Waskom Leads Stunning Eight Dawgs To Sub-Four Mile

Friday, January 27

Seattle, WA

All Day

University of Washington

UW Invitational

January 27, 2023 | Track & Field

By: UW Athletic Communications

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SEATTLE – In a record-setting, jaw-dropping display of depth and teamwork, eight members of the Washington track and field squad broke the four-minute mile barrier together tonight on day one of the UW Invitational in the Dempsey Indoor. And at the front of the purple wave, reigning NCAA 1,500-meter Champion Joe Waskom threw down a 3:51.90, the third-fastest mile in collegiate history, a Dempsey Record, and a 2023 world leading time.

As if that wasn't enough, down in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Anna Gibson took over the NCAA mile lead on the women's side. Gibson was the lone Husky to travel this week, racing at altitude at the New Mexico Team Open. Gibson ran away from the field and crossed in 4:37.03, but with the altitude conversion, that time drops to 4:31.00, the new No. 2 mark in school history and an NCAA leader.

All eight of the UW men racing tonight had broken four minutes in the past, so they knew what they were capable of, but working together brought an incredible barrage of some of the fastest times in NCAA history.

Not 1, not 2....

8 @UWTrack Huskies go sub-4!

Joe Waskom's 3:51.90 takes down Yomif Kejelcha's Dempsey record!

Brian Fay 3:52.03
Nathan Green 3:52.76
Kieran Lumb 3:53.83
Sam Ellis 3:53.84
Luke Houser 3:55.98
Aaron Ahl 3:57.94
Aidan Ryan 3:59.55@NCAATrackField | @USTFCCCA pic.twitter.com/t0JtSHyoep
— RunnerSpace (@runnerspace) January 28, 2023

Right behind Waskom, Brian Fay crossed in 3:52.03, tied for the fifth-fastest time in NCAA history. Nathan Green, who only broke the 4:00 mark for the first time two weeks ago, ran nearly six seconds faster today, going 3:52.76, for the new No. 7-fastest time ever.

Kieran Lumb was fourth in 3:53.83, which puts him 12th all-time. Sam Ellis, the one Husky out of the eight who was competing unattached due to only having outdoor eligibility remaining, was just .01 behind Lumb in 3:53.84. Luke Houser ran a PR of 3:55.98. Aaron Ahl was seventh in 3:57.94, and Aidan Ryan dipped under the mark as well in eighth in 3:59.55.

"It's pretty special to have eight sub-fours in a single race," said Waskom. "We all knew it was possible. But it's tough to do it in the same race. The pacing has to be perfect. (Race pacers) Johnny (Gregorek) and Sam (Prakel) brought us through absolutely perfectly. All of us working hard together, Brian and Nathan pushing me that last 200. It was really hard, but it's so special doing it with your teammates and seeing everyone thrive and succeed around you."

"I thought 3:52-high was in the cards. But having Brian over the last 200-meters pushing me, I just thought 'go with him' and down the stretch I just gave it everything I had."

The leading time in the NCAA this season coming into today was 3:55.58, so the Huskies will take over the top four spots, and have five of the top-seven.

Mighty Are the Milers!!

Joe Waskom, 3:51.90 ?? lead #?3? NCAA history
Brian Fay, 3:52.03 #?5?-tie NCAA history
Nathan Green, 3:52.76 #?7? NCAA history
Kieran Lumb, 3:53.83
Sam Ellis, 3:53.84
Luke Houser, 3:55.98
Aaron Ahl, 3:57.94
Aidan Ryan, 3:59.55#GoHuskies @NCAATrackField pic.twitter.com/oqWZRWLGHX
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) January 28, 2023

Waskom believes the Huskies have as much mid-distance talent as any training group, full stop. "There might be one other group in the entire world that has as much talent and success as ours has. Andy (Powell) and Chris (Kwiatkowski), they bring in the right guys. Today it wasn't even supposed to be competitive, we were just supposed to be working together, pushing each other, and I think it's pretty special when you have eight guys that want the best for you just like they want the best for themselves."

Waskom, Fay, Green, and Lumb all broke Izaic Yorks' 2016 School Record of 3:53.89, which at the time was the fastest ever by an American collegiate indoors. It also broke the facility record of 3:52.61 set by Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha, who broke the indoor World Record in the mile in 2019.

Coming into tonight, sixteen Huskies had run sub-four miles all time, with nine of them joining that list in just the past five seasons since Andy Powell became Head Coach. Officially, Ahl and Ryan join that group for the first time to push it to 18.

Never before had more than two Huskies broken the mark in the same race, let alone eight. Washington is believed to be the first school ever to have more than four men under 3:56.00 in one season, let alone in one race.

There were many more highlights on the first day of competition today. Big marks in the field events included a pair of pole vault PRs from Ashleigh Helms and Holland Pilukas. Helms cleared 13-5 3/4 and Pilukas got over 13-feet for the first time at 13-1 3/4. The invite section of the women's pole vault is set for Saturday.

Lauren Heggen took second in the triple jump today with a season-best 39-10 1/2, while freshman Rachel Bir improved her season-best to 37-5 3/4. On the men's side, Tim Luebbert got his season started with a runner-up mark of 47-10 1/2.

Beatrice Asomaning won the women's weight throw for the second straight meet, and had a season-best toss of 63-4. Redshirt freshman Yvonne Colson PR'd and went to No. 8 in school history at 52-10 3/4.

Danielle Hunter led the women's sprinters with a season-best of 25.17 in the 200-meter dash. Rhonda Newton lowered her SB to 25.77 and Sophia McHenry went 27.21 for another season-best.