Sunday, May 15
Eugene, OR
11:00 AM
University of Washington
vs
Pac-12 Outdoor Championships
UW Men Take Second, Dawgs Add Three More Wins
May 15, 2022 | Track & Field
EUGENE, Ore. – Washington continued to establish itself as a contender in the Pac-12, as the men's track team finished in second-place today at the Pac-12 Championships at Hayward Field, tying the best finish in school history. The women's team finished in fifth-place, placing in the top-half of the conference for the fifth time in the past six meets.
The Huskies took three thrilling victories on the track today, bringing their week's individual title count to five.
The day started with a stunning 1-2 sweep from local products Joe Waskom (Snoqualmie, Wash.) and Luke Houser (Woodinville, Wash.) in the men's 1,500-meter final. Waskom made a huge kick to join Houser up front on the final turn and the Husky duo took the top two spots on the podium.
Next up, Carley Thomas made history and officially cemented her comeback from a devastating leg fracture back in 2020. Thomas pulled away to win the women's 800-meter final with ease, becoming the first Husky woman ever to win that event.
The fifth and final title of the weekend came from Seattle native Cass Elliott, as he powered to a win in the 400-meter hurdles. Elliott's coach, Jeshua Anderson, won the same event all four years of his career at Washington State, and now Anderson coached Elliott to UW's first win in the event since 2006.
The Husky men reached triple digits for the second-straight year, the first time they've ever scored over 100 points in consecutive meets. UW finished with 105 points to take second behind the host Ducks, holding off USC for third as the Trojans scored 101.
Washington's only previous second-place finishes on the men's side came in 2016, and 1976.
The women scored 68 points to finish fifth overall. Oregon won the women's title, with Colorado taking second, California third, then USC in fourth followed by the Huskies.
Next up for the Dawgs will be the NCAA West Preliminary Championships held in Fayetteville, Ark. from May 25-28.
WASKOM, HOUSER SWEEP 1500: Joe Waskom, who was fourth just last night in the 3,000m steeplechase won by teammate Brian Fay, used a huge kick to go from middle of the pack up into the lead alongside another teammate, Luke Houser, around the final turn. Waskom let out a scream as he and Houser powered down the home stretch, and the two Dawgs would cross together in first and second, with Waskom winning in 3:40.33 and Houser second in 3:40.44.
Waskom became just the third Husky ever to win the Pac-12 men's 1,500-meter title, joining Izaic Yorks (2015 and 2016) and Bruce Stirling (1987). Houser also had his first Pac-12 podium finish in second.
THOMAS PULLS AWAY: In yesterday's prelim, Carley Thomas had made a time of 2:03.55 look easy, so anticipation for the final was high. The Sydney, Australia native and former World Championships competitor has been improving bit by bit all season and she continued that progression today.
Thomas sat in second-place for most of the final, and made her move up along the leader's shoulder with 200-meters to go. From there she steadily increased her lead, and she pulled away to win by nearly a second. Thomas crossed in 2:02.93, a new UW outdoor school record.
A year ago, Thomas had only been back running for a few weeks when she was able to make the Pac-12 final, but settled for seventh. With another year's worth of fitness, she is now a conference champion and back under 2:03.
Thomas is the first Husky woman ever to win the Pac-12 800-meter title.
ELLIOTT JOINS THE WINNER'S CIRCLE: Cass Elliott's outdoor season has had its ups and downs, but he took it up when it mattered most today in the 400-meter hurdles final. One of three Dawgs in the final along with Jonathan Birchman and Matthew Wilkinson, Elliott went out aggressively and got into a good rhythm.
Running out of an inside lane, Elliott gained a little edge on the field around the 150-meter mark and he came off the final turn with a lead of a few meters. He clipped the last hurdle which slowed his moment slightly, but with the finish line in sight he wasn't about to be caught. Elliott leaned for the victory in 50.80, becoming the first Husky to win the event since Shane Charles in 2006.
Wilkinson had another great effort as he was fourth in a PR of 51.30, going to No. 10 in school history and earning five big team points in his first Pac-12 meet.
MORE PURPLE POINTS: Anna Gibson turned in a remarkable double today and wound up tallying 11 points for the women. Gibson reached the podium in the women's 1,500-meters final to start the day, as she took third-place in a time of 4:15.83.
