Photo: Mackenzie Little seeks to repeat in the javelin.
EUGENE, Ore. – Stanford sends 60 athletes to the two-day Pac-12 Track and Field Championships, which begin Saturday at Hayward Field.
The Stanford women are seeking to crown an individual conference champion for the 21st consecutive year, the longest such streak in the conference, and could extend its streak of top-five team finishes to 22.
The Stanford men are loaded in the 1,500 and boast Jaak Uudmae in the horizontal jumps. The men are aiming for their first top-five team finish since 2012.
Stanford is looking for strong team performances while also attempting to qualify as many as possible to the NCAA West Prelims, May 25-27 in Austin, Texas. From there, the top 12 advance to the NCAA Championships back in Eugene, from June 7-10.
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Meet information:
Pac-12 Championships
Where: Eugene, Ore.
Site: Hayward Field, University of Oregon
Forecast: Saturday, rain, high 58;
Sunday, 50 % chance of showers, high 60.
Events begin:
Saturday: Field, 11:35 a.m.; Running, 1:30 p.m.
Sunday: Field, 1 p.m.: Running, 3 p.m.
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Follow the action:
Live results: Click here.
Meet Central: Click here.
Entries: Click here.
Schedule: Click here.
TV: Pac-12 Network
Live: Sunday, May 14, 3 p.m.
Pac-12 Top-10 lists: Click here.
Stanford Men's All-Time Top-10: Link to come.
Stanford Women's All-Time Top-10: Link to come.
Stanford in USTFCCCA rankings:
Women - No. 17
Men - No. 33
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Stanford's top-10 seeded competitors:
Men
10,000: 7, Blair Hurlock 29:50.21.
400 hurdles: 8, Julian Body 52.50; 9, Daniel Brady 52.78; 10, Colin Dolese 52.80.
4x400 relay: 6, Stanford 3:10.53.
Long jump: 2, Jaak Uudmae 25-9 ¼ (7.85m).
Shot put: 9, Tristen Newman 60-0 ¼, (18.29m).
Hammer: 3, Michael Painter 219-3 (66.84m); 8, Tristen Newman 199-0 (60.65m).
Javelin: 7, Charles Kerr 221-10 (67.61m); 9, Trevor Danielson 218-0 (66.44m).
Women
400: 7, Olivia Baker 53.28.
800: 8, Christina Aragon 2:06.21; 9, Sarah Walker 2:07.30.
1,500: 6, Malika Waschmann 4:17.46; 9, Rebecca Mehra 4:21.14; 10, Fiona O'Keeffe 4:22.61.
5,000: 5, Fiona O'Keeffe 15:56.03.
10,000: 8, Abbie McNulty 34:33.98.
3,000 steeplechase: 3, Danielle Katz 10:15.60.
4x400 relay: 4, Stanford 3:37.14.
High jump: 6, Rachel Reichenbach 5-8 ¾ (1.75m).
Pole vault: 9, Erika Malaspina 12-11 ½ (3.95m).
Long jump: 2, Daryth Gayles 20-6 ¼ (6.25m).
Triple jump: 6, Marisa Kwiatkowski 41-7 ¼ (12.68m).
Shot put: 4, Lena Giger 55-1 ½ (16.80m).
Discus: 9, Jaimi Salone 161-8 (49.27m).
Hammer: 8, Lena Giger 183-7 (55.95m).
Javelin: 1, Mackenzie Little 182-5 (55.60m); 4, Jenna Gray 160-9 (49.00m); 9, Victoria Smith (45.77m).
* * *Event highlights:
Women
400: Oliva Baker is the defending champion in this event and again will face USC's Kendall Ellis. Last year, Baker ran down Ellis down the stretch to earn a close victory. Ellis has the best time in the Pac-12 this year by a substantial margin, while Baker has split her time between the 400 and 800. This is the only individual event for at this meet for Baker, who also will anchor the Cardinal's 4x400 relay team.
5,000: The Pac-12 is the strongest distance-running conference in the country, which makes this event all the more intriguing for Stanford freshman Fiona O'Keeffe. In her only 5,000 this season, she won the Cardinal Classic in commanding fashion, and her time of 15:56.03 is the second-fastest in the nation by a true freshman this year. She clearly is in great condition, which will make her battle against some heavyweights fascinating to watch.
