COLLEGE STATION, Texas – On its first day of competition at E.B. Cushing Stadium, Baylor men's track & field saw Igor Olaru punch his ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the men's hammer throw on Wednesday at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. Additionally, three Bears advanced to the quarterfinals in their respective events.  
 
With the freshman's advancement to the Championships, Olaru becomes the first Bear in program history to advance in the hammer throw event. Additionally, the Moldavian is the only freshman to advance out of the top-24 field in the east and west.
 
Olaru began the day in the men's hammer throw to start off Baylor in day one of competition. After some morning weather delays, Olaru wasted no time, breaking the BU program record for the eighth time this season on his second throw at 220-1.
 
Moving to the running events, Demario Prince grabbed a Big Q in the 110mH at 13.48 (+0.2 m/s). Running out of lane five, Prince finished second in his heat to qualify to the quarterfinals, taking place Friday at 6:15 pm CT.
 
To no one's surprise, the NCAA leader of Nathaniel Ezekiel cruised to a qualification to the quarterfinals in the men's 400mH. Ezekiel ran the second-fastest time of the event at 49.37 to push past the competition and advance to Friday's quarterfinals.
 
Rounding out the day for Baylor was De'montray Callis, who finished 11^th overall to survive and advance to the quarterfinals of the men's 200m at 20.67, a season-best.
 
Callis and Laurenz Colbert also competed in the 100m, finishing outside the cut line at 24^th and 35^th respectively.
 
JL Van Rensburg took part in the men's shot put, finishing in 23^rd place at 59-8.25 to round out his freshman season.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The women will take the track tomorrow with the first event of long jump beginning at 4:30 pm CT and running events beginning at 7:00 pm CT in the 100m.