COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Stanford closed out the NCAA West Prelims on Saturday by qualifying five entrants to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Over the four-day meet at E.B. Cushing Stadium, Stanford qualified seven individuals and a relay team for nationals at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on June 11-14. All told, that’s 10 athletes – seven women and three men -- and nine entries.
Alyssa Jones will compete in three events in Eugene. After qualifying in the long jump on Thursday, Jones also will advance in the high jump and the 4x100-meter relay. She nearly made it four, by setting a personal record of 11.20 in the 100, but missed qualifying by two spots.
The Stanford women’s 4x100 relay team was seeded 19th out of 24, but emerged with the ninth-fastest time to earn its spot among the coveted top 12. The team of Teagan Zwaanstra, Jones, Alaysia Oakes, and Sage Hinton ran 43.84 – a huge improvement over its previous season best of 44.44.
Stanford took fourth in Heat 3, one spot from automatic qualifying, but advanced as a time qualifier. The time of 43.84 placed the foursome at No. 3 in Stanford history. Jones, adding to her incredible accomplishments, has been part of the four fastest relays in school history.
In the high jump, Jones cleared 6-0 ½ (1.84 meters) on her second try. It was an outdoor personal best that places her all alone at No. 2 on Stanford’s all-time outdoor list. Because the 12 qualifiers already were determined, the competition was halted and Jones did not get a chance to try 6-1 ½ (1.87).
Also earning NCAA berths were Roisin Willis in the 800, and Sophia Kennedy and Zofia Dudek in the 5,000.
Willis easily won Heat 3 while running her collegiate personal best of 1:59.81. Willis led throughout, coming through the 400 at 58.58 and closing in 1:01.24. On Stanford’s all-time outdoor list, Willis passed Olivia Baker (2:00.08) into the No. 2 position. Willis is now No. 14 in collegiate outdoor history and the time was the 25th fastest.
In the 5,000, Kennedy ran 15:50.36 to place fourth in her semifinal, which was the faster of the two and put her fourth overall. The top five in each race qualified automatically, but Dudek was one of two qualifiers on time, placing sixth in the second semifinal and 11th overall, in 16:01.80. Dudek, a graduate student, has All-America honors indoors and in cross country, but this will be her first NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Making her NCAA debut will be Oakes, a junior. She opened the day seeded 39th in the triple jump. Though she didn’t advance in that event, she exceeded her seeding by placing 28th with a personal best of 42-5 ¼ (12.93) – placing her No. 6 all-time outdoors at Stanford.
The meet concluded with a season-best of 3:35.75 in the 4x400 relay. The splits were 54.81 for Hinton on leadoff, 51.67 for Willis, 54.96 for Cate Peters, and 54.32 for Camille Peisner on anchor.
NCAA West Prelims
At E.B. Cushing Stadium
Saturday’s Stanford results
Women
100 – 14, Alyssa Jones 11.20 (PB; No. 3 Stanford AT).
800 – 2, Roisin Willis 1:59.81 (No. 2 Stanford AT). Willis advances to NCAA Championships.
5,000 – 4, Sophia Kennedy 15:50.36; 11, Zofia Dudek 16:01.80; 39, Audrey DaDamio 16:42.48. Kennedy and Dudek advance to NCAA Championships.
4x100 relay – 9, Stanford (Teagan Zwaanstra, Alyssa Jones, Alaysia Oakes, Sage Hinton) 43.84 (No. 3 Stanford AT). Stanford advances to the NCAA Championships.
4x400 relay – 18, Stanford (Sage Hinton, Roisin Willis, Cate Peters, Camille Peisner) 3:35.75.
High jump – 6, Alyssa Jones 6-0 ½ (1.84) (No. 2 Stanford AT). Jones advances to NCAA Championships.
Triple jump – 28, Alaysia Oakes 42-5 ¼ (12.93) (PB; No. 6 Stanford AT).
Discus – Kaiah Fisher, F.
PB = personal best
AT = all-time
Stanford’s NCAA qualifiers
Women: Zofia Dudek (5,000), Sage Hinton (4x100 relay), Alyssa Jones (long jump, high jump, 4x100 relay), Sophia Kennedy (5,000), Alaysia Oakes (4x100 relay), Roisin Willis (800), Teagan Zwaanstra (4x100 relay).
Men: Xavier Drumgoole (triple jump), Cole Sprout (10,000), Leo Young (1,500).