Austin Bound: CAA Track & Field Begins Competition at the National Championships on Wednesday
Hunter Peters
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | LIVE RESULTS | WATCH | MEN'S HEAT SHEETS | WOMEN'S HEAT SHEETS
AUSTIN, Texas (June 6, 2023) – Eleven CAA Track and Field student-athletes, including nine individual qualifiers and one relay team, are set to compete on the biggest stage at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The four-day event begins Wednesday, June 7, at Mike A. Meyers Stadium in Austin, Texas, on the campus of the University of Texas. The competition opens with the men’s 4x100m relay at 7:32 p.m. on June 7 and concludes with the women’s 4x400m relay at 11:21 p.m. on Saturday, June 10.
Wednesday and Thursday will be the semifinals for running events for the men and women, respectively. The top nine qualifiers from each running event and the top 12 for the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase will advance to the finals on Friday and Saturday. All field events will be competed as finals, along with the 5000m and 10K.
On the men’s side, the seven National Championship berths are the most for the conference since 1997. North Carolina A&T sprinters Reheem Hayles and Shemar Chamers qualified for the 400m and team up with Brandon Nya and Caleb Jackson on the 4x400m relay. Hurdlers Ethan Exilhomme of Northeastern and Josh Parks of UNCW advanced in the 110m hurdles, while Hampton’s Dugion Blackman will compete in the 800m. Finally, Monmouth sophomore Evan Niedrowski was the lone field event qualifier, advancing in the javelin.
For the women, North Carolina A&T teammates Paula Salmon and Jada Griffin qualified in the 100m hurdles and 400m, respectively, while Delaware’s Megan Albamonti advanced in the javelin. The three individual qualifiers are the most for the league since 2017.
Although newcomers to the CAA, the Aggies have been a familiar face on the national stage. It marks the eighth straight season A&T will send men’s and women’s qualifiers to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, and the six individuals are the most by a single CAA school since George Mason in 2013. Salmon, making her third straight appearance at Nationals in 100m hurdles, is seeded seventh after running a season-best 12.79 (w) at the East Prelims. Griffin, the CAA Champion and record holder in the 400m, is seeded 19th in her first trip to the NCAA Championship. Hayles and Chambers will compete at Nationals for the first time as individuals; both were members of A&T’s 4x400m relay last season.
Northeastern will be represented at Nationals for the third straight season, with Exilhomme making his NCAA Championship debut. The CAA Champion is seeded tied for 10th after running 13.55 (w) at the East Prelims and has a season-best mark of 13.45 (w). Meanwhile, Parks will be the first men’s qualifier from UNCW at the National Championships since 1997. The senior posted a season-best time of 13.65 (w) in the first round at the East Prelims.
Niedrowski is returning to the NCAA Championships after an All-America finish as a freshman. The CAA Champion set the league’s all-time record in the javelin (74.20m) earlier this season and enters the competition seeded ninth (71.88m). Albamonti, the three-time defending CAA Champion and conference record holder, is the first Blue Hen in program history to advance to Nationals in the javelin. She is seeded 14th (53.04m) and has a season-best mark of 55.33m.
Blackman is the first Hampton student-athlete to the NCAA Championships in the 800m since 2019. The sophomore ran a personal best of 1:47.69 to claim the CAA crown earlier this spring. Blackman fell one spot shy of qualification for Nationals last season but finished second in his heat (1:51.61) at East Prelims to secure his place this year.
2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
June 7-10 | Austin, Texas | University of Texas
Wednesday, June 7
6:30 p.m. – Javelin – Evan Niedrowski, Monmouth
8:32 p.m. – 110m Hurdles – Ethan Exilhomme, Northeastern; Josh Parks, UNCW
9:00 p.m. – 400m – Reheem Hayles, N.C. A&T; Shemar Chambers, N.C. A&T
9:14 p.m. – 800m – Dugion Blackman, Hampton
10:48 p.m. – 4x400m Relay – North Carolina A&T
Thursday, June 8
7:45 p.m. – Javelin – Megan Albamonti, Delaware
9:32 p.m. – 100m Hurdles – Paula Salmon, N.C. A&T
10:00 p.m. – 400m – Jada Griffin, N.C. A&T
Friday, June 9
9:42 p.m. – 110m Hurdles
10:02 p.m. – Men's 400m
10:14 p.m. – Men's 800m
Saturday, June 10
9:42 p.m. – 100m Hurdles
10:02 p.m. – Women's 400m
Follow the CAA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get up-to-date information and learn more about all CAA member institutions and their teams.