MONROE, La. – Seven Warhawks qualified for the NCAA Track & Field East Preliminary Championships that will take place May 24-26 in Jacksonville, Fla., the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track & Field Committee announced. The East Preliminary Round is one of two regionals made up of the top 48 athletes in each event and is the qualifier for the NCAA Championships, June 6-9, in Des Moines, Iowa.

The ULM men had six qualifiers, including senior Richard McKay (javelin), junior Daniel Mutai (10,000m), senior Dark Dark (shot put), freshman Jamel Sams (400m hurdles), senior Josh Howard (triple jump) and junior Clint Broussard (high jump). Senior Marcie Richard (javelin) was the lone qualifier on the women's side.

The Warhawks have had 24 regional qualifiers over the past four seasons under head coach J.D. Malone.

McKay, who is making his fourth straight appearance at the East Prelims, seeks his second straight appearance at the NCAA Championships. The DeRidder, La., native recorded a season-best mark of 73.46 meters at the LSU Alumni Gold (April 21), good for the eighth best mark in the East Region.

Mutai clocked a season-best time of 29:10.20 in the 10,000-meter run at the Stanford Invitational and finished with the eighth-best time in the region. The time was also good for the school record in the event. A native of Kapsabet, Kenya, Mutai earned all-conference honors with a third-place finish in the 10,000 at the Sun Belt Championships last weekend.

Dark is making his second straight trip to the East Prelims following a fourth-place finish in the shot put at the Sun Belt Championships. A native of Houma, La., Dark has the 42nd best mark in the East Region (17.22m).

A native of Longview, Texas, Sams finished with the 41st best time in the 400-meter hurdles (52.48). He is the first ULM freshman to qualify for the East Prelims since 2009, when McKay and Luther Ambrose also accomplished the feat.

Howard posted the 35th best mark (15.26m) in the region in the triple jump to qualify for the East Prelims for the second time. The Carencro, La., native finished fifth in the event at the Sun Belt Championships.

Broussard earned his first trip to the East Prelims with the 37th best mark in the high jump (2.11m). A native of Lafayette, La., Broussard finished third in the high jump at the Sun Belt Championships.

On the women's side, senior Marcie Richard is coming off her first Sun Belt title in the javelin. The native of Grand Coteau, La., has the 45th best mark (43.43m) in the East Region.

ULM Qualifiers

Men

Richard McKay (javelin)

Daniel Mutai (10,000m)

Derek Dark (shot put)

Jamel Sams (400m hurdles)

Josh Howard (triple jump)

Clint Broussard (high jump)

Women

Marcie Richard (javelin)