INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA announced the invitees of its upcoming men's and women's outdoor track & field championships on Tuesday and Chico State's distance runners Marissa D'Atri, Della Molina, Iresh Molina and Brayden McLaughlin earned a ticket to Emporia, Kansas.
 
The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held May 23-25 at Emporia State's Francis G. Welch Stadium.
 
The senior and veteran D'Atri will compete in both the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000-meter run, Della Molina will join her teammate in the 5,000-meter race while her twin sister Iresh will run the 10,000-meter event.
 
McLaughlin, the lone Wildcat on the men's side to qualify, will also be going the distance in the men's 10,000-meter race.
 
The event and times (Pacific Time Zone) are as follows:
Thursday, May 23
5:10 p.m. – Women's 3,000-meter steeplechase (first round) – Marissa D'Atri
6:10 p.m. - Men's 10,000 meter (final) – Brayden McLaughlin
6:50 p.m. – Women's 10,000 meter (final) – Iresh Molina
 
Friday, May 24
5:30 p.m. – Women's 3,000-meter steeplechase (final) – Marissa D'Atri
 
Saturday, May 25
3:25 p.m. – Women's 5,000 meter (final) – Marissa D'Atri, Iresh Molina
 
Fans can watch the meet on NCAA.com. For meet information, click here. Tickets are $30 adults, $20 students/seniors for all sessions. Single sessions are also available for $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. It can be purchased at the Emporia State ticketing page.

While all four have experienced the NCAA Championships on the cross country course, the Wildcats will have a mix of experience and first-timers on the track & field stage. D'Atri will be making her third straight NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship appearance, McLaughlin is going back for the second time in three years and the Molina twins are making their debuts in their collegiate rookie season on the track.

For D'Atri, she has raced in the 3,000-meter steeplechase twice and the 5,000-meter last year. D'Atri made the finals in the steeplechase twice and earned All-American status in 2022 for finishing seventh in the finals. D'Atri also ran the 5,000-meter last season and finished 14^th overall. This season, D'Atri currently holds the fifth fastest time in the nation in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, running in 10:08.68 at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

McLaughlin's first visit to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships was in 2022, when he ran in the 10,000-meter event and placed 22nd overall.
 
In the women's 5,000 meter, Della Molina ran a 16:24.48 at the Franson Last Chance meet to post the 19^th fastest time in the nation while D'Atri ran a 16:26.08 at the prestigious Payton Jordan Invitational for 22^nd fastest.
 
Being true to its word, the Franson Last Chance meet solidified Iresh Molina's invitation in the 10,000. She ran a time of 34:19.11 for ninth fastest in the nation.
 
McLaughlin also took advantage of the Franson Last Chance meet, running a 29:16.11 in the men's 10,000-meter to post the 19^th fastest time in the nation.