Wallace won her heat and qualified for the finals of the 800 meters with a fourth-place time of 2:04.57. By advancing to the finals on Friday, Wallace will earn All-American honors at the outdoor championships for the first time in her career. Wallace competed at the 2009 championships in the 800 meters and finished 15th with a time of 2:07.27. Wallace will compete Thursday in the 1,500 meters at 6 p.m. Central time.

Hales finished third in his heat and qualified for the finals of the steeplechase with a seventh-place time of 8:46.52. Hales will compete Friday at 7:30 p.m. He finished 12th last season in the steeplechase with a time of 8:45.28.

Nathanael Litwiller of Sacramento State finished 24th in the 800 meters with a time of 1:51.79.

Idaho State’s Michael Arnold finished 20th in the pole vault at the championships with a mark of 16-4 3/4.

Seven Big Sky athletes will compete on Thursday. Montana State’s Patrick Casey (1,500 meters), Northern Arizona’s Pascal Tang (Hammer Throw), Sacramento State’s Ronald Brookins (110-meter hurdles) and Lea Wallace (1,500 meters) and Montana’s Lindsey Hall (Heptathlon), Katrina Drennon (1,500 meters) and Kara DeWalt (Steeplechase).