UW vaulters go 5-6, while Dawgs get podium finishes from White and DMR after day 1 of NCAAs...
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico--Pole vaulters Sara Borton (Paul Merca photo) & Nastassja Campbell, along with pentathlete Ida Eikeng were the bright spots for the Washington women's team on the first day of the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center Friday.
Borton, the transfer from Tennessee, scaled a scaled a personal best 14-5.25 (4.40m) to finish in fifth place, while Campbell the Arkansas transfer, cleared the same height but was sixth on fewer misses.
Eikeng who was the leader in the pentathlon going into the 800 with 3623 points, needed a major miracle to even contend for one of the top three positions, with the 800 her weakest event.
The Norwegian started strongly, finishing second overall in the 60 hurdles, running 8.23. She then set a personal best in the high jump, clearing 5-8.75 (1.75m).
She won the shot put with a throw of 46-0.5 (14.03m), then went 19-6.25 (5.95m) to hold a 3623-3597 advantage over Notre Dame's Jadin O'Brien going into the 800.
Eikeng, who ran a personal best of 2:25.61 at last month's Husky Classic, instead ran 2:34.07, almost four seconds off her 800 in her one pentathlon run in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she ran 2:30.88.
Meanwhile, O'Brien finished second overall in the 800 in 2:13.40 to win the overall title with a collegiate leading score of 4512 points, with six other pentathletes passing Eikeng in the 800.
Nonetheless, she set a pentathlon personal best, scoring 4266 points, topping her score from the Frank Sevigne meet in Lincoln, where she scored 4198 points.
Between Borton, Campbell, and Eikeng, the Huskies scored eight points, and are currently tenth after 6 of 17 events.
The vaunted Washington middle distance crew didn't run close to what they demonstrated earlier in the season, as no Huskies will run in the finals in the 800 or mile Saturday.
In the second of two heats in the mile, Anna Gibson ran 4:41.78 to finish seventh in the heat, and one place out of the second time qualifier. Both time qualifiers to Saturday's final came from her heat.
Former Seattle Pacific All American Kaylee Mitchell of Oregon State was fifth in the first heat, running 4:42.36.
In the 800, Carley Thomas fell victim to the same fate that Gibson had in the mile, as she was in the faster of the two heats, finishing sixth in heat 1 in 2:03.37. Like Gibson, the Australian was one place out of the time qualifier to Saturday's finals, running 2:03.37.
In the second heat of the 800, Marlena Preigh was seventh in 2:08.25.
There was a major change in the running order of the distance medley relay, as the Huskies ran alternate Andrea Markezich on the opening 1200 leg. Thomas, who ran the 800 leg when UW set the collegiate record in Boston last month, was switched to the 400, while Boston anchor Anna Gibson was moved to the 800, and Sophie O'Sullivan, who ran leadoff last month, was moved to the anchor 1600 leg.
Whether it was fatigue, or the effects of the altitude, it wasn't a good outcome, as Washington was 12th in 11:36.40.
Stanford took the win in 10:56.34, while Notre Dame, which was anchored by Woodinville native Olivia Markezich, was third in 10:59.46.
Oklahoma State, who ran with Lake Stevens native Taylor Roe on the anchor, finished sixth in 11:02.57.
Washington State's Maribel Caicedo finished sixth in her heat of the 60 hurdles in 8.29, and did not advance to Saturday's finals.
Saturday, Roe, Olivia Markezich and Kaylee Mitchell will run the 3000, while University Place native Lexi Ellis of Oregon will jump in the finals of the triple jump.
MEN'S RECAP
The Husky distance medley relay team of Joe Waskom, Daniel Gaik, Nathan Green & Kieran Lumb (Paul Merca photo) originally finished fifth in 9:31.97 in a tight pack of four teams going for the finish line, but were moved to fourth when Tennessee anchor Yaseen Abdalla impeded Lumb's path to the finish line by flailing his right arm in front of Lumb.
Waskom and Green doubled back from the mile, with Waskom running the first leg as he did at the Arkansas Qualifier. Green ran the 800 leg in place of Cass Elliott, who finished seventh 30 minutes earlier in his heat of the 800.
Jayden White earned his second straight top 8 finish in the weight throw, throwing a season best 73-11 (22.53m) in the first round to finish fifth.
Four of the six Husky milers advanced to Saturday's final, led by All-Americans Luke Houser, who won the first heat, and Joe Waskom, who took heat 2.
Houser took command with a couple laps to go and was never caught, while Nathan Green came on strong behind him to make it a 1-2 Husky finish. Aaron Ahl took his shot and was in the mix going into the bell lap but fell to seventh.
The second heat saw Brian Fay take the early lead, before ceding to Aidan Ryan, while 1500m champ Waskom laid back.
Waskom eventually powered to the front and got another heat victory, with Fay kicking to make it a second-straight 1-2 Husky finish. Ryan had the seventh-fastest time overall but just missed the final time qualifier by one spot.
Walla Walla native Kenneth Rooks ran the opening 1200 leg for Brigham Young, which finished eighth in 9:39.45.
In the other final involving a Husky, Jacob Englar finished 13th in the pole vault, clearing a best of 17-11 (5.46m).
After day one of the heptathlon, Bruno Comin Pescador of the Huskies stands tenth with 3310 points.
His day included a 60 dash in 7.05, a long jump of 24-1.75 (7.36m), a toss in the shot put of 46-8.25 (14.23m), and a clearance of 6-6.75 (2.00m) in the high jump.
Comin Pescador returns for day 2 of the heptathlon at 9:30 am Pacific (10:30 am local time).
Washington's four milers are in the finals at 6:00 pm Pacific, while Fay doubles back in the 3000 an hour later, joined by Lumb.
After five events, Washington stands ninth with 9 points.
NOTE: The NCAA, and the sports information office of the University of Washington contributed to this report.
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