LEXINGTON, Ky. — Graduate student Alexander Korczynski qualified for his third NCAA Championship in the 3000m steeplechase Friday night, finishing as the fourth-best runner at the East Preliminaries at the University of Kentucky.
 
The Willimantic, Connecticut native ran a personal-best time of 8:35.78 to finish second in his heat and fourth overall, earning him automatic qualification to the NCAA Championship semifinal in Eugene, Oregon Wednesday, June 5 at 5:02 p.m. PT and 8:02 p.m. ET.
 
With the qualification, Korczynski became just the fourth Northeastern athlete to ever qualify for three or more NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In 2022, he finished 15^th in the event with a time of 8:43.00.
 
In the men's 800m, graduate student Kerem Ayhan concluded his Northeastern career with a personal-best 1:47.22, finishing 17^th in the East Region during his first appearance at the East Preliminaries. Ayhan had a successful year in his graduate transfer year, winning gold in the 800m at the CAA Indoor Championships and silver at the CAA Silver Outdoor Championships.
 
The men's 5000m saw junior Benjamin Godish finish at 14:23.93 during his second year at the East Preliminaries. He closed out a junior year in which he qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, won gold in the 3000m and 1500m at the CAA Indoor Championships and won gold in the 5000m at the CAA Outdoor Championships.
 
Also running the 3000m steeplechase was junior Kyle Sarney, who finished in 9:39.91 after qualifying for the East Preliminaries for the second straight year. Sarney won gold in the distance medley relay at the CAA Indoor Championships in his junior year.
 
The women round out the week's competition Saturday, May 25. Senior Azza Borovicka-Swanson will run in heat one of the 3000m steeplechase at 5:40 p.m. and her classmate, Abigail Hassman, will race in heat one of the 5000m at 8:10 p.m. All the action will be streaming on ESPN+.