region and 19th in the NCAA. She finished 15th at regionals last year, just three spots shy of the NCAA Championships.
Samuel Vessat holds the highest individual track regional ranking on Purdue’s men’s side with his No. 7 spot in the 400m. His 44.94 in Florida earlier this year set him up for a high regional ranking and set a new Purdue record. He was a First Team All-American indoors after he finished sixth in the event.
Seamus Malaski qualified in all three of his events in the discus, hammer throw and shot put. He looks to qualify for outdoor NCAAs after he finished 12th in the weight throw indoors to earn Second Team All-American. Malaski scored twice at the Big Ten Championships in the hammer throw and shot put.
Both men’s and women’s 4x400m relays qualified for regionals after both earned silver at Big Tens. The men’s relay of Victory Achakpoekri, Samuel Vessat, Zach Mylenek and Vessat ranks fifth, while the women’s relay of Smith, Taiye Ayenuro, Marissa Palmer and Gia Clay ranks 10th.
Purdue will look to top its NCAA Championships qualifying total from 2025 (four) and Boilers who qualify head to Eugene from June 10-13.
Purdue Men’s First Round Qualifiers (Regional Ranking)
400m: Samuel Vessat (7th)
800m: Hugh Jacobsmeyer (40th)
10,000m: Nathan Walker (46th)
3000mSC: Douglas Buckeridge (47th)
4x400m (5th)
Triple Jump: Praise Aniamaka (2nd), Chidozie Kalu (NEED RANKING)
High Jump: Elliot Ryba (T-17th)
Discus: Seamus Malaski (36th)
Hammer Throw: Seamus Malaski (10th), Leo Maxwell (34th)
Shot Put: Seamus Malaski (11th), Joel Gates (31st)
Purdue Men’s First Round Qualifiers (Regional Ranking)
400m: Samuel Vessat (7th)
800m: Hugh Jacobsmeyer (36th)
10,000m: Nathan Walker (45th)
3000mSC: Douglas Buckeridge (44th)
4x400m (5th)
Triple Jump: Praise Aniamaka (2nd), Chidozie Kalu (30th)
High Jump: Elliot Ryba (19th)
Discus: Seamus Malaski (33rd), Joel Gates (47th)
Hammer Throw: Seamus Malaski (9th), Leo Maxwell (33rd)
Shot Put: Seamus Malaski (10th), Joel Gates (29th)
Purdue Women’s First Round Qualifiers (Regional Ranking)
200m: Marissa Palmer (16th), Ashley Odiase (32nd)
400m: Alexia Smith (11th), Gia Clay (36th)
4x100m (17th)
4x400m (10th)
Long Jump: Blessing Gideon (42nd)
Triple Jump: Blessing Gideon (14th)
High Jump: Amarianna Lofton (5th), Jubilee Felder (24th)
Discus: Britannia Johnson (22nd), Britannie Johnson (27th)
Shot Put: Britannie Johnson (15th)