Long jump: Among all the Cardinal competing this weekend, only javelin thrower Mackenzie Little has a higher seed then long jumper Daryth Gayles, who comes in at No. 2. No Stanford woman has won this event at conference since Erica McLain captured the last of her Pac-10 long jump titles in 2008. Gayles has exceeded 6 meters in three meets this year and her season-best of 20-6 ¼ (6.21 meters) is close to top-seeded Margaux Jones of USC (20-8 ¼, 6.31m).
Javelin: Stanford carries a five-year winning streak in this event, with Mackenzie Little capturing the title last year after Brianna Bain earned a career grand slam. Little, now a sophomore, is the top qualifier. Though she won by 30 feet at Pac-12's last year in Seattle, this year's competition should be significantly tougher, with Washington State freshman Atina Kamasi and UCLA senior Zaybree Haury emerging this year. Keep an eye on freshman Jenna Gray, a Stanford volleyball star who comes in with a No. 4 seed, despite minimal training while part of the Cardinal's top beach volleyball pair.
Men
1,500: Grant Fisher is the runner to watch for Stanford. He has excelled in the 5,000 – placing sixth in the NCAA outdoors last year as a freshman – and in cross country, where he was sixth in the country last fall. But Fisher is, at heart, a miler. He did beat Cal's Thomas Joyce at the Big Meet in the only 1,500 he has run this year. This race will be a true test for him. Fisher's NCAA distance remains up in the air and his performance this weekend may help sway whether he continues in the 1,500 or returns to the 5,000. Last year, Fisher was caught in a poor position during the 1,500 prelims and did not advance to the final. This year should be different. Card teammate Sean McGorty, the NCAA outdoor 5,000 runner-up last year, will race the 1,500 this weekend and for the rest of the season.
Javelin: Stanford's Trevor Danielson competes against his older brother, Oregon's defending Pac-12 champion Cody Danielson. Trevor has been one of the surprises of the season, competing for the first time in three years to throw a series of personal records and comes in as the No. 9 seed, with teammate Charles Kerr, another Card thrower at this best, at No. 7.
Long jump: Jaak Uudmae had a breakthrough performance his last time out, jumping 25-9 ¼ (7.85m), to finish as the top collegian at the Longhorn Invitational. He comes to this meet as the highest seed among Stanford men, at No. 2. Uudmae hopes to extend a Stanford winning streak in the horizontal jumps, following Darian Brooks, who last year won the last of his three triple jump titles.
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Stanford's schedule:
Saturday
11:35 a.m.: Men's hammer trials/final (Michael Painter, Tristen Newman).
1:25 p.m.: Men's javelin trials/final (Trevor Danielson, Charles Kerr).
1:30 p.m.: Men's triple jump trials/final (Jaak Uudmae).
1:50 p.m.: Men's 1,500 prelims (Tom Coyle, Grant Fisher, Sean McGorty, Patrick Perrier, Ryan Silva).
1:55 p.m.: Men's long jump (Jaak Uudmae).
2:05 p.m.: Women's 1,500 prelims (Maddy Berkson, Rebecca Mehra, Fiona O'Keeffe, Catherine Pagano, Malika Waschmann).
2:55 p.m.: Men's shot put (Tristen Newman).
3 p.m,.: Men's 400 prelims (Frank Kurtz).
3:15 p.m.: Women's 400 prelims (Olivia Baker, Missy Mongiovi).
3:30 p.m.: Men's 100 prelims (Isaiah Brandt-Sims).
3:45 p.m.: Women's 100 prelims (Michaela Crunkleton Wilson).
4 p.m.: Women's 800 prelims (Christina Aragon, Sarah Walker).
4 p.m.: Men's 800 prelims (Scott Buttinger, Tai Dinger).
4:20 p.m.: Women's long jump trials/final (Daryth Gayles, Marisa Kwiatkowski).
4:30 p.m.: Men's 3,000 steeplechase final (Steven Fahy).
