Rice University Athletics
Thursday, May 23
Fayetteville, Ark.
Rice University
vs
NCAA West Preliminary
Women’s T&F Sends Nine to NCAA West Prelims
5/17/2024 2:56:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
HOUSTON – The Rice women's track and field team will have a strong showing at next week's NCAA West Preliminary in Fayetteville, Ark., with nine athletes qualifying for the meet. The meet will be hosted by the University of Arkansas.
Rice will be represented by Kennedy Gamble (100m), Taigen Hunter-Galvan (800m), Eliza Kraule (100m Hurdles, High Jump), Alice Taylor and Josie Taylor (High Jump), Ginnie Okafor and Savannah Simms (Triple Jump), Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Hammer Throw) and Mckyla Van der Westhuizen (Javelin).
Kraule has already punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., for the heptathlon. Multi events (heptathlon for women and decathlon for men) automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship if they are in the top 24 of the NCAA.
The Owls are coming off a second-place showing at the AAC Championships in San Antonio. Rice amassed 122 points and seven event titles, the most of any school. Hunter-Galvan (800m, 1500m), Simpson-Sullivan (hammer throw), Josie Taylor (high jump), Okafor (triple jump), Van der Westhuizen (javelin) and Kraule (heptathlon) all won their respective events at the AAC meet. Alice Taylor set a conference and school record during the heptathlon high jump with a clearance of 1.91m.
The NCAA West Preliminary meet is one of two regional events, which serve as the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Athletes gain entry into the competition by having one of the top-48 best marks of the region (East or West) in their respective events. In order to advance to the final round in Austin, Texas, an athlete must finish among the top-12 (per region) in their respective events.
Rice will enter the meet with several athletes seeded in the top 12 for their respective events: Alice Taylor (third – high jump), Mckyla Van der Westhuizen (seventh – javelin), Josie Taylor (ninth – high jump) and Tara Simpson-Sullivan (ninth – hammer throw).
LINKS FOR THE MEET
Live Results | ESPN+ Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four
SCHEDULED COMPETITORS
Thursday (May 25) Running events are prelims
10:00 a.m.- Hammer Throw – Tara Simpson-Sullivan (9th)
2:00 p.m. – Javelin – Mckyla Van der Westhuizen (7th)
6:00 p.m. – 100m Hurdles – Eliza Kraule (48th)
7:00 p.m. – 100m – Kennedy Gamble (13th)
7:50 p.m. – 800m – Taigen Hunter-Galvan (33rd)
Saturday (May 27) All finals for running events
2:00 p.m. – High Jump – Alice Taylor (3rd), Josie Taylor (9th), Eliza Kraule (24th)
6:00 p.m. – Triple Jump – Ginnie Okafor (18th) and Savannah Simms (32th)
*6:15 p.m. – 100m Hurdles Finals
*6:35 p.m. – 100m Finals
*7:05 p.m. – 800m Finals
*If qualified for the race
Rice will be represented by Kennedy Gamble (100m), Taigen Hunter-Galvan (800m), Eliza Kraule (100m Hurdles, High Jump), Alice Taylor and Josie Taylor (High Jump), Ginnie Okafor and Savannah Simms (Triple Jump), Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Hammer Throw) and Mckyla Van der Westhuizen (Javelin).
Kraule has already punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., for the heptathlon. Multi events (heptathlon for women and decathlon for men) automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship if they are in the top 24 of the NCAA.
The Owls are coming off a second-place showing at the AAC Championships in San Antonio. Rice amassed 122 points and seven event titles, the most of any school. Hunter-Galvan (800m, 1500m), Simpson-Sullivan (hammer throw), Josie Taylor (high jump), Okafor (triple jump), Van der Westhuizen (javelin) and Kraule (heptathlon) all won their respective events at the AAC meet. Alice Taylor set a conference and school record during the heptathlon high jump with a clearance of 1.91m.
The NCAA West Preliminary meet is one of two regional events, which serve as the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Athletes gain entry into the competition by having one of the top-48 best marks of the region (East or West) in their respective events. In order to advance to the final round in Austin, Texas, an athlete must finish among the top-12 (per region) in their respective events.
Rice will enter the meet with several athletes seeded in the top 12 for their respective events: Alice Taylor (third – high jump), Mckyla Van der Westhuizen (seventh – javelin), Josie Taylor (ninth – high jump) and Tara Simpson-Sullivan (ninth – hammer throw).
Live Results | ESPN+ Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four
Thursday (May 25) Running events are prelims
10:00 a.m.- Hammer Throw – Tara Simpson-Sullivan (9th)
2:00 p.m. – Javelin – Mckyla Van der Westhuizen (7th)
6:00 p.m. – 100m Hurdles – Eliza Kraule (48th)
7:00 p.m. – 100m – Kennedy Gamble (13th)
7:50 p.m. – 800m – Taigen Hunter-Galvan (33rd)
Saturday (May 27) All finals for running events
2:00 p.m. – High Jump – Alice Taylor (3rd), Josie Taylor (9th), Eliza Kraule (24th)
6:00 p.m. – Triple Jump – Ginnie Okafor (18th) and Savannah Simms (32th)
*6:15 p.m. – 100m Hurdles Finals
*6:35 p.m. – 100m Finals
*7:05 p.m. – 800m Finals
*If qualified for the race
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
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