SPOKANE, Wash. — From historic Hayward Field to Hilmer Lodge Stadium, the Gonzaga track team spent the season racing at some of the most famed venues in the country. Two Zags now have the chance to compete on the biggest stage yet.

Willie Milam and Nick Roche were among the athletes who qualified for the 2014 Division I Outdoor Track and Field West Preliminary Championships when the NCAA released the participant list Thursday. The meet takes place May 29-31 in Fayetteville, Ark.

Milam, a redshirt junior from Portland, Ore., will race in the 5,000 meters while Roche, a junior from Tigard, Ore., will compete in the steeplechase. The top 12 finishers in each event will pair with the top 12 placers from the East Preliminary Championships to compete in the NCAA Championships, which take place June 11-14 in Eugene. Ore.

"We are pleased to have these two guys not only qualify, but have the expectation that it's not just about qualifying," said Pat Tyson, GU's program director and men's coach. "It's about digging deep, beating the odds and getting into the top 12 in your event, which gets you to the show."

This is the first time either Milam or Roche have qualified for regionals. It's also the first time a member of the Gonzaga men's team has been an automatic qualifier, meaning Milam and Roche both possessed one of the top 48 times among Western athletes and did not have to rely on scratches to make the cut.

"I think you feel a little more legitimate," Milam said of earning an automatic bid. "You feel like you belong and that you can run with those guys and compete for spots at nationals. It makes you believe in yourself."

Roche agreed, adding, "It gives you a lot of belief that all this training will get you to this position as long as you listen to the coaches and show up every day. It legitimized what we were doing. It's just awesome."

Milam is seeded 34th in the 5K, while Roche is No. 37 in the steeplechase. Both runners earned their regional bids by setting school records this season. Roche clocked a time of 8:59.29 at the Stanford Invitational in early April before Milam ran 14:00.19 at the Mt. SAC Relays two weeks later.

"Me and Nick have been talking about this since last summer," Milam said. "We're finally here. To get to this point, it's good to know that what we've been doing is working and paying off."

While neither Milam nor Roche have raced on this stage before, they have participated in some of the more competitive meets on the West Coast this season, such as the aforementioned Stanford Invite and the Mt. SAC Relays. Not only do those meets take place at two of the more prestigious venues in the country, but also traditionally feature many of the country's top athletes.

"Going to those big meets mentally prepares you for being around some of the best guys in the nation," Roche said. "I think the expectation is that we are going to be able to keep our head, focus on racing and put ourselves in a position to move on."

While qualifying for the West Prelims is a substantial individual accomplishment, Roche and Milam also recognize the significance of this moment for the Gonzaga track program. Roche said this demonstrates the Zags are closing the gap with other Division I schools in the region.

"Representing GU means a lot," Milam added. "It's exciting for both of us to go there and try to qualify for nationals as an individual, but we're doing it for the program and the team. I know I couldn't have done this without my teammates and my coaches. It's really exciting to see our program elevating."

Roche will have the first chance to represent Gonzaga at the West Preliminary Championships. His steeplechase heat will take place Friday, May 30, at 6:50 p.m. PDT. Milam will compete in the 5K the following day at 6:05 p.m. PDT.

"These are the biggest races of our lives," Milam said. "It's really exciting."