4:50 p.m.: Women's steeplechase final (Danielle Katz).
4:50 p.m.: Women's javelin trials/final (Jenna Gray, Mackenzie Little, Victoria Smith
5 p.m.: Men's high jump final (Trevor Rex).
5:10 p.m.: Men's 400 hurdles trials (Julian Body, Daniel Brady, Colin Dolese, Lucas Ege).
5:25 p.m.: Women's 400 hurdles prelims (Hannah Labrie-Smith).
5:25 p.m.: Women's shot put trials/final (Lena Giger).
5:55 p.m.: Women's 200 prelims (Michaela Crunkleton Wilson).
6:10 p.m.: Men's 10,000 final (Blair Hurlock, Will Lauer, Garrett Sweatt).
6:50 p.m.: Women's 10,000 final (Abbie McNulty).
Sunday
1 p.m.: Women's hammer throw trials/final (Lena Giger).
1:20 p.m.: Men's discus trials/final (Landon Ellingson).
2:55 p.m.: Women's triple jump trials/final (Marisa Kwiatkowski).
3:05 p.m.: Women's pole vault final (Erika Malaspina, Nicole Summersett).
3:15 p.m.: Men's 1,500 final.
3:22 p.m.: Women's 1,500 final.
3:50 p.m.: Men's 400 final.
3:50 p.m.: Women's high jump final (Rachel Reichenbach).
4 p.m.: Women's 400 final.
4:10 p.m.: Men's 100 final.
4:15 p.m.: Women's 100 final.
4:25 p.m.: Men's 800 final.
4:30 p.m.: Women's 800 final.
4:40 p.m.: Men's 400 hurdles final.
4:50 p.m.: Women's 400 hurdles final.
5:07 p.m.: Women's 200 final.
5:15 p.m.: Men's 5,000 (Tai Dinger, Steven Fahy, Patrick Gibson, Blair Hurlock, Will Lauer, Alex Ostberg, Patrick Perrier, Garrett Sweatt).
5:35 p.m.: Women's 5,000 final (Sophie Chase, Danielle Katz, Abbie McNulty, Rebecca Mehra).
5:55 p.m.: Men's 4x400 relay final (Julian Body, Colin Dolese, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, Frank Kurtz).
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Stanford athletes in NCAA West Prelims qualifying position going into this weekend (top 48 advance in individual events, and 24 on relays):
Men
5,000: 5, Grant Fisher 13:37.77.
Long jump: 8, Jaak Uudmae 25-9 ¼ (7.85m).
Shot put: 22, Tristen Newman 60-0 ¼ (18.29m).
Hammer: 8, Michael Painter 219-3 (66.84m); 42, Tristen Newman 199-0 (60.65m).
Javelin: 21, Charles Kerr 221-10 (67.61m); 26, Trevor Danielson 218-0 (66.44m).
Women
400: 24, Olivia Baker 53.28; 41, Missy Mongiovi 53.96.
800: 4, Olivia Baker 2:03.45; 16, Malika Waschmann 2:05.35; 17, Elise Cranny 2:05.43; 24, Christina Aragon 2:06.21; 37, Sarah Walker 2:07.30.
1,500: 2, Elise Cranny 4:11.46; 6, Christina Aragon 4:13.43; 19, Malika Waschmann 4:17.46; 36, Rebecca Mehra 4:21.14; 48, Danielle Katz 4:22.38.
5,000: 14, Fiona O'Keeffe 15:56.03.
10,000: 30, Abbie McNulty 34:33.98.
3,000 steeplechase: 18, Danielle Katz 10:15.60.
4x400 relay: 24, Stanford 3:37.14.
High jump: 41, Rachel Reichenbach 5-8 ¾ (1.75m).
Long jump: 18, Daryth Gayles 20-6 ¼ (6.25m).
Triple jump: 28, Marisa Kwiatkowski 41-7 ¼ (12.68m).
Shot put: 8, Lena Giger 55-1 ½ (16.80m).
Javelin: 1, Mackenzie Little 182-5 (55.60m); 18, Jenna Gray 160-9 (49.00m); 41, Victoria Smith 150-2 (45.77m).
