Program-Best 20 Wolverines Qualify For NCAA East Prelims
5/20/2021 11:35:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- As the No. 23-ranked University of Michigan men's track and field team prepares to embark onto the NCAA outdoor postseason, it will do so with the largest group of qualifiers in program history among the NCAA East Preliminary Round fields announced Thursday (May 20) by the NCAA.
Led by top-10 seeds Andrew Liskowitz and John Meyer (shot put), Joost Plaetinck (steeplechase) and Josh Zeller (110-meter hurdles), Michigan will bring 20Â entries spanning 12 different events to the East Prelims -- two more than the previous program best of 18 in 2016 -- to be held May 26-29 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.
The four-day competition, which features 48 qualifiers in each individual event and 24 teams in each relay, will serve as the opening rounds of the NCAA Outdoor Championships to be held June 9-12 in Eugene, Ore. The top-12 finishers in each event from the East Region -- in which Michigan competes -- and the top 12 from the West Region will comprise the 24-person fields at Oregon.
Additionally, the NCAA announced the 24 qualifiers to the national meet in the decathlon, which is not contested at the Prelims due to the tremendous effort the 10-event competition requires. Among those who made the cut were Big Ten champion Ayden Owens and Heath Baldwin. This is the first time in school history two Wolverines will compete in the NCAA Championships decathlon.
Big Ten champion Liskowitz and bronze medalist Meyer will be joined from the field-event crew by high jumpers Max Wagner and Baldwin, and pole vaulter Henry Sheldon.
Big Ten bronze medalist Plaetinck headlines a deep distance squad that includes silver medalist Nick Foster, All-American Tom Dodd and Oli Raimond (1,500 meters); Christian Hubaker and Austin Remick (steeplechase); All-Americans Tom Brady and Devin Meyrer (10,000 meters); and Thomas Shilgalis and Derrick Simmons (800 meters).
Zeller heads up a sprints and hurdles corps that features bronze medalist Roland Amarteifio (400-meter hurdles), Dubem Amene (400 meters), Job Mayhue (110-meter hurdles) and the 4x400 relay.
This marks the fourth straight East Prelims berth for Liskowitz and the third straight for Amarteifio. Mayhue, Meyrer, Plaetinck and Wagner are all making their second appearances, and all others are first-time individual qualifiers.
Michigan's qualifiers are listed below by event, along with their seed mark, rank and scheduled days of competition.
400 Meters | First round -- Wednesday, May 26 at 7:25 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Friday, May 28 at 7:20 p.m.
Dubem Amene -- 46.40, No. 25 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
800 Meters | First round -- Wednesday, May 26 at 7:50 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Friday, May 28 at 7:20 p.m.
Derrick Simmons -- 1:49.50, No. 40Â seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Thomas Shilgalis -- 1:49.52, No. 41Â seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
1,500 Meters | First round -- Wednesday, May 26, at 6:30 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Friday, May 28 at 7:20 p.m.
Nick Foster -- 3:41.45, No. 16 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Tom Dodd -- 3:42.66, No. 22 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Oli Raimond -- 3:44.52, No.47 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
3,000-Meter Steeplechase | Quarterfinals -- Friday, May 28 at 6:10 p.m.
Joost Plaetinck -- 8:39.26, No. 9 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Christian Hubaker -- 8:43.38, No. 13 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Austin Remick -- 8:46.29, No. 19 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
10,000 Meters | Semifinals -- Wednesday, May 26 at 9:10 p.m.
Tom Brady -- 28:46.83, No. 11 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Devin Meyrer -- 29:08.51, No. 21 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
110-Meter Hurdles | First round -- Wednesday, May 26, at 6 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Friday, May 28 at 7:20 p.m.
Josh Zeller -- 13.64, No. 10 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Job Mayhue -- 13.84, No. 20 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
400-Meter Hurdles | First round -- Wednesday, May 26, at 8:20 p.m. / Quarterfinals -- Friday, May 28 at 7:20 p.m.
Roland Amarteifio -- 50.91, No. 11 seed [third NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
4x400-Meter Relay | Quarterfinals -- Friday, May 28 at 9:15 p.m.
Michigan -- 3:09.56, No. 19Â seed
High Jump | First round -- Friday, May 28, at 1 p.m.
Max Wagner -- 2.10m, No. 42 seed [second NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Heath Baldwin -- 2.09m, No. 46 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Pole Vault | First round -- Wednesday, May 26, at 3 p.m.
Henry Sheldon -- 5.05m, No. 46 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Shot Put | First round -- Wednesday, May 26, at 6 p.m.
Andrew Liskowitz -- 20.70m, No. 1 seed [fourth NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
John Meyer -- 20.48m, No. 2 seed [first NCAA East Prelims appearance in event]
Players Mentioned
