STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford will be represented by 12 individuals and two relay teams at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships March 10-11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Cardinal men's qualifiers are Garrett Brown (pole vault), Devin Hart (5,000 meters), NCAA cross country champion Charles Hicks (5,000), John Lester (800), Max McKhann (weight throw), Udodi Onwuzurike (200), Ky Robinson (3,000, 5,000), and Cole Sprout (3,000).
Card women's qualifiers are Zofia Dudek (5,000), Alyssa Jones (long jump), Juliette Whittaker (800),
Roisin Willis (800), and the 4x400 and distance medley relay teams. The 4x400 qualifiers were Alexa Rossum, Whittaker, Maya Valmon, and Willis. The DMR qualifiers were Melissa Tanaka, Valmon, Willis, and Whittaker.
The championships fields – 16 in each individual event and 12 in the relays -- were based on best marks. They are final except for medical scratches.
Freshmen Willis and Whittaker are Stanford's highest-ranked entrants, with Willis No. 1 and Whittaker No. 3 in the 800. They could each compete in three events, with the addition of both relays. Should they reach the 800 finals, it would mean two races each day. An hour separates the 800 semifinals from the DMR on Friday and 50 minutes separates the 800 final from the 4x400 on Saturday.
Long-jumper Jones also is a freshman.
Ky Robinson, the 5,000 NCAA indoor runner-up last year, is the only Cardinal male to advance in two events. He is among five Stanford men's distance runners to qualify, including Devin Hart in the 5,000. Hart and Brown were 18th in the final rankings, but because of scratches, each advanced to their first NCAA indoor or outdoor championship meet.
This also is the first NCAA Indoor championship meet for the sophomore Onwuzurike, who was third at the NCAA Outdoor meet in the 200 last spring.
The Stanford women have a rich recent history in the DMR. Last year, they were second. And from 2014-18, Stanford was second four times and third once, finishing behind the winners in all those races by a combined difference of a mere 6.00 seconds.
J.J. Clark, Stanford's Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, submitted eight names for the DMR in Albuquerque and six in the 4x400.
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Stanford's NCAA qualifiers
Men
Garrett Brown: Pole vault (No. 16, 17-11 ¾, 5.48m).
Devin Hart: 5,000 (No. 16, 13:29.31).
Charles Hicks: 5,000 (No. 10, 13:22.05).
John Lester: 800 (No. 11, 1:46.93).
Max McKhann: Weight throw (No. 10, 73-9, 22.48m).
Udodi Onwuzurike: 200 (No. 13, 20.56).
Ky Robinson: 3,000 (No. 7, 7:42.30), 5,000 (13:11.53).
Cole Sprout: 3,000 (No. 15, 7:44.50).
Women
Zofia Dudek: 5,000 (No. 14, 15:40.41).
Alyssa Jones: Long jump (No. 15, 21-0 ½, 6.41m).
Juliette Whittaker: 800 (No. 3, 2:00.32).
Roisin Willis: 800 (No. 1, 1:59.95).
4x400 relay: Alexa Rossum, Juliette Whittaker, Maya Valmon, Roisin Willis, Cydney Wright, Samantha Thomas (No. 11, 3:31.71).
Distance medley relay: Melissa Tanaka, Maya Valmon, Roisin Willis, Juliette Whittaker, Ellie Deligianni, Riley Stewart, Cydney Wright, Samantha Thomas (No. 6, 10:49.30).
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Stanford's schedule (all times Pacific)
Friday, March 10
3 p.m.: Women's long jump prelim/final (Alyssa Jones).
3:45 p.m.: Women's 800 semifinals (Juliette Whittaker, Roisin Willis).
4:05 p.m.: Women's 5,000 final (Zofia Dudek).
4:45 p.m.: Women's distance medley relay final (Stanford).
5 p.m.: Men's pole vault final (Garrett Brown).
6 p.m.: Men's weight throw prelim/final (Max McKhann).
6:45 p.m.: Men's 800 semifinals (John Lester).
7:05 p.m.: Men's 5,000 final (Devin Hart, Charles Hicks, Ky Robinson).
7:25 p.m.: Men's 200 semifinals (Udodi Onwuzurike).
Saturday, March 11
3:30 p.m.: Women's 800 final.
4:20 p.m.: Women's 4x400 relay final (Stanford).
6:30 p.m.: Men's 800 final.
6:50 p.m.: Men's 200 final.
7 p.m.: Men's 3,000 final (Ky Robinson, Cole Sprout).
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ESPN+ will stream the championships live starting at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time Friday, March 10, and starting at 10:30 a.m. Pacific time Saturday, March 11. There will be two re-airs of the meet. The first re-air will take place starting at 3 p.m. Pacific time on Sunday, March 12, on ESPNU. The second re-air of the championship will take place starting at 4 p.m. Pacific time Monday, March 13, on ESPNU.
