INDIANAPOLIS – NCAA Track and Field First Round declarations were announced Thursday afternoon, with Indiana State track and field qualifying an MVC-leading 16 entries and 14 student-athletes for the 2025 NCAA East First Round May 28-31 in Jacksonville, Florida.
 
To qualify, athletes must be among the top 48 in an individual event, or in the top 24 as a relay team. The top 12 finishers in each event at the East First Round will advance to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships. Each of Indiana State's 15 entries for the 2025 NCAA East First Round are in individual events. The Sycamores have double-digit entries in the NCAA East First Round for the fourth straight year, the Sycamores' best postseason stretch since a 10-year period from 2006-15 with double-digit qualifiers.
 
Among the Sycamore contingent selected to the NCAA East Preliminary Round, seven athletes have prior NCAA First Round experience, with Noah Bolt, Casey Hood Jr., Lillian Gibbs, Rachel Mehringer, Terrance O'Bannon, Wyatt Puff and Will Staggs all reaching the postseason for at least the second time in their careers. Six Sycamores – Niesha Anderson, Sloan Cox, Collin Forrest, Aliseonna Garnett, Ryan Handy and Kilan Macklin – will be making their NCAA East First Round debut. Forrest was an alternate for last year's 4x100m relay team at the 2024 NCAA East First Round, while Macklin has NAIA and NCCAA National Championship experience from his time at Campbellsville.
 
Indiana State has a trio of entries ranked inside the top 20 in the NCAA East Region, led by Will Staggs ranking fourth in the pole vault (5.53m/18-1.75). Rachel Mehringer ranks 11th in the 100m hurdles (13.03), while Casey Hood Jr. is 14th in the 100m (10.08). Hood Jr. is one of two athletes who will compete in multiple events for the Blue and White at the NCAA East First Round.
 
Staggs is very familiar with the pole vault runways at UNF, having qualified for the 2023 NCAA Outdoor National Championships at the same facility. He also won't be the only Sycamore pole vaulter competing in the Sunshine State, as Indiana State received good news with Brooklyn Pfaff (4.09m/13-5) being added to the field following the original declarations.
 
The Sycamores have two events which will feature two competitors, those being the men's 100m and the men's discus. Casey Hood Jr. is seeded 14th in the 100m (10.08), while Terrance O'Bannon is seeded 39th (10.23), with both making their individual event debut at the NCAA East First Round after previously reaching the postseason as part of the 4x100m relay. Hood Jr. will also compete in the 200m, where he is seeded 32nd (20.64).
 
Indiana State's entries in the discus are no stranger to the NCAA East First Round, with Noah Bolt (23rd, 56/48m/185-4) making his second appearance and Wyatt Puff (33rd, 55.06m/180-8) making his third appearance in the postseason. Puff is also one of two Sycamore entries in the men's shot put, where he is seeded 28th (18.47m/60-9.75), with Sloan Cox making his NCAA East First Round debut seeded 24th in the event after breaking the school record at the MVC Outdoor Championships (18.62m/61-1.25).
 
Two Sycamore throwers will be making their NCAA East First Round debut, with Niesha Anderson seeded 37th in the hammer throw (58.51m/191-11) and Aliseonna Garnett seeded 48th in the shot put (15.34m/50-4). The duo will be joined among the women's throwers by Lillian Gibbs, who will be making her second appearance at the NCAA East First Round and is seeded 30th in the javelin (48.04m/157-7).
 
Indiana State has a pair of highly-ranked hurdles athletes set to compete at the NCAA East First Round, with two-time conference champions Rachel Mehringer 11th, 13.03) and Collin Forrest (30th, 13.84) representing the Blue and White on the track. The Trees have two additional men's entries making their NCAA East First Round debut on the strength of strong closes to their seasons. Kilan Macklin is seeded 43rd in the long jump (7.56m/24-9.75) with his top six marks all coming in the back half of the season. Ryan Handy is ranked 44th in the steeplechase after his career-best time of 8:51.38 helped him win the MVC title in the event.
 
Heat sheets for each event will be made available prior to the start of the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
 
The 2025 NCAA East First Round is slated for May 28-31 at VisitJax Track at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, with the 2025 NCAA Outdoor National Championships scheduled for June 11-14 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The top 12 in each event at the NCAA East First Round will advance to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships.
 
Indiana State 2025 NCAA First Round Qualifiers

• Will Staggs – pole vault (fourth, 5.53m/18-1.75)
• Rachel Mehringer – 100m hurdles (11th, 13.03)
• Casey Hood Jr. – 100m (14th, 10.08), 200m (32nd, 20.64)
• Sloan Cox – shot put (24th, 18.62m/61-1.25)
• Noah Bolt – discus (23rd, 56.48m/185-4)
• Wyatt Puff – shot put (28th 18.47m/60-9.75), discus (33rd, 55.06m/180-8)
• Lillian Gibbs – javelin (30th, 48.04m/157-7)
• Collin Forrest – 110m hurdles (30th, 13.84)
• Niesha Anderson – hammer throw (37th, 58.51m/191-11)
• Terrance O'Bannon – 100m (39th, 10.23)
• Kilan Macklin – long jump (43rd, 7.56m/24-9.75)
• Ryan Handy – 3000m steeplechase (44th, 8:51.38)
• Brooklyn Pfaff – pole vault (48th, 4.09m/13-5)
• Aliseonna Garnett – shot put (48th, 15.34m/50-4)

UPDATE
This story has been updated to reflect Brooklyn Pfaff's inclusion in the NCAA East First Round field. Pfaff was announced as a first round qualifier Thursday evening, after the original preliminary field was unveiled.
 
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