The men’s portion of the NCAA West Regional meet concluded on Friday in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Seven Huskies had already punched their tickets to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon from June 5-8 entering the day.
Four more members of the Pac-12 champions joined them Friday, including Washington’s trio of NCAA champions in the 1500 meters. Defending outdoor champion Nathan Green, 2022 outdoor winner Joe Waskom, and back-to-back indoor mile champion Luke Houser all finished in the top 5 of their heats, automatically qualifying for the final rounds in Eugene.
Waskom led the trio on Friday, powering around the final corner to set a season-best 3:39.83 on his way to winning the first heat. Green and Houser were No. 3 and No. 4 in the second of the two heats behind Iowa State’s Ezekiel Rop and Wisconsin’s Adam Spencer. Green was the fourth-fastest qualifier of the day in 3:40.04 and Houser finished No. 7 overall in 3:40.45.
Washington will look to continue their recent dominance in the premier distance event under coach Andy Powell in Eugene. Between the qualifying trio, the Huskies have won each of the last four titles in the mile/1500m. Powell has now coached half of the last 14 champions in the event, dating back to his time at Oregon.
400 meter hurdler Jonathan Birchman was not seeded as if he would qualify for Eugene, having to run from the outside lane in the third heat of the event. The senior responded by keeping pace in what ended up being the fastest heat, cracking the 50 second barrier for the first time in his career with a personal best time of 49.98. He automatically qualified with the fifth fastest time of the day to make his second consecutive NCAA Championships meet.
Elsewhere in Fayetteville on Friday, three other Huskies concluded strong seasons with marks below the national qualifying bar. 5,000 meter runner Leo Daschbach, who clinched the Pac-12 team title for the men in Boulder, finished No. 17 in 14:37.49 in a hot and humid race not conducive to longer distances. Sam Affolder, who took No. 2 at the Pac-12 championships behind Waskom in the steeplechase, finished in No. 30 in 9:08.59 in the event Friday. Triple jumper Trevontay Smith, one of the few freshmen to join the Huskies’ contingent in Arkansas, was No. 22 after fouling on all but his first attempt, which went for 50-4 3/4.
The milers and Birchman join decathlete Jami Schlueter, javelin thrower Chandler Ault, long jumper Prestin Artis, and pole vaulters Max Manson, Hana Moll, Amanda Moll, and Nastassja Campbell as national qualifiers.
Eight Huskies will have a chance to join the group heading to Eugene on the final day of the regional meet in Fayetteville on Saturday. Action begins with Kaia Tupu-South and Beatrice Asomaning in the discus and will conclude with Julia David-Smith in the 5,000 meters.