INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The NCAA Track and Field Championships is one step closer to crowning the best athletes in the country with the release of the declaration lists of qualified performers for the finals in Sacramento, Calif., June 6-9.  CBS will air coverage of the Saturday finals from 12-2 p.m. (CT).

Just as last year, the University of South Alabama will send three athletes to the nationals.  Ajoke Odumosu (400m hurdles) and Tonny Okello (5000m) were automatic qualifiers, both finishing in the top-five spots of their respective events at this past weekend's Regional Championships, while Vincent Rono had to wait for an at-large bid from the Championships selection comittee because he finished sixth in his premier event, the 1500m.

The defending metric mile national champion ranks eighth out of the 27 qualifiers in the event.  His 3:41.43 converted time comes from the April 14 USA Invitational Sub-4 Minute Mile Run, where he became the first athlete to dip under the magical barrier on Alabama soil (3:59.63).  This year's NCAA indoor mile winner Leonel Manzano of Texas posted the fastest 1500m time in the country (3:40.21) at the Midwest Regional in Des Moines, Iowa.  The Longhorn junior was a distant fourth to Rono at the 2006 Outdoor Championships.

Okello, an All-American at 5000m at the 2006 finale, is headed to his Jag-record seventh career NCAA Championship Meet.  The Lira, Uganda native finished eighth last year over the 3.1mile distance and ranks 23rd this season after a season's best clocking of 14:03.32 at the Mideast Regional last Friday evening, a fifth-place showing to go with his runner-up finish last year.

Odumosu lost her title as the fastest-collegian in the country over the 400m barriers when LSU's Nickiesha Wilson dropped a 55.20 on the Lagos, Nigeria native at the Regional in Columbia, Mo.  Still, the six-time Sun Belt Conference outdoor champion has been ranked in the top-three in the event by Trackshark.com all season long.  At one point, Odumosu owned the fastest times in the world at both the 400m and 400m hurdles.  The senior will compete in her third NCAA Championships.