SEATTLE – World-leading times from some of the world's best athletes meant the Dempsey was back open for business today, as Washington opened up its 2019 track and field campaign hosting the UW Indoor Preview. The Dawgs posted seven new marks on their all-time Top-10 lists as well as a handful of times among the best in the NCAA in their first meet at home under an entirely new coaching staff.
Maurica and Andy Powell and their staff reconfigured a few aspects of the Dempsey today to help with athlete flow and a new coat of paint since last February had the interior looking a little different, but results were much the same as Yomif Kejelcha of the Nike Oregon Project ran the fastest mile in the world this year at 3:52.61 and Katie Nageotte had the world's second-best pole vault at 15-3 to both set Dempsey facility records.
Kejelcha broke a second Dempsey record a few seconds ahead of a new Husky record, as Mick Stanovsek ran the fastest 1,000-meters in school history at 2:21.25, while Kejelcha won in a time of 2:18.34. Stanovsek's 1k mark is the fastest in the NCAA this season and UW had another NCAA-leading time turned in from cross country All-American Katie Rainsberger, who rolled right into track season with a mile run of 4:37.30 today to take sixth behind a handful of professional runners, including two former Husky greats in Katie Mackey (4:30.02) and Mel Lawrence (4:33.74).
"From a meet management perspective, the changes to the Dempsey in the infield were well-received today, as we look to create more warm-up space for the student-athletes, and we have to thank Stephanie Bohannon for her efforts in getting this thing off the ground," said Director of Track & Field Maurica Powell.
"The athletic highlights today got started with a leading mile time from Katie. Jonah Wilson had a great day in the shot put, Connor Morello and Devan Kirk ran great 800's, Hannah Rusnak had a big PR in the hurdles. There was just a ton of excitement in the building today."
Wilson's throw was one of the big stories, as the sophomore PR'd by over three feet in the shot put to get the victory with a mark of 61-4 ¾. That jumped him from eighth up to No. 4 on the UW top-10 list with his first mark over 60-feet in college. Backing him up in second-place today was Jose Padilla, who also had a shot put PR of 56-7 ¼.
Kirk and Morello, both Pac-12 finalists in the 800-meters a year ago, ran big indoor career-bests today to start their season. Kirk was second overall and the top collegiate runner in 1:50.24 with Morello just a hair behind in 1:50.30. That time for Kirk puts him at No. 10 on the Husky top-10 list. Freshman Cass Elliott also ran a solid 800m debut in 1:52.84.
One freshman who broke into the top-10 list in her collegiate debut was Aaliyah Wilson, as the California native was fifth in the 60-meter hurdles final in 8.61 seconds to go to 10th in school history. But moving up higher on the same list was sophomore Hannah Rusnak, as the multi-eventer thrived in one of her best events. Rusnak was second overall today in a big new PR of 8.42 seconds, 0.23-seconds faster than her best a year ago. That moved her to a tie for No. 5 on the Husky top-10 list.
The first new top-10 mark of the day came from senior Onyie Chigbuogwu, who returned to action after a redshirt year and opened up with a new career-best in the weight throw, tossing 61-feet even for the new No. 3 mark in school history, taking second-place today. Onyie Chibuogwu went 61-feet in the weight throw today for a new No. 3 mark in school history.
Rainsberger had raced at the Dempsey twice before, back in 2017 as a member of the Oregon Ducks, but after missing last indoor season recovering from an injury, she returned to indoor track now calling the Dempsey home.
"It was the fastest I've ever opened up so I'm pleased with the effort, but I know there's still a lot more to do. There's something about the first race that's always a bit of a shock to the system, like 'Oh, that's what that feels like,' but to just familiarize myself with that feeling again. We haven't taken our foot off the gas at all, we're still working really hard, so just want to keep that rolling. I always loved racing at the Dempsey, so it was really cool to come back in here with the home crowd advantage. I felt proud to be out here in purple."
Also kicking off their seasons in the mile was All-American Lilli Burdon who was seventh overall today in 4:42.16, Emily Hamlin who clocked a PR of 4:48.95, and freshman Olivia O'Keeffe who ran 4:51.86.
Senior Hannah Derby looked strong in her season debut as she took second overall at 600-meters today in 1:31.71, with freshman Kellly Makin also submitting a strong time of 1:32.61. Up at the 3k, senior Anna Maxwell was 11th in the top heat in 9:33.18.
Two more former Huskies picked up wins today as Baylee Mires won the 800m in 2:08.70 after running the 1,000m earlier, and Eleanor Fulton was the 3,000m winner in 9:02.84. The Dawgs also had some sterling efforts from a couple volunteer assistant coaches, as Amos Bartelsmeyer was second in the mile in 3:55.32, a new U.S. leading time, and Sam Prakel was fourth in the 1,000m in 2:19.87.
Sophomore Nick Laccinole ran a new PR in the mile of 4:07.72 today while freshman Isaac Mohn suited up for the first time and ran the 3,000m in 8:18.19 while Chase Equall crossed in 8:23.25.
In the sprints, junior Evan Mafilas took second overall by just .01 seconds in the 200-meter dash with a new PR of 21.76 seconds, with Kemuel Santana also posting a PR of 22.01. Junior Oscar Herrera had the top Husky time at 600-meters on the men's side in 1:22.62.
Along with Rusnak and Wilson, junior Morganne Hill and freshman Karlee Stueckle opened up in the 60m hurdles. Hill had a best of 9.01 in the qualifying and Stueckle ran 8.87 to reach the final where she was seventh in 8.91.
Over at the pole vault, junior Annika Dayton led the Dawgs with an indoor PR of 13-1 ½. Makenna Barton, Kim Kramers, and Allyson Ely all made 11-9 ¾. On the men's side, Chase Smith made 17-4 ½ competing unattached to take third overall. Katie Rainsberger posted an NCAA-leading mile time of 4:37.30 today to jump to No. 5 on the Husky all-time list.
Sophomore Jelani Heath took runner-up in the women's long jump in her opener, going 18-9, while new transfer Sam Richmond was third in the men's long jump with a best of 22-5. Sophomore Jaylen Taylor had an indoor PR of 48-2 to take second-place in the triple jump.
Freshman Makayla Kelby, competing unattached, had three marks over 46-feet in the shot put today, the best one going 46-3 ½ as she took third overall. Junior Connor Jost delivered a PR of more than two feet today as he was fourth in the men's weight throw with a best of 56-10 ¾ while redshirt freshman Elijah Mason threw 53-0 ¼ in his first time with the implement.
