DMR Delivers On Great Day In The Dempsey

Saturday, February 1

Seattle, WA

10:00 AM

University of Washington

UW Invitational

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

February 01, 2020 | Track & Field

Complete Results in PDF

By: UW Athletic Communications

SEATTLE – This reboot was much better than the original. One day after an officiating error brought the marquee race of the night to a premature end, the rescheduled women's distance medley relay produced what Washington most hoped for out of the UW Invitational weekend: an NCAA Indoor Championships qualifier.

The Huskies would get much more than just the DMR qualifier from the weekend in the Dempsey, as Washington finished the two-day meet with a massive 17 new marks for the Top-10 lists, a pair of freshman school records, two new sub-four-minute milers, a 20-meter men's shot put toss, and 10 event victories.

But it would have felt a little incomplete without a sub-11-minute run from the distance medley relay, which returned for another shot at posting an NCAA qualifier at the end of today's meet, after a miscue on Friday where the officials had the teams make the exchange from the 800m leg to the 1600m leg one lap too soon, which led to the teams stopping what had been a record-setting pace.

The same four women were back at it this evening, with Allie Schadler running the 1,200-meter lead leg again, then passing to Olivia Ribera for 400-meters, then to freshman Carley Thomas for the 800-meter carry, which made it the full 800-meters today, and then to Katie Rainsberger for the anchor. The Huskies and BYU helped each other along tonight, exchanging the lead a few times until BYU crossed in a Dempsey-record 10:53.95 and Washington was right behind in 10:56.23, the second-fastest time in school history and almost assuredly an NCAA qualifier.

"The DMR was the focus of the weekend for NCAA qualifying, so for that to be the one thing that went haywire was stressful," said Director of Track & Field Maurica Powell. "Honestly it wasn't that stressful for the athletes, they handled it really well. We as coaches wanted to give them the best opportunity possible and we were disappointed to have a logistical issue that prevented that yesterday, but I can't say it enough, our women and the BYU women and the Utah women handled it brilliantly. They were awesome and I think it was a really gutsy run by those teams."

Schadler, who had to run her full 1,200-meter leg both days, said she wasn't fazed. "We treated it as a prelim and knew we were going to be back today," Schadler said. "Everyone felt a lot more confident and comfortable coming into today because we felt like we got the rust out of the way yesterday. Today was more of a fun thing to see what us and BYU could do. It was a lot of fun. It was like we were all one big team."

Schadler led off for the Huskies at NCAAs last year when the DMR placed seventh. "Last season was a whole new experience," she said. "I didn't really know what I was doing. Now I am a lot more confident in myself and my abilities to believe in myself and I think that is the biggest part. I know that I have a team to back it up. It is really exciting."

A thrilling top heat of the men's mile featured four Huskies chasing the sub-four-minute mile mark, with two cashing in today. Freshman Sam Tanner, in his first collegiate mile, ran 3:59.01, and broke the Husky freshman record by .03 seconds set by Izaic Yorks in 2014. Then the newest addition to the squad, former D-II national champion Dustin Nading, got his first sub-four with a time of 3:59.77.

"It wasn't as clean as my first (sub-four) mile (outdoors) but indoors is pretty fun," said Tanner, the native of Tauranga, New Zealand. "It felt pretty smooth. It was enjoyable. I'm feeling pretty fit. I can definitely go faster. I felt really good until the last few seconds where I was tying up a little bit, but they say in New Zealand, do the mahi, get the treats, which means do the work and reap the rewards, and that's what I've been doing."

?? Two more Dawgs get their first Sub-Fours!! You now officially have to run under 4:00 to make the Husky mile Top-10 list.

Freshman Sam Tanner goes 3:59.01 and new addition Dustin Nading runs 3:59.77??

?? Huskies are now in the sub-4:00 club #GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/pH0v3aT9LW
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) February 2, 2020

Tanner and Nading join Mick Stanovsek for a trio now of sub-four milers this season, the most ever for UW in one year. Washington also now has 10 sub-four milers in school history. Tanner goes to No. 7 in school history and Nading to No. 10.

More youthful talent and depth from the men's distance squad was shown in the 3,000-meters, where freshman Luke Houser won his heat in a new freshman record 7:58.96, which was the No. 6 time in school history, at least until Jack Rowe ran his first indoor race as a Dawg a few minutes later and Rowe clocked a career-best time of 7:56.45 and that became the sixth-fastest by a Dawg and Houser now comes in at No. 7.

The huge highlight of the day in the throws came from junior Jonah Wilson, redshirting this indoor season but still wowing as he preps to compete at USA Indoors. Wilson joined the prestigious 20-meter club for the first time ever today, as he bombed one 20.08-meters, or 65-feet, 10.50-inches, to win the shot put. Wilson's mark was done unattached, so doesn't count for the Husky top-10 lists, but it would have been the school record, breaking Ben Lindsey's mark of 65-5 1/4 from 1998.

A dream come true moment for every shot putter ... the 20-meters club ™?

Jonah Wilson became a member right here. 20.08-meters or 65-feet, 10.5-inches, which would have been a School Record in uniform. Congrats, Jonah! ??#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/FTuiIesCtd
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) February 2, 2020

Head Coach Andy Powell focused on the men's overall performance and said, "I don't think we've ever had such a great overall team performance at any meet we've ever been to. So this is great because we don't get to come together again until MPSFs. We have everyone competing well and when they do that we can get a lot of PRs. It was really cool seeing Jonah just launch a bomb out there. He's come such a long ways in a year and a half, and seeing our team cheer him on and his genuine emotion after that throw was a really cool thing. Then to have our two multi guys battling in such a great way, running 2:39 together at the end of seven events, it was cool to see those huge personal bests."

