Three BYU athletes head to NCAA Championships

PROVO, Utah – BYU track and field will take three athletes – Shaquille Walker, Zachary Blackham and Shea Martinez-Collinsworth – to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday and Saturday.

“We’re just looking forward heading off to Alabama for the national meet," BYU track and field head coach Ed Eyestone said. "We have three people going, two men and one woman. I think they all have excellent chances of scoring some points for us, so that’s exciting.” 

Walker, a junior, qualified for nationals in the 800 meters after he set the BYU indoor school record at the Washington Invitational with a time of 1:46.97. His time is seventh best in the nation this season heading into the NCAA Championships. The men’s prelims are set for 7:25 p.m. (CST) on Friday with the finals on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Blackham, a junior, qualified for the national meet in the high jump with a mark of 2.20 meters at the MPSF Championships. His mark is good for fourth best in BYU indoor history and sixth best in the country this season. The men’s high jump is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. on Friday.

Martinez-Collinsworth, a junior, qualified for the NCAA championships in the 800 meters at the Texas A&M Team Invitational with a time of 2:04.52. The prelims for the women’s 800m are scheduled for 7:35 p.m. on Friday, and the finals will take place at 5:40 p.m. on Saturday. 

The championships will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and live results will be available at NCAA.com.