Nick Lyndaker punched his ticket to the NCAA championship 1500-meter final Thursday evening in La Crosse, Wis., posting an automatic qualifying standard of 3:51.08 to advance out of the preliminary round.

Lyndaker finished third in his heat and sixth overall in the prelim field, with his time earning the automatic qualifier and securing a spot in Saturday's final. His closing lap of 55.67 seconds ranked third among all prelim competitors, a mark consistent with the finishing speed that has defined his collegiate career.

The performance represents an improvement over Lyndaker's showing at last year's outdoor championship event, where he placed 14th in the prelim. He has lowered his 1500-meter time by three seconds entering the final.

Lyndaker heads to Saturday's final in familiar confines, as a former NCAA indoor mile champion. He claimed that title in 2025.

The final is scheduled for 2:35 p.m. ET.