Photo of Vanessa Fraser from the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
SEATTLE – Stanford's Vanessa Fraser ran a personal best in the 3,000 meters at the Husky Classic indoor track and field meet Saturday and likely will return to the NCAA Championships.
Fraser's 9:04.78 was good for third place and was a five-second improvement on her lifetime best. It makes her the seventh-fastest indoors in Stanford history, jumping ahead of greats like Sara Bei, Kathy Kroeger, and Alicia Craig.
Most impressive was the way she ran. Fraser and teammate Elise Cranny were conservative much of the race on Dempsey Indoor's 307-meter flat track while Mel Lawrence, one of the top steeplechasers in the country, played rabbit for fellow pro Erin Teschuk far ahead of the field.
But Fraser bolted to the front of the chase pack with 800 to go and led a surge that not only swallowed up Teschuk, but created the momentum for a fast race that benefited the entire field.
Until Saturday, only four Division I women had broken 9:07 this year. In this race, 10 runners did so, including ninth-place Cranny, at 9:06.35.
Fraser is now No. 5 and Cranny No. 11 on the season national list. The nation's top 16 after the conference championship weekend of Feb. 24-25 will advance to NCAA's March 10-11 in College Station, Texas. No runner under 9:08.9 in the past seven years has failed to qualify for the NCAA meet.
Fraser, who placed 10th in the 3,000 at NCAA Indoors last year, is the latest Cardinal to appear to wrap up a berth. Other expected Cardinal representatives are the women's distance medley relay, heptathlete Harrison Williams, and Jack Keelan in the 3,000. Cranny seems in good shape, but still could be considered on the bubble.
In the women's 20-pound weight throw, Valarie Allman broke her own school record for the second time this season. Allman's toss of 63-11 ¾ (19.50 meters) was good for third place and broke her two-week old Stanford standard of 63-1 ½ (19.24m).
Allman's best throw was her second in the six-throw series. She also came within ¼ inch of her record on her fourth throw. Allman, a senior who was third in the discus and 11th in the hammer at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor meet, still has a ways to go to for an NCAA qualifying mark in this event. She is ranked No. 39 and may need another six feet to earn a spot.
Stanford highlights also came from sophomore Brian Smith, who broke his indoor 800 best by two seconds, running 1:50.72. In the women's mile, Catherine Pagano raced to a 4:46.56 for a personal best, and in the women's shot put, Lena Giger placed third at 52-3 ¼.
Husky Classic
At Dempsey Indoor
307-meter flat track
Men
800 – 1, Drew Windle (Brooks Beasts TC) 1:48.23; 13, Brian Smith (Stanford) 1:50.72; 25, Scott Buttinger (Stanford) 1:52.29.
Shot put – 1, David Pless (Iron Wood TC) 66-4 ½ (20.23m); 9, Tristen Newman (Stanford) 57-9 (17.60m).
Women
800 – 1, Baylee Mires (Brooks Beasts TC) 2:05.40; 8, Claudia Saunders (Brooks Beasts TC) 2:07.13; 12, Malika Waschmann (Stanford) 2:07.98; 19, Sarah Walker (Stanford) 2:09.72; 21, Anna Laman (Stanford) 2:09.89.
Mile – 1, Danae Rivers (Penn State) 4:32.55; 24, Catherine Pagano (Stanford) 4:46.56; 26, Maddy Berkson (Stanford) 4:46.96.
3,000 – 1, Katie Rainsberger (Oregon) 9:01.21; 3, Vanessa Fraser (Stanford) 9:04.78; 9, Elise Cranny (Stanford) 9:06.35.
4x400 relay – 1, Washington 3:44.76; 7, Stanford (Malika Waschmann, Sarah Walker, Anna Laman, Maddy Berkson) 3:53.62.
Shot put – 1, McKenzie Warren (Concordia, Ore.) 57-9 ¾ (17.62m); 3, Lena Giger (Stanford) 52-3 ¼ (15.93m).
