Women Set Stage For Big Finish

Thursday, June 7

Eugene, OR

All Day

University of Oregon

NCAA Championships

Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto

06/07/18 | Track and Field, @GoDucksMoseley

The UO women performed to expectations Thursday in their opening session of the NCAA Outdoor Championships, keeping themselves in the race for a team title.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — A year ago, Makenzie Dunmore got a couple of stark reminders about the thin margin for error at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

In the open 400 last spring, she was the fastest non-qualifier, in 52.07 — missing the final by two one-hundredths of a second. Two days later in the 4x400-meter relay, Dunmore ran the lead leg for Oregon, setting the tone for an NCAA-record run that gave the UO women a team title and a Triple Crown of championships — when a second-place run would have denied them all of that.

One year later, Dunmore is leaving nothing to chance. On Thursday in the opening session of women's competition for this year's NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field, Dunmore earned one of the six automatic qualifying spots to the 400 final with a top-two finish in her heat. And in the final event on the track, she powered into first to give the Ducks first place in their 4x400 heat.

"I ran smart, did what I was supposed to do, listened to my coach, and it worked," Dunmore said. "… I wanted to give it my all, because I didn't want to have any regrets."

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Dunmore's runs were highlights on a day when the UO women neither exceeded nor failed to meet expectations. The Ducks will enter Saturday's final session of competition in the same place they started this meet — projected to threaten for a second straight team title, if everything falls into place.

"I feel like we're in good position," Dunmore said.

Oregon had an outside shot at picking up the first team points toward a title Thursday, but Rhesa Foster finished short of the finals in the long jump, finishing 12th, and Alli Cash stepped off the track midway through the 10,000. Keira McCarrell got her first taste of NCAA Outdoor experience, as the freshman competed in the javelin but did not score.

But Saturday will bring chances to pile up points in the sprints and middle distances. Both relay squads made the finals, Alaysha Johnson was an automatic qualifier in the 100 hurdles, and Ariana Washington advanced in the 100. Washington nor two teammates could make it out of the 200 heats, but Dunmore and Briyahna DesRosiers advanced in the 400, Sabrina Southerland won an 800 heat in her quest to follow up her NCAA Indoor title, and Jessica Hull posted a PR while advancing in the 1,500.

Like Dunmore on the anchor leg of the 4x400, Southerland was running second coming off the Bowerman Curve on the final lap of her 800 heat, safely in position to finish in an automatic qualifying spot. But, also like Dunmore in the relay, Southerland wasn't content to settle for second, and pushed into first to win her heat.

Unlike at NCAA Indoors, where the Ducks faltered in the team race, Southerland was racing for more than just herself Thursday.

"I feel like I'm more motivated, knowing my teammates are all in it with me, and all have a chance to win titles of their own, and the team title," the senior transfer said.

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The day began well for the Ducks, as the team of Johnson, Lauren Rain Williams, Jasmin Reed and Washington won their 4x100 heat in 42.95. Soon after, Johnson posted the No. 2 qualifying time in the 100 hurdles, finishing second in her heat behind race favorite Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Kentucky.
Johnson's time of 12.70 seconds was just shy of her personal best, 12.69. She expects to lower that Saturday.

"I'm excited, because I know it's going to bring a PR," Johnson said. "With the season I've been having, it's like, OK, let it all come together here."

Like Johnson, Washington is looking to finish strong after a slow start to the season. She'll have a chance to do that Saturday after running a season-best 11.08 seconds in the 100 — comfortably under her previous season best of 11.17.

Reed was unable to join Washington in the 100 final, and both she and Williams didn't advance out of the 200. But in the 400, DesRosiers finished fourth in the opening heat — the last qualifying spot, if nobody else advanced on time — then sweated out two more heats in which that time held up.

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Hull was another Duck who didn't leave much to chance Thursday. In her 1,500 heat, she stuck on the hip of race favorite Elinor Purrier of New Hampshire, and they pushed each other to a 1-2 finish before exchanging a high-five after crossing the finish line.

Hull posted a personal best of 4:10.09, and pledged to have plenty left for Saturday's second day — when the UO women will need every point they can get from Hull and her fellow Ducks.

"I think we're prepared," Hull said. "I've got a great team around me to get prepared over the next 48 hours. There's no reason why I shouldn't be prepared."