2017 Husky Classic (Day 1)

SEATTLE – Starting off the Husky Classic inside the Dempsey Indoor on Friday evening, Academy of Art University track & field got two strong performances from their Distance Medley Relay teams as the women combined for a new program record and NCAA Nationals provisional time and the men added a season-best.

"The team ran hard today," said head coach Kevin LaSure. "We improved a little on both the men's and women's side and hopefully we will get another opportunity to qualify both relays for NCAA's."

Beatriz Martinez Mercado, Folke Woch, Latavia Hawkins, and Chandler Johnson moved themselves into the national conversation with a 12:00.73 in the Distance Medley Relay, finishing sixth of 15 teams. The mark was a new program record, surpassing a time that had previously stood for two years.

On the men's side, it was Pierre Fontanarosa, Quinlan Wright, Kristian Martinez, and Gatien Airiau who put together a new season-best for ART U with their 9:59.22 in the Distance Medley Relay. The time improved on ART U's eighth-ranked time coming into the weekend and brings them to 15th in the country currently. The mark was third in program history.

Although he did not better his top 200m time in 2017, Mobolade Ajomale was still very strong as the winner of his heat and owner of second place out of 31 competitors. He delivered a 21.59 and remains among the country's top five with his converted 21.39 from the Hillsdale "Wide Track Classic" last weekend.

In the women's 200m, Mistic Scott posted a season-best 25.18 for ninth of 42 sprinters while Jasmine Grace followed closely in 11th with her own season-best 25.20.

Academy of Art returns for day two of the Husky Classic tomorrow with field and the morning running events beginning at 10 a.m. followed by the evening's running events starting at 3 p.m. back inside the Dempsey Indoor.