Sports Track & Field

Four Cougars qualify for NCAA track and field championships

Townsend, Maswanganyi, Wilson, and Sampy are the four Cougars that will be representing UH at the NCAA track and field National Championships. | UH athletics

The UH Track and Field team participated in the NCAA West Preliminary Round from May 24-27 in Sacramento, with four athletes moving on to the National Championships in Austin June 7-10

Senior pole vaulter Christyan Sampy secured his spot for the NCAA Championships as a 10th-place competitor because he took one of the fewest attempts in the competition. 

Junior hurdler De’Vion Wilson earned his 2nd straight NCAA Championships qualification in the 110-meter event with a time of 13.46 in the quarterfinal on Friday, the fourth fastest time overall. 

Junior Shaun Maswanganyi ran a time of 10.05 in the 100-meter dash, finishing second in his heat and the fifth fastest time overall on the day. The South Africa native qualified for his third straight National Championships. 

Maswanganyi then qualified for the 200-meter dash as well, running 20.05 to finish second overall. The 6’1 junior qualified for the 100 and 200-meter dash for the third consecutive year. 

Senior hurdler Sydni Townsend broke the Houston record in the 400-meter hurdles for a second consecutive meet and punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships. 

This will be UH’s first appearance in the women’s 400-meter hurdles since 2018, with Townsend winning her heat on Saturday in 55.79 seconds, breaking the previous record she set by 0.2 seconds. 

Townsend is now ranked fifth nationally in the 400-meter hurdles. 

Up next, Sampy, Wilson, Maswanganyi, and Townsend will represent Houston in the NCAA Championships in Austin. 

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