Maswanganyi, Wilson Punch Tickets, Frilot Matches Program Best

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Juniors Shaun Maswanganyi and De'Vion Wilson will represent the University of Houston track and field program in Austin, Texas in two weeks after automatically qualifying in their respective events at the NCAA West Preliminary Round on Friday at Sacramento State.

Wilson heads back to his hometown after earning his second-straight trip to the NCAA Championships in the 110-meter hurdles. The junior finished runner-up for the first time since the Texas Relays in April in his quarterfinal heat on Friday, running 13.46. Wilson posted the fourth-fastest time of the day in the West and the sixth-fastest including the East Region.

Senior DJ Akindele concluded his career on Friday, finishing the 110 hurdles in 13.72. Although the senior did not qualify on time, he ran a faster time than the third-place finisher in heat #1 that earned an automatic qualifier.

The 100-meter dash was extremely fast in Sacramento as Maswanganyi ran the fifth-fastest time of the day, finishing second overall in his heat with a time of 10.05. The South Africa native advanced to his third consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships with his automatic qualifying position.

Maswanganyi then finished second in his heat and second overall in the 200-meter dash later in the evening, running 20.05. The junior qualified in the two events for the third-straight year as well.

Junior Lloyd Frilot had a similar unfortunate end to his season as the El Paso, Texas native ran a school record in the 800-meter run and posted times faster than three automatic qualifiers in the event but missed a ticket to the NCAA Championships by 0.11 seconds, finishing with the 10th-fastest time of the day. Frilot's 1:47.58 ties Brian Bell's 2016 school record set at the Mt. SAC Relays which also ties the American Athletic Conference record held by Bell.

UP NEXT
Wilson and Maswanganyi will head to the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas June 7-10 along with senior pole vaulter Christyan Sampy. The three will represent Houston at the Championships and will await the rest of the women competing on Saturday at the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary Round.

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