Completed Event: Track and Field at Texas Relays on March 26, 2025 ,
Track & Field
at Texas Relays
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wednesday, June 11
Eugene, Ore.
Grand Canyon
at
NCAA Championships
Photo by: Brendan Maloney
Wilmington leaves room to race faster at NCAAs
6/10/2025 8:00:00 AM | Track and Field, Paul Coro
GCU 400-meter hurdler became program's 1st outdoor men's track national qualifier
Grand Canyon's Cam Wilmington emerged from the hundreds of hurdlers in the nation to qualify for this week's NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships by having a career day.
It just was not his best day. That might come this week in TrackTown USA, where Wilmington is among 24 qualifiers in the 400-meter hurdles at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Wilmington got there after running a career-best time of 50.04 seconds at the NCAA West First Round, but that came with a couple stumbles noticeable only to the track-trained eye and worth small fractions of a second. Where he saw a chance to go faster than 50 seconds, the GCU program celebrated its 16th NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships qualifier since becoming Division I, but the first Lope to do so in a men's track event.
"I messed up on two parts of my race," the GCU graduate student and WAC 400-meter hurdles champion said. "It was crazy that I still I got a PB. With the pace I was going, I knew I had to PB at that meet. This one took one of the faster times to get in.
"I feel like I have more in the tank for nationals to see if I can PB again."
If he can, he might break the GCU record set by his teammate, fellow graduate student Daviciea McCartney, who ran the race in 49.89 at the regular-season finale but had his leg give out on the final hurdle landing of his NCAA West First Round race.
That left an opening for Wilmington to reach NCAAs for the second time after also doing it for Kansas in 2023, when he placed 18th in the nation. He transferred to GCU in part because he wanted to train with McCartney, whose improvement with the Lopes under head coach Tom Flood caught Wilmington's eye.
"I needed to go to a school where I could go out with a bang and where I have people that can get me better and not just keep me constant," Wilmington said. "Davi was a big part of me coming, so I'm really grateful to him."
Flood told Wilmington that he would go to nationals if he came to GCU.
"I'm thrilled for Cam to have qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships," Flood said. "Cam has made an immediate impact on our team from Day 1. While his performances on the track all year have been impressive, I've always enjoyed the amount of energy he brings to practice every day."
That stemmed from Wilmington's youth outside Houston, where he was a late bloomer physically and was drawn to the hurdles because being strong technically could make up for not being strong physically yet.
When his body caught up, few were catching up to Wilmington. His style remains as a fast starter who holds off pursuit.
"The race is never going to be perfect," Wilmington said. "Toward the end, I always have to work on my ending. I like to get out very fast, and I'm going to hold it."
This season's caliber of GCU schedule has removed the nerves for Wilmington, who has seen a steady dose of elite competition throughout the season to be accustomed to racers at each shoulder.
Wilmington also credited Lopes teammate Erin Brown for relaxing him at larger meets, saying, 'Cam, you're going to do what you're going to do. If you're a 49-second 400 hurdler, you'll be a 49-second 400 hurdler."
The presence of his teammates at the regional meet relaxed him to feel like it was a regular-season meet. When he races in Lane 2 of the semifinals' second heat at 6:15Â p.m. Wednesday, his poise will be tested by second-ranked Saad Hinti of Tennessee and fourth-ranked Kody Blackwood of Texas in his heat.
The top two finishers in each of the three heats advance to the final, along with the three other fastest competitors.
"I love the competition," Wilmington said. "That's where I thrive at. You're going to push me to go faster than the limits I had."
He is approaching the final hurdle of the GCU lap in his collegiate career. Wilmington intends to finish his master's degree in Business Leadership in preparation for following his father with a pharmaceutical sales career.
"Coach Flood and GCU have changed me for the better," Wilmington said. "I've met a lot of different people who have let me learn different aspects of myself and helped me grow as a man. It's taught me that I can really be myself. Being myself has helped me run faster."
Once he has cleared his final collegiate hurdle, Wilmington will remain at the GCU track as a volunteer assistant coach.Â
It just was not his best day. That might come this week in TrackTown USA, where Wilmington is among 24 qualifiers in the 400-meter hurdles at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Wilmington got there after running a career-best time of 50.04 seconds at the NCAA West First Round, but that came with a couple stumbles noticeable only to the track-trained eye and worth small fractions of a second. Where he saw a chance to go faster than 50 seconds, the GCU program celebrated its 16th NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships qualifier since becoming Division I, but the first Lope to do so in a men's track event."I messed up on two parts of my race," the GCU graduate student and WAC 400-meter hurdles champion said. "It was crazy that I still I got a PB. With the pace I was going, I knew I had to PB at that meet. This one took one of the faster times to get in.
"I feel like I have more in the tank for nationals to see if I can PB again."
If he can, he might break the GCU record set by his teammate, fellow graduate student Daviciea McCartney, who ran the race in 49.89 at the regular-season finale but had his leg give out on the final hurdle landing of his NCAA West First Round race.
That left an opening for Wilmington to reach NCAAs for the second time after also doing it for Kansas in 2023, when he placed 18th in the nation. He transferred to GCU in part because he wanted to train with McCartney, whose improvement with the Lopes under head coach Tom Flood caught Wilmington's eye.
"I needed to go to a school where I could go out with a bang and where I have people that can get me better and not just keep me constant," Wilmington said. "Davi was a big part of me coming, so I'm really grateful to him."
Flood told Wilmington that he would go to nationals if he came to GCU."I'm thrilled for Cam to have qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships," Flood said. "Cam has made an immediate impact on our team from Day 1. While his performances on the track all year have been impressive, I've always enjoyed the amount of energy he brings to practice every day."
That stemmed from Wilmington's youth outside Houston, where he was a late bloomer physically and was drawn to the hurdles because being strong technically could make up for not being strong physically yet.
When his body caught up, few were catching up to Wilmington. His style remains as a fast starter who holds off pursuit.
"The race is never going to be perfect," Wilmington said. "Toward the end, I always have to work on my ending. I like to get out very fast, and I'm going to hold it."
This season's caliber of GCU schedule has removed the nerves for Wilmington, who has seen a steady dose of elite competition throughout the season to be accustomed to racers at each shoulder.
Wilmington also credited Lopes teammate Erin Brown for relaxing him at larger meets, saying, 'Cam, you're going to do what you're going to do. If you're a 49-second 400 hurdler, you'll be a 49-second 400 hurdler."The presence of his teammates at the regional meet relaxed him to feel like it was a regular-season meet. When he races in Lane 2 of the semifinals' second heat at 6:15Â p.m. Wednesday, his poise will be tested by second-ranked Saad Hinti of Tennessee and fourth-ranked Kody Blackwood of Texas in his heat.
The top two finishers in each of the three heats advance to the final, along with the three other fastest competitors.
"I love the competition," Wilmington said. "That's where I thrive at. You're going to push me to go faster than the limits I had."
He is approaching the final hurdle of the GCU lap in his collegiate career. Wilmington intends to finish his master's degree in Business Leadership in preparation for following his father with a pharmaceutical sales career.
"Coach Flood and GCU have changed me for the better," Wilmington said. "I've met a lot of different people who have let me learn different aspects of myself and helped me grow as a man. It's taught me that I can really be myself. Being myself has helped me run faster."
Once he has cleared his final collegiate hurdle, Wilmington will remain at the GCU track as a volunteer assistant coach.Â
"He is probably one of the most competitive athletes I've ever coached and is a great teammate," Flood said.  "Excited to watch Cam compete this week but also just as excited to have him back with us next year as a volunteer coach."
The stream of the NCAA Championships will be on ESPN+ here.
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