UNI track and field: Fare, Fusco take stage on day two of NCAA West Preliminaries

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. --- A pair of Panthers stepped into the spotlight on Thursday night as UNI's Katie Fare and Carlie Jo Fusco opened up the women's competition at the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field West Preliminary Meet at E.B. Cushing Stadium on the Texas A&M University campus.

Fare the reigning Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) champion in the shot put made her second career appearance at the NCAA Preliminary Meet after finishing 22nd in 2023, while Fusco, this year's conference champion in the 400-meter hurdles, made her NCAA Preliminary debut in her first outdoor campaign as an attached athlete, looking to qualify for the final NCAA Championship meet next month in Eugene, Oregon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Making her second career NCAA Prelims appearance, Fare threw 51 feet, five and three-quarter inches (15.69 meters) in the shot put in her final collegiate meet to place 22nd. One of UNI's most dominant throwers in recent history, Fare won the shot put competition in each of her seven prior outdoor meets this year, including the MVC Outdoor Championships earlier this month, not only completing the indoor and outdoor title sweeps in the event this season, but also being named the MVC Women's Most Outstanding Field Athlete of both meets. A two-time conference outdoor field athlete of the week, she finishes her career as Northern Iowa's school record holder in the indoor shot put and ranks second all-time in the outdoor shot put.

Running the fourth of six heats of the 400-meter hurdles, Fusco clocked a 1:00.76 to close out the second day of competition, finishing in 42nd place overall in her first NCAA Preliminary meet. After redshirting the 2024 outdoor season, Fusco captured three 400-meter hurdle titles this season, including the Wartburg Outdoor Select, the Cyclone Twilight and the MVC Championships, where she posted the fourth-fastest time in school history (58.85).

UP NEXT
The Panthers return to action on Friday with the men's 4x400-meter relay quarterfinals at 8:45 p.m. CT, featuring Zack Butcher, Drake Hanson, Parker Kiewiet and Jake Bosch. Live coverage can be found on ESPN+.

PANTHERS AT NCAA WEST PRELIMINARY MEET

Wednesday, May 28

Men's Javelin (First Round) | Justice Miller - 19th - 217 feet, 1 inch (66.18m)
Men's Shot Put (First Round) | Carson Lienau - 22nd - 59 feet, 9 inches (18.29m)
Men's Shot Put (First Round) | Spencer Kessel - 34th - 57 feet, 11 ¾ inches (17.67m)
Men's Shot Put (First Round) | David Russell - 41st - 56 feet, 7 ½ inches (17.26m)
Men's Pole Vault (Semifinals) | Brendan Safley - 21st - 16 feet, 11 ½ inches (5.17m)
Men's 800m (First Round) | Drake Hanson - 32nd - 1:49.35
Men's 800m (First Round) | Chase Knoche - 37th - 1:50.03

Thursday, May 29

Women's Shot Put (First Round) | Katie Fare - 22nd - 51 feet, 5 ¾ inches (15.69m)
Women's 400m Hurdles (First Round) | Carlie Jo Fusco - 42nd - 1:00.76

Friday, May 30

8:45 p.m. CT - Men's 4x400m Relay (Quarterfinals) [Butcher, Hanson, Kiewiet, Bosch]

Saturday, May 31

3:30 p.m. CT - Women's High Jump (Semifinal) [Moreland]
5:40 p.m. CT - Women's 3,000m Steeplechase (Quarterfinals) [Hoins]
7:25 p.m. CT - Women's 400m Hurdles (Quarterfinals)***

*** Pending qualification

UNI track and field action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Track and Field), X (@UNITrackFieldXC) and on Instagram (@uni_tf_xc). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

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