University of Minnesota Duluth men's track and field senior thrower Jackson Weston had the 12th longest shot put throw this past outdoor season, and on Tuesday, that spot clinched Weston a trip to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships inside Francis G. Welch in Emporia, Kansas. The meet, which will get underway Thursday, May 21st will go through Saturday, May 23rd.


Weston, a native of Grand Rapids, Minn., threw his qualfying shot put toss on April 22 at the Gary Wilson Invititational in Minneapolis, Minn. That throw came on his second effort, and was a distance of 17.84 -- the second best throw in the entire meet that day.


Last weekend, Weston place second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Malosky Stadium with a throw of 17.65, improving on his fourth place finish in late February in the NSIC Indoor Championships. Weston also finished eighth in the hammer throw with a toss of 51.40.


On April 12, Weston won the Gene Glader Invitational in St. Paul, Minn. with a shot put throw of 16.36 -- at the time, the 37th furthest throw of the young season in all of NCAA Division II.


Weston will compete on Saturday, May 23 in the shot put, which is scheduled to get underway at 3:45 p.m.