LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Furman senior Cameron Ponder concluded his Paladin career Wednesday in the opening day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships East Preliminaries, which are being hosted by the University of Kentucky this week at the Kentucky Outdoor Track & Field Facility in Lexington, Ky.

A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Ponder, who made his third NCAA East Preliminary appearance, recorded a time of 3:55.63 in the 1,500m, taking 48th place.  He qualified for the meet after turning in a time of 3:40.90 in the event at the Wake Forest Invitational earlier in the season.  

The 2021-22 SoCon Male Athlete of the Year, Ponder qualified for the East Preliminaries in the 3,000m Steeplechase in 2021 and 2023.  Indoors, he remains the only Paladin to have claimed All-America honors in consecutive indoor seasons after accomplishing the feat in the 3,000m in both 2021 and 2022.  Ponder, who was twice honored with the Furman Male Athlete of the Year award, won ten SoCon individual titles during his Paladin career and tallied five career sub-4:00 mile marks, while also playing an instrumental role in the dominance of the Furman cross country team. 

On Thursday, the first round of the women's 1,500m will be held at 3:30 p.m., with 24 runners advancing to Saturday's quarterfinals, which are slated for 5:15 p.m.  Senior Megan Marvin, a native of Chapel Hill, N.C., will make her third preliminary appearance for the Paladins, including her second in the 1,500m.  She finished sixth with a PR of 4:13.47 in the event at the regional meet in 2022 and went on to place 15th nationally that season.  Marvin, who is the reigning SoCon Champion in the 800m, enters the meet ranked 41st after posting a time of 4:18.13 at the Wake Forest Invitational.  

The semifinals of the men's 5,000m are scheduled for Friday at 8:10 p.m., while the women's 5,000m semifinals are set for Saturday at 8:10 p.m.  

A native of Loveland, Colo., senior Dylan Schubert will compete in his second East preliminary and his first in the 5,000m.  He ranks tenth in the event after placing third with a time of 13:36.98 at the Wake Forest Invitational.  Schubert won the 1,500m at the SoCon Outdoor Championship.

Junior Sierra Bower, who hails from Carbondale, Colo., qualified for her first NCAA East Preliminary and will run in the women's 5,000m.  She recorded a personal-best time of 16:03.89 in the 5,000m at the Raleigh Relays to qualify and enters the meet ranked 40th in the event.  She won the event at the SoCon Outdoor Championships earlier this month.  

The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Eugene, Oregon, June 5-8.

NCAA East Preliminaries - Furman Schedule/Results

Wednesday, May 22

Men's 1,500m 1st Round - Cameron Ponder -- 48th (3:55.63)

Thursday, May 23

Women's 1,500m 1st Round – 3:30 p.m. – Megan Marvin

Friday, May 24

Men's 5,000m Semifinals – 8:10 p.m. – Dylan Schubert

Saturday, May 25

Women's 1,500m Quarterfinals – 5:15 p.m. – Megan Marvin if she advances

Women's 5,000m Semifinals – 8:10 p.m. – Sierra Bower