LEXINGTON, Ky. – Western Michigan graduate student Kayla Schiera punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships by finishing in second place in her heat of the 3K steeplechase at the NCAA East Preliminaries earlier this evening. 

Schiera advanced in style, breaking her own school record with a time of 9:56.23. She earned an automatic qualifying spot and had the sixth best overall time in the event. 

She is the first Bronco to make the NCAA Championships since Gabrielle Collins (Long Jump) in 2018. Schiera has experience at the championship level, as she earned honorable mention All-American honors back in 2022. She finished 22nd in the 3K steeplechase at the NCAA Championships during that season. 

The championship meet will take place from June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.