AZUSA, Calif. – Stanford sophomore Juliette Whittaker made her outdoor season debut in her specialty, the 800 meters, and came away with the fourth-fastest time in NCAA Division I track and field this season.
The Bryan Clay Invitational featured both Whittaker and LSU's Michaela Rose, the top two 800 placers in that order at the NCAA Indoor Championships last month. They ran in separate heats, with Rose winning Heat 1 and earning the overall victory, in 1:58.37. Whittaker was second in Heat 2 and the second-fastest collegian overall, running 2:01.57.
Fifteen Cardinal distance runners competed on Friday on the second day of the three-day meet at Cougar Stadium at Azusa Pacific University. On Thursday, four others ran. For Stanford, the meet concludes Saturday with several in the sections of the 1,500.
Among the highlights so far, Riley Stewart ran a personal best 10:25.88 in the 3,000 steeplechase on Thursday. Stewart was fourth in the Open division in a time that strengthened her hold on the No. 10 spot on Stanford's all-time list.
The Stanford women's sophomore class stood out over the first two days. Besides Whittaker and Stewart, Julia Flynn set a lifetime best in the 800, running 2:07.60, and Caroline Wells ran her collegiate best in the 5,000, in 16:38.42.
Taylor James, a junior, won the sixth heat of the invitational 800, in 2:07.08. She is a returning NCAA outdoor qualifier.
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Bryan Clay Invitational
At Cougar Stadium, Azusa
Winners and Stanford
Thursday's results
Women
10,000 – Invite, Ht. 1: 1, Parker Valby (Florida) 30:50.43; 21, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 34:01.02; 24, Audrey DaDamio (Stanford) 34:33.41. Ht. 2: 18, Abi Archer (Stanford) 35:04.41 (PB).
3,000 steeplechase – Invite: 1, Lexy Halladay-Lowry (unat.) 9:26.55. Open: 4, Riley Stewart (Stanford) 10:25.88 (PB; No. 10 Stanford AT).
Friday's results
Men
5,000 – Invite, Ht. 1: 1, Brian Musau (Oklahoma State) 13:13.29; Ht. 3: 17, Lex Young (Stanford) 13:57.67. Open A, Ht. 3: 24, Nolan Topper (Stanford) 14:26.17; 26, Callum Sherry (Stanford) 14:35.09; 28, Robert DiDonato (Stanford) 14:41.21.
Women
800 – Invite: 1, Michaela Rose (LSU) 1:58.37; 5, Juliette Whittaker (Stanford) 2:01.57; 49, Taylor James (Stanford) 2:07.08; 61, Julia Flynn (Stanford) 2:07.60 (PB); 75, Amelia Everett (Stanford) 2:08.43. Open: 17, Madison Shults (Stanford) 2:09.78; 49, Cate Peters (Stanford) 2:11.40; 176, Tori Starcher (Stanford) 2:17.11.
5,000 – Invite, Ht. 1: 1, Hilda Olemomoi (Alabama) 15:06.42; 25, Lucy Jenks (Stanford) 15:44.71; 32, Zofia Dudek (Stanford) 16:11.59. Ht. 2: 7, Sophia Kennedy (Stanford) 15:46.56. Open A, Ht. 1: 4, Caroline Wells (Stanford) 16:38.42.
PB = personal best
AT = all-time
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Stanford's Saturday Schedule
5:50 p.m.: Men's 1,500 -- Open C, Ht.2: Liam Anderson; Ht. 11: Milo Skapinsky; Ht. 12: Callum Sherry.
6:40 p.m.: Women's 1,500 – Invite, Ht. 5: Riley Stewart; Ht. 7: Lucy Jenks; Ht. 11: Juliette Whittaker.
7:35 p.m.: Men's 1,500 – Invite, Ht. 5: Leo Young; Ht. 9: Thomas Boyden.
8:30 p.m.: Women's 1,500 – Open A, Ht. 6: Amelia Everett; Ht. 11: Hillary Studdert.
10:10 p.m.: Women's 1,500 – Open B, Ht. 2: Imogen Gardiner.
11 p.m.: Men's 1,500 – Open B, Ht. 7: Galen Topper.
