Huskies to send solid group to Birmingham for NCAA D-1 champs; SPU women to send eight to D-2 champs...

INDIANAPOLIS—The NCAA announced its field for both the Division I and II indoor track and field championship meets Tuesday.

On the men’s side, the Washington Huskies will head to Birmingham, Alabama, led by its distance medley relay team of Blake Nelson, Jacopo Spano, Izaic Yorks (left/photo by Paul Merca), and Colby Gilbert.

The Huskies go into next week’s (March 11/12) meet as the number two seed in the distance medley, hoping to turn the tables on number one seed Oklahoma State, which defeated the Dawgs at the Alex Wilson Invitational at Notre Dame on February 20th, by a 9:26.60 to 9:27.19 margin.

Yorks, who ran a school record and national collegiate leading 3:53.89 last Saturday in the mile, will instead run the 3000 along with Gilbert, where they willl face Oregon’s Edward Cheserek, the defending cross country and indoor champ at 3000 and 5000 meters.

Two time MPSF 5000 meter champ Aaron Nelson will run the 5000, while new school record holder Chris Williams is entered in the 60 meter hurdles, by virtue of his 7.72 time at the MPSF meet last week.

Former MPSF champ Jax Thoirs is entered in the pole vault.

On the women’s side, Washington will have Eleanor Fulton in the mile, Diamara Planell Cruz and Liz Quick in the pole vault, and a distance medley relay team comprised of Fulton, Krista Armstead, Baylee Mires, and Maddie Meyers.

Athletes with Washington ties competing in the Division I championships include Hannah Cunliffe of Federal Way (Oregon) in the 60 and 200 meter dashes; Brooke Feldmeier of Tumwater (Oregon) in the 800; David Elliott of Puyallup (Boise State) in the mile and 3000, and Darian Brooks of Seattle (Stanford) in the triple jump. 

The list of accepted entries for the NCAA Division I championships are available here.

Seattle Pacific's Jalen Tims is entered in the 400m
at next week's NCAA D-2 champs (Paul Merca photo)

Seattle Pacific will have eight athletes headed to next week’s Division II championship meet in Pittsburg, Kansas.

The Falcons will send Jahzelle Ambus and Jalen Tims (400); Lynelle Decker and Chynna Phan (800); Maliea Luquin (60 hurdles); and a distance medley relay team of Decker, Ambus, Phan, and Anna Patti.

Geneva Lambert will be the Falcons’ lone field event competitor, as she’s entered in the high jump.

Saint Martin’s Shannon Porter and Central Washington’s Dani Eggleston will both run in the 3000.

Travis Milbrandt of Western Washington (60 hurdles), and Mikel Smith of Saint Martin’s (high jump) were the only men from the four Washington Division II schools accepted into the meet.

The list of accepted entries for the NCAA Division II championships are available here.

NOTE:  The NCAA contributed to this report.