LEXINGTON, Ky. - Ava Roberts made it back-to-back days with a national qualifier for UMBC outdoor track & field as she secured her place in the discus field in Oregon. 

In a similar fashion to Iosif Papa yesterday, Roberts grabbed the 12th qualification spot in the discus at the NCAA East First Round in Kentucky to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in two weeks. 

Roberts broke her own school record by nearly two full meters as she posted a mark of 54.37 meters to earn her spot in the field. Her 178' 4" throw came in the first of four flights. Roberts waited through 36 more competitors before hanging onto the 12th spot and being handed her ticket to the finals. 

Roberts is the first UMBC women's qualifier for nationals since Caitlyn Bobb in 2022. She is also the first women's athlete to qualify in a field event since 2018. She will compete on June 13.