Completed Event: Track & Field versus Rock Chalk Classic Day 1 on May 1, 2026 ,
Final
Track & Field
vs Rock Chalk Classic Day 1
Wednesday, May 27
Fayetteville, Ark.
University of Kansas
vs
NCAA Outdoor West Preliminary Day 1
Photo by: Kansas Athletics
Kansas Track and Field Prepared for NCAA West Preliminary
5/26/2026 1:11:00 PM | Track & Field
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas track and field will compete in the first round of the NCAA postseason May 27-30 at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark. during the NCAA West Preliminary.Â
The NCAA West Preliminary begins on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. CT and will continue through Saturday. The meet will stream live on ESPN+, with live results available here. A full schedule of events can be found here.
In the latest USTFCCCA Rankings, the men's team was ranked No. 32 nationally while the women's team came in at No. 36, climbing seven spots since the last rankings. The Jayhawks have 33 athletes declared for the meet with the men having 18 athletes competing in 10 different events, and the women having 15 declared athletes in 12 events.Â
In order to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, the athletes will need to finish as a top 12 competitor out of the 48 in their event or finish as a top 12 relay team out of the 24 in the meet. The men will compete on Wednesday and Friday during the meet, while the women compete on Thursday and Saturday.Â
All field events will only take place once, with the top 12 athletes advancing to the NCAA Championships. All individual track events shorter than the 3,000 meter steeplechase will have first rounds during the first two days of competition, with the top 24 in each event advancing to the quarterfinals occurring on the final days of competition. The top 12 athletes from the quarterfinal races will advance to the NCAA Championships. Relays will begin with the quarterfinals round.
Events will begin on Wednesday as Aaron Merritt is scheduled to be the first Kansas athlete to compete, running in the men's 110 meter hurdles first round at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Kansas is also scheduled to have competitors in the men's 1,500 meter run first round at 6:30 p.m., the men's pole vault at 7 p.m., the men's 400 meters first round at 7:35 p.m., the men's 800 meter run first round at 7:50 p.m. and the men's 10,000 meter run at 9:10 p.m.
On Thursday, Kat Meacham and Barbora Stejfova are scheduled to kick off the day with the women's hammer throw at 9:30 a.m. The Jayhawks are then scheduled to compete in the women's 100 meter hurdles first round at 6 p.m., the women's long jump at 6:30 p.m., the women's 1,500 meter run first round at 6:30 p.m., the women's pole vault at 7 p.m., the women's 400 meter first round at 7:25 p.m., the women's 800 meters first round at 7:50 p.m. and the women's 400 meter hurdles first round at 8:20 p.m.
Kierson Wicks will be the first Jayhawk to compete on Friday in the men's high jump at 2 p.m. Kansas will then potentially compete in the men's 1,500 meter quarterfinals at 5:15 p.m. before the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 5:40 p.m. The rest of the evening will consist of quarterfinals runs based on the results of Wednesday's competition, wrapping up with Jayhawks competing in the men's 5,000 meter run at 8:10 p.m. and the 4x400 meter relay at 8:45 p.m.
Sofia Sluchaninova and Kat Meacham are slated to begin the final day of competition with the women's discus at 1 p.m. before the women's high jump at 2 p.m. Kori Randle is scheduled to compete in the women's triple jump at 6 p.m. and the Jayhawks are set with a 4x400 meter relay team to close out the evening at 8:45 p.m. The other events during the day will be based on advancement from Thursday's competitions.Â
A full meet schedule is available here and more meet information is available here. More information about the NCAA Road to the Championships is available here, while information about Kansas' declared athletes is available here.Â
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can stay current with the events by following the official Kansas Track & Field and Cross Country X or Instagram account @kansastfxc. The meet will be streamed throughout the weekend on ESPN+ with live results available here. Final results and a meet recap will be posted at the conclusion of the meet on kuathletics.com
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The NCAA West Preliminary begins on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. CT and will continue through Saturday. The meet will stream live on ESPN+, with live results available here. A full schedule of events can be found here.
In the latest USTFCCCA Rankings, the men's team was ranked No. 32 nationally while the women's team came in at No. 36, climbing seven spots since the last rankings. The Jayhawks have 33 athletes declared for the meet with the men having 18 athletes competing in 10 different events, and the women having 15 declared athletes in 12 events.Â
In order to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, the athletes will need to finish as a top 12 competitor out of the 48 in their event or finish as a top 12 relay team out of the 24 in the meet. The men will compete on Wednesday and Friday during the meet, while the women compete on Thursday and Saturday.Â
All field events will only take place once, with the top 12 athletes advancing to the NCAA Championships. All individual track events shorter than the 3,000 meter steeplechase will have first rounds during the first two days of competition, with the top 24 in each event advancing to the quarterfinals occurring on the final days of competition. The top 12 athletes from the quarterfinal races will advance to the NCAA Championships. Relays will begin with the quarterfinals round.
Events will begin on Wednesday as Aaron Merritt is scheduled to be the first Kansas athlete to compete, running in the men's 110 meter hurdles first round at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Kansas is also scheduled to have competitors in the men's 1,500 meter run first round at 6:30 p.m., the men's pole vault at 7 p.m., the men's 400 meters first round at 7:35 p.m., the men's 800 meter run first round at 7:50 p.m. and the men's 10,000 meter run at 9:10 p.m.
On Thursday, Kat Meacham and Barbora Stejfova are scheduled to kick off the day with the women's hammer throw at 9:30 a.m. The Jayhawks are then scheduled to compete in the women's 100 meter hurdles first round at 6 p.m., the women's long jump at 6:30 p.m., the women's 1,500 meter run first round at 6:30 p.m., the women's pole vault at 7 p.m., the women's 400 meter first round at 7:25 p.m., the women's 800 meters first round at 7:50 p.m. and the women's 400 meter hurdles first round at 8:20 p.m.
Kierson Wicks will be the first Jayhawk to compete on Friday in the men's high jump at 2 p.m. Kansas will then potentially compete in the men's 1,500 meter quarterfinals at 5:15 p.m. before the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 5:40 p.m. The rest of the evening will consist of quarterfinals runs based on the results of Wednesday's competition, wrapping up with Jayhawks competing in the men's 5,000 meter run at 8:10 p.m. and the 4x400 meter relay at 8:45 p.m.
Sofia Sluchaninova and Kat Meacham are slated to begin the final day of competition with the women's discus at 1 p.m. before the women's high jump at 2 p.m. Kori Randle is scheduled to compete in the women's triple jump at 6 p.m. and the Jayhawks are set with a 4x400 meter relay team to close out the evening at 8:45 p.m. The other events during the day will be based on advancement from Thursday's competitions.Â
A full meet schedule is available here and more meet information is available here. More information about the NCAA Road to the Championships is available here, while information about Kansas' declared athletes is available here.Â
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can stay current with the events by following the official Kansas Track & Field and Cross Country X or Instagram account @kansastfxc. The meet will be streamed throughout the weekend on ESPN+ with live results available here. Final results and a meet recap will be posted at the conclusion of the meet on kuathletics.com
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Players Mentioned
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/ Track & Field
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