"Dustin Nading trained with us all through the fall and then just joined our team officially last week, and in his first race he breaks four minutes," said Powell. "Then Sam Tanner in his first indoor mile to break four minutes. Freshman records for Sam and Luke Houser, it shows we're trending in the right direction."

Throws

The Huskies were 4-for-4 in wins in the throws this week, as Elijah Mason got a big PR and a win in the weight throw, and Angel Nkwonta followed her Friday women's weight throw win with a shot put win today. Mason added nearly three feet to his weight PR, going 62-3 1/4 to climb to No. 6 in school history, and senior Connor Jost also got over 60-feet for the first time, throwing 60-6 3/4 for third-place and the new No. 10 mark in school history.

Nkwonta hit 50-feet in the shot for the first time indoors today, as she went 50-0 1/2 on her sixth and final toss to get the win and move to fifth in school history. Redshirt freshman Makayla Kelby also had a season-best of 48-8 1/4 for the new No. 9 mark.

"Angel's had pretty mild training just to keep her healthy, so we don't get a lot of indicators in training as to what she'll do in meets," said assistant coach Andrew Ninow. "So any time we see the meet we get to see the full force of her and it was very pleasant to watch. She's getting thirsty for some higher goals now and who knows what will happen? It will be fun to watch that develop."

Multis

Junior Parker Kennedy and freshman Ollie Thorner wrapped up their first heptathlon of the season side-by-side, as the two both ran 2:39 in the final 1,000-meters to finish with big personal-best point totals. Kennedy wound up second overall with 5,353 points, a 400-point improvement from a year ago, and Thorner was just eight points behind with 5,345 in his first college multi.

Kennedy now goes to No. 4 in school history with that score and Thorner to No. 5. Kennedy's day was highlighted by a 15-5 pole vault clearance while Thorner cleared a high jump PR of 6-7 and made 15-1 in the vault.

Sprints

Sophomore Aaliyah Wilson finished her best weekend as a Dawg today as she posted a new UW top-10 times in the 60-meter dash to go with her PR in the hurdles from Friday. Wilson ran a time of 7.40 in the 60m prelims to jump from out of the top-10 all the way to a tie for fourth in school history. She then ran 7.43 in the final to take second.

The win in the 60-meter dash went to redshirt freshman Ida Eikeng, who showed stellar speed for a multi athlete once again. Eikeng, competing unattached, ran 7.42 to win the 60 dash, after running 8.20 seconds yesterday to win the 60m hurdles.

"Ida continues to impress me every time she runs," said Maurica Powell. "8.20 is a really good mark in the hurdles for a hurdler, so for her to do that in an unattached season when she's prepping for a hep, is pretty great. Aaliyah Wilson was really improved this week as well."

Senior Imani Apostol improved her season 400m time to 56.34 to finish seventh today and Darhian Mills ran 56.35 unattached for an indoor PR.

On the men's side, Evan Mafilas was fifth in the 400-meters in 48.61 and Jason Palmer was ninth in 49.32.

Distances

More top-10 times came from the 800-meter heats, where on the women's side, freshman Marlena Preigh went 2:07.84 to put her name at No. 7 on the top-10 after just one run. Redshirt freshman Madison Heisterman ran 2:08.53, which now slots in at No. 10, and Kelly Makin also ran a solid 2:09.61.

The men were led by sophomore Cass Elliott who dropped his 800-meter PR to 1:49.66 today, taking third overall and going to No. 8 in school history.

Early in the day, sophomore Haley Herberg took second in her mile heat in a PR of 4:44.05. The men had several more strong marks aside from the sub-four runs by Tanner and Nading. Senior Sam Ritz came close today as well, crossing in 4:01.83, and Isaac Green had a PR of 4:03.08. Incoming freshman recruit Cruz Culpepper also showed his talent with a run of 4:01.66.

Rowe and Houser broke eight minutes in the 3k, but senior Tanner Anderson was not far behind, as he ran 8:02.04 for a solid rust-buster after his 13:40 time in the 5k from December. Julius Diehr ran 8:08.89 in his indoor debut as well.

Freshman Mel Smart, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in cross country, ran her first indoor race unattached today and looked strong, posting a time of 9:17.76 ran mostly by herself. Kaitlyn Neal and Hannah Waskom had season-bests of 9:40.72 and 9:40.73, respectively.

Maurica Powell said the women's distance group was training through this meet so the number of bests was a nice surprise. "Haley Herberg had a monster PR in the mile which sets her up well in the 5k in a couple weeks," Powell said. "Mel Smart running unattached in her first indoor track race had a really good start. The 800 group was good; Marlena and Madi PR'ing in their first 800 was a good step in the right direction. The group has good enthusiasm and excitement right now."

Jumps

Senior Olivia Gruver had the full attention of the Dempsey once again today as she took three good shots at 15-5 in the pole vault, which would have raised her own school and Dempsey record, but it wasn't to be today. Gruver had a clearance of 14-9, however, to easily win the event once again. Sophomore Makenna Barton made 12-11 1/2.

Senior Chase Smith won the men's vault for the second straight meet with a make of 17-1. Another win came from junior Jaylen Taylor in the triple jump at 49-6 1/2, less than an inch off his PR from two weeks ago. And Jelani Heath also got her second win of the year in the women's long jump, going a season-best 18-10 3/4. Eikeng also took second in the long jump at 18-8 1/2.