Wayne State University Athletics

Women's Track & Field 5/12/2026 6:00:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Zahnow Selected For NCAA Track and Field National Championships

DETROIT -- Wayne State University sophomore hurdler Megan Zahnow (Vicksburg, Mich.) has been selected to compete at the 2026 NCAA Division II outdoor track and field national championships next week in Emporia, Kan.

Zahnow will be making her inaugural appearance at the national championships. She was ranked No. 21 in the nation following the Last Chance meets this past week. Zahnow's qualification for nationals is the first by an outdoor hurdler for WSU since All-American and Hall of Fame inductee Karrington Seals qualified three consecutive years (2016-17-18).

Zahnow will race in a preliminary heat on Friday, May 22nd at 7:50 Eastern time. The finals will be held the following day at 5:25 should she advance to the top nine.

Her selection marks the fourth time in the last five years, WSU has had a qualifier for the outdoor national championship meet joining last year's selections Reagan Justice (10K) and Keneisha Thomas (400m hurdles), 2024 selection Thailyia Christensen (Steeplechase) and 2022 selection Makayla Sumrall (100m dash).

After the first year of the program in 2012-13, WSU had two selections in 2014 - Jen Rock (10K) and Brittany Johnson (1,500), along with a program record four selections (six events) the following year. Competing in the 2015 national championships were Kayla Balfour (5K and 10K), Lauren Gagnon (10K), Elizabeth Herriman (Javelin) and Chelsea Johnson (5K & Steeplechase).

WSU Hall of Fame inductee Herriman was selected again in 2016 and 2017 for the javelin along with the aforementioned Seals. After Karrington's senior year in 2018, WSU did not qualify anyone in 2019; 2020 was not held due to COVID, and the Warriors did not have a qualifier in 2021 before the current stretch began in 2022.

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Players Mentioned

Reagan Justice: Distance; 5' 3"; Senior; 4-Indoor/4-Outdoor

Keneisha Thomas: Sprints/Hurdles; 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior; 2-Indoor/2-Outdoor

Megan Zahnow: Hurdles; 5' 5"; Sophomore; 2-Indoor/1-Outdoor

Players Mentioned

Reagan Justice
: 5' 3"; Senior; 4-Indoor/4-Outdoor
: Distance

Keneisha Thomas
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior; 2-Indoor/2-Outdoor
: Sprints/Hurdles

Megan Zahnow
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; 2-Indoor/1-Outdoor
: Hurdles