STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford spreads athletes across three time zones on the busiest qualifying weekend of the indoor track and field season.
Grant Fisher heads a contingent of men's distance runners at the Iowa State Classic, Olivia Baker headlines sprinters and jumpers at New Mexico's Don Kirby Invitational, and Stanford All-Americans will load up the women's 3,000 field as Card runners and throwers descend on Washington's Husky Classic.
In all, 55 Cardinal will compete in three Friday-Saturday meets.
Four Stanford individuals and two relay teams are in position to advance to the NCAA Indoor Championships March 9-10 in College Station, Texas, by being among the top 16 individuals or top 12 relay teams on the national list. However, only three individuals and one relay team – Baker (800), Vanessa Fraser (5,000), and Lena Giger (shot put), and the women's distance medley -- seem safe. It's also not guaranteed that Baker or Fraser would compete in those events at nationals.
Here's a closer look at each meet:
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AMES, Iowa – Reigning NCAA outdoor 5,000-meter champion Grant Fisher races individually for the first time in his Cardinal indoor career. As a freshman, Fisher beat a strong 3,000 field at the Husky Classic, running 7:50.06. That time would rank No. 4 in school history indoors.
Fisher will race in the invitational section of the 3,000 (Friday, 5:30 p.m. PT), along with teammate Jack Keelan, a returning All-America at that distance. Also in the field: Matt Baxter and Tyler Day, who placed second and third at the NCAA cross country championships last fall for Northern Arizona, and Kyle Mau, whose 1,600 anchor leg gave Indiana the distance medley relay victory over Stanford last week at the Power Five Invitational.
Newly-minted cross country All-America Steven Fahy will make an NCAA attempt in the invitational 5,000 (Friday, 4:15 p.m. PT) against NCAA cross country champ Justyn Knight of Syracuse and Alabama's two top-10 finishers from that same race, Gilbert Kigen (fourth) and Vincent Kiprop (seventh).
Iowa State Classic
Where: Ames, Iowa
Site: Lied Recreation Athletic Center
Surface: 300-meter flat track.
Start times: Friday, 10 a.m. PT; Saturday, 10 a.m. PT
Entry list: Click here.
Meet schedule: Click here.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – At 5,300 feet, the altitude of Albuquerque is conducive to good marks in the sprints and field events. In particular, the Cardinal women will gun for a fast time in the 4x400 relay (Saturday, 2:15 p.m. PT). The lineup of Missy Mongiovi, Gaby Gayles, Olivia Baker, and Carolyn Wilson will be teamed up for the first time. Each has run under 54 seconds in the open 400. They'll be looking to run in the low 3:30's.
In addition, Baker is scheduled to race the 400 (Saturday, 12:55 p.m. PT). She was the 2016 Pac-12 champion in that event.
Don Kirby Collegiate Invitational
Where: Albuquerque, N.M.
Site: Albuquerque Convention Center
Surface: 200-meter banked track.
Start times: Friday, 3 p.m. PT; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. PT
Entry list: Click here.
Meet schedule: Click here.
Follow the Action:
Live results: Click here.
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SEATTLE – Lena Giger is undefeated against collegiate competition in the shot put in three meets this year. However, in two of those, she was beaten by McKenzie Warren of Iron Wood TC. Giger will get another chance at Warren on Saturday (2 p.m.).
Valarie Allman is No. 17 on the NCAA list in the 20-pound weight throw, just one position away from a qualifying spot. She is the Stanford record holder in that event (Saturday, 10 a.m.).
The women's 3,000 (Saturday, 4:20 p.m.) will be a loaded race and a big one for Stanford, which sends four All-Americans to the starting line: Christina Aragon, Elise Cranny, Vanessa Fraser, and Fiona O'Keeffe. The race promises to be fast and a potentially big NCAA qualifier. Among the entrants are NCAA cross country champ Ednah Kurgat of New Mexico, NCAA steeplechase champ Allie Ostrander of Boise State, NCAA 1,500 runner-up Nikki Hiltz of Arkansas, and Canadian Olympic steeplechaser Erin Teschuk.
Husky Classic
Where: Seattle, Wash.
Site: Dempsey Indoor
Surface: 307-meter flat track.
Start times: Friday, 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.
Heat sheets: Click here.
Meet schedule: Click here.
Follow the Action:
Live results: Click here.
FloPro premium Webcast: Click here.
