NCAA West Regionals begin Wednesday in College Station, Texas...

All eyes are on College Station, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida beginning Wednesday as the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field preliminary rounds get underway.

One significant change in the format of the meet is that it will be contested over four days instead of three, and the format will be similar to the NCAA finals in two weeks in Eugene--Wednesday and Friday for the men, and Thursday & Saturday for the women.

The University of Washington will have the largest contingent, as the Huskies are traveling a squad of 39 athletes to the West Preliminaries in College Station, hosted by Texas A&M.

Forty-eight individuals in each event and 24 relays are on hand in College Station while the Eastern half meets this week in Jacksonville, Florida. A top-12 finish will mean continuing on to the final site of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. from June 9-12.

Washington is assured of two athletes into the NCAA finals in Eugene, as Pac-12 heptathlon champ Lyndsey Lopes (Paul Merca photo) and third-place finisher Ida Eikeng advanced. In the multi events, the top 24 scores nationally at the conclusion of conference championship weekend advance to the national finals.

Washington State travels to College Station with 20 athletes and 23 entries, with Charisma Taylor (100 hurdles/triple jump), Ja'Maun Charles (100/200) and Colton Johnsen (5000/steeple) doubling.

Eastern Washington will have nine athletes in College Station, while Gonzaga will have seven athletes.

In Jacksonville, Florida, three athletes with Washington ties will compete in the East Regionals--Washington grad transfer Angel Nkwonta of Maryland in the shot put; former Eastern Washington standout Keshun McGee of Alabama in the triple jump, and Woodinville native Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame in the steeplechase.

The home page for both the West and East regionals are available here, where you can click the start lists and live results for both the College Station and the Jacksonville regionals.

PRO NOTES:

In Sunday's season opening Wanda Diamond League meet in Gateshead, University of Washington alum Jack Rowe finished 13th in the 5000m in a personal best 13:35.77.

Results of the Gateshead Diamond League meet are available here.

Tuesday afternoon, Washington alum Olivia Gruver finished third in the women's pole vault at the USATF Invitational in Prairie View, Texas with a clearance of 14-9 (4.50m).

Tacoma native Marcus Chambers was scheduled to compete in the 400 meters, but the remainder of the meet was cancelled due to dangerous weather conditions.

Results of completed events from Tuesday's USATF Invitational are available here.

NOTE: The NCAA, USA Track & Field, the Wanda Diamond League, and the sports information offices of Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, University of Washington, and Washington State contributed to this report.

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