AUSTIN, Texas – Junior Olivia Baker of Stanford qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Championships by finishing third in the 800 meters on Friday during the NCAA West Prelims at Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas.
Running in Heat 2 in the quarterfinals, Baker posted a first-place time of 2:04.55. Jazmine Fray of Texas A&M was the overall winner, clocking 2:03.65, followed by Sadi Henderson of Boise State (2:03.91). Cardinal freshman Sarah Walker finished 17th in 2:09.36.
Baker, a native of South Orange, New Jersey, was the lone Cardinal to advance in Day 2. A two-time All-America selection, she was the NCAA outdoor runner-up in 2016 and finished ninth in 2015. She became the third Cardinal to advance to the NCAA Championships, to be held June 7-10 in Eugene, Oregon. On Thursday, javelin throwers Mackenzie Little and Jenna Gray became the first two.
Junior Tristen Newman placed 21st in the men's shot put with a throw of 57-10½ but failed to qualify. Neither did sophomore Tai Dinger, who finished 20th in the 800 meters with a time of 1:52.03.
On the women's side, senior Rachel Reichenbach cleared 5-8½ in the high jump to finish 21st, but did not advance.
In the first round of the men's 3,000 steeplechase, junior Steven Fahy finished fifth in Heat 1 but wound up 14th overall with a time of 8:57.71.
In the first round of the women's 3,000 steeplechase, senior Danielle Katz touched in 10:44.50 to place 10th in Heat 1 and was 26th overall.
The NCAA West Prelims conclude Saturday and 12 Cardinal student-athletes will be in action, in the women's triple jump, shot put, 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters and 4x400 relay, and men's 5,000.
Sophomore Grant Fisher should be a top contender in the 5,000.
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Stanford's Saturday Schedule
1 p.m.: Women's triple jump first round and semifinal – Flight 2, Marisa Kwiatkowski. Top 12 advance to Eugene.
4 p.m.: Women's shot put first round and semifinal – Flight 4, Lena Giger. Top 12 advance to Eugene.
4:30 p.m.: Women's 1,500 semifinals -- Heat 1, Christina Aragon, Elise Cranny, Rebecca Mehra. Heat 2, Maddy Berkson, Malika Waschmann. Top five from each of two sections, plus next two times, advance to Eugene.
6:05 p.m.: Women's 5,000 – Heat 1, Fiona O'Keeffe; Heat 2, Sophie Chase, Danielle Katz. Top five from each of two heats, plus next two times, advance to Eugene.
6:45 p.m.: Men's 5,000 – Heat 1, Grant Fisher; Heat 2, Jack Keelan. Top five from each of two sections, plus next two times, advance to Eugene.
7:25 p.m.: Women's 4x400 – Heat 2, Stanford. Top three from each of three sections, plus next three times, advance to Eugene.
