WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNCW track and field will send seven student-athletes to the NCAA East First Round in Jacksonville, Florida, on the campus of North Florida University at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium starting Wednesday, May 28.

On Wednesday, four Seahawks will be in action throughout the afternoon and into the evening session, which will be streamed on ESPN+ starting at 6 p.m. Miles Higgins, the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association Men's Javelin Throw Champion, will kick off the competition for the Seahawks at 2:30 p.m. 

Higgins, the program's all-time record holder (67.26 meters - 220-8), became an NCAA qualifier for the third straight season. He tossed 65.52 meters (214-11) in his season debut to win the UNCW Seahawk Invitational on March 7, for the 31st-best throw in the NCAA East.

"Miles is an absolute gamer. He's been a top-tier prospect since high school as one of the top-javelin throwers in the country," head coach Jeff Klaves said. "Since he's been on campus, he has brought an energy that is electric and helps set the tone. He did just that at the CAA championships. I'm excited to have Miles here on that stage again."

Bryson Robinson, the back-to-back CAA long jump gold medalist, will compete on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. 

Robinson won the title on his final attempt at the competition for the second straight season, posting a mark of 7.53 meters (24-8 1/2) at the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 14 to earn the final spot in the field.

"There is nobody else that I would rather have on the runway in that key moment. Time and time again, Bryson continues to show that he has a championship mindset. He continues to represent that if he has that one opportunity, he's going to put himself in the mix to get the job done."

J.T. Allen and Cameron Wright, the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association Men's 110-Meter Hurdles Champion, will run the first round of the 110 hurdles on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Both men must place in the top 24 to punch their tickets to the quarterfinals on Friday at 6:15 p.m.

Allen, a two-time qualifier, missed the 2025 CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with an injury. He entered the season with the second-fastest time in program history (13.64 seconds). He punched his ticket to the NCAA East First Rounds by running 13.84 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles prelims at the UNCW Seahawk Invitational on March 8, the 36th-fastest time in the NCAA East.

"J.T. has led our competitive culture shift internally. He's also helped lead our hurdles squad to a top-five national ranking as an event group. His success comes from his relentless ability to attack every race and every hurdle. Every time J.T. steps onto the track, he can do something special."

Wright ran 14.11 seconds to win the 2025 CAA Outdoor 110-Meter Hurdles Championship on May 15. He set the third-fastest time in UNCW history and the 46th-fastest time in the region of 13.88 seconds to finish third in the prelims on Wednesday at the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 14.

"Leaving a legacy of hard work and showing that when you put in the work, the results will come is what Cameron has done. He displays every single piece of that blue-collar, hard-working mentality that we want to be about."

Jordyn Robbins, the two-time CAA women's javelin throw champion, is the lone Seahawk competing on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

She threw 42.73 meters to win the 2025 CAA Javelin Throw Championship on May 14. Robbins became an NCAA qualifier for the second straight season with a season-best javelin throw of 45.59 meters (149-7) to finish seventh at the Duke Invitational (April 12, 2025). Originally on the outside looking in, Robbins earned the last spot in the field last Thursday.

"Jordyn is the face of our women's program from what she does academically and athletically and just who she is as a person. She continues to lead by example in every phase that we're looking for. She is our top returning placer from last season. She wants to punch her ticket to the next stage and showcase what she can do!"

Ivan Poag, a first-time NCAA qualifier for triple jump, will compete on Friday at 2:30 p.m. Poag was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer at the 2025 CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

He placed second in high jump at the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with the eighth-best leap in program history of 2.04 meters (6-8 1/4). He also finished second in long jump at the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a career-best leap of 7.16 meters (23-6).

Poag punched his ticket to the NCAA East First Round by finishing fourth in triple jump at the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 15. Poag posted the second-best leap in program history of 15.32 meters (50-3 1/4), the 46th-best result in the region for 2025.

"We've always believed that Ivan was capable, and it was just a matter of when and not if. This year was truly something special with him being named the CAA's Most Outstanding Field Performer. Ivan has been nothing but coachable every step of the way. I look forward to him stepping onto the track and being able to showcase his ability."

On Friday at 3:30 p.m., Donovan Lara, the two-time CAA high jump champion, will look to punch his ticket to the next round. Lara became an NCAA qualifier for the third time in his career by breaking Robbie Moss' 28-year school record with a mark of 2.14 meters (7 1/4) at the Dani Palooza Last Chance on May 18 for the 19th-best result in the region.

Lara cleared 2.08 meters (6-9 3/4) to win the 2025 CAA Outdoor High Jump Championship on May 15, his first CAA title since he was a freshman in 2022.

"Donovan has always had an immense amount of belief that he belongs. This season speaks exactly to that. It's the most consistent he's been day in and day out with practices and competitions. The sky is truly the limit and there is no bar that Donovan does not feel that he can't get over."