Huskies Take Five Podium Spots On Day One

Friday, March 10

Albuquerque, NM

All Day

University of Washington

NCAA Indoor Championships

Sara Borton and Nastassja Campbell 2023 NCAA Indoors

March 10, 2023 | Track & Field

By: UW Athletic Communications

2023 NCAA Indoor Championships
Friday-Saturday, Mar. 10-11
Albuquerque, N.M. | ABQ Convention Center

Live Results | ESPN+ Live Stream: Saturday First Session | Saturday Second Session

Complete Schedule | Women's Start Lists | Men's Start Lists

Schedule of Huskies in action
Saturday
9:30am PT - Men's Heptathlon 60m Hurdles - Bruno Comin Pescador
10:30am PT - Men's Heptathlon Pole Vault - Bruno Comin Pescador
2:30pm PT - Men's Heptathlon 1000m - Bruno Comin Pescador
6:00pm PT - Men's Mile Final - Brian Fay, Nathan Green, Luke Houser, Joe Waskom
7:00pm PT - Men's 3000m Final - Brian Fay and Kieran Lumb

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Washington Track & Field put four individuals and one relay up on the podium on the first of two days at the NCAA Indoor Championships today at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The men's team also sent four of its six mile entries into Saturday's final, as the men will have seven total scoring opportunities on the last day.

The Husky men posted nine team points on the first day while the women scored eight. The women are out of opportunities to add to that, however the eight points is still the most scored by the Dawgs since 2016. The men have nine points but look to add significantly tomorrow with the four mile finalists, two entries in the 3,000-meters, and possible points from Bruno Comin Pescador as the heptathlon concludes.

Today saw the Dawgs get Ida Eikeng onto the podium in the pentathlon as she finished eighth, breaking her school record once again. Then pole vaulters Sara Borton and Nastassja Campbell finished fifth and sixth, respectively, for a combined seven team points. The first Husky man on the podium was Jayden White, as he earned a second-straight First Team All-America honor in the weight throw, placing fifth. The day concluded with the men's distance medley relay battling to finish fourth, with two legs of the relay doubling back from mile semifinals just 90 minutes earlier.

Washington's six milers in the field of sixteen was one of the national storylines this week. The entries broke down with three Dawgs in each semifinal heat of eight. In the first semifinal today, Luke Houser took command with a couple laps to go and was never caught, and Nathan Green came on strong behind him to make it a 1-2 Husky finish. Aaron Ahl took his shot and was in the mix going into the bell lap but fell to seventh down the final stretch.

In the second heat, Brian Fay took the early lead for several laps and then Aidan Ryan moved to the front, while Joe Waskom bided his time in the back. Waskom eventually powered to the front and got another heat victory, with Fay kicking to make it a second-straight 1-2 Husky finish. Ryan had the seventh-fastest time overall but just missed the final time qualifier by one spot.

A look at the Dawgs putting FOUR men into the mile final!!

?? ESPN+#GoHuskies x #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/NDqLnfbfqy
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) March 11, 2023

In the women's pentathlon, Ida Eikeng started the day with a great run in the 60m hurdles, tying for the fastest time with an 8.23, her best time in uniform as a Dawg. She then cleared a new lifetime-best in the high jump, going 5-8 ¾ on her first attempt, and just barely missed three shots at 5-10.

Eikeng then won the pentathlon shot put with a best of 46-0 ½ and took the overall lead. She took eighth overall in the long jump at 19-6 ¼ to maintain a slim lead going into the final 800-meters. But Eikeng had a hard time with the final race, crossing in 2:34.07, which dropped her all the way from first to eighth in the final standings. Still, her final score of 4,266 broke her own school record again and sets herself up for another strong outdoor season. She's now a three-time First Team All-American and the first Husky to score in the pentathlon.

On the men's side of the multis, Bruno Comin Pescador got through his first four events in 10th-place overall. He was 13th in the opening 60-meters in 7.05 seconds. He then set a new PR in the long jump, going 24-1 ¾ and going to No. 9 in school history in that event. He was ninth in the shot put at 46-8 ¼ and then ended his day with a high jump make of 6-6 ¾. Comin Pescador will finish with the 60m hurdles, pole vault, and 1,000-meter run on Saturday.

ICYMI: These Dawgs were incredible today, matching each other at 14-5.25 and standing on the podium together ????#GoHuskies x #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/kVCbVVxxQV
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) March 11, 2023

Sara Borton and Nastassja Campbell rolled to a terrific fifth- and sixth-place finish in the women's pole vault today.

Borton and Campbell both made 13-5 ¼ on first attempts, and then both had second attempt makes at 13-9 ¼. Going over 14 feet for the first time at 14-1 ¼, Borton made it on her second attempt, while Campbell needed a clutch third try to sail over and stay alive.

