AUSTIN, Texas – With Ella Donaghu placing sixth in the 1,500 meters and Fiona O'Keeffe seventh in the 5,000 on Saturday, the Stanford women finished 10th at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Combined with fifth from the Cardinal men on Friday, both Stanford teams repeated in the top 10 -- the first time that's happened at this meet since 2001-03.
All told, Stanford got two firsts, two seconds, a third, a fourth, a sixth, and an eighth among scorers for both teams over the four days of competition at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus. Of Stanford's 14 competitors, four seniors – Steven Fahy, Grant Fisher, Mackenzie Little, and Harrison Williams – have won NCAA titles during their careers.
"They're going to graduate, but we're going to keep getting better because of the tone they set," said Chris Miltenberg, Stanford's seventh-year Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field. "Because of the culture they built … they made everyone around them better. Great leaders set things up to keep getting better even after they're gone. They undoubtedly have done that."
Rachel Reichenbach. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Donaghu's performance in the 1,500 provided the biggest highlight on Saturday. Donaghu and Jessica Lawson, each a sophomore in eligibility, were competing in their first NCAA Championships meet and each reached the 1,500 final.
The pace was fast and Donaghu and Lawson tucked into the back half of the pack. However, a front group of four broke off and because the Stanford runners were behind others in the second pack, neither was in a position to try to respond to their move.
Donaghu was able to push hard in the 97-degree heat, charging on the final lap, and finished only a step away from fifth. Donaghu ran 14:13.62 and Lawson was 10th in 4:16.04.
"When I crossed the finish line, I was a bit disappointed for not going with that group," Donaghu said. "But I feel, from 500 out, I did a really great job of staying composed. I refocused and thought, Go pick off people and have fun with it. Overall, I'm extremely proud how we both fought in this race.
"Most of all, I'm really grateful for my team, who stuck by my side through thick and thin these past few years. I felt an outpouring of support from everyone who helped me get to this point.
"Obviously, there's no race that I've walked away from where I feel I ran perfect, but that's kind of the beauty of running. There's always more to do, more to learn from. I'm just extremely thankful for this day and for everyone who's helped me get here."
Ella Donaghu. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Lawson completed a year in which she established herself as one of Stanford's most vital distance runners and a future leader of the program. She was on the verge of All-America honors in cross country and indoor track and field, before finally getting the honor that she deserved outdoors, with a Pac-12 runner-up finish to her credit.
"This year was definitely a building year," Lawson said. "It was exciting to see those results all the way through the year. I attribute a lot of that to the way our team is growing and maturing. We've experienced a lot of growth, and a lot of people stepping up into leadership positions. I feel like my season is reflective of the growth we've been experiencing as a team. And I can only see that continuing as we go into next year.
I'm very proud of my year and very excited about what's ahead."
Jessica Lawson. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
O'Keeffe rallied to a seventh-place finish after falling midway through her 5,000 race. She was in the lead pack when she went down, suffering abrasions to her right hip. When she got up, the lead pack and long left her and spent the remaining part of the race, trying to bridge that gap. She indeed passed two who had been part of that pack, on the final lap, finishing in 16:17.64.
When asked about the courage she showed in battling back, O'Keeffe said, "There's nothing especially courageous about doing what any of our runners would have done in the same situation."
O'Keeffe earned her third first-team All-America honor in track and has six altogether.
"With Fiona taking a hard fall like that, to see her get up and battle back and get those two points for us, that speaks to them doing something for each other," Miltenberg said.
Fiona O'Keeffe. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
In the women's discus, Jaimi Salone got into a hole with two fouls in their first appearance at the NCAA Championships. A third and final attempt got Salone 153-5 (46.77m) and 23rd place.
In the high jump, Rachel Reichenbach could not look ahead in the same manner as Lawson. For the fifth-year senior and team captain, her first NCAA Championships marked her final collegiate meet.
Reichenbach placed 12th with a jump of 5-10 (1.78m). She cleared three bars, opening at 5-7 (1.70m) and making 5-10 on her third try. She took some good attempts at a lifetime best 5-11 ¼ (1.81m), but her season ended there.
Reichenbach tried to compose herself as she stepped off the track for the final time, but it was difficult.
"I didn't quite have it today, but I put it all out there," she said. "It's exciting to be here, and I'm excited to end on this note. I really couldn't ask for much more.
"The road to get here has been incredible. Ending here today with my teammates watching, and all I've been through … it speaks so much for tenacity and how far mental strength can get you.
"That's something I've learned and something my teammates have taught me too. That's my takeaway today. This doesn't necessarily end today. It might for track, but not for life, and not for my teammates."
Jaimi Salone. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
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NCAA Championships
At Mike A. Myers Stadium, Univ. of Texas
Saturday's results
Winners and all Stanford
Women
Team scores – 1, Arkansas 64; 2, USC 57; 3, LSU 43; 10, Stanford 20.
1,500 – 1, Sinclaire Johnson (Oklahoma State) 4:05.98; 6, Ella Donaghu (Stanford) 4:13.62; 10, Jessica Lawson (Stanford) 4:16.04.
5,000 – 1, Dani Jones (Colorado) 15:50.64; 7, Fiona O'Keeffe (Stanford) 16:07.84.
High jump – 1, Zarriea Willis (Texas Tech) 6-2 (1.88m); 12, Rachel Reichenbach (Stanford) 5-10 (1.78m).
Discus – 1, Laulauga Tausaga (Iowa) 207-6 (63.26m); 23, Jaimi Salone (Stanford) 153-5 (46.77m).
Stanford's All-Americans
Men
First team – Steven Fahy (3,000 steeplechase), Grant Fisher (5,000), Thomas Ratcliffe (5,000), Harrison Williams (decathlon).
Women
First team – Ella Donaghu (1,500), Jenna Gray (javelin), Mackenzie Little (javelin), Fiona O'Keeffe (5,000).
Second team – Jessica Lawson (1,500), Abbie McNulty (10,000), Rachel Reichenbach (high jump).
Honorable mention – Kaitlyn Merritt (pole vault), Virginia Miller (javelin), Jaimi Salone (discus).
Fiona O'Keeffe. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.