Elite Eight Repeat Sub-Four Feat In Boston

Sunday, February 26

Boston, MA

8:00 AM

University of Washington

BU Last Chance Qualifier

February 26, 2023 | Track & Field

Results on TFRRS

By: UW Athletic Communications

BOSTON – On the final day of the regular season for indoor track, Washington's eight sub-four-minute milers had an encore performance from their headline-making run one month back. Competing at the BU Track & Tennis Center at the BU Last Chance Invite, the Huskies again had all eight team members break the four-minute mile mark in the same race. To round out the day for the Dawgs, Cass Elliott took back the 800-meter School Record for the second time this season.

This was the final action for the Huskies before the NCAA Indoor Championships in two weeks in New Mexico. Athletes converged one more time on BU for attempts at American and Collegiate Records in the mile, and while that did not materialize today, five of the eight Huskies racing set new personal-bests, with a couple more jumping up into the top-16 NCAA qualifying range.

Unofficially, but with most results from around the country now reported, the Huskies have six of the top-eight mile times in the NCAA this season.

?? Cass Elliott Strikes Back! He retakes the 800m ???????????? ???????????? from Nathan Green!

Jan. 28 -- Elliott -- 1:47.22
?Feb. 10 -- Green -- 1:46.99
? TODAY -- Elliott -- 1:46.76

That will punch the NCAA ??? for Cass!#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/UQWJ74fOCB
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) February 26, 2023

The order of the eight Dawgs shook out much differently today than it did at the UW Invitational on Jan. 27. Kieran Lumb led the charge this time, posting a career-best 3:52.62. Luke Houser cut three seconds off his PR to go 3:52.87, and secure a potential NCAA bid. Sam Ellis, still competing unattached, had another PR of 3:53.13. Next came Nathan Green in 3:53.25.

At the UW Invite, Aidan Ryan just dipped under the four-minute mark by a few tenths of a second, but today he hammered it with a major PR of 3:53.65. Aaron Ahl also lowered his PR to 3:55.60. Houser and Ryan went from outside the top-16 bubble to safely inside it at No. 6 and No. 8 nationally, while Ahl jumps up to No. 17, meaning he'd be in the field with just one athlete scratching out of the mile.

Washington's top two from its first eight sub-four mile today were at the back of the group, but still with solid times. Joe Waskom ran 3:56.79, and Brian Fay ran 3:58.50.

Looking at season-bests, Head Coach Andy Powell now has seven men who have run under 3:54 this season, with an eighth who has gone sub-3:56.

Also today, the two fastest women's 800-meter runners in school history lined up for another go at the distance, as Carley Thomas and Marlena Preigh returned to the site where they helped the Huskies break the DMR NCAA Record earlier this month.

Thomas was under 2:03 once again but did not improve her season-best of 2:02.15, as she ran 2:02.78 today, but she remains safely in the NCAA top-16. Preigh, however, lowered her PR for the third time this season, going 2:03.20. That moves her up to 18th nationally and hoping for a couple scratches to make the championships.

Lastly, Elliott put himself in position for an individual 800-meter bid as he leapfrogged back in front of teammate Nathan Green for the School Record. Elliott had first broken the record on Jan. 28 with a time of 1:47.22. Green then ran 1:46.99 on Feb. 10. Today Elliott answered with a blazing 1:46.76, moving to No. 9 in the NCAA this season, with Green still ranking 15th.

With multiple athletes qualified in multiple events, the Husky coaches and athletes will now decide which events to declare for nationals, and then set their sights on Albuquerque.