AUSTIN, Texas -- Jeff Chakouian is officially the man to beat at next year's NCAA championships.

The Seekonk native and University of Kentucky red-shirt junior captured third place at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday night at the University of Texas.

Despite still feeling the effects of a hernia -- which has hobbled him for the last four months -- Chakouian fouled on two of his six throws on the night, but his fourth one was recorded at 65-23/sub 4, which placed him second behind Nebraska's Carl Myerscough (67-83/sub 4) and Ohio State's Dan Taylor (65-113/sub 4).

Myerscough and Taylor, who were the top two seeds in the draw heading into the meet, are both seniors.

Chakouian had the second-best throw (63 feet, 81/sub 4 inches (19.41 meters) in Thursday night's preliminary round, while Myerscough, who entered as the top-ranked shot putter in the nation, qualified automatically on his very first throw of 68-73/sub 4 (20.92 meters). Two weeks ago, Chakouian broke his own school record with a heave of 66-3 to emerge victorious at the NCAA Mideast Regionals and qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials.