NCAA West First Rounds
Dates: Wednesday, May 22 & Friday, May 24
Location: John McDonnell Field - Fayetteville, Ark.
Meet Information

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's track & field is sending six student-athletes to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the NCAA West First Round, May 22-25. All of the men's events will be contested Wednesday and Friday at John McDonnell Field on the University of Arkansas campus. The top-12 finishers in each individual event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, June 5-8, in Eugene, Oregon. Senior Josh Farmer has already qualified for nationals in the decathlon where he is ranked 14th in the country.
 
QUICK HITS
• The Anteaters won three of the four throwing events at the Big West Championships.
• Liam Miksic defended his conference title in the javelin.
• Justin Willingham (Shot Put) and Jacob Hawkins (Discus) were also first-time champions.
• Josh Farmer is a two-time All-American and will be making his third trip to the NCAA Championships in the decathlon.
 
JACOB HAWKINS // Shot Put & Discus // Junior // 6-5 // Brentwood, Calif. // Major: Sociology
• Jacob Hawkins is making his NCAA debut in both the shot put and discus.
• Hawkins broke a 41-year-old school record in the discus with a toss of 59.03 meters (193-8) on March 15.
• He is also the Big West discus champion, winning the event at 58.94m (193-4).
• It was his fourth individual victory in the discus in 2024.
• Hawkins also made his way onto the podium in the shot put at the conference championships.
• He set a personal-best 17.90m (58-8.75) to claim runner-up honors and move into a tie for fourth in program history.
• Hawkins was a double champion in the shot put and discus at the Challenge Cup (March 15).
• On March 19, he was named the Big West Men's Field Athlete of the Week for his effort.
 
LIAM MIKSIC // Javelin // Junior // 5-11 // Springlake, N.J. // Major: Sociology
• Liam Miksic is making his third trip to the NCAA regional meet in the javelin.
• Miksic finished 22nd last year and took 17th as a freshman in 2021.
• Two weeks ago, he defended his Big West title, winning the javelin on his sixth and final attempt.
• On March 1, Miksic set a PR 65.85m (216-0) at the Beach Opener to rank third in school history.
• He has placed among the top-three in four of his five competitions this season.
 
KENECHUKWU OKONKWO // Triple Jump // Sophomore // 6-3 // Colton, Calif. // Major: Sociology
• Kenechukwu Okonkwo joined the UCI track & field team in April.
• Okonkwo previously attended LSU but did not compete in track & field.
• He was a conference scorer in the triple jump, finishing sixth at the Big West Championships on May 11.
• At the Steve Scott Invitational (April 27), Okonkwo established a lifetime-best 15.33m (50-3.5).
• That mark earned him a spot in the NCAA West First Round and ranks third in program history.
• He is the Anteaters' first NCAA regional qualifier in the men's triple jump.
 
LOGAN PEYTON // Javelin // Junior // 6-1 // Oregon City, Ore. // Major: Social Ecology
• Logan Peyton qualified for the NCAA West First Round with a PR 65.93m (216-4) at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 18.
• Peyton's mark ranks second on UC Irvine's all-time charts.
• He was a conference scorer in the javelin, finishing fourth at the Big West Championships two weeks ago.
• Peyton is a transfer from Azusa Pacific where he earned 2023 NCAA Division II All-America honors.
 
DREW PICKETT // 110m Hurdles // Senior // 6-1 // Long Beach, Calif. // Major: Public Health Sciences
• Drew Pickett clocked a wind-aided personal-record 13.90 in the 110H at the Big West Championship prelims.
• He went on to finish fourth in the final at the conference meet.
• Pickett also ran a wind-legal 13.91 in an individual victory at the Steve Scott Invitational (April 27).
• That time is tied for third in school history.
• He has placed among the top-six in each of his eight 110H races this season.
 
JUSTIN WILLINGHAM // Shot Put & Discus // Senior // 6-2 // Santa Clarita, Calif. // Major: Sociology
• Justin Willingham has broken the school record in the shot put four times this season.
• Willingham last did it at the Big West Championships where he won the title with a PR 18.74m (61-5.75).
• He initially took down the nine-year-old school record at the Ben Brown Invite with a toss of 18.62m (61-1.25).
• Willingham bettered that mark at the Vince O'Boyle Classic (18.65m/61-2.25) and at the Triton Invite (18.68m/61-3.5).
• He is one of only two 'Eaters to surpass 60 feet in program history.
• Willingham has placed among the top-10 in 10 of his 11 shot put competitions with five individual victories.
• In the discus, he established a PR 54.87m (180-0) at the Triton Invitational on April 6.
• He finished fourth at the Big West Championships.
• Willingham was named the Big West Men's Field Athlete of the Week on April 2.