Southern Miss Opens NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East First Rounds

Wednesday, May 27

Lexington, Ky. / Track & Field Complex

Southern Miss

NCAA East First Round (Day One)

Southern Miss Opens NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East First Rounds

5/26/2026 3:35:00 PM | Track & Field/Cross Country

Live Reults Men's Start Lists Women's Start Lists

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss outdoor track and field heads to Lexington, Kentucky, for the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East Region First Rounds hosted by Kentucky. Eight Golden Eagles earned a bid to the event as one of the top 48 athletes in their respective events with competitions beginning on Wednesday and running through Saturday.

Live coverage of the NCAA East First Rounds is provided by flash results through live statistics and on ESPN+ beginning at 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET) each day.

Wednesday's action begins at 9 a.m. CT (10 a.m. ET) with the men's hammer throw with a total of 13 events scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. Male athletes will compete on Wednesday before trading places with their female counterparts on Thursday. Track events begin both days at 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET) with all running events – except for the 10,000 meters – serving as preliminaries for later on the week.

The top 24 athletes in first round events advance to the semifinals or quarterfinals of their event on Friday/Saturday with the top 12 overall times and marks at the East First Rounds advancing to Eugene, Oregon, for the 2026 National Championship.

Southern Miss has nine total entries spread across three days of action. Wednesday sees five Golden Eagles in action beginning with Ryan DeBarber in the men's javelin throw at Noon CT (1 p.m. ET). DeBarber was placed into the fist flight with a seed mark of 64.89 meters. The top 12 overall marks will advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene.

The men's long jump gets underway at 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET) with De'Aundre Ward and Tyler Nichols both competing in flight four of the event. Ward holds the second-best overall seed mark of 8.14 meters and is second only to Nichols' 8.19-meter mark. The top 12 marks at the end of the day will advance to Eugene for the national championship.

On the track, Southern Miss is slated for two events beginning with the men's 400 meter hurdles at 7:20 p.m. CT (8:20 p.m. ET). Javel Fullerton will be running in lane four of the first heat of the 400 hurdles with a seed time of 50.74 seconds. A total of 24 athletes made up of the top three finishers from each of the six heats and the next six fastest times will advance to the quarterfinals on Friday.

Immediately following the men's 400 hurdles, Valentino Rudolph hits the rubber for the men's 200 meters at 7:45 p.m. CT (8:45 p.m. ET). Rudolph is running in lane three of the third heat with a seed time of 20.62 seconds. The top 24 times, made up of the top three finishers of each heat plus the next six times, will advance to the 200 quarterfinals on Friday.

Southern Miss does not compete on Thursday and returns to action on Friday. Conner Mozee opens the day in the men's discus throw at Noon CT (1 p.m. ET) in the hunt for one of the top 12 marks to advance to Eugene. Mozee is throwing out of flight two with a seed mark of 56.38 meters.

Nichols and Tyler Hughes will compete in the men's high jump on Friday as well beginning at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET). Both athletes are jumping in flight two with the bar starting at 2.06 meters and progressing to 2.11 meters, 2.16 meters and then by three-centimeter increments. The top 12 finishers will advance to Eugene for the national championship.

The 400 hurdle finals and 200 finals are slated for Friday evening as well with the 400 hurdles running at 6:25 p.m. (7:25 p.m. ET) and 200 for 6:50 p.m. (7:50 p.m.) with12 competitors advancing made up of the top three finishers of each heat and the next three fastest times.

On Saturday, Alana Simon heads to the infield for the women's high jump beginning at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET). Simon is jumping out of heat one with a seed mark of 1.77 meters. The bar will start at 1.71 meters and move to 1.76 meters and 1.79 meters before incrementing by three centimeters as needed. The top 12 overall finishers in the event will advance to Euguene.

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