Jimmy Rhoads and Sara Borton of UW win jump-offs for final spots to Eugene...
Both jump-offs involving the Washington Huskies on day 2 of the NCAA West Preliminary Round at John McDonnell Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
Just after 2:30 local time, the rescheduled men's pole vault from Wednesday, which was postponed due to weather, got under way.
On a wet and humid day in Fayetteville, Jimmy Rhoads (UW Athletics photo) waited until the third bar of 17-7.25 (5.37m) to enter the competition.
After missing twice, Rhoads got over the bar to keep himself alive in the pursuit of one of the twelve spots to nationals.
As it turned out, only five vaulters cleared the next height of 17-11.25 (5.47m). Six other vaulters cleared 17-7.25 (5.37m) with fewer misses, with only Rhoads and Texas' Samuel Abati, who were tied for the final position to the national championships, having to jump off for a trip to Eugene.
Both missed their extra attempt at 17-11.25 (5.47m), then Rhoads cleared at 17-7.25 (5.37m), while Abati missed.
Several hours later, a similar situation occurred in the women's pole vault involving Husky senior Sara Borton, and Texas Tech's Kashlee Dickinson.
While teammates Amanda and Hana Moll, along with Veronica Vacca, and seven others cleared 14-6.25 (4.43m) to clinch their spots to Eugene, Borton was in the identical position that Rhoads was in earlier in the day, having the identical series.
Dickinson's clearance of the previous height of 14-2.5 (4.33m) was a personal best, while it was a season best for Borton.
Borton made quick work of the jump-off, clearing the extra attempt at 14-6.25 (4.43m), as Dickinson missed what would have been another personal best.
While Borton is listed in the results as clearing 14-2.5 (4.33m), her clearance of 14-6.25 (4.43m) is a personal best, with her previous PB set back in 2023 at the NCAA indoor championships in Albuquerque, where she finished fifth.
For Borton, who was injured all of last season, this will mark her second career appearance at the national outdoor championships. She made the podium in 2023, placing sixth.
Former WSU Cougars Eva Lowder (14-2.5/4.33m) and Tatum Moku (13-4.5/4.08m) finished 15th, and 26th. Washington's Avril Wilson was 41st with a best of 12-10.75 (3.93m).
In the javelin, former WSU Cougar and defending NCAA champ Valentina Barrios Bornacelli of Missouri won with a throw of 188-2 (57.35m).
Saydi Orange of Washington was sixth with a best of 175-6 (53.51m), while Kelso native Erin Tack of Arizona was 12th with a best of 165-0 (50.29m) to get the last spot to the national championships.
Washington's Leonie Troeger was 13th at 164-1 (50.03m), one spot out of a trip to the national championships, while UW school record holder and B1G Ten champ Ashley Schroeder was 21st at 156-7 (47.73m).
In the one track final Thursday, Gonzaga's Rosina Machu qualified for Eugene with her seventh place finish in the 10000 meters, running 32:29.47.
Washington's B1G Ten champ Chloe Thomas was 11th in 32:32.72, while teammate Abby DeVeau placed 13th in a personal best 32:44.64.
Gonzaga's Logan Hofstee was 17th in 33:14.21, while the Huskies' Maeve Stiles was 22nd in 33:50:06.
The Zags' Charlotte Dillon placed 25th in 34:06.15, while teammate Anna Grabowski was 40th in 35:07.93. Zenah Cheptoo of Washington State did not finish.
In other field event finals Thursday, Washington's Ava Washburn was 35th in the long jump with a best of 19-9 (6.03m). Bothell native Haedyn Bambolo of Arizona was 37th in the shot put at 48-2 (14.68m).
THURSDAY QUALIFYING:
In the 100 hurdles, former Cougar Micaela De Mello, now competing for Oregon (12.93), along with Washington's Sofia Cosculluela (13.31), qualified for Saturday's second round.
