Montana State's Lucy Corbett qualifies for Eugene on final day of NCAA West Prelims

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Montana State's Lucy Corbett completed another strong showing at the NCAA Division I West Preliminary Rounds on Saturday at Arkansas' John McConnell Field to advance to her second straight NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Corbett qualified for the 2021 NCAA outdoor meet by clearing all four heights she attempted in the high jump a season ago. She accomplished a similar feat on Saturday.

The MSU women's high jumper joined the competition at a height of 5 feet, 7.25 inches. Corbett cleared that height on her first attempt, then followed that up by clearing her opening attempts at 5-09.25 and 5-11.25. By the time the next height of 6-00.50 was reached, only 12 competitors remained, which meant that group had automatically moved on to the NCAA Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Corbett will be making her third consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships. She took 12th and was a second-team All-American at last year's outdoor championships, while she tied for eighth and earned first-team All-America accolades at this season's 2022 indoor championships in Birmingham, Ala.

Alex Hellenberg was the lone Bobcat left to compete Saturday evening when she participated in the women's triple jump competition. MSU's record holder in the event, Hellenberg closed out her collegiate career by finishing in 35th place with a leap of 40-10.5.

Corbett, Duncan Hamilton, Drake Schneider, Levi Taylor and Colby Wilson now look ahead to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The meet will take place from June 8-11 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field.