Condensed Husky Classic meet doesn't bother distance races...
The most impressive marks of the day came in the final races of the day, the women’s and men’s 5000 meter runs.
In the men’s 5000, Colorado’s Joe Klecker (left/photo by Paul Merca), led 14 runners under 14 minutes in the fast section, including his Buffalo teammate and Colbert native John Dressel.
Klecker withstood a challenge from Eastern Kentucky’s James Sugira to win in 13:35.97, a mark that’s currently third on the NCAA Division I performance list.
Sugira’s time in second was 13:37.88, followed by Robert Brandt of UCLA at 13:40.80, and Dressed in 13:41.00.
Those marks behind Klecker are currently the fourth-through-sixth best marks in Division I, pending the results of other meets around the country.
Fred Huxham of the Huskies was sixth in that race in 13:42.67, while teammate Tanner Anderson was 13th in 13:54.98. Both are currently in the Division I top 16.
The women’s 5000 saw ten runners under 16 minutes, led by winner Regan Yee of the Langley Mustangs in British Columbia.
Yee, running her second straight 5000 at the Dempsey in two meets, fought back on the final lap to outkick Stanford’s Fiona O’Keeffe, 15:35.28 to 15:35.77.
Batt-Doyle currently sits number 15 on the NCAA Division I performance list.
Other highlights:
—In one of the most competitive races of the day, Oregon’s Cooper Teare won the men’s 3000, running 7:50.66, as all 13 runners in the heat ran under 8 minutes.
Garrett Heath of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts was fifth in 7:51.62.
—The battle of reigning NCAA outdoor champions went to Oregon’s Jessica Hull in the women’s 3000, as her speed proved too much for Boise State’s Allie Ostrander.
Hull, the outdoor 1500 champ, ran 8:53.91 to beat Ostrander, the two-time steeplechase champ, who ran 8:55.26.
Washington’s Katie Rainsberger finished seventh in 9:02.82, the third fastest time in Husky history.
—Arkansas alum Nikki Hiltz held off a late charge from Seattle resident Hannah Fields to win the women’s mile at 4:31.42 to 4:31.71, as two time US Olympian at 5000 meters Kim Conley was third in 4:33.72.
The Huskies’ Allie Schadler was sixth in the race in 4:37.12, the fifth fastest in school history.
—Texas’ Sam Worley had just enough over the last 100 meters to hold off Henry Wynne of the Brooks Beasts in the mile, running 3:57.98 to Wynne’s 3:58.00.
Brannon Kidder of the Beasts was fourth in 3:58.95, and was the last man to go under 4 minutes in an event that on paper, was projected to have at least ten with the potential to go under 4.
—Two time NCAA pole vault champ Olivia Gruver won her event with a clearance of 14-4.5 (4.38m).
—Saint Martin’s freshman Tyler Cronk earned an NCAA Division II auto qualifier in the men’s high jump, clearing 7-1 (2.16m), to beat Washington State’s Peyton Frederickson, who cleared 6-11 (2.11m) after clearing 7 feet in his last two meets.
—Washington’s Jonah Wilson won a depleted shot put competition, throwing 61-11.5 (18.88m), in an event that was a victim of the threatened snowstorm, as the field was to include world leader Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State.
None of the NDSU throwers made the trip to Seattle.
Complete results of the Husky Classic are available here.
IN OTHER ACTION…
Eastern Washington is the only Washington Division I and II school skipping the Husky Classic, opting to head east to Bozeman, Montana for the Montana State Invitational Friday and Saturday.
For the Eagles, this is a last chance for their athletes on the bubble to prove themselves to the coaching staff before the Big Sky indoor championships in two weeks. For some of the other athletes who appear to have spots in the Big Sky championship meet locked up, this is an opportunity to compete on the same facility that will host the Big Sky championships.
After this competition, the Eagles have the week off in preparation for the Big Sky Conference Indoor Championships.
The meet will be streamed on PlutoTV.
Washington State will send several sprinters and jumpers to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Don Kirby Elite meet.
Washington alum Katie Mackey, along with her Brooks Beasts teammates Drew Windle and Josh Kerr, are in New York for Saturday’s NYRR Millrose Games at the Armory.
Mackey is entered in the mile, while Windle is in the men’s 800, and Kerr in in the famed Wanamaker Mile.
Bellevue’s Katie Burnett is entered in the women’s one mile race walk, while former Renton native Devon Allen is entered in the men’s 60 hurdles.
The start list for the NYRR Millrose Games is available here. NBC Sports will offer live coverage of the Millrose Games from 1-3 pm, pacific time.
Pullman resident Katie Nageotte in in Rouen, France to vault in the Perche Elite Tour, while Washington alum Amy-Eloise Neale is in Birmingham, England for the British indoor championships, where she will run the 3000 meters.
NOTE: The New York Road Runners, and the sports information office of the University of Washington contributed to this report.
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