PEORIA, Ill. -- Sophomore Michael Ward (Cardiff, South Wales/Llanishen) qualified for the 5,000 meters at the NCAA West Preliminary for the second straight year and a trio of Braves will run in the men's steeplechase at next week's NCAA West Prelim in Lawrence, Kan., announced Thursday.

Ward reached the NCAA West Prelim in both the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters last year, but was slowed by a late season injury.  In addition to Ward, the Bradley men's track & field team will have a total of four participants at the NCAA Prelims with sophomore Haran Dunderdale (Grantham, England/Carres) joining the senior duo of Chase Coffey (Hanna City, Ill./Farmington) and Eric Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) in the steeplechase. 

After sitting out the 2015 track season, Coffey and Delvo return to the NCAA West Prelim after running in the steeplechase at the 2014 event in Fayetteville, Ark.  Delvo was sixth in his heat and 14th in the event back in 2014, missing a spot in the national semifinals by less than a half second with a career-best and then school record of 8:50.43.

Coffey broke Delvo's school record in the steeplechase last week at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship, finishing second in a time of 8:50.40.  Dunderdale's career-best time of 8:55.68 from the San Francisco State Distance Carnival in early April is fourth in the MVC right behind Coffey and Delvo's season-best efforts and ranks third in school history.  The trio will run in the steeplechase Friday, May 27 at 9:30 p.m.

Ward is coming off a busy final day at the 2016 MVC Championship, where he placed second in the 1,500 meters to start the day Sunday and later that afternoon won the 5,000 meters for the first individual outdoor title for a Brave since 1986.  He accounted for 18 of Bradley's 52 points at the MVC Championship, which was the highest point total for the Braves since 1950. 

In addition to posting a school record 5,000 meter time of 13:54.49 at the Stanford Invitational back on April 1, Ward clocked the best time in the MVC in the event since 2014.  He will wrap up next week's competition for the Bradley men's track 7 field team Saturday, May 28th at 8:45 p.m.