Kent State Track & Field Totals Seven Individual and One Relay Entry for NCAA First Round Competition

Four Kent State track and field athletes pose together on the awards podium wearing light blue Under Armour uniforms and gold MAC Championship medals. Left to right: Chaz Sakala (bib 1196), Sean [last name partially visible] (bib 1157, holding a relay baton), Ryan Gross (bib 1167), and Jacob Stanley (bib 1192). The group smiles for the camera following their relay event at the MAC Outdoor Championships.

Kent State Track & Field Totals Seven Individual and One Relay Entry for NCAA First Round Competition

5/21/2026 1:44:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field

INDIANAPOLIS – Kent State has 11 track and field student-athletes who have qualified for postseason competition, as the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Committee announced the competitors for men's and women's outdoor track and field championships first round competitions on Thursday.

The Golden Flashes totaled seven individuals and one relay team who earned the right to compete at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, which will take place May 27-30 in Lexington, Kentucky.

For each individual event contested at each of the preliminary round sites, the top 48 declared student-athletes were accepted into the competition. For each relay event, the top 24 declared relay teams were accepted into the competition. The top 12 performers from each first round site will advance to the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Four Flashes have previous experience at the meet. Amryne Chilton qualified in the women's 200-meter dash for the third year in a row and will make her regional debut in the 100-meter dash. Kristen Jay placed 29th in the women's javelin in 2025 and Amare Hall finished 32nd in the men's long jump. Both athletes enter the postseason ranked in the top 50 nationally in their events. Baidy Ba returns to regional competition for the first time since 2023 but in a different event. This time he will run the 5,000-meters.

First-time individual qualifiers include Marinna Atanmo (women's 400m hurdles), Luigi Case (men's long jump) and Lanee Hall (women's triple jump).

The record-setting men's 4x100-meter relay team of Sean Callahan Jr., Ryan Gruss, Chaz Sakala and Jacob Stanley also earned a qualifying spot.

For more information regarding the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships, including how to purchase tickets, log on to NCAA.com/trackandfield.

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Kent State Qualifiers
Marinna Atanmo – Women's 400m Hurdles
Baidy Ba – Men's 5,000m
Sean Callahan Jr. – Men's 4x100m Relay
Luigi Case – Men's Long Jump
Amryne Chilton –Women's 100m, 200m
Ryan Gruss – Men's 4x100m Relay
Amare Hall – Men's Long Jump
Lanee Hall –Women's Triple Jump
Kristen Jay – Women's Javelin Throw
Chaz Sakala – Men's 4x100m Relay
Jacob Stanley – Men's 4x100m Relay