Smith Vaults Over 18-Feet And Into NCAA Top-10

Sunday, February 11

Seattle, WA

TBD

University of Washington

UW Indoor Open

February 11, 2018 | Track & Field

By: UW Athletic Communications

Complete Results

SEATTLE – Late in the third straight day of track and field action in the Dempsey, junior Chase Smith provided one last big highlight for the Huskies, as the 2017 MPSF Champion cleared a new career-best in the pole vault. Smith got over the 18-foot mark for the first time, making 18-1 today at the UW Indoor Open, and likely securing a second-straight trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The UW Indoor Open today saw another full eight hours of constant action in the Dempsey on the heels of Friday and Saturday's Husky Classic. Smith was one of just a handful of Huskies competing today, but his new PR was the tenth new mark for the Husky top-10 lists from the past three days.

Smith, the Helena, Montana native goes to No. 3 in school history indoors with the 18-1 clearance, moving just ahead of former teammate Jax Thoirs who won the 2016 NCAA Indoor title and behind two more NCAA Champions, Scott Roth and Brad Walker.

He came into the day ranked 22nd nationally with a season-best of 17-7, with only the top-16 earning spots to NCAA Indoors next month. The first goal was to clear 17-11 ¼, which would have jumped him up to 11th on the NCAA lists. Smith got over that on his second attempt today, then had the bar taken up to 18-1. He cleared that on his very first attempt, moving up to a tie for eighth nationally. Smith would then take three shots at 18-4 but wouldn't get that one today.

Only a few Huskies competed on the track today. One highlight was junior Sarah Stavig who competed in the 400-meters for the first time and had a solid time of 56.98 to finish fifth overall. Freshman Kemuel Santana ran the 400m for the first time, clocking 49.81.

Mayson Douglass had a season-best high jump clearance today, making 5-5 on her first attempt to finish fourth.

In the women's pole vault, Makenna Barton and Tori Franzen made 12-1 ¼. Ginger Markow, Candace Ho, Monica Cohen, and Allyson Ely all made 11-7 ¼.

In the throws, Gina Flint was second in the shot put at 48-9 and Angel Nkwonta upped her season-best to 43-8 ½ and freshman Ginny Mehl threw 40-4 ¾. Katie Wardsworth threw 52-10 ¾ in the weight throw. Redshirt freshman Connor Jost had a weight throw PR of 54-1 ¾ to place fourth.

The final Dempsey meet of the year will be in two weeks, when the MPSF Conference Championships return as the final tune-up before NCAAs.