Stanford splits its track and field squad to compete in two important indoor qualifying meets this weekend before the postseason begins.
Cardinal runners return to University of Washington’s Dempsey Indoor to compete at the Husky Classic. Field event athletes head to the Albuquerque Convention Center for the Don Kirby Elite Invitational.
In all, 35 Cardinal (19 women, 16 men) are scheduled to compete in Seattle and 11 (six men, five women) in New Mexico.
If the NCAA field were to be selected today, Stanford’s men would be represented by Sean McGorty in the mile, Erik Olson in the 3,000 meters, and the distance medley relay. The women would have one individual qualifier, Jessica Tonn in the mile and 3,000, as well as the 4x400 and distance medley relays.
The qualifying period for the NCAA Championships ends on March 1. So, this weekend and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships Feb. 27-28 should represent the final opportunities for Stanford to advance.
Meet Information:
What: Husky Invitational
Where: Seattle, Wash.
When: Friday, 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9:05 a.m. PT
Site: Dempsey Indoor
Surface: 307-meter flat Mondo track
Follow the action:
Live results: Click here
Webcast (subscription): Click here
What: Don Kirby Elite Invitational
Where: Albuquerque, N.M.
When: Friday, 3 p.m. PT; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. PT
Site: Albuquerque Convention Center
Surface: 200 meter banked Mondo track
Elevation: 5,312 feet
Live results: Click here
Stanford in USTFCCCA rankings:
Men: No. 10
Women: No. 9
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Husky Classic
Stanford Schedule (all times Pacific)
Friday
4 p.m.: Women’s 200 (Michaela Crunkleton Wilson)
5:30 p.m.: Women’s 5,000 invitational (Vanessa Fraser, Jessica Tonn)
5:50 p.m.: Men’s 5,000 invitational (Justin Brinkley, Jack Keelan, Erik Olson, Garrett Sweatt, Sam Wharton)
6:10 p.m.: Women’s 5,000 (Claire Howlett, Julia Maxwell)
Saturday
9:05 a.m.: Women’s 60 hurdles prelims (Amber Lewis)
10 a.m.: Women’s 400 (Michaela Crunkleton Wilson)
10:25 a.m.: Men’s 400 (Colin Dolese)
10:55 a.m.: Women’s 60 hurdles final (Amber Lewis)
12:40 p.m.: Men’s 3,000 (Justin Brinkley, Patrick Gibson)
2 p.m.: Women’s mile (Danielle Katz)
2:25 p.m.: Men’s mile (Tai Dinger, Will Drinkwater, Patrick Gibson)
3:20 p.m.: Women’s mile invitational (Sophie Chase, Molly McNamara, Rebecca Mehra)
3:35 p.m.: Men’s mile invitational (Marco Bertolotti, Thomas Coyle)
3:50 p.m.: Women’s 400 invitational (Gaby Gayles, Kristyn Williams)
3:58 p.m.: Men’s 400 invitational (Jackson Shumway)
4:10 p.m.: Women’s 800 invitational (Maddy Berkson, Anna Laman, Tess Michaelson, Claudia Saunders, Malika Waschmann)
4:18 p.m.: Men’s 800 invitational (Scott Buttinger, Luke Lefebure, Christian White)
4:30 p.m.: Women’s 3,000 invitational (Elise Cranny, Abbie McNulty)
4:55 p.m.: Men’s 3,000 invitational (Sean McGorty, Erik Olson)
5:20 p.m.: Women’s 4x400 relay invitational (Michaela Crunkleton Wilson, Gaby Gayles, Claudia Saunders, Kristyn Williams)
5:25 p.m.: Men’s 4x400 relay invitational (Scott Buttinger, Colin Dolese, Luke Lefebure, Jackson Shumway)
NOTES: Stanford will sent six men’s All-Americans and four women’s into the action at the Husky Classic. Among the runners to watch are Sean McGorty, who ran a 3:59.34 mile in his collegiate track debut on Jan. 17 on this same track. This time, he tests himself at 3,000 against teammate Erik Olson, who was seventh in the NCAA indoors in this event last year. Jessica Tonn seeks to continue her run of success this season. The three-time All-America has the No. 2 time in the country in the 3,000, but will run the 5,000 this time. She was ninth at this distance at the U.S. outdoor championships in June. Claudia Saunders, the 2014 NCAA outdoor runner-up in the 800, runs her specialty and freshman phenom Elise Cranny tests herself in the 3,000, a distance she has not yet run at the collegiate level. The women’s 4x400 will be worth watching as well. Three members of its team that won the Razorback Invitational over Texas A&M and LSU are expected to run this weekend, with Claudia Saunders replacing Olivia Baker.
