Lansing Sun

Michigan State Track and Field graduate student Ryan Talbot is set to compete in his third consecutive NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The decathlon event will take place at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on June 5-6, with live coverage available on ESPN2.

Talbot secured his spot at the nationals by winning the Big Ten Championship decathlon with a score of 7535 on May 10-11. This performance included top-five finishes in nine out of ten events and three event wins, marking his second career Big Ten gold medal. His score ranks him 22nd among the 24 competitors at the championships, led by Texas' Leo Neugebauer's score of 8708.

Despite this ranking, Talbot has previously achieved scores exceeding 8000 points. His personal best stands at 8064, recorded during his first Big Ten Championship win in May 2022. In past NCAA Championships, he finished 15th in Austin, Texas, in 2023 with a score of 7488 and placed 20th at Hayward Field in 2022 with a score of 6863.

Talbot represented Team USA at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, last October, where he earned a bronze medal with a score of 7742. Earlier this year, he scored 7488 at the Mt. SAC Relays.

While Talbot is Michigan State's sole representative at the NCAA Championships this year, other Spartans are preparing for Olympic Trials later this month. Heath Baldwin opted out of the NCAA meet to focus on U.S. Olympic Trials preparation. Kate Stewart-Barnett will compete in Canadian Olympic Team Trials for the steeplechase event. Former Spartan Tori Franklin aims for her second Olympics as she prepares for trials as well. Morgan Beadlescomb will participate in U.S Olympic Trials for the men's 5000m event.

The tentative schedule for the decathlon events is as follows:

Wednesday, June 5:

-100m: 3:30 p.m.

-Long Jump: 4:10 p.m.

-Shot Put: 5:25 p.m.

-High Jump: 6:40 p.m.

-400m: 9:56 p.m.

Thursday, June 6:

-110m Hurdles: 2:30 p.m.

-Discus: 3:20 p.m.

-Pole Vault: 4:30 p.m.

-Javelin:7 p.m.

-1500m:10:56 p.m.