Weight throw – 1, Mel Herl (Chadron State) 70-9 ¾ (21.58m); 3, Valarie Allman (Stanford) 63-11 ¾ (19.50m) (PB; school record).
* * *
Baker seventh at Millrose
NEW YORK CITY – The only collegian in a field of professionals, Stanford junior Olivia Baker placed seventh in the women's 800 at the 110th Millrose Games at The Armory in Manhattan. Baker ran 2:05.00 in her debut race at that distance this year.
Racing on a 200-meter banked surface, Baker hung with the field that was fast from the start. Baker came through the 400 in 58.31, but faded in the latter stages because of the blazing pace. Ajee Wilson, an Olympian and a four-time U.S. champ won in an American record 1:58.27, which is also the fastest time in the world this year. Justine Fedronic, a former Stanford star and a 2016 Olympian for France, placed fourth in 2:01.36.
Millrose Games
At The Armory
200-meter banked track
Men
1,000 – 1, Brandon Kidder (Brooks Beasts TC) 2:19.92; 7, Brandon McGorty (Fairfax, Va.) 2:24.13.
Mile invitational – 1, Cristian Soratos (Adidas) 3:54.23; 5, DJ Principe (Johnston, R.I.) 4:02.96.
Two miles – 1, Ben True (Saucony) 8:11.33; 6, Garrett Heath (Brooks Beasts TC) 8:19.61.
Women
800 – 1, Ajee Wilson (Adidas) 1:58.27; 4, Justine Fedronic (Nike) 2:01.36; 7, Olivia Baker (Stanford) 2:05.00.
Pole vault – 1, Katerina Stefanidi (Nike) 15-9 ¾ (4.82m).
* * *
Gayles runs fast 400
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Gaby Gayles became the fifth-fastest 400 runner in Stanford indoor history when she reeled off a 53.96 to place sixth at the Don Kirby Invitational at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Gayles set an indoor personal best, on the 200-meter banked track, breaking her year-old mark of 54.31. Gayles is a stalwart on two Stanford relay teams, the DMR and the 4x400. The DMR should reach the NCAA Championships and the 4x400 will seek a qualifying time by the MPSF Championships.
In the women's pole vault, redshirt freshman Nicole Summersett jumped her collegiate career best of 12-3 ½ (3.75m).
Don Kirby Invitational
At Albuquerque Convention Center
200-meter banked track
Men
400 – 1, Marcus Chambers (Oregon) 46.45; 5, Jackson Shumway (Stanford) 47.44; 16, Frank Kurtz (Stanford) 48.84; 17, Julian Body (Stanford) 48.86; 20, Colin Dolese (Stanford) 48.97; 27, Isaac Westlund (Stanford) 49.28; 37, Daniel Brady (Stanford) 50.36.
60 hurdles – Prelims: 19, Daniel Brady (Stanford) 8.39.
4x400 relay – 1, Arizona 3:09.17; 5, Stanford (Frank Kurtz, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, Julian Body, Jackson Shumway) 3:15.85.
Triple jump – 1, Joshua Honeycutt (Rush Elite) 53-11 3/4; 10, Jaak Uudmae (Stanford) 49-5 ½ (15.07m).
Women
400 – 1, Sage Watson (Arizona) 52.00; 6, Gaby Gayles (Stanford) 53.97 (No. 5 Stanford all-time); 13, Missy Mongiovi (Stanford) 55.37; 16, Hannah Labrie-Smith (Stanford) 55.76;
Triple jump – 1, Toni Smith (Club Northwest) 42-2 ¼ (12.86m); 18, Marisa Kwiatkowski (Stanford) 40-0 ¾ (12.21m).
Pole vault – 1, Kristen Brown (Nike) 14-2 (4.32m); 25, Nicole Summersett (Stanford) 12-3 ½ (3.75m); 30, Taylore Jaques (Stanford) 11-9 ¾ (3.60m).
