No. 28 Women’s T&F Qualifies 12 Owls to NCAA West Prelims

Wednesday, May 27

Fayetteville, Ark.

Rice University

NCAA West Prelims

No. 28 Women’s T&F Qualifies 12 Owls to NCAA West Prelims

5/26/2026 8:03:00 PM | Women's Track & Field

By: Anthony Roberts (ar186@rice.edu)

HOUSTON – The No. 28 Rice women's track and field team will be well-represented at the NCAA West Prelims, with 12 Owls qualifying for the meet in Fayetteville, Ark. The four-day meet will begin on May 27.

Representing Rice will be Mckyla Van der Westhuizen, Emily Harbach and Elena Schwegman (javelin), Josie Taylor and Alice Taylor (high jump), Julia Johannesdottir (100m hurdles), Savannah Simms (triple jump), Barbora Malíková and Riana Green (400m), Sydney Freeman (400m hurdles), Saniya Friendly (100m), and the 4x400m relay team of Green, Arayna Mickles, Freeman and Malikova.

The javelin squad is led by Van der Westhuizen, with her 59.06m mark leading the region. Harbach is ranked seventh while Schwegman is slotted 39^th.

Josie Taylor enters with the sixth-best clearance of 1.87m, while Alice Taylor is 24^th with a 1.82m clearance.

Johannesdottir holds the seventh-best time in the 100m hurdles, with a school-record time of 13.02 set at the Beach Invite.

After making a grand return last week to win the triple jump title at the American Championships, Simms is seeded 19^th with a jump of 13.19m.

An American Conference champion for the 400m, Malikova is seeded 16^th for the event, while Riana Green is 42^nd.

Freeman qualified in her freshman season for the 400m hurdles, ranking 26^th. Friendly earned the final qualifying spot in the 100m.

After a season-best time of 3:34.06 to finish second at the conference meet, the 4x400m relay team of Green, Mickles, Freeman and Malikova are seeded 22^nd.

The Owls are ranked 28^th in the nation in the latest USTFCCCA poll.

Rice capped off a storybook ending for legendary head coach Jim Bevan as champions of the American Conference. Bevan was named the American Conference Coach of the Year, his 15^th conference honor. This is the 24th overall title for the women's program and 14th under Coach Bevan.

The NCAA West Preliminary serves as the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Athletes with the 48 best marks in their region (east or west) qualify for the meet. The top 12 marks or times from each region will advance to the championship meet in Eugene, Oregon.

LINKS FOR THE MEET
Live Results | ESPN+ Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four

NCAA West Prelims Qualifiers
Thursday (May 28) - *Running events are prelims
2:00 p.m. – Javelin – Mckyla Van der Westhuizen (1^st – 59.06m), Emily Harbach (7^th – 56.47m), Elena Schwegman (39^th – 48.86m)
*6:00 p.m. – 100mH – Julia Johannesdottir (7^th – 13.02)
*7:00 p.m. – 100m – Saniya Friendly (48^th – 11.42)
*7:25 p.m. – 400m – Barbora Malíková (16^th – 52.02). Riana Green (42^th – 52.89)
*8:20 p.m. – 400mH – Sydney Freeman (26^th – 57.64)

Saturday (May 30) - *Running events are finals
2:00 p.m. – High Jump – Josie Taylor (6^th – 1.87m), Alice Taylor (24^th – 1.82m)
6:00 p.m. – Triple Jump – Savannah Simms (19^th – 13.19m)
6:15 p.m. – 100m hurdles finals
6:35 p.m. – 100m finals
6:50 p.m. – 400m finals
7:25 p.m. – 400m hurdles finals
8:45 p.m. – 4x400 – Riana Green, Arayna Mickles, Sydney Freeman, Barbora Malíková (22^nd – 3:34.06)