The University of Arizona Wildcats are making a significant impact on the NCAA track and field scene as they send 29 athletes to the NCAA West Regionals in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This impressive delegation will compete in 23 events from Wednesday through Saturday at Arkansas’ John McDonnell Field.
Strong Performances Lead to Regional Qualifications
Following one of their best performances in a conference meet in recent years, the Wildcats are poised to make their mark. Last year, Arizona competed in 21 regional events and successfully sent 16 athletes to nationals. This year, they aim to surpass that achievement.
Leading the charge is Mason Lawyer, the Big 12 Male Performer of the Year. A senior transfer from Washington State, Lawyer clinched victories in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes during the conference meet hosted by Arizona. He is set to compete in the 100, 200, and 4×100-meter relay, ranking second in the 200 and third in the 100 among West Regional qualifiers. Arizona’s men’s 4×100 team is ranked 5th.
Notable Competitors and Rankings
Other notable male athletes include Big 12 champions Jett Kinder in the javelin and Tyler Michelini in the shot put, who are ranked 15th and 4th, respectively. John Paredes ranks 9th in the 110-meter high hurdles, Yan Vazquez 8th in the 400 hurdles, and Antone Smith 3rd in the triple jump.
On the women’s side, Big 12 champions Tapenisa Havea in the shot put and Sydnie Vanek in the long jump lead the way. Vanek is ranked 8th in the long jump, while Havea is also competing in the discus, aiming for a second consecutive trip to nationals after finishing 16th in the shot put in 2025. Arizona will also have three competitors in the women’s high jump: Emma Gates, Paris Mikinski, and Kya Crook, who placed second through fourth at the Big 12 meet.
Path to the Championships
The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Championships, scheduled for June 10-13 in Eugene, Oregon. This regional meet marks the first under the leadership of coach Andrew Dubs, who was appointed just before the 2025 nationals. In his inaugural full season, Dubs led the UA men to a second-place finish in the Big 12, their best since 2011, while the UA women secured third place, their best finish since 2013.
Original reporting: Arizona Desert Swarm (Tucson Sports) — read the source article.
