TicketsCINCINNATI— Nineteen University of Cincinnati men's and women's track and field student-athletes are heading to Jacksonville Fla., for the 2023 NCAA East First Round this week.
Nine men and 10 women met the qualifying criteria in 17 different events. This is the most individual event qualifier the Bearcats have had in school history since the creation of the East Preliminary Round Regional in 2010. It is the fourth straight regional where the Bearcats have competed in 17 different events. The complete list of qualifying athletes can be found below.
// NCAA FIRST ROUND
The 2023 NCAA East First Round, hosted by the University of North Florida, will be held May 24-27 inside Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The men's and women's first-round events will be on alternating days. Men's events will be held on May 24 and 26, while the women's competition will be held on May 25 and 27. A complete schedule of events and start times can be found here.
// RESULTS
Fans can stay up-to-date with all the action from Jacksonville via live results found here. Final results will be posted to the North Florida NCAA East First Round homepage (here) and GoBearcats.com following the conclusion of the meet.
// TICKETS
For those wishing to attend the 2023 East Preliminary Round, tickets can be purchased on the NCAA webpage found here. Both single-day and all-session passes are available for purchase. Additional information for fans can be found here.
// WATCH
For those not attending the NCAA East first round, all four days of competition will be streamed on ESPN+. The links for each day stream can be located below
// ESPN+ LINKS
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday
// HOW IT WORKS
The top 48 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the preliminary competitions for each individual event. The top 24 declared relay teams will be accepted into the preliminary competitions for each relay event.
There are two preliminary meets, one for the East Region and one for the West. Cincinnati will compete in the East Regional. The top 12 qualifiers in each event out of the two regions will compete in the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
// NOTABLE QUALIFIERS
Nine out of the 19 qualifiers rank inside the top 25 in their respective events in the region and five have marks or times inside the top 10.
Senior Rylee Penn's breakout year continues after qualifying in both the women's 800m (4:10.13) and 1500m (2:01.90). The Corona, Calif., native's qualifying times are both Cincinnati program records, and she ranks fourth in the region in both events. She will be making her first career East Regional appearance.
Junior Leonie Troeger has dominated in the women's javelin all season. At the AAC Championships, she won her first javelin conference title after breaking her own UC record with a throw of 55.31m (181'5"). Her school record mark ranks third in the East Region. The Berlin, Germany native will look for a repeat performance of last year's regional as she placed sixth overall to advance to the NCAA Championships.
Senior Fred Moudani-Likibi is no stranger to postseason action and will be making his second career East Regional appearance in the shot put, but his first as a Bearcat. His qualifying mark of 20.03m (65'8.75") sits fourth in the region.
Moudani-Likibi has broken both the UC indoor and outdoor shot put records this year and was an Indoor First Team All-American in the shot put. While competing for Southern Miss last season, he just missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships as he finished 14th overall in the shot put at the 2022 East Regional.
Four UC women's high jumpers qualified for the East Regional. In the latest USTFCCCA event squad rankings, the high jump squad ranks second in the nation with a combined average height of 1.78m (5'10.25") and is led by senior Taylor Beard. Beard's personal-best outdoor mark of 1.84m (6'0.5") is currently fifth-best in the region.
The Winchester, Va., native missed all of the 2021-22 season but had a bounce-back year earning Second Team All-America honors during the indoor season. She will be making her second career appearance at the regional. Her last appearance came in 2021, when she advanced to the NCAA Championships.
Fellow teammate sophomore Annika Kinley also boasts a high jump mark inside the top 25 in the East Region. At the AAC Outdoor Championships, Kinley cleared an outdoor personal best of 1.79m (5'10.5") to place second overall behind Beard. Her mark propelled her to 14th in the region. Kinley will be competing at the East Regional for the second straight year.
Sophomore Naquille Harris had a tremendous showing in the men's 100-meter at the AAC Championships. Harris earned All-Conference honors after running a personal-best 10.18, the second fastest time in UC history and only two-tenths of a second off the program record. His time ranks 24th in the East Region.
Not to be outdone, graduate student Nylie Facey did not just break one Cincinnati record but two at the AAC Championships. Facey became the first UC woman to break the 13-second mark in the women's 100m hurdles as she recorded a time of 12.97 to earn All-Conference honors. Facey also broke the UC 400-meter hurdles record with a time of 58.66 seconds. Facey ranks 10th in the East Region in the 100-meter hurdles and 44th in the 400-meter hurdles.
