Indoor track has officially begun and Saturday marks the opening day for the Dempsey, the University of Washington’s premiere oversize track venue. Of course, YOU CAN WATCH THE ENTIRE UW PREVIEW ON FLOTRACK, but we’ll just throw some names around to get you excited.
Professionals Making Their Debut
Everybody’s favorite teenager Mary Cain will be making her 2015 debut in the 600m. Last season, Cain ran 2:01.67 for 800m outdoors at the adidas Grand Prix and has yet to establish a fast 600m mark. She’ll have a slew of collegiate middle distance talent that will try to knock her down. But did we mention the rest of the Nike Oregon Project ladies will be on hand to duke it out for 1000m? Jordan Hasay, Treniere Moser, and Shannon Rowbury highlight this stacked women’s 1k race. This will be a significantly shorter race for Hasay, but right up Moser and Rowbury’s alley in terms of speed (holding 1500 PRs of 4:02 and 3:59, respectively). They may be joined by 2012 Olympian Geena (Gall) Lara. Lara was second in the 800m at the Olympic Trials and is entered in the 1000m and one mile race on Saturday. The mile field is highlighted by Nike’s newest signee Alexa Efraimson. After two disappointing fall finishes, Efraimson returns to the Dempsey where she ran 9:00.16 for 3000m last year at the Washington Invite. Nike’s Phoebe Wright also headlines the professional field, where we’ll get to see this 800m stud’s speed in the 400m and strength in the mile (And with the 30 minutes separating the two races, anything can happen!)
On the men’s side, we’ve got a Salazar/Schumacher showdown in the 1000m. Andy Bayer and Evan Jager are entered in both 800m/1000m, and Matt Centrowitz will bring out his 3:31 1500m speed to the table in the 1000m. For the men’s mile, look out for mileage man Cam Levins, who ran 3:57 at the 2012 Millrose Games. He’ll be joined by NOP teammate Suguru Osako. Will there be a sub-4 in the Dempsey on Saturday? Also look for former Oregon Duck Mike Berry making his Nike debut in the 200m and Hoka One One athlete Eric Avila in the 3000m.
Talented Class of 2018
So much world class talent in one recruiting year, and we get to see them in the Dempsey. Oregon and Stanford have brought in a freshman crew of IAAF World Junior Championship medalists and competitors that are lacing for the first time in 2015:
Olivia Baker, Stanford 600m
-third in the 400m, first 4x400m
Elise Cranny, Stanford 1000m
-fourth in the 1500m
Anna Laman, Stanford 1000m
-12th in the 1500m
Ashlee Moore, Oregon multi
-13th in the heptathlon
Raevyn Rogers, Oregon 400m/600m
-Q in the 800m
Ariana Washington, Oregon 60m
-seventh in 100, first 4x100m
Though the marks won’t count (Dempsey is an oversized track), could MC’s 1000m AJR (2:35.80) and Ajee Wilson’s 600m AJR (1:26:45) times be threatened?
Top Returners
Some of the NCAA’s best will get their feet wet in this indoor action, as well. The Oregon sprinting contingent of Christian Brennan, Jenna Prandini, Sasha Wallace, and Jasmine Todd will debut, as well as middle distance standout Annie Leblanc. Look for 10,000m Pac-12 champ Jessica Tonn to begin her fifth year at Stanford in the one mile, and 800m NCAA qualifier Baylee Mires of Washington to return from injury.
USC sprinter BeeJay Lee (who holds a 10.07 100m best) will compete in the 60m/200m, Stanford distance standouts Sean McGorty and Erik Olson will run the one mile, along with Oregon’s Jeramy Elkaim. The men’s 600m will be a fast one, with Stanford All American half miler Luke Lefebure, Washington speedster Derrick Daigre, and Oregon freshman Niki Franzmair, whose 1:46.78 PR makes him one to watch this NCAA season.
That was only a handful of names, why don't you just watch LIVE ON FLOTRACK to see everybody from the list of accepted entries?!