Ducks Collect Five NCAA Qualifiers

Wednesday, May 27

Fayetteville, AR

All Day

University of Oregon

NCAA West First Round

Kobe Lawrence, NCAA West shot put (May 27, 2026)

Photo by: Rian Yamasaki

05/27/26 | Track and Field

Meet Results

The Men of Oregon also advanced six to Friday’s quarterfinals.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Oregon men's track and field team collected five national qualifiers on day one of the NCAA West First Round meet at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark. Ben Smith and Kobe Lawrence secured their spots at the NCAA Championships in the shot put to go along with Evan Burke at 10,000 meters, and Pat Vialva and Daniel Thrana in the javelin.

The top 12 from each regional site then advances to the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships (June 10-13) at Hayward Field in Eugene. All-sessions and single-day ticket packages for the NCAA Championships are currently on sale.

Smith will be making his NCAA Outdoor debut after a fourth-place indoor finish in March. The redshirt freshman had the top throw in the competition with his 20.50m/67-3.25 measure in round three. The Big Ten champion put together a series that also included marks of 19.51 and 19.79 meters that would have also qualified him for NCAA Championships.

The Ducks will have a second national entrant in the shot put with Lawrence (18.69m/61-4) who will be making his second NCAA Outdoor appearance. His best throw of the day came on his first attempt, and held up to get the 12^th overall spot. Lawrence was the NCAA Indoor runner-up this past March and was fourth at last year's NCAA meet in Eugene.

In his fourth-career NCAA West regional appearance, Burke finished inside the top 12 for the first time and will make his debut at the national meet at 10,000 meters. The UO senior crossed in 28:58.43 and finished 11^th to extend this season for one more race at Hayward Field. Burke had a previous regional-best finish of 17^th last year.

Due to the adjusted schedule and additional inclement weather early Wednesday evening, the javelin was the final event in play, wrapping up just before midnight local time. Vialva sat just outside the top 12 after the first round but his day's best of 74.00m/242-9 moved him into fifth place overall. He was able to pass on his final throw with his NCAA spot all but secured.

Thrana saved his best for this final attempt, getting the javelin out to a mark of 71.80m/235-7 which landed safely inside the top 10. Both Vialva and Thrana will be making their debuts at the NCAA meet.

In addition to its national qualifiers, the Men of Oregon also advanced six to Friday's quarterfinal heats including four in the 1500 meters. Tayson Echohawk, Tomas Palfrey and Simeon Birnbaum all collected automatic bids into the next round while Elliott Cook (3:40.17) took the second of four on-time spots.

The next round of the men's 1500 meters is scheduled for Friday at 3:15 p.m. PT.

Kai Graves-Blanks was the team's first qualifier of the day with his outing in the 110-meter hurdles. He controlled the opening heat and eased through the finish line in 13.44 to advance. The Big Ten runner-up will run for a spot at the national meet Friday at 4:15 p.m. PT.

Freshman Bodey Lutes won his heat of the 800 meters in 1:47.75 to move on to the quarterfinal round. The Coos Bay, Ore., native led at the bell and steadily increased his lead over the final lap. Lutes will go into Friday's quarterfinal (5:05 p.m. PT, ESPN+) with the 12^th-fastest time from day one's heats.

Up Next: Day two of the NCAA West First Round marks the beginning of the women's competition. The UO women will have NCAA qualifying chances in the 10,000 meters, pole vault, long jump, shot put and javelin.

Wednesday Results – Day 1 | NCAA West First Round
Q – advances to NCAA Championships; q – advances to Friday's quarterfinals
MEN
100 Meters – first round
34. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 10.37

800 Meters – first round
12. Bodey Lutes – 1:47.75q
25. James Harding – 1:48.33

1500 Meters – first round
7. Tayson Echohawk – 3:40.03q
11. Elliott Cook – 3:40.17q
12. Tomas Palfrey – 3:40.23q
19. Simeon Birnbaum – 3:41.36q
32. Jeffery Rogers – 3:45.22
44. Anthony Fast Horse – 3:52.40

10,000 Meters – semifinals
11. Evan Burke – 28:58.43Q
34. Evan Bishop – 29:41.41

110m Hurdles – first round
7. Kai Graves-Blanks – 13.44q

Long Jump
31. Titouan Bizet – 7.29m/23-11 (-0.4)

Shot Put
1. Ben Smith – 20.50m/67-3.25Q
12. Kobe Lawrence – 18.69m/61-4Q

Javelin
5. Pat Vialva – 74.00m/242-9Q
9. Daniel Thrana – 71.80m/235-7Q

For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and X.