Productive Day in Seattle and Albuquerque

Friday, February 8

Albuquerque, NM

All Day

University of Oregon

Don Kirby Invitational

Photo by: Ben Crawford

02/08/19 | Track and Field

Results: Husky Classic Results: Don Kirby Invite

By: Zach Lawson

EUGENE, Ore. – Between competition at the condensed Husky Classic in Seattle and day one of the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, the Oregon track and field team registered seven wins, eight NCAA top-20 marks and nine UO top-10 performances. Among those efforts were a pair of school-record outings by Jessica Hull at 3,000 meters and Cravon Gillespie at 200 meters.

NCAA Top-15 Event Rankings*
1. Jessica Hull (3,000m) – 8:53.91 [school record]
4. Reed Brown (mile) – 3:58.22
4. Cooper Teare (3,000m) – 7:50.66 [No. 7 in UO history]
9. Susan Ejore (800m) – 2:05.71 [No. 9 in UO history]
11. James West (3,000m) – 7:52.14
12. Cravon Gillespie (200m) – 20.80 [converted from 20.73 (school record) – altitude]
12. Jackson Mestler (5,000m) – 13:46.90
* based on times entering the weekend

In Seattle…
With the threat of a winter storm in the Seattle area, the Husky Classic was shortened to a Friday-only schedule and the Ducks responded with some of their top performances of the season.

Running in the loaded final section of the 3,000 meters, Hull pulled away from the pack with 100 meters to go and crossed the finish line in a nation-leading 8:53.91. The time doubles as a school record and the No. 11 time in the world this year. Hull took more than four seconds off her previous personal best and replaced the old UO mark of 8:57.46 set by Jordan Hasay in 2013.

Reed Brown and Cooper Teare each posted No. 4 national times Friday in the mile and 3,000 meters, respectively. Brown finished third overall in the mile with his time of 3:58.22, which was good for second among collegians in the field. Teare, who already had a sub-4:00 mile time this season, bested the 3K field with a time of 7:50.66. Teammate James West finished the race in 7:52.14, good for sixth in the race.

A week after joining the Oregon top 10 in the mile, Susan Ejore became the No. 9 performer at 800 meters in program history with her time of 2:05.71. That time also stands ninth on this season's NCAA performance list. Teammate and freshman Taylor Chiotti added a PR of her own—2:08.40—to finish ninth overall.

In the final race of the day in Seattle, Jackson Mestler put himself in the national conversation with a 13:46.90 showing at 5,000 meters. He took more than 16 seconds off his previous personal best and now owns the No. 12 time in the NCAA in the event.

While their teammates were making noise on the track, the Oregon throwers produced three wins on the day. Maddie Rabing was the Ducks' first winner Friday behind a personal-best toss of 20.04m/65-9 in the weight throw. She was back in the ring for the shot put as the runner-up in a UO 1-2 effort. Kiana Phelps came through for the win in 15.13m/49-7.75, less than an inch off her personal best. Max Lydum led a 1-4-5 finish in the weight throw to give Oregon a sweep of the event titles.

In Albuquerque…
Friday's action at the Don Kirby Classic was centered around sections of the 200 meters. Gillespie took the title on the men's side while Iman Brown finished atop the women's standings.

Gillespie entered the day with a career best of 21.08 but it was quickly erased with his school-record time of 20.73 in the opening heat of the evening. He took down the previous mark of 20.78 established by Marcus Chambers during the 2017 indoor season. Gillespie's time converts to 20.80 (altitude) for NCAA qualifying purposes, a mark that stands at No. 12 in the country.

Teammates Oraine Palmer and Rieker Daniel finished second and seventh, respectively, with both turning in UO top-10 times. Palmer crossed in 20.96 while Daniel had a time of 21.36, good for a personal best.

The Women of Oregon placed four in the top six of the 200 meters, an event that featured nearly 130 competitors. Brown was the top overall performer with a personal-best time of 23.36, also good for No. 9 on the UO all-time indoor list. The Ducks were 1-3-4-6 in the race, a group that also featured Hannah Waller (23.61), Jasmin Reed (23.69) and Makenzie Dunmore (23.78).

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