The Youngstown State men's and women's track and field teams had nine athletes selected for the 2025 NCAA East Prelims which start next Wednesday in Jacksonville, Fla.

The events will take place at the University of North Florida's Jax Track and Hodges Stadium. This is the eighth time the facility has hosted the prelims, most recently was in 2023.

For the men, Luke Laubacher (110m hurdles, long jump), Tye Hunt (long jump), Micah Mitchell (110m hurdles), Hunter Christopher (5,000m) and Sage Vavro (steeplechase) have all had top-48 qualifying standards.

For the women, Esther Solarin (long jump, triple jump), Ainsley Hamsher (pole vault), Nia Williams-Matthews (triple jump) and Molly Radcliffe (discus) have all posted top-48 marks.

Laubacher and Solarin advanced from the regionals last year to the NCAA Championships. Radcliffe competed at the 2022 and 2024 event in the discus. Hunt competed at the 2022 and 2023 regionals in the long jump. In 2024, Radcliffe was an impressive 18th while in 2023, Hunt was 13th missing the qualification by a centimeter.

Making their debuts will be Michell, Christopher, Vavro, Hamsher and Williams-Matthews.

The men's events are Wednesday and Friday while the women will compete on Thursday and Saturday.

The top 12 athletes in each event advance to the NCAA Championships which are set for June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.

Schedule

Wednesday, May 28
4:30 p.m. – Men's Long Jump
6 p.m. – Men's 110m hurdles (first round)

Thursday, May 29
4:30 p.m. – Women's Long Jump
5:30 p.m. – Women's Pole Vault

Friday, May 30
5:40 p.m. – Men's Steeplechase
6:15 p.m. – Men's 110m Hurdles (Quarterfinals)
8:10 p.m. – Men's 5,000m

Saturday, May 31
1 p.m. – Women's Discus
2:30 p.m. – Women's Triple Jump