2017 Stanford Invitational Results (Day 1)
2017 SF State Distance Carnival Results (Day 1)
Splitting the Friday workload across two locations in the Bay Area, Academy of Art University track & field had its share of highlights at both the Stanford Invitational and SF State Distance Carnival.
STANFORD, Calif. – Up against the country's top competition at the NCAA Division I level, the Urban Knights turned in several top marks in Stanford. Among those was
Gatien Airiau's Nationals automatic qualifying time and new school record in the 3000m steeplechase, a near-auto qualifier for
Hannah Hensley in the high jump, and a personal best as well as a Nationals provisional by
Mistic Scott in the 400m.
Facing 11 other DI runners in his section of the 3000m steeplechase, Airiau became not only the program's new record holder by more than 35 seconds (8:51.08), but he did so as a Nationals auto qualifier as well. The time was the fastest run by any Division II athlete thus far in 2017 and passed the automatic standard by close to two full seconds.
"Gas was impressive in his steeple debut," said director of track & field/cross country
Torrey Olson. "There is even more in there and getting the auto mark gives us some freedom in training and racing."
In the women's high jump, Hensley built off her indoor run to an All-American honor with another ART U record 5-8.75 (1.75m) down the stretch. She nearly had the automatic qualifier, but was short 0.02m. Nevertheless, it was tied for the second-highest jump by a DII athlete this year.
Scott broke out for a major personal best in the 400m, offering a 55.64 that put her top seven in the country based on results thus far. Already second in program history, Scott crept closer to the record of 54.14 originally set by
Keanna Moody.
The women's long jump featured three Knights who all placed in the upper half of a 20-competitor field. Hensley took second 18-10.5 (5.75m) on her penultimate attempt,
Marion Presigny claimed seventh at and
Rian Young-Werner finished tenth.
Members of the Urban Knights' distance crew and jump squad made up the contingent competing at the SF State Distance Carnival and several new personal bests would highlight the day.
After a strong finish in the 1500m going 3:56.08 for 18th of 139 runners,
Pierre Fontanarosa saved his best for last with a Nationals provisional in the 5000m. There, he would go 14:30.63 to put him fourth on the Knights' all-time list and place him 45th of a little more than 200 runners on Friday.
Academy of Art had highlights from each of those events on the women's side as well.
Beatriz Martinez Mercado became the third fastest ART U runner in the event, going 4:41.28 for 42nd of 149. A little over a second behind her teammate at 4:42.51,
Kaelyn Harbison finished 49th overall.
Making steady progress,
Giulia McIsaac finished the 5000m in 17:38.61 for more than a 10-second improvement from her previous personal best. She remains third all-time in Academy of Art history.
In both sides of the long jump, ART U put individuals among the top five with
Brady Johnson's 21-7.50 (6.59m) placing him third of 25 for the men and
Hadiyah Muhammad finishing fifth of 28 with her 17-6.75 (5.35m).
Academy of Art returns to both the Stanford Invitational and SF State Distance Carnival tomorrow for another full day of action.