Sophomore Abby Knouff cleared the fifth-best bar height in program history (4.17m/13'8.25") to win the women's pole vault at the AAC Championships. After recording her outdoor personal best mark, Knouff now ranks 19th in the region. The Akron transfer will be making her second consecutive appearance in the East Regional.
Senior pole vaulter Austin Goolsby tied a personal best 5.26m (17'3") at the AAC Championships, moving him up to 25th in the region. This will be his second appearance at the regionals.
// MEN'S QUALIFIERS
Name- Event, time or mark (East Region Ranking)
Naquille Harris- 100m, 10.18 (24th)
Keco Morrison- 400m, 46.38 (34th)
Tyler Wirth- 1,500m, 3:41.24 (37th)
Milo Greder- 5,000m, 13:50.67 (47th) / 10,000m, 29:04.44 (38th)
Austin Goolsby- Pole Vault, 5.26m / 17'3" (25th)
Carlos Kouassi- Triple Jump, 15.37m / 50'5.25" (38th)
Fred Moudani-Likibi- Shot Put, 20.03 / 65'8.75" (4th)
Giovanni Gutierrez- Shot Put, 18.05m / 59'2.75" (33rd)
Korbin Spencer- Discus, 55.12m / 180'10" (32nd)
// WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS
Name- Event, time or mark (East Region Ranking)
Rylee Penn- 800m, 2:01.90 (4th) / 1500m, 4:10.13 (4th)
Nyile Facey- 100m Hurdles, 12.97 (10th) / 400m Hurdles, 58.66 (44th)
Taylor Beard- High Jump, 1.84m / 6'0.5" (5th)
Annika Kinley- High Jump, 1.79m / 5'10.5" (14th)
Lauren Barnes- High Jump, 1.76m / 5'9.25" (31st)
Spirit Morgan- High Jump, 1.75m / 5'8.75" (42nd)
Abby Knouff- Pole Vault, 4.17m / 13'8.25" (19th)
Hannah Jackson- Hammer, 60.62m / 198'11" (32nd)
Alexandria Hunter- Hammer, 58.72m 192'8" (48th)
Leonie Troeger- Javelin, 55.31m / 181'5" (3rd)
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Track and Field/Cross Country, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. and follow @GoBearcatsTFXC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Nine men and 10 women met the qualifying criteria in 17 different events. This is the most individual event qualifier the Bearcats have had in school history since the creation of the East Preliminary Round Regional in 2010. It is the fourth straight regional where the Bearcats have competed in 17 different events. The complete list of qualifying athletes can be found below.
// NCAA FIRST ROUND
The 2023 NCAA East First Round, hosted by the University of North Florida, will be held May 24-27 inside Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The men's and women's first-round events will be on alternating days. Men's events will be held on May 24 and 26, while the women's competition will be held on May 25 and 27. A complete schedule of events and start times can be found here.
// RESULTS
Fans can stay up-to-date with all the action from Jacksonville via live results found here. Final results will be posted to the North Florida NCAA East First Round homepage (here) and GoBearcats.com following the conclusion of the meet.
// TICKETS
For those wishing to attend the 2023 East Preliminary Round, tickets can be purchased on the NCAA webpage found here. Both single-day and all-session passes are available for purchase. Additional information for fans can be found here.
// WATCH
For those not attending the NCAA East first round, all four days of competition will be streamed on ESPN+. The links for each day stream can be located below
// ESPN+ LINKS
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday
// HOW IT WORKS
The top 48 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the preliminary competitions for each individual event. The top 24 declared relay teams will be accepted into the preliminary competitions for each relay event.
There are two preliminary meets, one for the East Region and one for the West. Cincinnati will compete in the East Regional. The top 12 qualifiers in each event out of the two regions will compete in the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
// NOTABLE QUALIFIERS
Nine out of the 19 qualifiers rank inside the top 25 in their respective events in the region and five have marks or times inside the top 10.
Senior Rylee Penn's breakout year continues after qualifying in both the women's 800m (4:10.13) and 1500m (2:01.90). The Corona, Calif., native's qualifying times are both Cincinnati program records, and she ranks fourth in the region in both events. She will be making her first career East Regional appearance.
Junior Leonie Troeger has dominated in the women's javelin all season. At the AAC Championships, she won her first javelin conference title after breaking her own UC record with a throw of 55.31m (181'5"). Her school record mark ranks third in the East Region. The Berlin, Germany native will look for a repeat performance of last year's regional as she placed sixth overall to advance to the NCAA Championships.