Rosemary Longisa of Washington State (4:12.73), Chloe Foerster of UW (4:13.78), former Husky Wilma Nielsen of Oregon (4:13.40), and the Huskies' Mia Cochran (4:13.68) all advanced to Saturday's second round in the 1500 meters.
Chloe Symon (2:03.60) and Jenica Swartz (2:04.73) moved on to Saturday's second round in the 800 meters.
Former Husky Kapiolani Coleman of UCLA ran 58.15 to qualify for Saturday's second round of the 400 hurdles. Eastern Washington's Jordyn Grady ran a personal best 58.25 but didn't move on.
Former Cougar Brooke Lyons, now at Arizona, ran 23.66 in the 200 but did not advance.
EAST REGIONALS RECAP
In Lexington, Kentucky, a pair of former Huskies qualified for the national championships in their events at the NCAA East Regional meet hosted by the University of Kentucky.
Sarah Ferguson of the host school, who started her career at UW before transferring to Division II Roberts Wesleyan, cleared a personal best 14-0 (4.27m) to finish tenth.
Bainbridge HS alum Ella McRitchie (Harvard) was 20th at 13-10 (4.22m), while Holy Names Academy grad Allison Neiders of Duke was 21st at 13-4.25 (4.07m). Neiders will transfer to the UW next season as a grad student.
Former Husky Kaia Tupu-South, now at Louisville, was fifth in the shot put with a toss of 57-6.25 (17.53m).
Carnation native Braelyn Baker of Duke advanced to Saturday's second round in the 400 meters, running 51.62.
HERE'S WHO'S COMPETING FRIDAY:
The men return to John McDonnell Track for day three of the meet. Here's the list of competitors with Washington ties competing Friday in individual events at both the West and East Regionals (there may be several competing on relay teams; relay composition aren't declared until roughly an hour before the race).
WEST REGIONAL:
110H: John Paredes and Parker Duskin (both Arizona)
1500: Tyler Bilyard, Martin Barco, Reuben Reina Jr. (all UW)
100: Louie Hinchliffe (Houston), Mason Lawyer (Arizona), Miguel Rosario (Grand Canyon)
200: Rosario, Lawyer
400: Alex Rhodes UW, Jacob Andrews (USC)
400H: Jonathan Frazier UW
3000ST: Isaac Briggs UW; Logan Law & Paul Talens (Gonzaga); Rob McManus (Montana St)
5000: Evans Kurui (WSU), Evan Jenkins (UW), Logan Schwartz (Gonzaga)
HJ: Leland Lieberg, Tomeko Cates (both UW)
TJ: Trevontay Smith, Roman Hutchinson (both UW), Dieumerci Migani (Eastern WA)
DT: Cort Gebbers (Eastern WA)
EAST REGIONAL:
110 HH: Andre Korbmacher (Florida St)
DT: Kai Twaddle-Dunham (Auburn), Jeremiah Nubbe (Virginia)
The NCAA West First Rounds will be streamed live via ESPN+ ($). The start list and link to live results for the NCAA West First Round is available here.
UW ALUM SCOTT TONEY TOP FINISHER AT TROND MOHN GAMES IN NORWAY...
A small group of Washington alums competed in Thursday night's Trond Mohn Games in Bergen, Norway.
Scott Toney (Paul Merca photo) had the highest placing, finishing second in the men's pole vault with a clearance of 17-7.75 (5.38m).
In the men's 1500, Kieran Lumb, who has been based in Norway after leaving UW men's coach Andy Powell's pro group, was third in 3:38.70, while Aaron Ahl, who competed in the steeple at last Saturday's LA Track Fest, was 14th in 3:43.11
Eleanor Fulton placed sixth in the women's 1500 in a season best 4:11.14.
Last year's NCAA champion in the 1500, Sophie O'Sullivan, dropped down in distance to 800 meters, where she was eighth in 2:11.55.
NOTE: The NCAA, USTFCCCA, European Athletics, and the sports information offices of Washington, Washington State, Gonzaga and Eastern Washington contributed to this report.
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