Alabama A&M hurdler Eric Barker to compete at NCAA East First Round

NORMAL — Alabama A&M University hurdler Eric Barker will be waiting just a bit longer before his summer break begins.

And that’s OK because he will be competing in next week’s NCAA Division I East First Round in Jacksonville, Fla.

Barker, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, posted the nation’s 41st-best time of 51.17 at the 2025 Southwestern Athlete Conference (SWAC) Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Championships on May 11 to qualify for the NCAA meet.

The Snellville, Ga., native will begin his quest for an opportunity to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., next Wednesday night at Jax Track at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida. Barker’s opening round begins at 7:20 p.m. (CT) and he must finish within the top 24 to advance to the quarterfinals. To advance to next month’s NCAA Championship, Barker would need to finish in within the top 12.

This season, Barker finished third at the Crimson Tide Invitational (51.57) and fourth at the SWAC Outdoor Championships (51.17). In addition, he also won his heat in the 400m hurdles at the SWAC Outdoor Championships in 51.32. Barker was eighth at the USF Invitational (51.97) and 13th at the Georgia Tech Invitational (52.87).

Tennessee’s Saad Hinti and Jevon Williams have the two best times this season in the 400m hurdles, qualifying in 48.44 and 48.77.