Grand Canyon University saw three of its athletes progress in their respective events during the NCAA West First Round at E.B. Cushing Stadium on Wednesday.
The first day of the competition featured preliminary rounds for men’s non-relay track events. Each event included 48 entries, with the top half advancing to Friday’s round. Athletes who finish in the top 12 will qualify for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Two athletes from Grand Canyon advanced in the 400-meter hurdles: senior Cam Wilmington and graduate student Daviciea McCartney. Wilmington secured an eighth-place finish with a time of 50.04 seconds, while McCartney was close behind in ninth place at 50.09 seconds.
Their performances placed them well within the top-24 requirement for advancement. If they maintain their standings, both could qualify for Eugene. The quarterfinals for the 400-meter hurdles are scheduled for Friday at 4:50 p.m. Phoenix time.
Junior sprinter Miguel Rosario III also advanced, finishing 15th in the 200 meters with a time of 20.76 seconds. He will compete again on Friday at 5:50 p.m., needing to improve by at least three positions to secure a spot in Eugene.
On Thursday, four female athletes from Grand Canyon will begin their events. Senior Lucy George will participate in the javelin competition starting at 12:30 p.m., followed by senior Amanda Thrue running the 100-meter hurdles at 2 p.m., and seniors Aaliyah Rifort-Delem and junior Taliyah Booker competing in the 400 meters at 3:25 p.m.
Several athletes concluded their seasons on Wednesday. Junior Jacob Nash exceeded his seeding position of 45th with a javelin throw measuring 60.45 meters, finishing in 39th place.
In the men’s category, none of Grand Canyon’s participants advanced in the 110-meter hurdles event, which included sophomores Francisco Marques and Prosper Ekporere alongside Wilmington. Ekporere and Marques did not complete their races, while Wilmington finished in 39th place with a time of 14.15 seconds.
Senior Joshua Gittens surpassed his seeding position of 48th by finishing in 45th place with a time of 47.39 seconds in the 400-meter run. Junior Germain Lemaitre improved from his seeding position of 41st to finish in 30th place with a time of 1:49.31 in the 800 meters.
