Mason Lawyer helps Cougs set school record in 4x100, then sets 200m school record at West Regionals...
COLLEGE STATION, Texas--Washington State's 4 x 100 team of Bryson Stubblefield, Mason Lawyer (Paul Merca photo), Parker Duskin and Keenan Kuntz broke the school record, at the NCAA West Regionals at EB Cushing Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M, running 39.09 to qualify for the NCAA championships for the first time since 2011.
Lawyer put the Cougs in contention with a strong second leg, while Duskin and Kuntz hung on for the fourth place finish and the first time qualifying spot to the national championships in Eugene.
The previous school record of 39.24 was set in 1991 by George Ogbeidi, Tony Li, Benari Burroughs, and Augustine Olobia.
Lawyer came back to finish third in the 100 meters, in a barely wind aided (+2.1) 9.95, which would have blown away the existing school record of 10.17 set by Olympians Anson Henry in 2002 and Louie Hinchliffe two years ago.
Just over an hour later, Lawyer broke the school record of 20.52 set by Anson Henry in 2002, running 20.34 to get yet another ticket to Eugene, finishing 4th in heat 3 and a time qualifier.
Washington's Nathan Green, a former NCAA champion at 1500 meters won his heat in 3:46.47. In the previous heat, Husky frosh Martin Barco was one spot outside the time qualifying mark, as he finished seventh in 3:41.28.
The steeplechase saw Cashmere native Rob McManus of Montana State qualified for his third straight NCAA championships in the steeplechase, running 8:30.65 to finish second in his heat.
Washington State's Kelvin Limo missed the final time qualifier as he ran 8:40.99 to finish fifth in heat 2. Limo missed the time qualifier by 1.86 second.
Washington's Isaac Briggs was eighth in heat 2 in 8:54,61, while Sean Janecko of Gonzaga was 15th in 9:25.26, In the third heat, Paul Talens of Gonzaga ran 8:56.98 for eighth. Former Western Washington standout Jeret Gillingham, competing as a grad student for Northern Arizona, was tenth in 9:01.39, and Cooper Laird of Gonzaga was 14th in 9:19.04.
Washington's Kyle Reinheimer was second in his heat of the 800 to qualify for Eugene, running 1:46.82. Teammate Justin O'Toole was eighth in his heat in 1:50.30.
USC, with Bellingham native Jacob Andrews, earned a spot to Eugene in the 4 x 400 relay, as the Trojans ran 3:02.18 to finish second in their heat.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
The triple jump saw Washington's Tim Luebbert finish 21st (51-5.75/15.69m), Trevontay Smith 26th (50-9.5/15.48m), and Roman Hutchinson 40th (48-5.25/14.76m). Washington State's Eli Lawrence was 33rd at 49-8.5 (15.15m).
In the discus, Washington State's Kai Twaddle-Dunham was 26th with a throw of 182-9 (55.70m), and teammate Maxwell Moore was 35th at 178-9 (54.49m).
AJ McGloflin of WSU was 30th in the high jump with a best of 6-10.25 (2.09m).
In the 110 hurdles, John Paredes of the Cougars was seventh in his heat in 13.76.
Bellingham native Jacob Andrews of USC was sixth in heat 3 of the 400 in 46.07.
In the 400 hurdles, Bodi Ligins of UW was 18th overall in 51.21.
The 5000 saw Washington State's Evans Kurui's bid for a second spot in Eugene fall 1/100th of a second short.
In heat 2, Kurui was sixth in 13:34.89. The top five advanced to Eugene, and the two time qualifiers came out of the previous heat.
Acer Iverson of Washington was 14th in the heat in 13:53.19, and teammate Evan Jenkins was 19th in 14:12.45.
Heat 1 saw Washington's Jamar Distel finish 15th in 14:00.91, while Gonzaga's Wil Smith was 19th in 14:03.67. Washington's Leo Daschbach was 23rd in 14:30.28.
EAST REGIONALS...
In Jacksonville, Florida, Duke's Allison Neiders of Seattle and Bainbridge Island native Ella McRitchie of Harvard both no heighted in the women's pole vault at the NCAA East Regionals.
The event was pushed back to Friday due to Wednesday night's lightning delay that forced meet management to contest the men's vault Thursday.
Both went out at the opening height of 12-11 (3.94m).
Seattle Prep grad Will Floyd of Georgia earned a ticket to Eugene, finishing third in his heat of the 400 in 45.68. Floyd was part of Georgia's 4 x 400 relay team that qualified, winning their heat in 3:03.15.
Bellingham native Andre Korbmacher of Florida State was disqualified in his heat of the 110 hurdles.
The women return to the track for Saturday's finale.
Results from day 3 of the NCAA West Regionals are available here, while the East Regional results are available here.
GRAND SLAM TRACK HEADS TO PHILLY...
The Grand Slam Track circuit returns to action Saturday and Sunday, as Michael Johnson's innovative track circuit visits Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
The meet will be televised on the CW and streamed on Peacock, starting at 1:30 pm Saturday.
Josh Kerr (photo courtesy Grand Slam Track) of the Brooks Beasts will run the 800 on Saturday, and the 1500 on Sunday.
Kerr is coming off a win at the Miami stop, where he won the 1500, and finished fourth in the 800 to take the overall win in the short distance category.
Washington State alum CJ Allen returns to Grand Slam Track after running in the first few stops of the Wanda Diamond League as a challenger in the long hurdles category.
Allen will run the 400 hurdles on Saturday, then finish the weekend Sunday with the 400.
In the Kingston debut of the circuit, Allen, who was a challenger, finished fifth in the 400 hurdles in 48.71, and 46.95 in the flat 400 to place sixth overall over the two days of competition.
NOTE: The NCAA, USTFCCCA and Grand Slam Track contributed to this report.
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