Senior Fred Moudani-Likibi is no stranger to postseason action and will be making his second career East Regional appearance in the shot put, but his first as a Bearcat. His qualifying mark of 20.03m (65'8.75") sits fourth in the region.
Moudani-Likibi has broken both the UC indoor and outdoor shot put records this year and was an Indoor First Team All-American in the shot put. While competing for Southern Miss last season, he just missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships as he finished 14th overall in the shot put at the 2022 East Regional.
Four UC women's high jumpers qualified for the East Regional. In the latest USTFCCCA event squad rankings, the high jump squad ranks second in the nation with a combined average height of 1.78m (5'10.25") and is led by senior Taylor Beard. Beard's personal-best outdoor mark of 1.84m (6'0.5") is currently fifth-best in the region.
The Winchester, Va., native missed all of the 2021-22 season but had a bounce-back year earning Second Team All-America honors during the indoor season. She will be making her second career appearance at the regional. Her last appearance came in 2021, when she advanced to the NCAA Championships.
Fellow teammate sophomore Annika Kinley also boasts a high jump mark inside the top 25 in the East Region. At the AAC Outdoor Championships, Kinley cleared an outdoor personal best of 1.79m (5'10.5") to place second overall behind Beard. Her mark propelled her to 14th in the region. Kinley will be competing at the East Regional for the second straight year.
Sophomore Naquille Harris had a tremendous showing in the men's 100-meter at the AAC Championships. Harris earned All-Conference honors after running a personal-best 10.18, the second fastest time in UC history and only two-tenths of a second off the program record. His time ranks 24th in the East Region.
Not to be outdone, graduate student Nylie Facey did not just break one Cincinnati record but two at the AAC Championships. Facey became the first UC woman to break the 13-second mark in the women's 100m hurdles as she recorded a time of 12.97 to earn All-Conference honors. Facey also broke the UC 400-meter hurdles record with a time of 58.66 seconds. Facey ranks 10th in the East Region in the 100-meter hurdles and 44th in the 400-meter hurdles.
Sophomore Abby Knouff cleared the fifth-best bar height in program history (4.17m/13'8.25") to win the women's pole vault at the AAC Championships. After recording her outdoor personal best mark, Knouff now ranks 19th in the region. The Akron transfer will be making her second consecutive appearance in the East Regional.
Senior pole vaulter Austin Goolsby tied a personal best 5.26m (17'3") at the AAC Championships, moving him up to 25th in the region. This will be his second appearance at the regionals.
// MEN'S QUALIFIERS
Name- Event, time or mark (East Region Ranking)
Naquille Harris- 100m, 10.18 (24th)
Keco Morrison- 400m, 46.38 (34th)
Tyler Wirth- 1,500m, 3:41.24 (37th)
Milo Greder- 5,000m, 13:50.67 (47th) / 10,000m, 29:04.44 (38th)
Austin Goolsby- Pole Vault, 5.26m / 17'3" (25th)
Carlos Kouassi- Triple Jump, 15.37m / 50'5.25" (38th)
Fred Moudani-Likibi- Shot Put, 20.03 / 65'8.75" (4th)
Giovanni Gutierrez- Shot Put, 18.05m / 59'2.75" (33rd)
Korbin Spencer- Discus, 55.12m / 180'10" (32nd)
// WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS
Name- Event, time or mark (East Region Ranking)
Rylee Penn- 800m, 2:01.90 (4th) / 1500m, 4:10.13 (4th)
Nyile Facey- 100m Hurdles, 12.97 (10th) / 400m Hurdles, 58.66 (44th)
Taylor Beard- High Jump, 1.84m / 6'0.5" (5th)
Annika Kinley- High Jump, 1.79m / 5'10.5" (14th)
Lauren Barnes- High Jump, 1.76m / 5'9.25" (31st)
Spirit Morgan- High Jump, 1.75m / 5'8.75" (42nd)
Abby Knouff- Pole Vault, 4.17m / 13'8.25" (19th)
Hannah Jackson- Hammer, 60.62m / 198'11" (32nd)
Alexandria Hunter- Hammer, 58.72m 192'8" (48th)
Leonie Troeger- Javelin, 55.31m / 181'5" (3rd)
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Track and Field/Cross Country, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. and follow @GoBearcatsTFXC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.