Lead photo: Ella Donaghu and Jessica Lawson.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Exceptional runs by Jessica Lawson and Ella Donaghu in the women's 1,500 meters set the tone for a brilliant night of running for Stanford at the NCAA West Prelims on Saturday at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium.
With five more qualifiers, Stanford concluded the three-day meet by advancing 14 to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 5-8 in Austin, Texas.
Stanford's qualifiers in women's events are: Ella Donaghu (1,500), Jenna Gray (javelin), Jessica Lawson (1,500), Mackenzie Little (javelin), Abbie McNulty (10,000), Kaitlyn Merritt (pole vault), Virginia Miller (javelin), Fiona O'Keeffe (5,000), Rachel Reichenbach (high jump), and Jaimi Salone (discus).
Cardinal men's qualifiers are: Steven Fahy (3,000 steeplechase), Grant Fisher (5,000), Thomas Ratcliffe (5,000), and Harrison Williams (decathlon).
Grant Fisher. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Fisher, the 2017 NCAA outdoor 5,000 champion, and all five Stanford men's 5,000 runners were seeded in the same section alongside some of the nation's top competitors, such as Wisconsin's Morgan McDonald, Oregon's Cooper Teare. With only the top five advancing automatically, and only two advancing by time out of the two sections, the competition was going to tough for such few available spots.
Fisher, Ratcliffe, and teammate Alex Ostberg were in the lead pack late in the race. Fisher pushed ahead of McDonald with 500 to go and maintained the lead through the finish line, finishing in 13:45.64. Ratcliffe was fourth in the race in 13:47.24, earning his first NCAA berth.
Ostberg finished one spot from a time qualifying position, in 13:51.66.
Fiona O'Keeffe. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
O'Keeffe ran a lifetime best 15:31.45 to finish second in the women's 5,000. She hung on the back of Boise State's Allie Ostrander on the way to running a personal best by nearly three seconds. O'Keeffe returns to the NCAA outdoor championships after placing fifth in 2017.
Lawson and Donaghu each advance to the NCAA Championships for the first time and did so by running the fastest races of their lives.
Competing in the first of two heats, Lawson placed third and Donaghu fifth. Lawson's time of 4:11.06 was a five-second lifetime best. Donaghu's 4:11.70 was a two-second personal best. They now are Nos. 6 and 7 on Stanford's all-time performers' list.
Aria Small. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Among other top-10 additions, Ashlan Best ran 23.37 in the 200. Though she failed to qualify for nationals, she moved up to No. 5 all-time at Stanford. And O'Keeffe is now No. 9.
In the women's 4x400 relay, Stanford seemed out of contention but Best ran a 52.66 anchor leg to rally the Cardinal from seventh to fourth. Stanford ultimately placed 14th overall, two spots from qualifying. The team of Carolyn Wilson, Missy Mongiovi, Sarah Walker, and Best ran a season best 3:37.19.
Thomas Ratcliffe. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
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Saturday's Stanford results
NCAA West Prelims
At Hornet Stadium, Sacramento State
Men
5,000 – 1, Grant Fisher 13:45.64; 4, Thomas Ratcliffe 13:47.24; 8, Alex Ostberg 13:51.66; 15, Connor Lane 14:06.00; 30, Clayton Mendez 14:16.02. Fisher and Ratcliffe advance to NCAA Championships.
Women
200 – 19, Ashlan Best 23.37 (No. 5 Stanford AT).
1,500 – 4, Jessica Lawson 4:11.06 (PB, No. 6 Stanford AT); 6, Ella Donaghu 4:11.70 (PB, No. 7 Stanford AT); 24, Jordan Oakes 4:29.26. Lawson and Donaghu advance to NCAA Championships.
5,000 – 2, Fiona O'Keeffe 15:31.45 (PB, No. 9 Stanford AT); 14, Abbie McNulty 15:49.55; DNS, Jordan Oakes. O'Keeffe advances to NCAA Championships.
4x400 relay – 14, Stanford (Carolyn Wilson, Missy Mongiovi, Sarah Walker, Ashlan Best) 3:37.19.
Triple jump – 21, Aria Small 41-4 ½ (12.61m).
Jessica Lawson. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.