EUGENE, Ore. (June 9, 2022) - Rhema Otabor and Filippa Miller are set to compete at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships, as FIU makes its seventh consecutive appearance at this competition. 

Miller will begin action in the pole vault at 6 p.m., while Otabor will be close behind in the javelin at 6:45 p.m. Both events can be streamed on WatchESPN.com.
 

It's almost that time. 

Rhema Otabor and Filippa Miller compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships Thursday evening. #PawsUp 🐾 | #PantherPride pic.twitter.com/ESrF4kPa74
— FIU Track & Field (@FIU_TRACK) June 9, 2022
 

"Leading up to this - the championship part of the postseason - conference and regionals; those are high-pressure situations," said head coach Ryan Heberling. "Now when you're at nationals, you can just focus on competing on a high level and finishing as high as you can. Rhema's coming in ranked fourth, so there's some high expectations there. But all the work we've had leading up to this, I think we've figured out some really good things." 

Otabor, who reached NCAAs as a freshman last season, has every reason to feel confident coming in, having been ranked in the top five almost all season long. "I feel like no matter what - it's who's the best athlete on that day," Otabor said. "I feel like I've prepared all year. This is the biggest meet - this is what I was preparing all year for. I just want to go and do my best." 

It will be the first appearance at the outdoor championships for Miller, who recently earned the silver medal at the Conference USA Championships. Miller tied a personal best of 4.20m on her final opportunity at the NCAA East Prelims, and then broke her PR by clearing 4.31m on her second jump, qualifying her for Eugene. 

"She's had such a great year - great progression," said Heberling. "She's peaking when she needs too. Her confidence is sky high. I think that's going to be the biggest thing." 

"Coming off of regionals, it was such an amazing experience," said Miller. "PR's two times, and then coming here like this is really exciting."

"I've always dreamt about coming here." 

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