Pac-12 sends dozens to NCAA track & field championships

Everything's bigger in Texas, including the Friday Pac-12 showing at the 2015 NCAA track & field preliminaries in Austin. Ten of twelve Pac-12 universities sent competitors to the 2015 NCAA championships in Eugene, topped by USC who sent 16 athletes to nationals. Your team-by-team recap of today's action:

Three more track 'cats advanced Friday to the NCAA championships in Eugene, beginning with sophomore Aaron Castle in the men's shot put. His 18.67m throw was good enough for 12th place in the competition. He joins fellow sophomore Collins Kibet who finished fifth in the men's 800m with a time of 1:48.14. Sophomore Nnenya Hailey earned her spot in TrackTown with a fifth-place finish in the women's 400m hurdles at 57.60 seconds.

Four Sun Devils made reservations Friday for Eugene in June. Senior Brianna Tate earned her spot with a sixth-place finish in the 400m dash at 52.06, while redshirt senior Devan Span will represent the men in the same event after an eighth-place, 46.44 finish. They join redshirt freshman Magdalyn Ewen who will compete in the discus after a 53.87m throw, and Kyle Lillie in the men's hammer after a 64.06m toss of his own.

Freshman Ashtyn Davis advanced to Eugene in the men's 110m hurdles with a career-best 13.79.

Splish-splash, two Buffs will advance to compete in the 3,000m steeplechase after Friday's action. Erin Clark for the women, and Connor Winter for the men, finished with times of 9:59.67 and 8:49.88, respectively for CU. Clark finished in fourth place; Winter in second place.

QUACK. Add eight Ducks to the tally of Oregon's nationals-bound competitors. Jasmine Todd (10.89) and Jenna Prandini (11.11) went one-two in the women's 100m. Prandini also won the women's 200m with a time of 22.98. Winning the men's 400m with a time of 46.09 was Marcus Chambers. Raevyn Rogers (2:02.50) and Annie Leblanc (2:04.61) will represent UO in the women's 800m. Throwing the hammer for Oregon will be Greg Skipper, who finished third at regionals with a 69.23m throw. Lauren Crockett will be there for the Ducks after her 5-11.50 high jump, as will Tanguy Pepiot in the men's 3,000m steeplechase.

Three Cardinal women will advance to compete at nationals for Stanford. Freshman Olivia Baker (2:04.55) and junior Claudia Saunders (2:03.75) advanced in the 800m, and sophomore Valerie Allman advanced in the discus.

UCLA sent four to nationals on Friday, beginning with senior Alec Faldermeyer who finished 11th in the hammer throw. He joins junior Nicholas Scarvelis who was runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 64-3.75. Nick Hartle finished 11th in the men's 800m, while senior Zibby Boyer will represent the Bruins in the high jump.

The Trojans sent a whopping 16 athletes to nationals today, beginning with junior Tera Novy and senior Alexandra Collatz, who finished fourth and fifth in the women's discus, respectively. Senior Conor McCullough was a force to be reckoned with in the men's hammer throw; he won the event by over 10 feet and will head to Oregon. Freshman Ricky Morgan punched his ticket by finishing third in the men's 400m at 46.51 seconds. USC will send four to compete in the women's 100m, as Alexis Faulknor, Ky Westbrook, Tynia Gaither and Deanna Hill all finished in the top 12 of the event. Senior BeeJay Lee and junior Andre De Grasse will appear for the Trojans in the men's 100m, finishing at 10.10 and 10.03, respectively. Robert Ford advanced for the Trojans in the men's 800m with a PR of 1:48.12. Redshirt freshman Nick Ponzio advanced in the shotput. He'll join Amalie Iuel and Jaide Stepter, who advanced in the 400m IH, in Eugene.

Washington broke through on Friday, sending four athletes to nationals in Eugene. Junior Kristina Owsinski was the first to move on today in the pole vault with a height of 13-11. Senior Gianna Woodruff advanced in the 400m hurdles, while Junior Baylee Meyers lowered her school record in the 800m to 2:05.19 to cement her place in nationals. Junior Meron Simon will compete in the men's 3,000m steeplechase.

Four Cougs are headed to nationals after Friday's round. Redshirt senior Jesse Jorgensen advanced in the men's 800m, while junior Audrey Ketchum recorded a personal-best 1.82m high jump to finish in fifth. Also Oregon-bound are Liz Harper and Alissa Brooks-Johnson who will represent Wazzu in the women's 400m hurdles.

Stay with Pac-12 Networks and Pac-12.com for continuing coverage of the 2015 NCAA track & field championships