NCAA Championships Central   |  Live Results  |  East Prelims Men's Performance List

DETROIT (5/27/2015) -- For the second straight year, two University of Detroit Mercy men's track and field student-athletes have moved on to the NCAA East Preliminary Round in the field of 48 competitors in each event. Senior thrower Colin Cashner (St. Louis, Mo. / St. Mary's) and sophomore hurdler Khalil Parris (Windsor, Ont. / Sandwich) are set to compete Thursday in Jacksonville, Fla. at the University of North Florida.

Both Cashner and Parris are aiming for a trip to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Eugene, Ore. on the campus of the University of Oregon from June 10-13. The top 12 athletes in each event at the east preliminaries will earn a spot in the NCAA Championships.

Cashner, the 2015 Horizon League Outdoor Athlete of the Year, is set to throw in the hammer Thursday afternoon as the event is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m., while Parris, making his first trip to the NCAA East Preliminaries, will run in the first heat of the 400 meter hurdles, which is set to go off at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Cashner is the fifth thrower in the third and final heat of the hammer throw. He will have three throws to try and land a spot inside the top 12 to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He is currently the No. 14-ranked thrower in the east region and the No. 24 thrower in the hammer nationally with his throw of 216' 0"/65.84m that he achieved in setting a new event record at the Penn Relays in April.

"Coach Richotte has had Colin on a year-round throws program and he has made continued progress during his career, resulting in his fantastic year," UDM head coach Guy Murray '89 said. "Colin's experience and consistency will make him tough to beat and a strong contender to be in the 12 going to Eugene."

It's Cashner's second-straight trip to the NCAA Semifinals after joining teammate Eric Lewis in the hammer throw in 2014. Cashner won five of his six competitions during the outdoor season in the hammer and broke the school record as well as the Titan Field facility record this spring. He reached 204' 4" or better in all of his victories this season. Last season, it took a throw of 210' 8"/64.21m or better to reach the NCAA Championships.

Parris is looking to qualify in the top 12 from the NCAA East Preliminary field of 48 in the 400 meter hurdles. He'll run Thursday with hopes of earning a spot in Friday's quarterfinals. The top three times from six heats plus the next six fastest times will comprise the field of 24 for Friday's quarterfinals. 

Parris ranks No. 15 in the east region entering competition Thursday with his school-record time of 51.02 that he earned at the Gregory Final Qualifier during the last weekend of the regular season.

"Coach Brad Fairchild has Khalil running at his best as he has charged up the NCAA 400 meter hurdles rankings in the last three weeks of the season," Murray said. "Khalil was banged up a bit during the indoor season and during outdoors, his architecture studies kept his racing to a minimum, but consistent hard work saw him ready for his great breakthrough at the Horizon League Championships with a 400m/400H PR double of 47.86 and 52.67."

His time of 51.02 is the No. 2 time in the 400 meter hurdles in Canada currently and Parris ranks 33rd nationally with his school-record time in the event. Last season, it took a time of 52.13 to advance to the quarterfinals and a time of 51.12 to qualify for the NCAA Semifinals in the 400 meter hurdles.

Follow along on DetroitTitans.com on Thursday for results from the NCAA East Preliminary Round.