Gibson then went to the well one more time in the 800-meter final. She hung at the back of the pack until making a late move to pass several women and get all the way up to fourth, with a time of 2:04.75, a new PR that moves her to No. 3 in school history.
More distance even scoring came from Madison Heisterman, who placed eighth in the 1,500-meter final in 4:18.53.
Freshman Nathan Green earned his first Pac-12 points in the men's 800-meters, as he took fifth in the final in a time of 1:50.50.
In the women's 5k, Haley Herberg and Allie Schadler earned five more points. Herberg ran to sixth-place in 16:06.44, and Schadler was seventh in 16:15.72. Sophie Cantine was just short of scoring, placing 10th in 16:21.56.
On the men's side, Kieran Lumb was making a late move to try and get on the podium for the second time this weekend, but he stumbled on the inside railing with a hundred meters to go when he was about fourth-place. He still managed to keep his feet and came to the finish in seventh in 13:39.58. Isaac Green also notched a point in eighth-place in 13:41.75.
All-American Elijah Mason faced a tough field as he vied for a third Pac-12 title in the discus, and he was also dealing with a leg injury, but Mason still managed to fight his way to a fourth-place finish to earn five team points. He had a best toss of 184-10 on his sixth and final attempt.
The women's discus was the first event of the day. MaKayla Kelby added another point to her weekend total after she was fifth in the shot put yesterday. Kelby was eighth today with a best throw in round two of 174-0. Beatrice Asomaning threw 164-6 today to finish 12th.
In the women's 4x100m relay, Aaliyah Wilson, Victoria Gersch, Jelani Heath, and Olivia Ribera took fourth in their heat in 46.84, and ninth overall.
The men's crew of Ollie Thorner, Matthew Wilkinson, Jonathan Birchman, and Anthony Smith ran 41.72 and finished tenth.
The Huskies took three thrilling victories on the track today, bringing their week's individual title count to five.
The day started with a stunning 1-2 sweep from local products Joe Waskom (Snoqualmie, Wash.) and Luke Houser (Woodinville, Wash.) in the men's 1,500-meter final. Waskom made a huge kick to join Houser up front on the final turn and the Husky duo took the top two spots on the podium.
Next up, Carley Thomas made history and officially cemented her comeback from a devastating leg fracture back in 2020. Thomas pulled away to win the women's 800-meter final with ease, becoming the first Husky woman ever to win that event.
The fifth and final title of the weekend came from Seattle native Cass Elliott, as he powered to a win in the 400-meter hurdles. Elliott's coach, Jeshua Anderson, won the same event all four years of his career at Washington State, and now Anderson coached Elliott to UW's first win in the event since 2006.
The Husky men reached triple digits for the second-straight year, the first time they've ever scored over 100 points in consecutive meets. UW finished with 105 points to take second behind the host Ducks, holding off USC for third as the Trojans scored 101.
Washington's only previous second-place finishes on the men's side came in 2016, and 1976.
The women scored 68 points to finish fifth overall. Oregon won the women's title, with Colorado taking second, California third, then USC in fourth followed by the Huskies.
Next up for the Dawgs will be the NCAA West Preliminary Championships held in Fayetteville, Ark. from May 25-28.
Joe Waskom got us FIRED UP! What a run!
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 15, 2022
?? Pac-12 Network#Pac12TF | @UWTrack pic.twitter.com/zX7QH6yg5d
WASKOM, HOUSER SWEEP 1500: Joe Waskom, who was fourth just last night in the 3,000m steeplechase won by teammate Brian Fay, used a huge kick to go from middle of the pack up into the lead alongside another teammate, Luke Houser, around the final turn. Waskom let out a scream as he and Houser powered down the home stretch, and the two Dawgs would cross together in first and second, with Waskom winning in 3:40.33 and Houser second in 3:40.44.
Waskom became just the third Husky ever to win the Pac-12 men's 1,500-meter title, joining Izaic Yorks (2015 and 2016) and Bruce Stirling (1987). Houser also had his first Pac-12 podium finish in second.
Joe Waskom >> ??????-???? ??,??????-???????????? ????????????????! (We love typing that)#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/nt1rLy7O1L
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) May 16, 2022
THOMAS PULLS AWAY: In yesterday's prelim, Carley Thomas had made a time of 2:03.55 look easy, so anticipation for the final was high. The Sydney, Australia native and former World Championships competitor has been improving bit by bit all season and she continued that progression today.
