FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—South Dakota sophomore
Eerik Haamer is moving on in the pole vault after Wednesday night's performance at the NCAA West Preliminary held at John McDonnell Field.
Haamer, a two-time All-American indoors, qualified for his first NCAA Outdoor Championships. He was one of seven vaulters to clear the final height of 17-8 ¼ (5.39m). With the competition concluded, the remaining five qualifying spots were determined by fewest misses among the group that had cleared the previous height of 17-4 ¼. Haamer heads to Track Town USA with the 13th-best height in the nation this season, clearing 18-0 ½ (5.50m) at the KT Woodman Classic in April. South Dakota has sent a men's pole vaulter through to the national meet every season since 2017.
Third-year sophomore
Marshall Faurot and sophomore
Tre Young both joined him in the top-30 of the field. Both cleared a top height of 16-6 ½ (5.04m).
Fifth-year senior
Matt Slagus broke South Dakota's hammer throw record on the final throw of his collegiate career, launching the hammer 211-2 (64.36m) for 15th place at the regional meet. The mark led the field through the first flight and ranked second after the second flight. Slagus held on to a top-12 qualifying spot until midway through the final throw of the third and final flight. He was one of four men to post a personal best on the day, improving from his 37th-place ranking to just outside qualifying position for the NCAA Championships.
Slagus was joined in the hammer throw competition by fourth-year senior teammate
Jessie Sullivan with a best throw of 195-6 (59.60m).
South Dakota resumes action Thursday with the women taking the stage for the first time. The Coyotes' first event of the day is the women's hammer throw at 10 a.m.
