LAS CRUCES, N.M. – After last weekend's dominant performance to earn the program's first WAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship, seven Aggies have been invited to participate in the NCAA West Regionals, hosted by Sacramento State University in Sacramento, California. The West Regional will begin on Wednesday, May 24th and run through Saturday, May 27th. Jhana Downie leads the way for NM State, competing in the 200m and 400m.
The Starting Line
- Seven NM State student-athletes will prepare to continue their season at the NCAA West Regionals – achieved after recording top-40 times in the West Region.
- Twelve competitors from each individual event and twelve teams from each relay event advance from to the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
- The Aggies are no strangers to NCAA Regionals – sending student-athletes in each of the past five seasons (excluding 2020), with a high-mark of nine at last years competition.
- Bailey Beene, Emily Birch, Valissa Brown and Miranda Tcheutchuoa will be participating at the NCAA Regionals for the first time.
2023 NCAA West Regional Participants
Jhana Downie, Junior, 200m & 400m
Returning to NCAA Regionals for the second straight season, Downie has had a remarkable outdoor season for NM State, culminating in 200m and 400m titles at the WAC Championships last weekend. She recorded her best marks of the season at the event - her time of 23.27 in the 200m dash currently ranks 36th in the region, while a time of 52.72 in the 400m ranks 30th.
Aliyah Logan, Junior, 100m Hurdles
Logan put together another season of excellence for the Crimson & White, recording a runner-up finish at the WAC Championships with a time of 13.08 – a personal best and the mark that qualified her for Regionals. This time ranks 13th in the region, the highest placement for any NM State participant. This makes back-to-back regional campaigns for the Markham, Ontario product.
Valissa Brown, Junior, 100m Hurdles
Brown is making her first appearance at the NCAA Regionals, joining Aliyah Logan in the event. Splitting time between hurdles and the long jump, she completed another stellar campaign for NM State – finishing third at the WAC Championships with a time of 13.32. This is the 31st best time in the region, and represents a personal best.
Terice Steen, Junior, 400m Hurdles
Steen returns to the NCAA Regionals for the third straight year, the only Aggie on the roster who's made more than one appearance. She earned a silver medal at the WAC Championships with a time of 58.36 – a personal best and the 22nd fastest time in the region, while also adding another silver with the 4x100 team.
Emily Birch, Fifth year, Hammer Throw
Birch put together a breakout campaign for the Aggies, recording her first collegiate gold medal finish at the West Texas Spring Break Open, and a runner-up finish in the event at the WAC Championships – the highest placement she's achieved at the Championships (Indoor or Outdoor). Her mark of 61.02m (200-2") ranks 28th in the nation – earned at the Pacific Coast Invitational. This will be her first time at the NCAA Regionals.
Miranda Tcheutchuoa, Sophomore, Hammer Throw
Tcheutchuoa made a strong impression in her first season with the squad, recording a quartet of top-five finishes in the hammer throw – including a first-place result at the Don Kirby Tailwind Open. Her personal best of 59.30m (194-7"), achieved at the Desert Heat Classic, ranks 38th in the West region. This will mark her first career appearance at NCAA Regionals.
Bailey Beene, Junior, Javelin
Anchoring the Aggies on the javelin, Beene put together a strong season, taking first place at the Don Kirby Tailwind Open and a fourth-place finish at the WAC Championships. Her personal best mark of 48.34m (158-7") at the Tailwind Open is the 30th best in the region. This will be her first time participating in the NCAA Regionals
For complete coverage of NM State Track & Field, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateXCTF), Instagram (@NMStateXCTF), and like us on Facebook (NMStateTrackXC).
++NM State++
