FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The NCAA West Regionals got started with a bang on Wednesday night in Fayetteville, Arkansas as Kareem Mersal had a record setting performance in the men's long jump punching his ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 8^th-11^th.
 
Mersal went up against the top 48 long jumpers in the region Wednesday night with the top 12 athletes advancing to the NCAA Ourdoor Championships.  After his first two jumps, Mersal was on the outside looking needing a strong third and final jump to crack the top 12 and he delivered in a big way. On his final attempt, Mersal went 25-10 vaulting himself to a second-place finish and NCAA Qualification. With the mark, Mersal also set a new school record shattering the old record of 25-6.25 that Mersal himself set earlier this season. This is the first time in his Cowboy career that Mersal has advanced to a NCAA Championship meet. 
 
Two other Cowboys were in action on Wednesday with Hunter Brown also competing in the long jump finishing 36^th with a leap of 23-11.75. 
 
The lone track athlete to compete on the day was Joseph Rogers running in the men's 800M. Rogers put together a strong performance clocking a personal best time of 1:49.78 to finish in 28^th. 
 
The NCAA West regionals will continue tomorrow highlighted by a trio of Cowgirls competing in three separate events. Mary Carbee will get things going on Thursday morning for the Cowgirls with the Hammer Throw at 10AM (CT). Shayla Howell, a 2022 NCAA Indoor Track & Field All American, will compete in the Long Jump at 6 while Leah Christians will finish off the second day of competition with the 10000M at 910.