Saturday, January 31, 2015

Huskies Jump Into NCAA Mix With DMR Victory

Maddie Meyers anchored the Dawgs to a 35-second win in the DMR, posting the No. 2 time in school history.
Huskies Jump Into NCAA Mix With DMR Victory
Release: 01/30/2015
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SEATTLE – A blazing distance medley relay, the second-fastest in school history, shot four Huskies up into contention for a spot in NCAA Indoor Championships field, highlighting the first day of action at the UW Invitational. Washington’s foursome of Eleanor Fulton, Gianna Woodruff,
Woodruff, GiannaSpr/HurSr.Los Angeles, Calif. / St. Mary's Academy
Baylee Mires, and Maddie Meyers were essentially running on their own throughout, racing the clock for a win in 11:05.38. That puts the Huskies up to fifth in the NCAA thus far, with the twelve fastest teams at season’s end earning a spot to nationals.

The first day of the two-day meet in the Dempsey saw an assortment of long and short events on the track, with a few field events mixed in, but the majority of action will take place on Saturday starting at 9:45 a.m. But day one still saw three new top-10 marks for the Husky recordbooks, led by the DMR, which is now second only to the 2012 team that won the NCAA title, with Mires running the third leg on that squad as well.

Fulton led off the opening 1,200-meters, immediately taking a big lead, with only a Husky ‘B’ team led by Erin Johnson keeping Fulton in her sights. Woodruff, an All-American in the 400m hurdles, ran the 400-meter leg, then passing to Mires for 800-meters, and then Seattle native and cross country All-American Maddie Meyers ran the final 1,600-meters in a split of approximately 4:36 to close.

In the men’s DMR, the Huskies had two more teams on the track, with the lineup of Blake Nelson, Kaid Tipton, Izaic Yorks, and Johnathan Stevens finishing second overall, and first among college teams, in 9:52.89.

Washington’s sprinters posted some strong marks and PRs in the 200-meters this evening. Senior Haley Jacobson ran an indoor best of 24.98 to jump to eighth on the top-10 list. On the men’s side, sophomore Andrew Brown was second overall in a PR of 21.79, and senior Maurice McNeal was third in 21.90. Redshirt freshman Lucas Strong also had a new PR of 22.07 to finish sixth overall.

In the women’s pentathlon, juniors Kimberly Stueckle and C.J. Smith both transitioned over to the multis for the first time. Stueckle started out the day in grand fashion in her usual event, the 60-meter hurdles, as she ran a new PR of 8.53 seconds, which was the fastest of the day and moved her into the UW top-10 list for the first time, up to No. 5.

Smith, a mid-distance runner by trade, would then close out the day by winning the final event, the 800-meters, in 2:14.01. That jumped her up to fifth in the final standings, with 3,449 points. Stueckle came in seventh overall at 3,358, with freshman Ericka Budinich finishing 17th with a 2,707 point total.

After the first day of the men’s heptathlon, former Husky All-American and 2013 World Championships Team USA member Jeremy Taiwo owns nearly a 500-point lead in his return to the Dempsey. Now training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, Taiwo scored 3,512 points over the first four events, winning the long jump (24-9 ¾), high jump (6-11 ¾) and even the shot put, where he used to struggle, at 48-5 ½, nearly two feet farther than his college PR.

Redshirt freshman Cole Jensen had 2,782 points over day one to sit in 11th for the Dawgs.

In the women’s weight throw, junior Bev Coleman had a toss of 52-10 ¾ on her second attempt, and junior Carolyn Gravelle was just off her own PR with a best of 52-1 ¼ while freshman Onyie Chibuogwu passed the 50-foot mark for the first time with a toss of 50-5 ¼.

The first flights of the men’s and women’s pole vault also took place tonight. On the women’s side, freshman Madi Krussow had the top clearance, competing unattached, going 12-6. Redshirt freshman Kaitlin Zinsli went an even 12-feet, and sophomore Jessica Goodkin went 11-6 ¼. The top pole vault flights will be on Saturday and feature several of the NCAA’s leaders.
Courtesy Washington Track & Field
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