Comin Pescador Scores Big, Tupu-South Breaks Shot Mark

Saturday, February 3

Lincoln, NE

7:30 AM

University of Washington

Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational

February 03, 2024 | Track & Field

By: UW Athletic Communications

Complete Husker Invitational Results on TFRRS

Sunday, Feb. 4
New Balance Grand Prix
Boston, Mass. | The TRACK at new balance

Live on NBC from 1-3 p.m. PST | Meet Schedule

LINCOLN, Neb. – On the final day of the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational, All-American Bruno Comin Pescador likely earned himself a return trip to nationals in the heptathlon, while sophomore Kaia Tupu-South added to her school record in the shot put. More stellar results from the women's pole vault group and some season-best relays to close things out added to the productive day for the Dawgs.

Spain's Comin Pescador, who was eighth in the heptathlon at NCAA Indoors last year, hit the 6,000 point mark on the dot today as he posted two more PRs in the final three events. He opened with a 60-meter hurdles PR of 8.04 seconds, going to No. 6 in school history in that event. Then he had a pole vault PR of 16-2 ¾, before winning the final 1,000-meter run in 2:41.31. The 6,000 point score should move Comin Pescador into the top-five in the NCAA so far this season.

Junior Jami Schlueter completed his heptathlon with 5,356 points. Schlueter ran 8.27 seconds in the hurdles, then got himself a pole vault PR with a make of 14-11. He ran 2:53.40 in the 1k to cap it off.

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Kaia Tupu-South extends her own indoor UW record, going 56-feet, 2-inches in Lincoln today!#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/GUL9kBJhu0
— Washington Track & Field and Cross Country (@UWTrack) February 3, 2024

Tupu-South, the third year sophomore from New Zealand, extended her own school record for the first time this season in the shot put. After setting records both indoors and out last year as a redshirt freshman, she's looking to earn her way to a first nationals. Today she had a toss of 56-feet, 2-inches to finish second among collegians with the No. 14 mark in the NCAA this season.

For the second-straight meet, the Huskies had three different women over 14-feet in the pole vault. Once again, Hana Moll and Nastassja Campbell were well over the mark, both making 14-4, a season-best for Campbell. Amanda Moll joined her sister and Campbell as she had a season-best make of 14-0 to climb into the NCAA top-25 this season. It makes Amanda Moll the ninth 14-footer in school history.

Three Huskies had top-five finishes in the triple jumps. On the men's side, Kunle Akinlosotu went 49-9 ¼ for third-place, and Trevontay Smith jumped 48-11 ¾ to take fourth. In the women's triple, Lauren Heggen was fifth overall with a best of 39-10. Freshman Ava Washburn also turned in a leap of 36-7 ½ and on the men's side, freshman Roman Hutchinson went 46-6.

Sophomore Leland Lieberg got his best high jump make as a Dawg, going over 6-6.

Closing things out were the 4x400-meter relays. In the women's race, the group of Danielle Hunter, Anna Terrell, Kapiolani Coleman, and Rhonda Newton posted a season-best time of 3:45.18.

In the men's race, Jonathan Birchman, Matthew Wilkinson, Boden Hanley, and Daniel Gaik also posted a season's best time in a second-place finish. The group ran 3:10.96, finishing a second behind Nebraska and beating out Baylor, Kansas, and Wichita State.

Earlier in the day in the 200-meters, Hunter led the same four women who later ran the relay. Hunter ran 24.85, while Terrell ran 25.15, Newton went 25.42, and Coleman ran 25.48. On the men's side, only Gaik raced the 200-meters, as he posted a time of 21.71.

Tomorrow, three Huskies are set to compete at the prestigious New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston. Carley Thomas and Wilma Nielsen will race the 800-meters scheduled at 12:37 p.m. Pacific time, and Nathan Green will run the 1,000-meters at 2:16 p.m., which will fall in the live TV window on NBC.