NCAA West Region Prelim Meet: Live results | Schedule | Meet website | Live video

AUSTIN, Texas - UC Davis seniors Raquel Lambdin, Ashley Marshall and Cekarri Nixon each navigated through first rounds of the NCAA Track and Field Championships on Thursday and are headed into quarterfinal-round action at the University of Texas over the next two days.

Lambdin and Marshall, who last year advanced to the NCAA Finals in the 1,500-meter run and 100-meter dash, respectively, moved on to the next round in those two events while Nixon, the school-record holder in the 400, qualified in her specialty race as well.

The trio were part of seven Aggies in action during the first day of the NCAA West Region Prelim Meet, which serves as the opening rounds of the national championships. Emma Redick (400 hurdles), Jason Chandler (400 hurdles), Rianna Goins (800) and Nathan Strum (800) also competed on the first day but were unable to advance.

All of the UC Davis standouts earned their way into the meet as one of the top 48 regional competitors in their events. The top 12 finishers in each will qualify for the finals at the University of Oregon next month.

Lambdin won the last three Big West titles in the 1,500 -- setting a school record (4:17.09) during her most recent win -- and is an All-America honorable mention in the event. She took care of business on Thursday, winning the fourth heat in 4 minutes, 22.98 seconds. Lambdin ran comfortably in the pack for most of the race before moving from fourth to the lead on the final lap. She'll race on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (PDT) with her eyes on a second consecutive trip to the finals.

Marshall is bidding for her third straight trip to the NCAA Finals in the 100 and is in three events at the regional meet. She was timed in a wind-aided 11.38 seconds during Thursday's opening heat which was won by Alexis Faulkner of USC (11.28). Marshall took third, automatically earning a spot in Friday's quarterfinal round at 4:30 p.m.

Nixon added her name to the qualifiers by finishing fourth in her heat in 53.68 seconds. The top three in each of the six heats advanced for the quarterfinals but Nixon had the fastest time of the non-automatic qualifiers to easily move on. She'll race on Saturday at 5:35 p.m. as she tries for her first trip to the NCAA Finals.

Redick (1:02.35) and Chandler (54.05) opened the day for UC Davis in the hurdles while Goins (2:11.12) and Strum (1:56.52) tried in the evening to add to the Aggies' list.

Five Aggies will open their meets on Friday. Big West champion Erika Barr and Clara MacLeod will race in the steeplechase at 6:50 p.m., Katie Barber competes in the high jump at 4 p.m., Brandon Greenberg looks to qualify in the shot put at 4 p.m. and Ben Parodi will start things off in the hammer throw at noon. Marshall and Nixon will race in the 200 at 6 p.m.

The meet concludes on Saturday.

NCAA TRACK AND FIELD WEST PRELIM MEET
Austin, Texas (Univ. of Texas)
Day 1 of 3
UC Davis results

WOMEN
100 (first round) - 1. Jasmine Todd, Oregon, 10.89 (wa)... 11. Ashley Marshall, 11.38 (wa).
400 (first round) - 1. Ashley Spencer, 52.28... 15. Cekarri Nixon, 53.68.
800 (first round) - 1. Raevyn Rodgers, Oregon, 2:07.04... 37. Rianna Goins, 2:11.12
1500 (first round) - 1. Shelby Houlihan, Arizona State, 4:20.54... 7. Raquel Lambdin, 4:22.88.
400H (first round) - 1. Nnenya Hailey, Arizona, 56.90... 45. Emma Redick, 1:02.35.

MEN
800 (first round) - 1. Edward Kemboi, Iowa State, 1:47.65... 48. Nathan Strum, 1:56.52.
400H (first round) - 1. Michael Stigler, Kansas, 49.72... 44. Jason Chandler, 54.05.