Purdue relay team earns NCAA championship spot

The Purdue track & field team’s 4x400 relay team qualified for the national championships to conclude the 2023 NCAA East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday.

The Boilermaker women’s relay team was 11th to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be June 7 to 10 in Austin, Texas, according to a news release from Purdue. They will be joined at nationals by the men’s 4x100 relay team and sophomore Praise Aniamaka in the triple jump, who qualified on Friday with top-12 finishes in their events.

At North Florida’s Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium, the 4x400 relay’s qualification ended the day, and the four-day meet, under the lights.

The Boilermakers finished in 3:35.33 to place 11th overall and earn the nationals berth. Junior K’Ja Talley, senior Saran Kouyeth, junior Cierra Williams and freshman Jaylie Lohmeyer were fourth overall in the first heat and their time stood as the second of three non-automatic-qualifying spots after the third heat was run.

Action on the track began with the 4x100 relay, where Purdue was 19th in 44.71. The Boilermakers were represented by senior Kerris Roberts, Kouyeth, junior Naomi Campbell and fifth-year Camille Christopher.

The meet began for Purdue with freshman Bryanna Craig in the high jump. She cleared 1.72 meters to tie for 27th overall. Craig, at her first NCAA meet, was seeded No. 46 and earned her second-best mark of the year.

At her second NCAA prelims to begin her career, sophomore Rieko Wilford was 37th in the triple jump. She posted a jump of 12.35m on her first attempt.

Craig, Wilford, Williams and both relays are five of 11 entries at the four-day NCAA East Prelims. Six women’s events and five men’s events for Purdue earned a spot at the regional meet for a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

On Wednesday, freshman Connor Czajkowski entered the record books in the 200m in his NCAA debut as three Boilermakers competed to begin the weekend. On Thursday, Williams advanced to the quarterfinal in the 400-meters.

The NCAA East Prelims, along with the West Prelims, feature 48 qualifiers in each individual event and 24 teams in each relay. The top 12 finishers in every event from both the east and west will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas, from June 7 to 10.