Jacksonville, FL - The NCAA Division I Men's Track and Field and Cross Country Committee announced the participants for the upcoming 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship preliminary competitions, hosted at the University of North Florida.
The Wagner men's track and field team, fresh off its third consecutive Northeast Conference (NEC) title, will send two student-athletes to the NCAA East Preliminaries.Â
On Wednesday, junior Jason Marchese will represent the Green & White and compete in the 400m hurdles. The Staten Island native qualified for the preliminary rounds by recording a 51.93 400m hurdle mark at the Penn Relays on April 27th.Â
Along with a spot at the NCAA East Preliminaries, Marchese is the current outdoor conference champion in the 400m hurdles. Marchese also earned NEC Track Athlete of the Week honors twice. He has also broken two outdoor school records in the 200m dash and the 400m hurdles this season.
On Friday, graduate student Michael Pepe will represent the Seahawks in the discus for the third straight season.
Pepe punched his ticket to the NCAA East Preliminaries at the NEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Matawan, NJ native threw the discus 55.83m to extend his current school record in the event.
Pepe was also named Most Outstanding Performer (Throws) at the NEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.Â
Apart from Pepe and Marchese, five other Seahawks have been sent to the preliminary rounds of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships since 2016. Jonathan Besselink was invited to the qualifiers in the 3000m steeplechase, where the Ontario native finished 25th with a time of 9:01.34.
In 2021, the Seahawks sent four student-athletes to the NCAA East Preliminaries, including Michael Pepe. Josiah Cadet ran in the 400m hurdles, William Cuthbertson in the 800m run, and Lutfi Pocesta participated in the hammer throw. Cadet's time was 54.65 for a 46th place finish, Cuthbertson finished with a time of 1:51.20 for 32nd, and Pocesta landed a toss of 55.22m for a 46th place finish. Pepe's first appearance at the preliminary rounds granted him a 35th place finish and a distance of 50.05m in the discus.
Last year, Pepe and Cuthbertson both wore the Green & White to their second straight preliminary events. Cuthbertson had another go in the 800m run, finishing in 28th with a time of 1:50.27, meanwhile, Pepe's second chance at the NCAA East Preliminaries saw him throw the discus 53.56m for a 23rd place finish.
At this year's preliminaries, there are eight athletes from the Northeast Conference representing the conference. The top 12 times/marks at both the East and West Preliminary Round sites will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, TX from Wednesday, June 7th to Saturday, June 10th.
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