Washington to send large contingent to NCAA indoors; Vikings' Weber plus DMR lead D2 entries...
INDIANAPOLIS--The NCAA announced the list of accepted entries into next week's NCAA Division I and II indoor track and field championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico (D1) and Virginia Beach, Virginia (D2) Tuesday evening.
In Division I, the Washington Huskies have twelve men's individual entries, plus its distance medley relay team, which is currently ranked number 2 in the country at 9:16.65 behind Oklahoma State.
On the women's side, the Huskies have six individual entries into the championships, plus its distance medley relay team, which set the collegiate record of 10:46.62 on February 3rd in Boston.
In Division II, Drew Weber of Western Washington in the 800 meters, and its distance medley relay team lead the charge on the men's side, while the women are led by national leader Vanessa Aniteye of Seattle Pacific in the 800.
DIVISION I
The Huskies have six entries in the mile: Joe Waskom (Paul Merca photo), Brian Fay, Nathan Green, Luke Houser, Aidan Ryan, Aaron Ahl, and two in the 3000 in Fay and Kieran Lumb. The six are seeded 2-3-4-5-7-16 going into the championship meet.
400 meter hurdler Cass Elliott, who reclaimed the school record in the 800 from Green in Boston, goes in his indoor specialty.
Bruno Comin Pescador, who went from number 16 to number 5 on the NCAA descending order list in the heptathlon, leads the Husky field event specialists. He'll be joined by a pair who have previous NCAA experience in Washington State grad transfer Jacob Englar in the pole vault, and Jayden White in the weight throw.
The distance medley relay team as it stands comprises of Waskom, Daniel Gaik, Elliott and Lumb, with
Anthony Smith and Jonathan Birchman listed as the alternates. That said, anyone who is entered in the meet in an individual event can be subbed in as well, giving Washington head track and field coach Andy Powell options in his arsenal.
Notable scratches for the Huskies in individual events include Fay in the 5000, Lumb in the mile, and Green in the 800. Keep in mind that the championship meet site is at altitude, which none of the middle distance runners, with the exception of Anna Gibson, have competed in this indoor season.
Walla Walla native Kenneth Rooks of BYU is entered as part of the Cougars' distance medley relay team.
The Washington women will have Carley Thomas and Marlena Preigh in the 800, Anna Gibson in the mile, Ida Eikeng in the pentathlon, and pole vaulters Nastassja Campbell and Sarah Borton.
The distance medley relay team entered comprises of the same four who set the collegiate record in Boston: Sophie O'Sullivan, Preigh, Thomas & Gibson, with Chloe Forrester and Andrea Markezich listed as the alternates. Like the men, any of the athletes competing in individual events can be subbed in, giving Husky director of track & field Maurica Powell some leeway.
O'Sullivan, who was towards the bottom of the top 16 descending order list, was scratched out of the mile, presumably so she can be fresh for the distance medley relay. In Boston, she ran 3:16 on the leadoff leg to give the Huskies a lead they never relinquished en route to the collegiate record.
Washington State's Maribel Caicedo is entered in the 60 hurdles, while defending national 3000m champion Taylor Roe from Lake Stevens and Oklahoma State, and Woodinville native Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame are entered in both the 3000 and the distance medley relay.
Former Seattle Pacific D2 All-American Kaylee Mitchell of Oregon State is in the mile and the 3000.
University Place native Lexi Ellis of Oregon is entered in the triple jump.
DIVISION II
Western Washington's distance medley relay (photo courtesy WWU Athletics) team grabbed one of the 12 spots for nationals after setting the program record of 9:45.48 at the UW Invitational in late January. The quartet of Will Henry (1200m), Brian Le (400m), Jonah Bloom (800m) and Drew Weber (1600m) will compete for a national title at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. Freshman Connor Palmen will also travel with the team and be available to run one of the four legs.
Weber is the lone male from any of the four Washington D2 schools entered in an individual event, as he'll go in the 800 meters, after running 1:49.86 at the Ken Shannon Last Chance meet Saturday in Seattle, a few days after winning the GNAC title in Spokane.
Division II national leader Vanessa Aniteye of Seattle Pacific leads the three women from Washington schools accepted into the Division II championships.
Aniteye has led NCAA D2 in the 800 from the start of the season, starting with a 2:13.04 clocking at the Spokane Invitational in December, to her current mark of 2:07.53, set at the Husky Classic on February 11th.
Central Washington's E'Lexis Hollis in the 60 meters, and Lauryn Chandler in the 60 hurdles are the only other qualifiers from the four Washington schools to the national championships.
Hollis is seeded number 13 with her season best of 7.46 seconds. Teammate Chandler is entered in the is seeded number 14 with a season-best of 8.57 seconds.
NOTE: The NCAA, USTFCCCA and the sports information departments of the University of Washington, Washington State University, Western Washington University, Seattle Pacific, Central Washington, and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference contributed to this report.
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