Collegiate season closes with NCAA D1 champs in Austin starting Wednesday...

The 2022-23 collegiate track and field season roars to a close beginning Wednesday in Austin, Texas, as the University of Texas hosts the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium. 

Coming off a stretch over the last three months that saw the men's program finish on the podium with a fourth place finish at the NCAA indoor championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and win its first ever Pac-12 conference title in May, the Huskies head into the Lone Star state with thirteen entries.

The thirteen men's entries, led by defending champion at 1500 meters Joe Waskom (Paul Merca photo) are tied for second-most of any team in the NCAA behind only Arkansas. The Dawgs bring to Austin 2022 scorers Sam Ellis (3rd in 1500 at Princeton), Brian Fay (7th in 5000), Nathan Green (7th in 1500), Luke Houser (5th in 1500), Elijah Mason (7th in discus), and Ed Trippas (5th in steeple at Princeton). 

Meanwhile, the women's squad rolls into Texas with seven entries, led by 2022 scorers Ida Eikeng (2nd in heptathlon), and Kayley DeLay (2nd in steeple at Yale).

Washington goes into nationals ranked 8th nationally on the men's side and 10th on the women's side, both season-highs.

Gonzaga has James Mwaura entered in the men's 10000 and 5000, while Washington State's lone entry is Louie Hinchliffe in the 100 meters, and Eastern Washington's entry is Bobby Say in the triple jump.

Men's events will take place on Wednesday and Friday, and women's events go on Thursday and Saturday, with the exception of the decathlon and heptathlon competitions, as the decathlon goes Wednesday-Thursday, and the heptathlon Friday-Saturday.

 

The meet will be broadcast through ESPN, either streaming on ESPN+ or televised on ESPNU or ESPN2.

- Wednesday's televised window will be 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time on ESPNU.

- Thursday will air on ESPN2 from 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. PT

- Friday will air on ESPN2 from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. PT

- Saturday will air on ESPN2 from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. PT

Of the 20 athletes Washington is bringing to Austin, sixteen have previous experience at the NCAA outdoor championships. Two of the four who don't (Sophie O'Sullivan in the 1500, and Sara Borton in the pole vault) competed at the NCAA indoors, leaving only javelin thrower Chandler Ault and 400 hurdler Jonathan Birchman the only newbies at the national championships.

The Zags' James Mwaura goes to Austin with two NCAA championship meets in hand, qualifying in both the 5000 and 10000 in 2021, and the 10000 last year.

For both WSU's Louie Hinchliffe and Eastern Washington's Bobby Say, this is their first taste of NCAA championship meet competition. 

Washington natives competing for other institutions over the next four days include Walla Walla's Kenneth Rooks of BYU in the men's steeple; Connell's Ashton Riner of BYU in the women's javelin; Woodinville's Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame in the women's steeple; Dash Sirmon from Walla Walla competing for Nebraska in the men's javelin; and Rainier native Jeremiah Nubbe of host Texas in the men's discus.

Former Huskies competing in the meet include Jonah Wilson of Nebraska in the shot and discus, and Alex Slenning of Oregon in the steeple.  Former Cougar Charisma Taylor, who transferred to Tennessee, is entered in the 100 hurdles, long and triple jumps, and is on the Lady Vols' 4 x 100m relay pool. Former Seattle Pacific All-American Kaylee Mitchell is entered for Oregon State in the steeple.

Here is Wednesday's schedule (all times Pacific) of Washington athletes competing at the NCAA championships:

12:30 pm PT – Hammer – Jayden White (UW)

12:30 pm PT – Decathlon 100m – Ollie Thorner (UW)

1:10 pm PT – Decathlon Long Jump – Ollie Thorner (UW)

2:25 pm PT – Decathlon Shot Put – Ollie Thorner (UW)

3:30 pm PT – Javelin – Chandler Ault (UW), Dash Sirmon (Nebraska)

3:40 pm PT – Decathlon High Jump – Ollie Thorner (UW)

4:30 pm PT – Pole Vault – Jacob Englar (UW)

4:46 pm PT – 1500m Semifinals – Nathan Green, Luke Houser, Joe Waskom (all UW)

5:02 pm PT – 3000m Steeplechase Semifinals – Ed Trippas (UW), Kenneth Rooks (BYU), Alex Slenning (Oregon)

5:46 pm PT - 100m Semifinals - Louie Hinchliffe (WSU)

6:10 pm PT - Shot Put - Jonah Wilson (Nebraska)

6:14 pm PT – 800m Semifinals – Sam Ellis (UW)

6:30 pm PT – 400m Hurdles Semifinals – Jonathan Birchman, Cass Elliott (all UW)

6:56 pm PT – Decathlon 400m – Ollie Thorner (UW)

7:08 pm PT - 10000m - James Mwaura (Gonzaga)

The link to live results and start lists is available here.

paulmerca.blogspot.com will be in Austin for coverage of the NCAA championships.

PRO NOTES: In a post on his Instagram account, Washington State alum CJ Allen acknowledged that he is now sponsored by Asics, in reply to a congratulatory note after his win at the Fanny Blankers-Koen meet Sunday in Hengelo, Netherlands from Asics sports marketing executive Ben Cesar. 

Allen made his Asics debut at the USATF LA Grand Prix, but noted in a direct message to publisher Paul Merca that he was wearing their gear in LA, but hadn't officially signed.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CJ Allen (@allen214)

One mark we missed from the Music City Track Carnival last week in Nashville was from Washington State alum Brock Eager in the hammer in the Saturday portion of the meet. 

Eager was fourth with a throw of 230-8 (70.31m).

NOTE: The NCAA and the sports information offices of the University of Texas, University of Washington, Gonzaga University, Eastern Washington University, and Washington State University contributed to this report.

paulmerca.blogspot.com may receive a commission for any purchases made from links clicked. Please support this site and our sponsors by clicking on the links.