The national honors keep coming for the record setting UW women's distance medley team...

UW volunteer coach & race pacer Alli Cash, reserve Chloe
Foerster, coach Maurica Powell, and team members
Carley Thomas, Sophie O'Sullivan, Anna Gibson
and Marlena Preigh celebrate setting a new
NCAA record in the distance medley relay
(Paul Merca photo)

NEW ORLEANS--The University of Washington women's distance medley relay team of Sophie O'Sullivan, Marlena Preigh, Carley Thomas and Anna Gibson, along with sprinter Julien Alfred of Texas were named the co-NCAA Division I women's athletes of the week for the week ending February 7th.

Washington took down Oregon’s six-year-old all-time collegiate best in the distance medley relay on Friday night at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational at Boston University's Track & Tennis Center. 

The Huskies won the race by more than 13 seconds and were up by four seconds at the first exchange.

The team split 3:16.24. 54.21. 2:01.93. 4:34.26 on their legs of 1200-400-800 and 1600.

Oregon's previous collegiate record was set by a squad coached by current Husky program director Maurica Powell.

Julien Alfred of Texas ran 7.02 to take .02 off her previous all-time collegiate best set back on January 21. That came after Alfred posted the quickest time in the prelims of 7.05.

While this is the second time that Alfred's been named NCAA D1 athlete of the week this indoor season, this is the first time in program history that female athletes from Washington have been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the indoor season.

Washington, the nation's number 5 women's team in the country according to the USTFCCCA national indoor rating index, returns to action this Friday and Saturday at the Husky Classic at the Dempsey Center on the UW campus.

This is the second national athlete of the week given to a Washington athlete this season, as sprinter Anthony Smith was honored by the organization for his victory at the Spokane Invitational in December.

The USTFCCCA release is available here.

NOTE: The USTFCCCA, and sports information offices of the University of Washington, Boston University, the University of Nebraska, and the University of New Mexico contributed to this report.

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