Four Dons Qualify for NCAA Track and Field West First Round
5/21/2026 11:40:00 AM | Track and Field
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Championships Sub-committee has announced the participants for the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships First Round competitions.
The first round of competitions is scheduled for May 27-30. The University of Kentucky, in Lexington, Ky., will host the East First Round, and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in Fayetteville, Ark., will host the West First Round. The qualifiers from these two sites will compete in the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.
For San Francisco, four athletes are set to make their NCAA West First Round debuts, the most by the program since 2019, as Ethan O'Shea, Rae Le Fay, Jessica Spilsbury, and Petra Helebrantová will travel to compete in the three-day meet in Fayetteville at John McDonnell Field.
O'Shea, the lone member of the men's track and field program to make a postseason appearance, will participate in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Competing in two events throughout the outdoor season, O'Shea set a personal best of 8:47.46 and secured a first-place finish at the West Coast Last Chance in the final regular-season meet last weekend.
On the women's side, Le Fay will take on the 3000-meter steeplechase, Spilsbury in the 800 meters, and Helebrantová is set to compete in the 800 meters and the 1500 meters.
In her first collegiate outdoor season, Le Fay competed in three 3000-meter steeplechase events while running the fourth-fastest time in program history with a personal-best time of 10:22.66 at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Spilsbury excelled in the 800 meters, setting a personal best of 2:05.42 and earning a podium spot at the Mike Fanelli Classic. Helebrantová holds the program's top mark in the 800 meters and 1500 meters this season, finishing first in the 800 meters at the West Coast Last Chance at 2:05.03 and 4:17.41 in the 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
For more information on the San Francisco men's and women's track & field programs, follow @donsxctf on Twitter, @donsxctf on Instagram, and @donsxctf on Facebook.
The first round of competitions is scheduled for May 27-30. The University of Kentucky, in Lexington, Ky., will host the East First Round, and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in Fayetteville, Ark., will host the West First Round. The qualifiers from these two sites will compete in the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.
For San Francisco, four athletes are set to make their NCAA West First Round debuts, the most by the program since 2019, as Ethan O'Shea, Rae Le Fay, Jessica Spilsbury, and Petra Helebrantová will travel to compete in the three-day meet in Fayetteville at John McDonnell Field.
O'Shea, the lone member of the men's track and field program to make a postseason appearance, will participate in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Competing in two events throughout the outdoor season, O'Shea set a personal best of 8:47.46 and secured a first-place finish at the West Coast Last Chance in the final regular-season meet last weekend.
On the women's side, Le Fay will take on the 3000-meter steeplechase, Spilsbury in the 800 meters, and Helebrantová is set to compete in the 800 meters and the 1500 meters.
In her first collegiate outdoor season, Le Fay competed in three 3000-meter steeplechase events while running the fourth-fastest time in program history with a personal-best time of 10:22.66 at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Spilsbury excelled in the 800 meters, setting a personal best of 2:05.42 and earning a podium spot at the Mike Fanelli Classic. Helebrantová holds the program's top mark in the 800 meters and 1500 meters this season, finishing first in the 800 meters at the West Coast Last Chance at 2:05.03 and 4:17.41 in the 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
For more information on the San Francisco men's and women's track & field programs, follow @donsxctf on Twitter, @donsxctf on Instagram, and @donsxctf on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
2019 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships - Dana & Sadi
Wednesday, June 05
2019 Graduation Highlights
Monday, May 20
BTM Season 5 Show 7 | Dons Spotlight on Sadi and Dana
Thursday, May 16
Third Episode of #AskTheAD
Monday, October 22
