LEXINGTON, Ky. – WKU track and field wrapped competition at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships East First Round on Friday night with a pair of qualifiers for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Sam Crenshaw secured a berth to nationals after clearing 5.35m in the men's pole vault on the opening day competition, while Kameron Horton earned a trip to Eugene with a finishing time of 20.42 in the men's 200-meter quarterfinals on Friday.
Crenshaw's mark of 5.35m in the men's pole vault first round ties a personal best previously set at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships on May 14. The performance earned Crenshaw a first-place finish at the CUSA Outdoor Championships and marked a new school record for the men's pole vault.
Crenshaw prepares for competition at nationals after claiming both the indoor and outdoor conference titles this season.
After qualifying in the men's 200m first round on Wednesday with a time of 20.63, Horton's time of 20.42 in the men's 200m quarterfinals on Friday secured a top-11 finish and berth to nationals. Horton also competed in the men's 100-meter first round on day one of competition and finished short of qualifying with a time of 10.30.
Kinley Kunkel represented the Hilltoppers in the women's 10,000-meters semifinals on Thursday and posted a finishing time of 33:50.02, good for 16th place in a field of 48 competitors. Despite the strong performance, Kunkel finished just shy of the top-12 to qualify.
The 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Coverage of the event will air on ESPN/ESPN2.
FOLLOW THE TOPS: For more information on WKU Track and Field, follow the team on social media @WKUXCTF.
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