UT Tyler's Buck Thompson will be competing in the 2012 NCAA Men's Track & Field Championships after qualifying in the shot and discus last week. He is the first-ever multi-event qualifier for the Patriots.

Thompson, a sophomore, qualified with a 16.51 m throw in the shot put at the Incarnate Word Last Stand Meet in San Antonio. At the same meet, he had a 53.43 discus throw to qualify in that event as well.

For each men’s individual event contested, including the decathlon, the top 20 declared student-athletes were accepted into the competition by the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee.  

To see Thompson's results from the season, click here. He was the American Southwest Conference's Male Track and Field Athlete of the Week for March 16-17 and won the ASC Championship in the discus while finishing second in the shot put.

The NCAA Championships begin Thursday in Claremont, Cal. The men's discus is set for 5:10 p.m. PDT on Thursday and the shot will be held at 4:05 p.m. PDT Saturday.