Regional Prelim on the Horizon

PROVO, Utah -- With the National Championships close at hand, the BYU women’s track and field team will send 23 athletes to the NCAA West Region meet this weekend in Eugene, Oregon.

"Our goal is to qualify as many athletes as possible," head coach Patrick Shane said. "We have a lot of athletes that have never competed in a meet like this but I think we will do well."

The top 12 athletes in each event at the Regional meet will advance to the National Championships. A total of 48 athletes will compete in each event with hopes of advancing to Nationals.

BYU will face intense competition in the West Region. Seven of the top 10 teams in the USTFCCCA poll compete in the West, including no. 1 Texas A&M, no. 3 Oregon and no. 5 USC.

Coming off a dominating performance in the Mountain West Conference Championships, the Cougars will look to qualify as many athletes as possible for the National Championships. Five Cougars currently rank in the top 10 in the West in their respective events.

Leading the way for BYU will be two-time indoor National Champion Lacey Bleazard. Bleazard won her second career National title in the 800 meters during the 2011 indoor season and is looking for her first career outdoor All-American performance.

"Lacey has worn herself out in previous years by this point in the outdoor season but I think that will change this year," Shane said.

All-American Ada Robinson ranks second in the high jump heading into the Regional meet, the highest ranking for any BYU competitor. Robinson earned All-American honors for the second time in her career during the 2011 indoor season.

Competition begins Thursday at 11 a.m. MT and will continue through Saturday evening at approximately 6 p.m. MT. The University of Oregon will provide a webcast on its website, www.goducks.com and will begin coverage at 4:30 p.m. MT Thursday, 4 p.m. MT Friday and 2 p.m. MT Saturday.

To view live results CLICK HERE.

See a complete list of BYU's athletes competing below.

Porshe Giddings (100m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m)

Katie Palmer (800m, 4x400m)

Lacey Bleazard (800m, 4x400m)

Sarah Edwards (800m, 4x400m)

Nicole Clark (800m)

Kari Hardt (1500m, 5000m)

Stacy Slight (1500m)

Katy Andrews (3000m steeple)

Morgan Haws (10000m)

Cecily Lemmon-Lew (10000m)

Fatima Makakala (100m hurdles, 4x100m)

Mindy Sagers (100m hurdles, 4x100m)

Alyssa Christensen (100m hurdles)

Aubrey Hale (4x100m)

Ada Robinson (High Jump)

Diana Blauer (High Jump)

Kelli Ehardt (Pole Vault)

Christen Botteron (Pole Vault)

Amber Freeman (Javelin)

Allyson Wardell (Javelin)

Cassandra Woodall (Shot Put, Hammer)

Tipaleli Fotu (Hammer)