Thomas sat in second-place for most of the final, and made her move up along the leader's shoulder with 200-meters to go. From there she steadily increased her lead, and she pulled away to win by nearly a second. Thomas crossed in 2:02.93, a new UW outdoor school record.
?????? Carley Thomas ??????
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) May 15, 2022
All the way back with a School Record 2:02.93!#GoHuskies | ?? Pac-12 Networks pic.twitter.com/a0SYcR6eHN
A year ago, Thomas had only been back running for a few weeks when she was able to make the Pac-12 final, but settled for seventh. With another year's worth of fitness, she is now a conference champion and back under 2:03.
Thomas is the first Husky woman ever to win the Pac-12 800-meter title.
Carley Thomas >> ??????-???? ??????-???????????? ????????????????!#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/4qbXcdgJfa
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) May 15, 2022
ELLIOTT JOINS THE WINNER'S CIRCLE: Cass Elliott's outdoor season has had its ups and downs, but he took it up when it mattered most today in the 400-meter hurdles final. One of three Dawgs in the final along with Jonathan Birchman and Matthew Wilkinson, Elliott went out aggressively and got into a good rhythm.
Running out of an inside lane, Elliott gained a little edge on the field around the 150-meter mark and he came off the final turn with a lead of a few meters. He clipped the last hurdle which slowed his moment slightly, but with the finish line in sight he wasn't about to be caught. Elliott leaned for the victory in 50.80, becoming the first Husky to win the event since Shane Charles in 2006.
The student does his coach proud. In the event that Coach Jeshua Anderson won four times, Cass Elliott becomes the first Husky ?? since 2006!#GoHuskies | ?? Pac-12 Networks pic.twitter.com/KNhpolakTz
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) May 15, 2022
Wilkinson had another great effort as he was fourth in a PR of 51.30, going to No. 10 in school history and earning five big team points in his first Pac-12 meet.
Cass Elliott >> ??????-???? ???????? ?????????????? ????????????????!#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/fWJxmfFZtS
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) May 15, 2022
MORE PURPLE POINTS: Anna Gibson turned in a remarkable double today and wound up tallying 11 points for the women. Gibson reached the podium in the women's 1,500-meters final to start the day, as she took third-place in a time of 4:15.83.
Gibson then went to the well one more time in the 800-meter final. She hung at the back of the pack until making a late move to pass several women and get all the way up to fourth, with a time of 2:04.75, a new PR that moves her to No. 3 in school history.
More distance even scoring came from Madison Heisterman, who placed eighth in the 1,500-meter final in 4:18.53.
Freshman Nathan Green earned his first Pac-12 points in the men's 800-meters, as he took fifth in the final in a time of 1:50.50.
In the women's 5k, Haley Herberg and Allie Schadler earned five more points. Herberg ran to sixth-place in 16:06.44, and Schadler was seventh in 16:15.72. Sophie Cantine was just short of scoring, placing 10th in 16:21.56.
On the men's side, Kieran Lumb was making a late move to try and get on the podium for the second time this weekend, but he stumbled on the inside railing with a hundred meters to go when he was about fourth-place. He still managed to keep his feet and came to the finish in seventh in 13:39.58. Isaac Green also notched a point in eighth-place in 13:41.75.
All-American Elijah Mason faced a tough field as he vied for a third Pac-12 title in the discus, and he was also dealing with a leg injury, but Mason still managed to fight his way to a fourth-place finish to earn five team points. He had a best toss of 184-10 on his sixth and final attempt.
The women's discus was the first event of the day. MaKayla Kelby added another point to her weekend total after she was fifth in the shot put yesterday. Kelby was eighth today with a best throw in round two of 174-0. Beatrice Asomaning threw 164-6 today to finish 12th.
In the women's 4x100m relay, Aaliyah Wilson, Victoria Gersch, Jelani Heath, and Olivia Ribera took fourth in their heat in 46.84, and ninth overall.
The men's crew of Ollie Thorner, Matthew Wilkinson, Jonathan Birchman, and Anthony Smith ran 41.72 and finished tenth.
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