At the UW Indoor Preview at Dempsey Indoor, the Seattle University indoor track and field team took its first step towards the Great West Conference Indoor Championships, including setting a new school record.
Zach Stanfield (Adna, Wash.) came out with a first place finish in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.21 and set a new school record with a fifth-place finish in the 60 meter dash in 6.92. Duncan MacKay (Renton, Wash.), in the first indoor meet of his career, placed fourth in the 200 meter dash in 22.77, and Zachary Schlachter (Tigard, Ore.) placed 10th with a time of 23.03.
On the distance side for the men, Matthew McClement (Bellingham, Wash.) placed 16th in the 3000 meter run with a time of 8:41.60. Erik Barkhaus (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) ran the one mile in 4:20.34 for a 20th place finish.
In the field events, Nick Bever (Seattle, Wash.) debuted his collegiate career by placing eighth in the triple jump with a leap of 13.07 meters (42’ 10”). Brandan Haggarty (Missoula, Mont.), also a freshman, came in 20th in the weight throw with a heave of 10.10 meters (33’ 1.75”).
In the women’s 3000 meter run, Cara Talty (Raritan, N.J.) placed 11th in 10:21.76, and Sarah Bolce (Sacramento, Calif.) came in 14th in 10:33.25, followed by Lauren Hammerle (Seattle, Wash.) in 18th place with a time of 10:46.16. Celeste Cassidy (Bellingham, Wash.) placed 21st in the one mile run with a time of 5:20.15.
Clare Obradovich (Tigard, Ore.) posted a time of 1:00.30 for ninth place in the 400 meter dash, and Rachel Purcell (Mission Viejo, Calif.) was 35th in the 200 meter dash with a time of 27.22. Meeghan Bergmann (Portland, Ore.), Noelle Marchesini (Gig Harbor, Wash.), Emily Walters (Olympia, Wash.), and Purcell came together for a time of 4:09.69 in the 4x400 meter relay, enough for 13th place.
Walters put in a school record performance in the triple jump with a leap of 10.80 meters (35' 5.25"). Ariel Johnson (Moscow, Idaho) took 10th place in the pole vault by clearing a height of 3.16 meters (10’ 4.25”). Bethany Richards took 16th in the shot put with a put of 10.49 meters (34’ 5”).
"Overall, I thought the team looked really strong," said head coach Trisha Steidl. "We definitely have a learning curve, and I think now that they have gotten their first meet, or first college meet, jitters out of their systems, the next meet will be even better."
The Redhawks will next see competition back at Dempsey Indoor for the UW Invitational on Jan. 28-29, beginning at 3:00 pm on Friday and 8:00 am on Saturday..