Track & Field: Four more Hoos advance to Eugene after Day 3 of NCAA East Regional
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
The Cavalier men finished competition at the NCAA East Preliminary round at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville on Friday as Will Daley, Gary Martin, Alex Sherman and Justin Wachtel punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 1500-meters, 5000-meters and 400-meter hurdles.
- Martin clocked 3:38.94 in the menโs 1500-meter quarterfinal to finish third in his heat and third overall.
- The junior punched his ticket in the event for the second consecutive year and second time in his career.
- He will look to better his finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships from a year ago when he finished 21st with his time of 3:41.43.
- Martin owns the Virginia school record and an outdoor personal best of 3:33.71 from the 2025 Raleigh Relays. His time ranks fourth all-time in collegiate history.
- The top five in each heat and the next two fastest times advanced.
- His weekend was not finished after the 1500-meters as he toed the line in the menโs 5000-meters less than two hours later.
๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๏ธ
Gary Martin ran 3:38.94 for the auto Q in the men’s 1500m and punched his ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second straight year!! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/DyTIN520pA
โ Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 30, 2025
- Finishing third in his heat and ninth overall, Sherman earned an automatic bid to the next round clocking 50.13.
- This marks the third consecutive year in which Sherman has qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the 400-meter hurdles and the second straight year in which he has advanced to the quarterfinals.
- Sherman just missed qualifying for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships finishing 14th in the quarterfinals with his time of 50.34.
- The top three in each heat and the next three fastest times advanced.
- Sherman will look to be the first Cavalier All-American in the event since Steve Delice earned second team honors with a 15th place finish in 2010.
Next stop: ๐TrackTown USA
Alex Sherman clocks 50.13 in the menโs 400m hurdles to punch his first career ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/TwV91thhup
โ Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 30, 2025
- In the first heat of two, Wachtel kicked it into gear with 200-meters remaining to finish third in his heat and 11th overall clocking 14:07.91.
- This marks Wachtelโs second appearance at the NCAA East Regional and first bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
- Wachtel bettered his finish at the regional meet as he finished 36th clocking 14:31.10 one year ago.
- The junior owns a personal best of 13:34.44 from the 2025 Raleigh Relays.
- In the second heat of competition, Daley ran a strong race to finish third in the heat and third overall crossing the line in 13:39.97.
- This marks Daleyโs first NCAA East Regional appearance and first bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
- Daley owns a personal best of 13:39.11 alsoย from the 2025 Raleigh Relays.
- The top five in each heat and the next two fastest times advanced.
- Daley and Wachtel are just the third and fourth Virginia athletes to qualify for the championships in the 5000-meters and will look to become the first All-Americans since Andy Biladeau earned Honorable Mention accolades with a 21st place finish in 2006.
๐๐ช๐ญ๐ญ see you in Eugene ๐๐
Will Daley is NCAA Outdoor Championships bound in the men’s 5000m after clocking 13:39.97 for the big Q! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/irYf76hM4G
โ Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 31, 2025
Eugene better watch out ๐
Justin Wachtel punched the first NCAA Outdoor Championships ticket of his career in the men’s 5000m clocking 14:07.91 Q!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/MKh0PXYTSb
โ Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 30, 2025