Dawgs Win 4xMile For Second Penn Relays Wheel

Saturday, April 26

Philadelphia, PA

9:40 AM

University of Washington

Penn Relays

April 26, 2025 | Track & Field

By: UW Athletic Communications

PHILADELPHIA – Nathan Green punctuated one of the best two days in Husky Track & Field history by taking down three of the fastest milers in NCAA history to deliver Washington its second Penn Relays Championship in as many days. Green anchored, following Ronan McMahon-Staggs, Martin Barco, and Rhys Hammond, as UW won its first 4xMile title in school history at Franklin Field.

One day after winning the DMR Championship of America, the Huskies added the 4xMile Championship of America to sweep the mid-distance relay events at the legendary Penn Relays. McMahon-Staggs led off both relays, and Green anchored to the win each time. The UW men had never won a Penn Relays Wheel before Friday and now bring two back to Montlake.

The Husky women had a runner-up finish in the 4x1500m Championship and then finished third in the 4x800m Championship.

In the men's 4xMile, Ronan McMahon-Staggs led off and in a driving rain, the pace was tactical, with McMahon-Staggs splitting 4:08.90 to hand off in fourth overall. Barco had a 4:07.81 split to pass to Hammond in sixth-place but just a second off the lead. Hammond's third leg was the fastest of the race, as several runners split 4:00 and Hammond ran 4:01.81 to move up into fourth going into Green's anchor leg.

Again the pace quieted down early and Green was able to get up to make contact with Villanova, North Carolina, and Virginia. North Carolina was anchored by Ethan Strand, the NCAA Mile Record-holder; Virginia was anchored by Gary Martin, No. 3 in NCAA history in the 1,500-meters; Villanova was anchored by Liam Murphy, the NCAA Record-holder at 1,500-meters.

Green made the first move with 250-meters to go on the final lap, but Strand responded and took the lead around the final curves. But Green had more speed today, sprinting past Strand on the outside and taking the win as he was mobbed by his teammates. Green's final split was just 4:06.10 and the total time just 16:24.61, but the final lap was everything you'd want from a dramatic sprint finish amongst four of the best milers in NCAA history.

What. A. Race. ??

The Huskies narrowly edged out Villanova, UNC, and Virginia to claim victory in the 4xMile at the #PennRelays with a time of 16:24.61! ????

Coverage presented by @on_running pic.twitter.com/RU6hT7IScW
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) April 26, 2025

"We saw it start to rain and we were like 'ahh, let's go!'" Green said post-race. "Doing this today is a cherry on top. We came here to just compete really hard and be our best selves, and that's what we were. I knew that the guys were going got put me in the right position to get up there and compete hard … I didn't know where I'd be in that top four, but I knew it was going to be me, Ethan, Liam, and Gary. We knew it was going to come down to us four, so with the first lap being slow it let me come back in, settle for a second, and I just tried to move up accordingly and use tactics I knew are advantageous for myself."

The women had their best-ever time in the 4x1500-meter relay at Penn and the eighth-fastest time in meet history in 17:10.88, but Providence had opened up a big lead already on leg two and won it in 16:59.65, the third-fastest time in meet history. Mia Cochran, Amina Maatoug, Sophie O'Sullivan, and Chloe Foerster were the order today, with Foerster bringing the Dawgs from fourth to second on the anchor.

The women were back on the track to wrap things up in the 4x800m Championship, looking to defend their 2024 title. But despite a great effort from Claire Yerby, Chloe Foerster, Maggie Liebich, and Sophie O'Sullivan, the women settled for third in 8:22.10. Yerby split 2:08.07 on the opener but Foerster then had the fastest split of anyone in the field with a 2:01.35 to bring UW up to third. Liebich split 2:07.60 to pass off in third to O'Sullivan. She was three seconds back when she got the baton and caught up to the leaders going into the final lap, but couldn't hold on when they made their last moves. O'Sullivan split 2:05.09 which was the fastest anchor leg split.