Mitchell, Fetherstonhaugh advance to NCAA steeplechase final
Eugene, Ore. – Oregon State steeplechasers Grace Fetherstonhaugh and Kaylee Mitchell advanced to the finals in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and clinched All-American honors on Thursday at the NCAA Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene.
A senior from Sprague High School in Salem, Mitchell won her semifinal heat and set a school record by finishing in 9:41.51. She PRed by nearly seven seconds and broke Fetherstonhaugh's school record of 9:44.76, set earlier this spring at Hayward Field.
Mitchell's former PR was 9:48.30, set at the 2021 Pacific-12 Conference championships. She had the fifth-fastest qualifying time.
A redshirt junior from New Westminster, B.C., Fetherstonhaugh placed fifth in her heat in 9:45.17, the second-fastest time of her career. She posted the 11th-best qualifying time.
The finals are scheduled for 2:54 p.m. on Saturday. The top five finishers in each heat, and the next two-fastest times from either heat, advanced to Saturday's race.
"Really savvy races by Grace and Kaylee," OSU coach Louie Quintana said. "There is always a lot of nervous energy when navigating preliminary rounds, but they raced poised and earned a ticket to a very stacked final on Saturday.
"I am very proud of both of them and excited to cheer them on on Saturday."
This is Fetherstonhaugh's second consecutive trip to NCAAs. She had to scratch at last year's finals because of illness. It is Mitchell's first trip.
The top eight finishers will earn first-team All-American honors. Placers 9-16 earn second-team honors.
Both garnered indoor All-American honors earlier this year at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Fetherstonhaugh and Mitchell ran legs on OSU's 4th-place distance medley relay, and both earned second-team All-American honors in the 3,000, where Fetherstonhaugh placed ninth, Mitchell 12th.
OSU has not scored at an NCAA meet since 1986, when Connie Peterka placed sixth in the javelin. The last Beaver to score in an NCAA event that incorporated running was heptathlete Sonya Crowther, who was seventh in 1982.
Peterka was OSU's most recent first-team All-American, in 1987. Heptathlete Kara Hallock (2017), javelin thrower Destiny Dawson (2018) and high jumper Ann Wingeleth (2019) are the most recent Beavers to earn second-team honors.
NCAA Championships
Eugene, Ore. | University of Oregon
Thursday's OSU results
Track Events
3000 steeplechase prelims: 5. Kaylee Mitchell, 9:41.51 (advanced to finals). 11. Grace Fetherstonhaugh, 9:45.17 (advanced to finals).
Saturday's OSU entrants
Track Events
3000 steeplechase finals (2:54 p.m.): Kaylee Mitchell, Grace Fetherstonhaugh.