Loaded Fields From 800 Meters On Up On Tap This Weekend At Dempsey Indoor

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Many of the nation's college distance running powers – Northern Arizona, BYU, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Arkansas, Iowa State, New Mexico and Villanova among them – will compete this Friday and Saturday at the Husky Classic at the Dempsey Indoor facility in Seattle. 

As a distance showcase, it's one of the top collegiate meets in the country this winter as top athletes attempt to nail down berths at next month's NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships. 

WATCH THE HUSKY CLASSIC LIVE WEBCAST FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

The 3,000s and 5,000s will be run Friday, with the 800s and miles set for Saturday. 

One of the highlights of the Friday session is a women's Distance Medley Relay matchup between Oklahoma State and BYU. Oklahoma State is currently ranked sixth in the country, and BYU eighth, but are looking to improve their times. 

The women's 5,000 is expected to go at a brisk 15:35 pace and the lineup includes Team Boulder's Carrie Verdon, Jaci Smith of the U.S. Air Force World Class Athlete Program, Washington's Haley Herberg, New Mexico's Amelia Mazza-Downie, Oklahoma State's Gabby Hentemann and Emily Covert of Colorado. 

The top section of the men's 5,000 that follows is targeting 13:25, with a pacing plan to go through two miles in 8:40. 

Brandon Garnica of BYU, Thomas Pollard of Iowa State, Brian Fay of Washington, Shea Foster and Alex Maier of Oklahoma State, Charles Hicks of Stanford, Amon Kemboi of Arkansas and Jace Aschbrenner of Colorado are the top entries. 

The women's 3,000 meters is perhaps even more stacked than the 5,000, with Olympic steeplechaser Val Constien racing a field that includes Lauren Gregory of Arkansas, Allie Schadler of Washington, Logan Jolly of Arkansas, Taryn O'Neill of Northern Arizona, and former Washington star Katie Rainsberger, now of Team Boss. 

A pair of high school standouts from Oregon, Chloe Foerster of Jesuit, a Washington signee, and Kate Peters of Lake Oswego, are both targeting the low 9:20s. The unofficial state best is 9:46.20 by Peters in 2020. 

Northern Arizona standouts Nico Young and Drew Bosley are scheduled to run the 3,000 meters, along with Dario De Caro of Boise State, Elias Schreml of Arkansas, Colton Johnsen of Washington State and Duncan Hamilton from Montana State. Sam Prakel of adidas will handle the rabbiting duties with a target of 7:45 pace. 

On Saturday, BYU's Courtney Wayment, the reigning NCAA indoor 3,000 champion, is expected to run the mile after doubling back from Friday's DMR. 

Wayment has already posted stellar NCAA-leading times in the 3,000 (8:50.05) and 5,000 (15:15.46) this winter. 

Also in the mile are Krissy Gear from Arkansas, British Olympic steeplechaser Elizabeth Bird (who is pacing the 3,000), Jennifer Randall of the Oregon Track Club, Gregory of Arkansas, Micaela DeGenero of Colorado and Madison Heisterman of Washington. 

Eleven men in the men's mile field have broken four minutes and a few others have been to the doorstep. Johnsen of Washington State (3:55.74) leads a parade of talented milers that includes Nate Osterstock from Southern Utah, Luke Houser of Washington, Theo Quax of Northern Arizona, Zach Stallings of Washington State and Matt Strangio of Portland. 

Tyrone Gorze from Central Point, Ore. (Crater) will be making a return visit to the Dempsey to try and run a fast mile. Already in January, he has run 8:11.30 for 3,000 meters and 14:12.32 for 5,000 meters. 

McKenna Keegan of Villanova, Claire Seymour from BYU and Carley Thomas of Washington lead the field in the women's 800 meters. 

Washington's Cass Elliott is entered in the men's 800 meters, along with Derek Holdsworth (unattached), Prakel, Sam Van Dorpe of USC and John Lester of Stanford.