At 14-3 ¼ with eleven women remaining, Borton set a new PR by going over on her first try, brushing the bar but leaving it up. Campbell didn't get up to the bar on her first try, but sailed over on her second. Going up to 14-5 ¼, both Huskies got first attempt clearances to assure their spots on the podium. They finally came up short at 14-7 ¼, with Borton winding up fifth overall and Campblell finishing sixth.

It was the fifth All-America honor for Campbell, but her first as a Dawg after transferring from Arkansas. Sixth-place is also her best indoor finish. Borton, a Tennessee transfer, came in seeded just 12th, but placed fifth today in her first nationals. Combined the two scored seven points for the Dawgs.

Next on the podium was Jayden White, who was fourth a year ago but came into today's meet ranked just 11th. But White has proven to be a big meet competitor, and his first throw of the competition was a season's-best 73-11. He would have more strong marks over the 73-foot range, and one throw that looked longer but was ruled a foul. The 73-11 would stand up for fifth-place overall, getting White a second-straight top-five finish.

In the men's pole vault, Jacob Englar impressed in his first NCAA Indoors, but the competition was higher and deeper than perhaps any national meet. Englar cleared three bars, the highest at 17-11, but would finish 13th overall for Second Team All-America honors.

Big PR make for Ida in the high jump! She makes 5-8 3/4 to finish fifth! Continuing on her PR pace at 1993 points just 10 points out of the lead!#GoHuskies x #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/B3tgVehVZj
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) March 10, 2023

The women's track events saw some missed opportunities for the Dawgs today, as Anna Gibson and Carley Thomas each came up one spot short of making their respective finals, and a depleted DMR was unable to make a strong showing.

Gibson had the ninth-fastest mile team in the semis in 4:41.78, but missed the final time qualifier by one spot and wound up 11th overall for Second Team All-America. In the 800-meters, the same fate hit Thomas, as she had the sixth-fastest time in 2:03.37, but missed the final time qualifier by one spot to wind up ninth after the slower auto advancers from the second semi displaced her. Marlena Preigh was seventh in her semifinal and 14th overall in 2:08.25.

Cass Elliott was unable to break through to the final on the men's side in the 800-meters. A tight pack had its share of jostling and stopped momentum, and Elliott settled for a seventh-place heat finish and 13th overall in 1:53.04

2023 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
Day 1 of 2 | March 10, 2023
Albuquerque Convention Center

UW Women's Results
Women's 800m, Semifinal 1 of 2: 6. Carley Thomas, 2:03.37 … does not advance, 9th overall
Women's 800m, Semifinal 2 of 2: 7. Marlena Preigh, 2:08.25 … does not advance, 14th overall

Women's Mile, Semifinal 2 of 2: 7. Anna Gibson, 4:41.78 … does not advance, 11th overall

Women's Distance Medley Relay, Final: 12. Washington (Markezich, Thomas, Gibson, O'Sullivan), 11:36.40

Women's Pole Vault, Final: 5. Sara Borton, 14-5 ¼ | 6. Nastassja Campbell, 14-5 ¼

Women's Pentathlon
60m Hurdles | 1 (tie). Ida Eikeng, 8.23
High Jump | 5 (tie). Ida Eikeng, 5-8 ¾
Shot Put | 1. Ida Eikeng, 46-0 ½
Long Jump | 8. Ida Eikeng, 19-6 ¼
800m | 14. Ida Eikeng, 2:34.07
Total | 8. Ida Eikeng, 4266

UW Men's Results
Men's 800m, Semifinal 2 of 2: 7. Cass Elliott, 1:53.04 … does not advance, 13th overall.

Men's Mile, Semifinal 1 of 2: 1. Luke Houser, 4:09.21 … advances to final | 2. Nathan Green, 4:09.41 … advances to final | 7. Aaron Ahl, 4:11.59 … does not advance, 14th overall
Men's Mile, Semifinal 2 of 2: 1. Joe Waskom, 4:02.68 … advances to final | 2. Brian Fay, 4:02.92 … advances to final | 7. Aidan Ryan, 4:04.43 … does not advance, 11th overall

Men's Distance Medley Relay, Final: 4. Washington (Waskokm, Gaik, Green, Lumb), 9:31.97

Men's Pole Vault, Final: 13. Jacob Englar, 17-11

Men's Weight Throw, Final: 5. Jayden White, 73-11

Men's Heptathlon Day 1 of 2
60m | 13. Bruno Comin Pescador, 7.05
Long Jump | 10. Bruno Comin Pescador, 24-1 ¾
Shot Put | 9. Bruno Comin Pescador, 46-8 ¼
High Jump | 8. Bruno Comin Pescador, 6-6 ¾
Day One Total | 10. Bruno Comin Pescador, 3310