Huskies advance seven women to NCAA championships...
SACRAMENTO--The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field preliminary round at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Sacramento State University concluded Saturday with the Huskies qualifying four more women to add to the three who already punched their ticket to Austin, Texas.
The big highlight of the evening was Washington's Sophie O'Sullivan (UW Athletics photo) picking the right day to have a breakthrough performance.
O'Sullivan, the Irish international, made a move in the last 120 meters, advancing from fifth to first to be the overall winner of the 1500 meters in 4:08.06.
That time is the 2023 collegiate leader, is the 11th fastest time in NCAA history, and sets a new Washington school record, eclipsing Katie Follett's 2010 mark of 4:10.66. O'Sullivan finished with a 63.28 last 400, and ran 2:10.30 over the last 800.
In the previous heat, the Huskies' Anna Gibson finished fourth in 4:12.71 to earn an automatic qualifying spot to the national championships in Austin, Texas in two weeks.
Steeplechaser Kayley DeLay of the Huskies, who finished second at the 2022 national championships while at Yale, earned a return to the nationals with her second place finish in heat 2, running 9:45.72.
In heat 1, former Seattle Pacific standout Kaylee Mitchell of Oregon State won in 9:40.41 to advance to nationals, while Washington State's Caroline Jerotich was seventh in a personal best 10:07.70.
Washington's Carley Thomas finished second in heat 3 of the 800, running 2:05.09 to earn an auto qualifier. In the same heat, Washington State's Elena Willems was eighth in 2:08.13.
Washington State's 4 x 100 meter relay team set a new school record, running 44.38 to finish sixth in their heat and 19th overall.
Mackenzie Fletcher of the Cougars was seventh in her heat of the 400 hurdles, running a personal best of 58.82.
In one of the biggest surprises, Lake Stevens native Taylor Roe of Oklahoma State, who was third at nationals last year, failed to qualify in the 5000, running 15:50.70 to finish seventh in heat 2 and 13th overall after being in contention over the first four kilometers.
However in the last 800, the pace jumped and Roe could not respond as the leaders pulled away.
In the previous heat, Gonzaga's Rosina Machu broke her own school record in the 5000, running 15:59.71 to finish eighth. Alaina Stone Boggs of Washington State was 15th in 16:16.11.
The other big surprise of the evening came in the triple jump, when University Place native and Pac-12 champion Lexi Ellis, who was one of the top seeds, failed to finish in the top 12 and qualify for the national championships. Ellis fouled her first two attempts before getting a mark, jumping 42-9.75 (13.05m), her worst mark indoors or outdoors in over a year.
Earlier in the day, Makayla Kelby of the Huskies, competing for the final time as a Husky before heading to Duke next season as a grad transfer, finished 16th in the discus with a throw of 173-11 (53.01m). Teammate Beatrice Asomaning was 26th at 167-10 (51.17m), while fellow Husky Kaia Tupu-South was 29th at 166-5 (50.73m).
In Jacksonville, Florida, Woodinville native Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame was the overall winner of the 3000 steeplechase at the NCAA East Prelims hosted by the University of North Florida Saturday.
Markezich won in a time of 9:52.54 to advance to her third NCAA championships in the event.
WASHINGTON STATE ALUM CJ ALLEN WINS 400 HURDLES AT USATF LA GRAND PRIX...
In Los Angeles, Washington State alum CJ Allen lowered his personal best in the 400 hurdles in winning the race at the USATF LA Grand Prix Saturday afternoon at UCLA's Drake Stadium, as professional track and field returned to Los Angeles.
Allen ran 47.91 to beat US world championships team members Kiallifah Rosser and Trevor Bassitt.
Rosser ran a season best 48.60 to get second, while Bassitt finished in 48.62 to take third.
In the men's 1500, Washington volunteer assistant coach Sam Prakel finished sixth in 3:35.78. Johnny Gregorek, who is coached remotely by UW men's head coach Andy Powell, was 7th in 3:36.24, while Washington State alum Paul Ryan was 12th in 3:40.79.
Isaiah Harris of the Brooks Beasts finished sixth in the men's 800, running 1:45.41.
The meet was highlighted by Ryan Crouser, who extended his world record in the shot put to 77-3.75 (23.56m).
Complete results of the USATF LA Grand Prix are available here.
WESTERN'S MARIAN LEDESMA QUALIFIES FOR 800M FINALS AT NCAA D2 CHAMPS...
In Pueblo, Colorado, junior Marian Ledesma of Western Washington finished fifth in the finals of the women's 800 Saturday as the NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships concluded at the CSU Pueblo Thunderbowl.
Ledesma, who competed at the nationals last year in this event while attending Azusa Pacific, ran 2:09.92, as Ukeyvia Beckwith of Embry-Riddle won in 2:06.73.
GIANNA WOODRUFF TO COMPETE IN RABAT DIAMOND LEAGUE MEET SUNDAY...
Washington alum Gianna Woodruff is entered in the 400 hurdles at Sunday's Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athletisme in Rabat, Morocco, the second stop of the season long Wanda Diamond League tour.
Woodruff, who is currently ranked sixth in the world, faces a field that includes five of the world's top ten hurdlers, including training partner and former world and Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad.
The meet will be televised live on CNBC starting at 11 AM Sunday.
NOTE: The NCAA, Wanda Diamond League, USA Track & Field and the sports information offices of Washington, Washington State, Gonzaga, Western Washington, contributed to this report.
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