Photo by: Wyatt Streett
Five Green Wave Athletes Qualify for NCAA East Regional
May 21, 2026 | Track & Field
NEW ORLEANS – The NCAA announced today the declared qualified athletes advancing to the outdoor track and field NCAA Championship First Round with five Tulane athletes making the official cut. Blezzin Kimutai and Cara Salsberry on the women's side along with Rogerio Amaral, Tommy Rice, and Silas Kiptanui on the men's side will represent the Green Wave in the east region's opening round next week.
The NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship begins with a pair of first round regionals, east and west. The top-48 declared student-athletes for each individual event advance to the first round along with the top-24 declared relay teams. Tulane competes in the east region, and the five Wave qualifiers will head to Lexington, Kentucky, for their opening round action.
Tulane will have two women's competitors at the east regional with Cara Salsberry the lone Wave athlete to compete in multiple events. She is also the only field athlete to qualify for Tulane. Salsberry is the program's record holder in the hammer throw with a mark of 59.54m, which she set at the Tom Tellez Invitational. That distance is 39th in the east. Salsberry also ranks 44th in the east in the discus with a clip of 51.75m, which she hurled last weekend at the American Outdoor Championships to rank second in program history. On the track, Blezzin Kimutai will race in the 10,000m as her mark of 33:28.35 from the Bryan Clay Invitational ranks 28th in the east to qualify her. This time is also the program record.
A trio of Tulane men's athletes are advancing to the opening round in two different events. Silas Kiptanui boasts the fourth-best mark in the east for the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 8:25.16, a program record. Also at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Rogerio Amaral and Tommy Rice delivered marks in the 10,000m to rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in program history and thusly qualify. Amaral's mark of 29:10.35 is 43rd in the east, and Rice is 45th with a time of 29:12.80.
The University of Kentucky hosts the east regional first round at UK Outdoor Track and Field Complex next week from May 27-30. The top-12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from June 10-13.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane cross country and track & field on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
The NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship begins with a pair of first round regionals, east and west. The top-48 declared student-athletes for each individual event advance to the first round along with the top-24 declared relay teams. Tulane competes in the east region, and the five Wave qualifiers will head to Lexington, Kentucky, for their opening round action.
Tulane will have two women's competitors at the east regional with Cara Salsberry the lone Wave athlete to compete in multiple events. She is also the only field athlete to qualify for Tulane. Salsberry is the program's record holder in the hammer throw with a mark of 59.54m, which she set at the Tom Tellez Invitational. That distance is 39th in the east. Salsberry also ranks 44th in the east in the discus with a clip of 51.75m, which she hurled last weekend at the American Outdoor Championships to rank second in program history. On the track, Blezzin Kimutai will race in the 10,000m as her mark of 33:28.35 from the Bryan Clay Invitational ranks 28th in the east to qualify her. This time is also the program record.
A trio of Tulane men's athletes are advancing to the opening round in two different events. Silas Kiptanui boasts the fourth-best mark in the east for the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 8:25.16, a program record. Also at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Rogerio Amaral and Tommy Rice delivered marks in the 10,000m to rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in program history and thusly qualify. Amaral's mark of 29:10.35 is 43rd in the east, and Rice is 45th with a time of 29:12.80.
The University of Kentucky hosts the east regional first round at UK Outdoor Track and Field Complex next week from May 27-30. The top-12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from June 10-13.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane cross country and track & field on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
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