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EMPORIA, Kan. – Eight of the nine Lee University athletes selected for the 2024 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships have made the trip and are set for the first of three days of competition Thursday morning at Francis G. Welch Stadium on the campus of Emporia State University.

Cale Kassen will be the first to see action with the Decathlon beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT. Kassen enters the Championships as the No. 2 seed in the event. Half of the Decathlon will be contested on Thursday with the 100-meter Dash scheduled first, followed by the Long Jump around 12:15. The Shot Put is the third event at 1:25 and the High Jump at 2:30. The 400-meter Dash will be the final Decathlon event of the opening day with the starting time set for 4:15.

Roberto Fajardo and Aria Hawkins are set in the first heat of each of their 1500-meter races. Fajardo is seeded second in the men's 1500 with a time of 3:40.98, just 0.05 seconds behind Juan Diego Castro of Azusa Pacific. Hawkins is the No. 10 seed (4:22.16) in a field of 20. Gracie Hyde of Adams State is the top seed with a qualifying time of 4:08.95. The men's 1500 is scheduled to begin at 6:10 with the women's two heats to follow the two men's heats. The top four of each heat plus the four next best times will advance to Saturday's finals at 3:25 and 3:35.

Shortly after the 1500, Justin Steele enters the starting blocks for the 400-meter Dash preliminary round. He is seeded seventh with a time of 46.36 seconds. The top seeded runner is Tiffin's Joshua Page with a time of 45.75 seconds. Steele has been placed in the second of three heats. The winner of each heat and the next five best times earn a spot in the event final at 4:05 on Saturday.

McKenna Cavanaugh will close down the opening day for Lee with the 3000-meter Steeplechase at 8:10 p.m. Cavanaugh is the ninth seed with a qualifying time of 10:23.05. The top four in each of the two heats and the next four best times advance to the final Friday at 8:30 p.m.

Friday morning will begin the same as Thursday with Kassen competing in the Decathlon. The 110-meter Hurdles are first at 10:30 a.m. with the Discus Throw at 11:20 and the Pole Vault at 12:30. The Javelin Throw is set for 2:50 p.m. with the 1500 beginning shortly before 4 p.m.

Following a short break, Kassen will return to the track for the preliminaries of the 110-meter Hurdles at 7:35. Kassen is seeded second in the event with a time of 13.53 seconds. Joel Nyatusah of Pittsburg State is the top seed at 13.47 seconds. Kassen is part of the third of three heats with the winner and the next five best times moving on to final at 3:45 on Saturday.

The preliminary round of the 4x400-meter Relay is Lee's final event on Friday evening at 8:50. The top two of each heat and the next four best times advance to the final on Saturday at 6:50 p.m. Nokia Masengu, Aiden Shaw, Doniven Jackson and Steele combined for the third-seeded time of 3:07.66. NW Missouri is seeded No. 1 (3:06.33) and Pittsburg State (3:06.36) claimed the second seed.

Titus Lagat was selected for the 800-meter Run but will not compete.