Wednesday, June 9
Eugene, Ore.
All Day
Michigan State University
vs
NCAA Outdoor Championships
MSU Track & Field Begins NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday
6/8/2021 3:53:00 PM | Track and Field
The Spartans will have eight athlete competing in Eugene.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -Â Michigan State track & field will conclude the 2021 season at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the newly renovated Heyward Field in Eugene, Oregon from June 9-12. This will be the first outdoor championships since 2019 in Austin, Texas, due to the cancellation of the 2020 outdoor track & field season.
The Spartans are sending eight athletes to Eugene and will have athletes in action all four days. Action begins on Wednesday, June 9 with Wade Walder in the decathlon. The grueling event starts at 4 p.m. ET and will be the first of five decathlon events on the day. Trevor Stephenson will compete in his first NCAA pole vault final at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Â
"We are fortunate to have some veterans in this group, as well individuals who have competed at the championship level during the indoor season or during cross country. Because of this, they know how to appreciate the moment and be at their best," Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Lisa Breznau said.
The Spartans will send five women's entries and men's three entries.Â
Michigan State Men's Entries (3)
Morgan Beadlescomb – 5000m
Trevor Stephenson – Pole Vault
Wade Walder – Decathlon
Michigan State Women's Entries (5)
Sarah Anderson – 1500m
Jenna Magness – 5000m
India Johnson – 10,000m
Lynsie Gram – 10,000m
Sophia Franklin – Pole Vault
1 | RETURNING TO HEYWARD
For the first time since 2018, the NCAA Track & Field Outdoor Championships return to Eugene. Oregon and Heyward Field. This is the 17th time that Hayward Field has played host to the NCAA Championships.
"We are incredibly excited to compete at the University of Oregon in the Track and Field NCAA Championships. The venue represents history within our sport and within our team," Breznau said.
It was announced that Hayward Field will have a capacity of 4,400 fans per day for the NCAA Track and Field Championships. Fans will be required to wear face coverings to the event, and there will be sections only available to fully vaccinated patrons, who will be required to show proof of vaccination upon entry.Â
2 |Â THE DISTANCE SQUAD
The Spartan distance squad will be in action Thursday-Saturday. Big Ten women's 5000m champion Jenna Magness will be in action on Saturday, June 12 in the final individual event of the championship at 7:55 p.m. ET. She broke the meet record at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 15:38.82. Magness enters the NCAA Championships seeded No. 7 overall with a time of 15:57.41 at the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
The women's 10,000m distance duo of India Johnson and Lynsie Gram will be back in action on Thursday, June 10 at 9:30 p.m. ET. Johnson and Gram are seeded No. 15 and No. 24, respectively in a highly competitive 10k field. Sarah Anderson will be the first Spartan woman in action on Friday, June 10 in the semifinals of the 1500m. She has a season-best time of 4:14.90 at the Big Ten Championships.
On the men's side, MSU is led by Morgan Beadlescomb, who is seeded No. 1 in the 5000m with a time 13:40.43. Beadlescomb broke his own school record at the NCAA East Preliminary round.
"Everyone within this group has demonstrated resiliency throughout this year. This championship is an opportunity to have that on display as well as enjoy the process," Breznau said.
3 | VAULTING INTO HISTORY
Michigan State will have a pair of pole vaulters in action in Eugene. Trevor Stephenson will be competing in his first NCAA Championship beginning on Wednesday, June 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Sophia Franklin returns to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2018. The reigning Big Ten Outdoor Champion will be in action on Thursday, June 10 at 7 p.m. ET.
4 | THE TRADITION LIVES ON
Wade Walder will keep the Michigan State decathlon tradition alive. Since the 2015 season, at least once Spartan has qualified to compete in the NCAA Championships in the decathlon every year except 2016. In 2019, All-American Nick Guerrant qualified but was unable to compete. Spartan record holder Tim Ehrhardt represented MSU in 2015, 2017 and 2018, while Guerrant also represented MSU in 2018.
The Butler transfer qualified 22nd after recording personal-best 7,493 point at the Husker Big Ten Invite April 16-17.
5 | A NEW ERA IN SPARTAN TRACK & FIELD
In May, Lisa Breznau was named Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. Breznau has served as the Interim Director since the retirement of Walt Drenth in November. She will officially take over on July 1, 2021. Overall, Breznau has spent 11 years on the Michigan State staff. After serving as an assistant coach for five years from 2010-15, Breznau was promoted to the associate head coach for the cross country and track & field programs in 2015.
In March, Breznau was named USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. She followed in the footsteps of Walt Drenth who was honored as Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year five times. She also guided the MSU men's and women's cross country teams to the best combined finish in Michigan State history, as the women finished fourth and the men were 17th. The fourth-place finish was the women's best since winning the NCAA title in 2014.
