WSU's Rosemary Longisa leads all qualifiers in 1500m on final day of NCAA West Regionals...
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas--On the final day of the NCAA West First Round meet at John McDonnell Field on the University of Arkansas campus, Washington earned three more spots to the NCAA championships in Eugene in two weeks, while Washington State earned two spots, and Gonzaga took home a spot on the line.
Washington State's Rosemary Longisa (WSU Athletics photo), the collegiate leader in the event, ran to victory in her heat of the 1500, clocking the fastest time of the day in 4:07.38.
In the same heat, former Husky Wilma Nielsen of Oregon was third in 4:07.87. Washington's Chloe Foerster finished seventh in 4:11.68, but captured the final time qualifier to Eugene, as both time advancers came from this heat.
The Huskies' Mia Cochran was seventh in heat 1, running 4:12.07.
Former WSU Cougar Micaela DeMello of Oregon won her heat of the 100 hurdles to automatically advance home to Eugene in a wind-aided time of 12.75. In the same heat, Washington's Sofia Cosculluela, who is already qualified for the national championships in the heptathlon, ran 13.17.
Washington State's Caroline Jepkorir punched her ticket to Eugene with a fifth place finish in the third heat of the 3000 steeplechase in 10:10.15, taking home the final time qualifier.
In separate heats, Mercy Biwott of Washington State ran 10:32.52. Josephine Welin of Washington ran 10:38.36, and Lake Stevens native Ashley Reeck of Idaho State ran 11:03.11.
The 800 meters saw Washington's Chloe Symon break the Canadian national under-20 record for the second time this season, this time running 2:02.38. Unfortunately, she ended up 13th overall, and .17 seconds out of the final time qualifying position.
Teammate Jenica Swartz ran 2:04.51.
The 5000 meters saw Washington's Chloe Thomas and Julia David-Smith both advanced to nationals as the two time qualifiers.
In heat 1, David-Smith finished sixth in 15:39.39, two places behind Gonzaga's Rosina Machu, who ran a personal best 15:38.43 to get the fourth of five automatic qualifiers.
Gonzaga's Logan Hofstee was tenth in the heat in 15:58.64, while the Huskies' Mia Cochran was 18th in 16:34.09.
Heat 2 saw Washington's Chloe Thomas sit off the lead group to finish sixth in 15:31.18, one place out of an auto qualifier. However, she had the fastest time qualifying mark of the two heats, just ahead of David-Smith in heat 1.
Washington State's Zenah Cheptoo finished 17th in the heat in 16:28.96.
Both Thomas and Machu, who qualified in the 10000 two nights ago, will double in both the 5000 and 10000 at nationals.
Former Husky Kapiolani Coleman of UCLA was sixth in heat 3 of the 400 hurdles, running 59.68.
In the only relay event involving an athlete with Washington ties, former WSU Cougar Brooke Lyons, competing for Arizona, ran the leadoff leg on the Wildcats' 4 x 100 team that finished second in 43.28 to advance to the national championships. Arizona finished third overall.
EAST REGIONAL RECAP...
In Lexington, Kentucky, Carnation native Braelyn Baker of Duke advanced to Eugene in the 400 meters on the final day of the NCAA East First Round meet hosted by the University of Kentucky.
Baker finished fourth in the third of three heats in the 400, running 50.89. However, she picked up one of the two time qualifiers to Eugene.
Baker also anchored Duke's 4 x 100 relay to a second place finish in their heat. The Blue Devils ran 43.50 to earn an automatic qualifier. Baker also ran the second leg of their 4 x 400 relay, as they won their heat in 3:26.33. She had Duke's fastest split, running 50.14.
Mercer Island grad and Wake Forest freshman Victoria Rodriguez ran 10:15.95 in her heat of the 3000 steeplechase and did not advance.
KATIE MOON AND GIANNA WOODRUFF SET FOR RABAT DIAMOND LEAGUE MEET SUNDAY...
Defending world champion and former Pullman resident Katie Moon (photo courtesy Wanda Diamond League), along with Washington alum Gianna Woodruff, are both in the field for Sunday's third stop of the Wanda Diamond League tour in Rabat, Morocco, the Meeting International Mohammed VI.
Moon, who won last year's meet in Rabat en route to winning the overall Wanda Diamond League title in the pole vault, faces a field that includes 2024 Olympic champion Nina Kennedy of Australia, Great Britain's Molly Caudery, and fellow American's Sandi Morris and Emily Grove.
Woodruff, who competed in seven Diamond League meets last year and finished fifth at the world championships in the 400 hurdles, faces a field that includes Amalie Iuel of Norway, Savannah Sutherland of Canada, and USC alum Anna Cockrell.
Flotrack ($) will live stream the meet starting at 11 am Pacific time.
NOTE: The NCAA, USTFCCCA, Wanda Diamond League, and the sports information offices of Washington, Washington State, and Gonzaga contributed to this report.
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