UNM Athletes Gear Up for NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships are set to take place from June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, with New Mexico's teams eager to make their mark. After impressive finishes last season, six athletes from the University of New Mexico will participate in five events during this prestigious four-day meet.

Leading the charge for UNM is junior Habtom Samuel, who is widely regarded as the frontrunner in the men’s 5K final scheduled for Friday. Samuel achieved a remarkable NCAA record of 13 minutes and 3.47 seconds at the Bryan Clay Invitational in April, followed by a world-leading time of 12:59.27 at the Sound Running L.A. Track Festival in May. "I’m in the meat of the season but I feel like I’m going to do under 13 (minutes) this time," he stated in a post-race interview. A sub-13-minute finish could see him clinch the NCAA indoor and outdoor 5K titles, a feat accomplished by Oklahoma State's Brian Musau last year.

Samuel will face tough competitors in the 10K final on Wednesday, particularly Louisville’s Elsingi Kipruto, who clocked an NCAA-best time of 27:29.83 in April, and Oklahoma State’s Denis Kipngetich, who is also a strong contender.

On the women’s side, Pamela Kosgei, who won NCAA championships in both the outdoor 5K and 10K last season, is looking to defend her titles. Kosgei recorded impressive times of 15:03.09 in the 5K and 30:49.99 in the 10K this year, but will need to overcome BYU's freshman Jane Hedengren, who has set new collegiate records with her leading times of 14:50.50 and 30:46.80.

Another standout story is Taniya Looney, a transfer from Pittsburg State who has triumphed over personal health challenges to break UNM records in the 100 and 200 meters. Her qualifying time of 10.85 seconds in the 100 is among the fastest in the country, making her a compelling athlete to watch as she competes for a spot in the finals.

Other UNM athletes include Evans Kiplagat, who qualified for the 10K finals with a time of 28:56.77, and Matthew Endrödy, who advanced to the 1,500 semifinals. The championships promise to showcase the talents of these athletes as they strive for success on the national stage.