INDIANAPOLIS, IN – For the fourth consecutive year, the Towson track & field team will be represented at the NCAA East Preliminary round as four Tigers have qualified for the event from May 22-25 at the University of Kentucky. The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross-Country released the qualifying list on Thursday afternoon.

Athletes who rank in the top 48 in individual events and top 24 for relays earn bids to the first round of the NCAA championship in the east or west region. Those who place in the top 12 in their respective events in the first round will move on to the final round, hosted at the University of Oregon from June 5-8.

Cristal Cuervo, Maya Tucker, Manie Mevo and Fatimah Owens all qualified for the meet after successful indoor and outdoor seasons. Each athlete set a school record and medaled at the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championships.

Cristal Cuervo – 400m
Two-time CAA track athlete of the week Cristal Cuervo makes her second consecutive appearance on the NCAA stage as she competed at last year's meet in the 200m after ranking 33^rd in the east region. This year, Cuervo wrapped up her season ranking 45^th in the 400m to qualify for the meet, making her the first Tiger in program history to qualify for regionals in this event. The junior from Panama was part of the squad that broke the 4x100 school record three times during the 2024 season and the 4x400 crew that broke the record last week at the outdoor CAA Championship. At the same meet, she broke the 400m record and became the first woman in Towson program history to break 54 seconds after clocking a 53.33. Cuervo placed second overall in the event at the championship, earning a silver medal and All-CAA honors. She also ran the third fastest time in program history in the 100m dash this outdoor season, clocking an 11.53. Her season best in the 200m dash was a 23.61, clocked at CAA championships. She still holds the record in the outdoor event, set last season with a time of 23.29.

Maya Tucker – 100m, 200m
Maya Tucker makes her first NCAA appearance, qualifying for the 100m and 200m after ranking 37^th and 42^nd  respectively in the east region. Tucker broke the 100m school record on March 29 at the Towson Invitational this season after clocking an 11.38. The five additional times she competed in the race she ran 11.77 or faster. At the outdoor CAA Championship last week she placed third in the event with an 11.57, scoring six points for the Tigers. The junior also aided the 4x100 relay to break the school record three separate times and helped the 4x400 relay earn a bronze medal and break the school record at CAAs. Tucker made her way onto the podium in the 200m as well, bringing home bronze after running a 23.61. She ranks second in program history in the outdoor event behind Cuervo with a 23.42, clocked last season.

Manie Mevo – Triple Jump
Two-time outdoor CAA Champion and indoor CAA champion in the triple jump Manie Mevo heads to her second consecutive NCAA East Preliminary round next week. Mevo qualified for the triple jump for a second time, ranking 38^th. The Maryland native took first with a 12.67m leap last week at outdoor CAA Championships, marking her third consecutive gold in the event at the conference meet as she won it at 2024 indoor and 2023 outdoor championships. Currently, the sophomore holds the Towson program record in the outdoor (12.84m – 2023) and indoor (12.51m – 2024) triple jump.

Fatimah Owens – Discus
Fatimah Owens will wrap up her collegiate career with a second trip to the NCAA preliminary round, again qualifying in the discus after ranking 28^th in the east region – 15 spots higher than the ranking that qualified her for the meet last year. Owens set the school record in the discus two times this season, first breaking it at the Kehoe Twilight Meet on May 3 after tossing 51.05m. The senior reset her record last week at CAA Championships with a throw of 52.25m. She took second in the event, earning All-CAA honors. Owens received another silver medal and All-CAA honors in the shot put at the meet, tossing a PR of 14.63m.

Schedule of Events

• Thursday, May 23
  • Maya Tucker: 100m first round – 7:00 p.m., 200m first round – 8:45 p.m. 
  • Cristal Cuervo: 400m first round – 7:25 p.m.
• Saturday, May 25
  • Fatimah Owens: Discus first round – 1:00 p.m.
  • Manie Mevo: Triple Jump first round – 6:00 p.m.