Sub-Four Mile Attempt Highlights UW Invite

Friday, January 27

Seattle, WA

All Day

University of Washington

UW Invitational

January 26, 2023 | Track & Field

By: UW Athletic Communications

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SEATTLE – In the 21-year history of the Dempsey Indoor, 254 sub-four-minute miles have been run by 179 different athletes. A Husky has broken the mark 24 times in the Dempsey, and this Friday night the Dawgs will look to send a purple wave across the line in less than four minutes.

Washington is planning to let eight men chase the mark to cap off the Friday evening session of the UW Invitational. The two day meet starts at 3 p.m. on Friday, culminating with the mile invite. Then the action resumes Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. and continues through until 4 p.m.

Of the eight Dawgs in the top mile section, seven will be racing in uniform; Sam Ellis will be unattached, as he only has outdoor eligibility remaining. All eight have previously broken the mark, seven doing it in 2022 and Nathan Green breaking it for the first time just two weeks ago. Green, Luke Houser, Brian Fay, Kieran Lumb, and Joe Waskom have all done it as Huskies, while Aaron Ahl, Aidan Ryan, and Ellis went sub-four at their previous schools.

The hot mile heat will hardly be the only highlight of another huge weekend. The Husky women's team, ranked No. 2 nationally at the moment, will look to keep building momentum as its highly-ranked individuals try to improve their marks or post new marks in additional events.

Coming off impressive 600-meter runs two weeks ago, Carley Thomas, Marlena Preigh, and Chloe Foerster move up to 800-meters on Saturday. Madison Heisterman will run in the top women's mile section, and Sophie O'Sullivan, Naomi Smith, and Andrea Markezich will all race the 3k. Anna Gibson, ranked top-10 in the mile and 800-meters, will be racing an invite mile in New Mexico on Friday.

The women's pole vault will be an attention-grabber. UW already has three women ranked in the top-20 nationally in Nastassja Campbell, Sara Borton, and Sarah Ferguson, with Avril Wilson not far behind in a tie for 31st. But joining the field will be twins Amanda and Hana Moll, Husky signees and two of the top junior vaulters in world history. Amanda Moll just became the first U.S. High School girl ever to clear 15-feet two weeks ago (15-1 ½) at the National Pole Vault Summit, and Hana Moll also PR'd at that meet, going 14-9 ½).

In the women's throws, MaKayla Kelby and Kaia Tupu-South go again in the shot put after they both went over 53-feet in their openers. Beatrice Asomaning, a winner in the weight throw two weeks ago, will look to PR and move up the national lists. Another busy weekend for All-American Ida Eikeng is scheduled to include the 60-meter hurdles, shot put, and 800-meter run.

The young group of women's sprinters will look to take strides from two weeks ago. Danielle Hunter, Anna Terrell, Sophia McHenry, Rhonda Newton, and Ava McCumber Gandara are all in the mix.

In the jumps, Lauren Heggen is coming off a win in the triple jump and will go again on Friday. Rachel Bir and Camille Duckett will also go in the triple or long jumps.

In the men's sprints, the Dawgs are loading up in the 400-meters. Anthony Smith, Jonathan Birchman, Matthew Wilkinson, Daniel Gaik, and Sam Baricevic are all entered.

Cass Elliott, two weeks after breaking the Dempsey Record at 600-meters, moves up to 800-meters and is in the fast heat along with Aaron Ahl and two Oregon Duck athletes as they look to set a fast pace.

At 3,000-meters Isaac Green and Sam Affolder are in the top two sections, as is incoming Husky signee Tyrone Gorze.

Jacob Englar leads the way in the pole vault, coming off his PR of 17-9 ¾ that has him ranked 11th nationally. Then Prestin Artis will be one to watch in the long jump coming off his 25-0 PR that currently sits 20th nationally.

On Friday, All-American Jayden White will aim to build on his opener and target his own school record once again.

Multi-eventers Jami Schlueter, Ollie Thorner, and Bruno Comin Pescador are entered in both the 60-meter dashes and 60-meter hurdles, the shot put, long jump, and Thorner is in the high jump while Pescador adds the pole vault.