IN THE LAST weekend before the conference championships and the close of the qualifying window, Stanford will make attempts to secure spots in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships through performances at two meets.
Stanford sends three individuals to the Air Force Collegiate Open at the Air Force Academy on Friday and two relay teams and one individual to the Alex Wilson Invitational at Notre Dame on Saturday.
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Alex Wilson Invitational
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Stanford will make NCAA bids in the women's distance medley relay and the men's 4x400, and Hari Sathyamurthy will race in the men's 800 at the Loftus Center on Saturday.
The Stanford women have placed second in the DMR at the NCAA Championships four times in the past five years. This year, they have raced once and stand No. 6 after the team of Ella Donaghu, Missy Mongiovi, Carolyn Wilson, and Jessica Lawson ran 11:04.47 at the UW Invitational on Jan. 25.
However, only 12 teams make the NCAA field in relays and, despite Stanford's place midway in that group, there always is a shakeup after the Alex Wilson meet, which draws fast relay teams. Stanford will attempt to solidify is standing by bringing five to comprise the four-member team – Julia Heymach, Ashlan Best, Wilson, Lawson, and Donaghu.
Though the Stanford men did not bring a DMR team, they are paying attention to this meet as well. Stanford stands No. 2 in that event after Isaac Cortes, Julian Body, Sathyamurthy, and Grant Fisher ran 9:29.35 at the UW Invitational. If, after the Alex Wilson Invite, their spot is in jeopardy, they could field a team at the MPSF Championships next week to earn a better position.
The men's 4x400 team will need to break its year-old school record of 3:09.38 to advance to NCAAs. Right now, 3:08.07 is the time to beat to get into the top 16, but that will drop over the next two weekends.
Meet Information:
Alex Wilson Invitational
When: Saturday
Where: Notre Dame, Ind.
Site: Loftus Sports Center
Track: 320 meters.
Live results: Click here.
Stanford's Schedule (All times Pacific)
8:30 a.m.: Women's distance medley relay.
10:20 a.m.: Men's 800 (Hari Sathyamurthy).
11:40 a.m.: Men's 4x400 relay.
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Air Force Collegiate Open
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Three of Stanford's top women's field event athletes – pole vaulters Kaitlyn Merritt and Erika Malaspina, and triple jumper Aria Small – find themselves on the outside of the nation's top 16 and hope for top marks at the 7,258-foot elevation.
Merritt (13-11, 4.24 meters) is No. 20 and Malaspina (13-6 ½, 4.13m) is No. 35 on the NCAA Division I season list. Only the top 16 in each event through Feb. 24 earn passage to the NCAA meet on March 8-9 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Small is coming off a victory at the Don Kirby Collegiate Invitational in Albuquerque last week when the sophomore set a lifetime best of 42-4 (12.90m). She is ranked No. 29.
Meet Information:
Air Force Collegiate Open
When: Friday
Where: Air Force Academy, Colo.
Site: Cadet Field House Indoor Track
Live results: Click here.
Stanford's Schedule (All times Pacific)
4:30 p.m.: Women's triple jump (Aria Small).
4:30 p.m.: Women's pole vault (Erika Malaspina, Kaitlyn Merritt).
