👟 Five Jayhawks Qualify for NCAA Indoor Championships
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The NCAA Division I men’s and women’s track & field and cross-country committee announced the 2021 NCAA Indoor track & field championship participants on Tuesday, including five Jayhawks who will compete in the meet from March 11-14 in Fayetteville, Ark.
Among the Jayhawks that qualified are Alexandra Emilianov (shot put), Honour Finley (400 meters), Samantha Van Hoecke (pole vault), Rylee Anderson (high jump) and Zach Bradford (pole vault).
To qualify, individuals must have been among the top-16 in their respective event based on the descending TFRRS list for the season. Among the Jayhawks qualifying for the Championships, Bradford, Finley and Anderson make repeat appearances, while Emilianov and Van Hoecke make their NCAA Indoor Championship debuts.
Entering the NCAA Indoor Championships, Bradford ranks as the No. 3 individual in the men’s pole vault, clearing a season best 5.75m (18-10.25 ft.) at the Texas Tech Invitational on January 29. Throughout the season, Bradford has set numerous meet records while owning eight of the top 10 jumps in KU indoor history.
In the women’s high jump, Anderson makes her second career NCAA Indoor appearance after winning her first career Big 12 Indoor Championship in Lubbock, Texas on Feb. 28. Anderson cleared a season best 1.81m (5-11.25 ft.) to mark a Big 12 best this season while ranking No. 13 nationally entering the meet.
In the women’s pole vault, Van Hoecke makes her first career NCAA Indoor appearance after setting a personal best 4.32m (14-2 ft.) at the Big 12 Indoor Championship to place as the runner-up. Van Hoecke currently ranks No. 14 in the NCAA this season while becoming the No. 4 performer in KU indoor history.
On the track, Finley makes her fourth career NCAA Indoor appearance, qualifying for the meet in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Finley ranks 14th in the women’s 400 meters this season after setting a personal best 52.27 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship to place third.
Live championship coverage will be streamed on ESPN3. Additional details on times of the live ESPN3 coverage will be forthcoming. A re-air of the championship will take place starting at 9 p.m. Eastern time Sunday, March 14 on ESPNU.
