Huskies Add All-American Transfer Sam Ritz
April 13, 2019 | Track & Field
SEATTLE – Washington continues to deepen its bench of mid-distance talent as the Dawgs today received a commitment from the top miler out of the Ivy League, Sam Ritz from Columbia University. Ritz, a 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships qualifier in the mile, will join the Huskies for his senior season in 2019-20.
Ritz, a native of Philadelphia, ran a personal-best in the mile of 3:59.36 this February, which qualified him for nationals. Ritz also won the Ivy League championship in the mile and anchored the distance medley relay to the league title as well. He earned Second Team All-America honors, taking 15th in the mile prelims in Birmingham, Ala. last month.
The addition of Ritz should give the Huskies four sub-four-minute milers when the 2020 indoor season rolls around. This past season, junior Mick Stanovsek ran 3:58.64 and redshirt freshman Talon Hull went 3:59.56. Added to that pair will be incoming freshman Samuel Tanner from New Zealand, who ran 3:58.41 in early March, becoming the first Husky recruit to have broken four minutes.
Washington Track & Field Recruiting Class of 2019-20
Sam Affolder – Distances – Loudoun Valley High School
1600m - 4:08.6 | 3200m - 8:59.8 | 2-Mile - 9:11.74
Ida Eikeng – Multis – University of Kentucky
Heptathlon - 5,658
Luke Houser – Distances – Woodinville High School
1600m - 4:10.2 | 3200m - 9:02.4
Andrea Markezich – Distances – Bear Creek High School
1600m - 5:03.02 | 3200m - 10:43.77
Daniel Maton – Distances – Camas High School
800m - 1:50.7 | 1600m - 4:07.5 | Mile - 4:08.1
Marlena Preigh – Mid-Distances – Fairview High School
800m - 2:06.80 | Mile - 4:54.03
Sam Ritz – Mid-Distances – Columbia University
Mile - 3:59.46
Makenna Schumacher – Distances – Jesuit High School
1500m - 4:32.38 | 3000m - 9:42.56
Tanya Simora – Throws – Puyallup High School
Javelin - 160-11
Melany Smart - Distances - St. Mary's Anglican Girls' School
1500m - 4:20.7 | Mile - 4:42.61 | 3000m - 9:12.71 | 5000m - 16:08.30
Samuel Tanner – Distances – Bethlehem College
800m - 1:49.42 | 1500m - 3:43.01 | Mile - 3:58.46
Carley Thomas – Mid-Distances – Castle Hill High School
800m - 2:01.13 | 400m Relay Split - 51.4
Ollie Thurner - Multis - Millfield School
Decathlon - 7,032
Samuel Van Peursem – Throws – Cedar Park Christian
Shot Put - 63-8 1/4 | Discus - 177-7
Joe Waskom – Distances – Mt. Si High School
Mile - 4:09.8 | 2-Mile - 8:54.2
Ritz, a native of Philadelphia, ran a personal-best in the mile of 3:59.36 this February, which qualified him for nationals. Ritz also won the Ivy League championship in the mile and anchored the distance medley relay to the league title as well. He earned Second Team All-America honors, taking 15th in the mile prelims in Birmingham, Ala. last month.
The addition of Ritz should give the Huskies four sub-four-minute milers when the 2020 indoor season rolls around. This past season, junior Mick Stanovsek ran 3:58.64 and redshirt freshman Talon Hull went 3:59.56. Added to that pair will be incoming freshman Samuel Tanner from New Zealand, who ran 3:58.41 in early March, becoming the first Husky recruit to have broken four minutes.
Washington Track & Field Recruiting Class of 2019-20
Sam Affolder – Distances – Loudoun Valley High School
1600m - 4:08.6 | 3200m - 8:59.8 | 2-Mile - 9:11.74
Ida Eikeng – Multis – University of Kentucky
Heptathlon - 5,658
Luke Houser – Distances – Woodinville High School
1600m - 4:10.2 | 3200m - 9:02.4
Andrea Markezich – Distances – Bear Creek High School
1600m - 5:03.02 | 3200m - 10:43.77
Daniel Maton – Distances – Camas High School
800m - 1:50.7 | 1600m - 4:07.5 | Mile - 4:08.1
Marlena Preigh – Mid-Distances – Fairview High School
800m - 2:06.80 | Mile - 4:54.03
Sam Ritz – Mid-Distances – Columbia University
Mile - 3:59.46
Makenna Schumacher – Distances – Jesuit High School
1500m - 4:32.38 | 3000m - 9:42.56
Tanya Simora – Throws – Puyallup High School
Javelin - 160-11
Melany Smart - Distances - St. Mary's Anglican Girls' School
1500m - 4:20.7 | Mile - 4:42.61 | 3000m - 9:12.71 | 5000m - 16:08.30
Samuel Tanner – Distances – Bethlehem College
800m - 1:49.42 | 1500m - 3:43.01 | Mile - 3:58.46
Carley Thomas – Mid-Distances – Castle Hill High School
800m - 2:01.13 | 400m Relay Split - 51.4
Ollie Thurner - Multis - Millfield School
Decathlon - 7,032
Samuel Van Peursem – Throws – Cedar Park Christian
Shot Put - 63-8 1/4 | Discus - 177-7
Joe Waskom – Distances – Mt. Si High School
Mile - 4:09.8 | 2-Mile - 8:54.2
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