Â
The Spartans are sending eight athletes to Eugene and will have athletes in action all four days. Action begins on Wednesday, June 9 with Wade Walder in the decathlon. The grueling event starts at 4 p.m. ET and will be the first of five decathlon events on the day. Trevor Stephenson will compete in his first NCAA pole vault final at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Â
"We are fortunate to have some veterans in this group, as well individuals who have competed at the championship level during the indoor season or during cross country. Because of this, they know how to appreciate the moment and be at their best," Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Lisa Breznau said.
The Spartans will send five women's entries and men's three entries.Â
Michigan State Men's Entries (3)
Morgan Beadlescomb – 5000m
Trevor Stephenson – Pole Vault
Wade Walder – Decathlon
Michigan State Women's Entries (5)
Sarah Anderson – 1500m
Jenna Magness – 5000m
India Johnson – 10,000m
Lynsie Gram – 10,000m
Sophia Franklin – Pole Vault
1 | RETURNING TO HEYWARD
For the first time since 2018, the NCAA Track & Field Outdoor Championships return to Eugene. Oregon and Heyward Field. This is the 17th time that Hayward Field has played host to the NCAA Championships.
"We are incredibly excited to compete at the University of Oregon in the Track and Field NCAA Championships. The venue represents history within our sport and within our team," Breznau said.
It was announced that Hayward Field will have a capacity of 4,400 fans per day for the NCAA Track and Field Championships. Fans will be required to wear face coverings to the event, and there will be sections only available to fully vaccinated patrons, who will be required to show proof of vaccination upon entry.Â
2 |Â THE DISTANCE SQUAD
The Spartan distance squad will be in action Thursday-Saturday. Big Ten women's 5000m champion Jenna Magness will be in action on Saturday, June 12 in the final individual event of the championship at 7:55 p.m. ET. She broke the meet record at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 15:38.82. Magness enters the NCAA Championships seeded No. 7 overall with a time of 15:57.41 at the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
The women's 10,000m distance duo of India Johnson and Lynsie Gram will be back in action on Thursday, June 10 at 9:30 p.m. ET. Johnson and Gram are seeded No. 15 and No. 24, respectively in a highly competitive 10k field. Sarah Anderson will be the first Spartan woman in action on Friday, June 10 in the semifinals of the 1500m. She has a season-best time of 4:14.90 at the Big Ten Championships.
On the men's side, MSU is led by Morgan Beadlescomb, who is seeded No. 1 in the 5000m with a time 13:40.43. Beadlescomb broke his own school record at the NCAA East Preliminary round.
"Everyone within this group has demonstrated resiliency throughout this year. This championship is an opportunity to have that on display as well as enjoy the process," Breznau said.
3 | VAULTING INTO HISTORY
Michigan State will have a pair of pole vaulters in action in Eugene. Trevor Stephenson will be competing in his first NCAA Championship beginning on Wednesday, June 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Sophia Franklin returns to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2018. The reigning Big Ten Outdoor Champion will be in action on Thursday, June 10 at 7 p.m. ET.
4 | THE TRADITION LIVES ON
Wade Walder will keep the Michigan State decathlon tradition alive. Since the 2015 season, at least once Spartan has qualified to compete in the NCAA Championships in the decathlon every year except 2016. In 2019, All-American Nick Guerrant qualified but was unable to compete. Spartan record holder Tim Ehrhardt represented MSU in 2015, 2017 and 2018, while Guerrant also represented MSU in 2018.
The Butler transfer qualified 22nd after recording personal-best 7,493 point at the Husker Big Ten Invite April 16-17.
5 | A NEW ERA IN SPARTAN TRACK & FIELD
In May, Lisa Breznau was named Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. Breznau has served as the Interim Director since the retirement of Walt Drenth in November. She will officially take over on July 1, 2021. Overall, Breznau has spent 11 years on the Michigan State staff. After serving as an assistant coach for five years from 2010-15, Breznau was promoted to the associate head coach for the cross country and track & field programs in 2015.
In March, Breznau was named USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. She followed in the footsteps of Walt Drenth who was honored as Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year five times. She also guided the MSU men's and women's cross country teams to the best combined finish in Michigan State history, as the women finished fourth and the men were 17th. The fourth-place finish was the women's best since winning the NCAA title in 2014.
Â
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Hurdles/Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Combined Events
/ Track and FieldProcess Oriented | Spartans All-Access
Wednesday, April 02
Track & Field | Big Ten Outdoor Championship recap
Monday, May 13
Track & Field | Big Ten Outdoor Championships highlights
Saturday, May 11
Track & Field | Big Ten Outdoor Championships | Day 2
Saturday, May 11