AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn track & field travels to Lexington, Kentucky, for the NCAA East Preliminaries at the Kentucky Outdoor Track and Field Facility on the University of Kentucky Campus, from May 27-29.
Led by fourth-year head coach Leroy Burrell, Auburn will bring 16 men and 12 women to compete in 19 individual events along with two relays to qualify for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 10-13 at Hayward Field. Of the 28 competing, 13 have previously competed at NCAA Outdoors.
The Tigers will have five All-Americans and three national champions competing on the men’s side, including sprinters Kayinsola Ajayi and Azeem Fahmi, who won a pair of 4x100m relay national titles the last two years along with 2026 outdoor national champion hurdler Ja’Kobe Tharp. Sprinter Israel Okon and thrower Matthew Rueff round out the Auburn men’s All-Americans vying to return to Eugene.
On the women’s side, three field athletes All-Americans will be competing in Lexington, including pole vaulter Alyssa Quinones-Mixon, thrower Megan Hague, and Marley Raikiwasa.
Action will begin Wednesday at 9 a.m. CT with the men’s hammer throw, while the running events will start at 5 p.m. with the men’s 110m hurdles first round. The men’s events will take place on Wednesday and Friday, while the women compete on Thursday and Saturday.
Heading into the preliminary rounds, the men are ranked sixth overall, while the women come in at No. 24 in the most recent USTFCCCA poll.
The top 48 individuals and top 24 relay performances from the East and West Regions earned the opportunity to compete in their respective preliminary meets. The top 12 finishers at the East and West Preliminaries advance, and the top 24 will compete at the NCAA Championships. The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, will host the West Preliminaries.
Live results can be found HERE, and the meet will air on ESPN+ throughout the week.