SEATTLE -- Stanford begins its postseason run at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation indoor track and field championships this weekend in Seattle. The meet also doubles as the final opportunity to earn qualifying marks to the NCAA Championships on March 13-14 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The MPSF consists of 19 women’s teams and 14 men’s – from the Pac-12, Big West, and West Coast conferences. Stanford is seeking its first MPSF titles since the women won in 2012 and the men in 2011.
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Meet Information:
What: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships
Where: Seattle, Wash.
Site: Dempsey Indoor
Surface: 307-meter flat Mondo track.
Events begin:
Friday: Noon
Saturday: 10:30 a.m.
Follow the Action:
Live results: Click here
Webcast: FloPro (premium)
Friday: and Saturday: Live
Twitter: @StanfordXCTF
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Stanford in USTFCCCA rankings:
Men: No. 47
Women: No. 16
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Men's Notes: This meet provides the first opportunity for Stanford freshman Harrison Williams, the 2014 U.S. junior national decathlon champ and national high-school record holder, to compete in the multis at the collegiate level. The heptathlon (seven events) is contested indoors. Williams will compete against defending MPSF champ Marcus Nilsson of UCLA, who has the national-best point total, of 5,709.
At the moment, Sean McGorty (3,000 meters, 12th), Erik Olson (5,000, 14th), and the distance medley relay team (No. 7) are in position to qualify for nationals. The DMR seems safe to advance, but McGorty and Olson are on the bubble. Olson will run the 3,000 on Saturday, while McGorty will sit this meet out. Whether or not his 3,000 time will stand, McGorty will run Stanford’s DMR anchor leg at NCAA’s. Another runner to watch will be Luke Lefebure, a 2014 NCAA outdoor finalist in the 800, who will be chasing a qualifying time in his specialty.
In the pole vault, the NCAA cut-off is currently 17-10 ½, and could go over 18 this weekend. Stanford’s Garrett Starkey and Dalton Duvio are both 17-footers, but a big PR will be required to advance to nationals. In the triple jump, the 16th spot is 52-1 ¾. Stanford’s Pac-12 outdoor champion Darian Brooks has the school outdoor record of 52-6 ¾.
Women's notes: Stanford’s distance medley relay is ranked No. 10 in the country and on the bubble for NCAA qualification. The NCAA DMR runner-up last year, Stanford should put forth a new lineup that includes freshman Elise Cranny running 1,200 and Jessica Tonn on the 1,600 anchor leg. Olivia Baker (400) and 2014 NCAA outdoor 800 runner-up Claudia Saunders complete a formidable lineup. Stanford has won five women’s DMR titles from 2003-08 at MPSF's, but none since. Washington, ranked No. 11 nationally in the DMR, has won the past three.
Stanford also will make a run in the 4x400. The Cardinal won the Razorback and Husky invitationals, but stands outside the NCAA qualification zone in 18th. It will take a big effort to improve upon the school’s No. 3 all-time mark of 3:36.81, but that’s what the Cardinal will need while competing against defending NCAA indoor 4x400 champion Oregon and conference season leader USC.
Cranny and Tonn seem assured of individual NCAA berths in the 3,000 and 5,000, respectively. Kristyn Williams (400) and Claudia Saunders (800) will make runs in their events, while Cranny will make her collegiate debut at 800.
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Stanford Schedule:
Friday
2 p.m.: Men’s heptathlon 60 (Harrison Williams)
2 p.m.: Women’s pole vault (Taylor Jaques)
2:45 p.m.: Men’s heptathlon long jump (Harrison Williams)
3:45 p.m.: Men’s heptathlon shot put (Harrison Williams)
4:45 p.m.: Men’s heptathlon high jump (Harrison Williams)
5:15 p.m.: Women’s long jump (Carla Forbes, Daryth Gayles)
5:15 p.m.: Men’s long jump (Jaak Uudmae)
5:30 p.m.: Men’s pole vault (Dalton Duvio, Dan Emery, Garrett Starkey)
6 p.m.: Men’s 5,000 (Kevin Bishop, Joe Rosa, Garrett Sweatt, Sam Wharton)
6:20 p.m.: Women’s 200 (Michaela Crunkleton Wilson)
6:45 p.m.: Men’s 200 (Colin Dolese)
7:10 p.m.: Women’s distance medley relay (Olivia Baker, Elise Cranny, Claudia Saunders, Jessica Tonn)
7:25 p.m.: Men’s distance medley relay (Pool: Marco Bertolotti, Scott Buttinger, Tai Dinger, Will Drinkwater, Christian White)
Saturday
10:30 a.m.: Men’s heptathlon 60 hurdles (Harrison Williams)
10:30 a.m.: Women’s shot put (Rebecca Hammar)
11 a.m.: Women’s triple jump (Carla Forbes, Marisa Kwiatkowski)
11 a.m.: Women’s mile (Sophie Chase, Danielle Katz, Molly McNamara, Rebecca Mehra, Jessica Tonn)
11:15 a.m.: Men’s mile (Marco Bertolotti, Justin Brinkley, Tom Coyle, Tai Dinger, Will Drinkwater)
11:30 a.m.: Men’s heptathlon pole vault (Harrison Williams)
11:40 a.m.: Women’s 400 (Gaby Gayles, Kristyn Williams)
12:05 p.m.: Men’s 400 (Jackson Shumway)
12:40 p.m.: Women’s 800 (Maddy Berkson, Elise Cranny, Anna Laman, Claudia Saunders, Malika Waschmann)
12:45 p.m.: Men’s high jump (Dartis Willis II)
1 p.m.: Men’s triple jump (Darian Brooks)
1 p.m.: Men’s 800 (Scott Buttinger, Luke Lefebure, Christian White)
1:20 p.m.: Women’s 3,000 (Vanessa Fraser, Claire Howlett, Julia Maxwell, Abbie McNulty)
1:45 p.m.: Men’s 3,000 (Patrick Gibson, Jack Keelan, Erik Olson, Garrett Sweatt, Sam Wharton)
2:10 p.m.: Men’s heptathlon 1,000 (Harrison Williams)
2:25 p.m.: Women’s 4x400 relay (Pool: Olivia Baker, Michaela Crunkleton Wilson, Gaby Gayles, Claudia Saunders, Kristyn Williams)
2:40 p.m.: Men’s 4x400 relay (Pool: Marco Bertolotti, Scott Buttinger, Colin Dolese, Will Drinkwater, Luke Lefebure, Jackson Shumway, Christian White)
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Stanford athletes ranked in NCAA Division I top 25:
Men
Mile: 22, Sean McGorty, 3:59.34.
3,000: 12, Sean McGorty, 7:54.68; 25, Erik Olson, 7:56.84.
5.000: 14, Erik Olson, 13:45.25; 22, Jack Keelan, 13:54.26.
Distance medley relay: 7, Stanford, 9:29.34.
Women
400: 23, Kristyn Williams, 53.35
Mile: 13, Jessica Tonn, 4:38.80.
3,000: 4, Elise Cranny, 9:02.36; 8, Jessica Tonn, 9:04.93.
5,000: 5, Jessica Tonn, 15:47.65.
4x400 relay: 18, Stanford, 3:36.81.
Distance medley relay: 10, 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 at University of Arkansas on 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 Randal Tyson Center’s 200-meter banked track. After those conversions are determined, the final 16 will advance.