EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Five UTEP track and field athletes punched their tickets to the NCAA Track and Field Championships June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
Two of them qualified in the same event and will compete together at Mike A. Myers Stadium next week. The Miners javelin duo of Arianne Morais and Roosa Yloenen will both make their second trips to the NCAA Championships for UTEP.
Morais qualified for nationals for the second year in a row with a personal-best throw of 57.61 meters at the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento. That throw was the best regional qualifying throw of any competitor in the NCAA, making her one of the favorites next week in Austin.
Yloenen, meanwhile, is heading to nationals with the 13th-best throw at the regional meet, with a mark of 53.40 meters. She’s heading back to the NCAA Championships after qualifying in 2021, but missing out in 2022.
The duo have become friends on and off the runway and they both say that having each other there during a meet is helpful. That will only increase on the big stage next week in Austin.
“It is very helpful to have a teammate at a competition like that. She’s always had my back, we support each other throughout the competition and it makes everything easier,” said Morais.
Added Yloenen, “Seeing her succeed going into nationals, throwing massive personal bests and breaking records, it’s only pushing me forward and motivating me more because I want to be out there with her.”
The duo will close out the 2023 season together next week in Austin.