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Don Kirby Elite Invitational
Stanford Schedule (all times Pacific)
Friday
1 p.m.: Men’s high jump (Harrison Williams, Dartis Willis II)
3:30 p.m.: Men’s long jump (Jaak Uudmae, Dartis Willis II)
3:30 p.m.: Women’s long jump (Carla Forbes, Daryth Gayles)
5:30 p.m.: Men’s pole vault (Dalton Duvio, Dan Emery, Garrett Starkey, Harrison Williams)
Saturday
8:30 a.m.: Women’s shot put (Rebecca Hammar)
9:45 a.m.: Men’s 60 hurdles prelims (Harrison Williams)
10 a.m.: Women’s triple jump (Carla Forbes, Marisa Kwiatkowski)
11:30 a.m.: Women’s pole vault (Taylore Jaques)
Noon: Men’s 60 hurdles final (Harrison Williams)
NOTES: Freshman decathlete Harrison Williams, the 2014 U.S. junior national champion, will compete in three events – the high jump, pole vault, and 60 hurdles. He’s already No. 7 all-time at Stanford indoors in the latter. Pole vaulter Garrett Starkey has consecutive 17-foot performances in the pole vault, but will need another breakthrough to be in position to earn an NCAA berth. Sophomore horizontal jumper Carla Forbes also is jumping well and is improving each meet.
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Stanford athletes ranked in NCAA Division I top 25:
Men
Mile: 7, Sean McGorty, 3:59.34.
3,000: 11, Erik Olson, 7:56.84; 18, Jack Keelan, 7:59.37.
Distance medley relay: 5, Stanford, 9:32.08.
Women
Mile: 7, Jessica Tonn, 4:38.80.
3,000: 2, Jessica Tonn, 9:04.93; 24, Vanessa Fraser, 9:24.87.
4x400 relay: 12, Stanford, 3:36.81.
Distance medley relay: 4, Stanford, 11:04.99.
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How to qualify for nationals: There are no specific qualifying standards for the NCAA Indoor Championships, which will be held on the same track March 13-14. Rather, the individuals who register the top 16 marks in each event during a window from Dec. 1-March 2, will advance. Because not all tracks are the same size, all marks will be converted to a formula that is based on making it equal to the championship track at Arkansas’ Randal Tyson Center’s 200-meter banked track. After those conversions are determined, the final 16 will advance.
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U.S. Rankings: Stanford athletes and alums were well-represented in Track and Field News’ annual top-10 rankings, for 2014.
World rankings:
Women
Pole vault – 4, Ekaterini Stefanidi ’12.
U.S. rankings:
Men
1,500 – 6, Garrett Heath ’09.
5,000 – 6, Chris Derrick ’12.
10,000 – 2, Chris Derrick ’12; 8, Brendan Gregg ’11; 10, Jacob Riley ’11.
Marathon – 8, Jacob Riley ’11.
Women
5,000 – 7, Aisling Cuffe ’15.
400 hurdles – 4, Kori Carter ’14.
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Future Card, Part I: Stanford recruit Catherine Pagano, a senior at Northern Highlands High School in Allendale, N.J., ran the nation’s fastest 800 of the indoor season. Pagano blazed to a 2:09.80 at the Varsity Classic at The Armory in Manhattan on Feb. 5.
Future Card, Part II:: Saturday marked the birth of Caitlin Kelly Miltenberg, the daughter of Chris Miltenberg, Stanford’s Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field, and wife Colleen. This is their third child, following Maggie and Kevin. Mother and daughter are doing fine.
