Stanford athletes all shine in first collegiate outdoor races at respective distances in home opener, with Cal senior Camryn Rogers eclipsing own Canadian U-23 national record with impressive opening-round effort 235-4 (71.73m) in first hammer throw competition since 2019 Pan American Games 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor/Photos by Chuck Aragon

Great debuts and fantastic firsts highlighted an impressive Good Friday schedule at the Stanford Invitational, with Cardinal athletes Ella Donaghu, Charles Hicks and Cole Sprout all achieving victories in the first event held at Cobb Track and Angell Field since the Prefontaine Classic in June 2019.

And Cal standout Camryn Rogers, the reigning NCAA Division 1 women’s hammer throw champion, needed only one throw to remind the rest of the country of her impressive potential in pursuit of a repeat title.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

Rogers eclipsed her own Canadian U-23 record by opening the series with a mark of 235 feet, 4 inches (71.73m), elevating to No. 8 in the world this year and achieving the best collegiate throw since 2018.

Rogers, who improved on her status as the No. 7 all-time NCAA performer, added two more throws beyond 70 meters in the second and third rounds in her first hammer competition in more than 600 days since the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru.

UCLA junior Alyssa Wilson finished second with a throw of 217-9 (66.38m).

Although Rogers got the meet started in dominant fashion, it was Stanford that capped the first night with a series of spectacular efforts, punctuated by Hicks rallying in the final two laps to prevail against Hofstra standout Alex Masai by a 28:25.29 to 28:27.35 margin in the freshman’s first collegiate outdoor race and 10,000-meter debut.

Hicks covered the final 800 meters more than two seconds faster than Masai, who ran 28:11.05 on Dec. 6 at the Sound Running Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Sprout also showcased his closing speed in his first college track race, edging Iona’s Ehab El-Sandali by a 13:43.92 to 13:44.74 margin in the men’s 5,000 meters.

Sprout ran 57.97 over the last 400 to achieve the victory, with fellow freshman Thomas Boyden clocking 13:45.38 to take third.

Donaghu, competing in the first 5,000 of her Stanford career, showcased a spectacular second half to triumph in 15:36.52, more than 23 seconds in front of reigning Pac-12 cross country champion Haley Herberg of Washington.

After Washington assistant coach Alli Cash paced the lead pack through 3,000 meters, Donaghu produced a definitive surge and Herberg was unable to respond, as the gap continued to increase over the final five laps.

Washington swept both 3,000-meter steeplechase races, with senior Julius Diehr clocking 8:53.67 and first-time event competitor Katie Rainsberger running 10:00.29 for the Huskies.

Tianna Bartoletta, the reigning Olympic long jump champion, achieved a second-round effort of 21-1.50 (6.44m) to win the competition. Washington graduate student-athlete Lyndsey Lopes was second with a wind-aided mark of 19-5.25 (5.92m).

Zach Holland, who attends Umpqua Community College in Oregon, competed unattached in the men’s javelin and secured victory with a third-round effort of 231-3 (70.50m).

Long Beach State’s Jason Smith held off UCLA’s Harrison Schrage in the men’s long jump. Smith jumped 25-6.25 (7.78m) in the second round, with Schrage responding in the third round to produce a leap of 25-5.50 (7.76m).

USC freshman Trey Knight triumphed in the men’s hammer with a first-round throw of 209-11 (64.00m).

Washington’s Makenna Barton and UCLA’s Mia Cervantes both cleared 13-1.50 (4.00m) in the pole vault, with Barton prevailing on fewer attempts.

UCLA’s Ilaria Casarotto won the women’s javelin with a third-round throw of 169-8 (51.72m).