White Weighs In With Big Mark At Husky Classic

Friday, February 10

Seattle, WA

2:30 PM

University of Washington

Husky Classic

February 11, 2023 | Track & Field

Photo Gallery

By: UW Athletic Communications

Husky Classic
Friday-Saturday, February 10-11
Heat Sheets | Final Schedule | Meet Information | Accepted Entries
Live Results | Live Video Via Runnerspace

UW High School Invitational
Saturday-Sunday, February 11-12
Mandatory Participant Waiver (All participants in the UW High School meet, must bring a completed waiver to packet pick up.) | Final Schedule | Accepted Entries | Meet Information
Live Results | Live Video Via Runnerspace

SEATTLE – A top-10 finisher at each of his first two NCAA Indoor Championships in the weight throw, junior Jayden White came into Friday with work still to do to get into the mix for a third-straight nationals trip. White showed he was ready to contend again, as he had several big throws to move up to No. 5 in the NCAA this season, highlighting a busy day one of the Husky Classic in the Dempsey.

White, the School Record-holder and the fourth-place finisher in the event at NCAAs in 2022, had a season-best throw of 73-feet, 8.75-inches to win today, just a few inches away from his career-best. He entered today having thrown a best of just over 71-feet, and the nearly three foot improvement sent him from just outside the national top-16, up to fifth.

There he is ??

All-American Jayden White throws several season-bests today, including a 73-8 3/4 beast that moves him to #?5? in the NCAA this season!#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/s7PQbSoZX4
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) February 11, 2023

Beatrice Asomaning got a matching victory in the women's weight throw, going over 67-feet for the second week in a row with a best of 67-3 ½. Yvonne Colson also had a PR for the second-straight meet, going 54-8 ¾ which moved her up another spot to No. 7 in school history.

Fresh off her pentathlon School Record in Nebraska this week, and likely looking at her first NCAA Indoor bid, Ida Eikeng continued to work on her separate events, and grabbed her first 60-meter hurdles PR in two years today when she stopped the clock in 8.29 seconds. That improves on her own No. 3 mark in school history. Eikeng also high jumped 5-5.

Lauren Heggen had another Husky victory in the women's triple jump, as she continues to improve each time out. She matched her indoor PR today with an even 40-feet to win. Freshman Rachel Bir also had a best of 37-10 ½ on her sixth attempt.

Teams come from far and wide to the Husky Classic to run fast in the distances, and that held true again tonight. Huskies leading the way in the long runs included Luke Houser in the 3,000-meters, as he took four seconds off his PR to run 7:48.81, the new No. 4 time in school history. Also in the 3k, Ed Trippas ran 8:01.35 unattached, and freshman Evan Jenkins had an 8:01.69 also unattached. Aidran Ryan clocked an 8:02.60. Another unattached true freshman, Jamar Distel, impressed with a win in his heat of the 5,000-meters, going 14:08.91.

In the women's 5,000-meters, junior Andrea Markezich became just the fifth Husky woman to break 16-minutes indoors. She clocked a lifetime-best of 15:55.87 to go to No. 5 on the Husky top-10 list. Naomi Smith also ran a strong time of 16:22.62. Senior Kayley DeLay, competing unattached until the outdoor season, had her best run yet this track season, as she broke 9-minutes in the 3k, going 8:58.93 for fourth in a great top heat.

UW went 2-3 in the women's 200-meters, as Danielle Hunter finished in 25.08 and Anna Terrell ran 25.43.

In the men's pole vault, Will Anderson got over a season's-best of 15-1 ½ for third. Winner of the first two home meets in the vault, Jacob Englar, opted for rest today.

The Husky Classic keeps rolling on Saturday starting at 9:15 a.m.