McAlvey Captures 400 Hurdle Title; Two Program Records Fall at Pac-12 Championships
BOULDER, Colo. – Senior Jared McAlvey captured the 400m Hurdles title while freshman Zenah Cheptoo finished second in the women's 5k and two relay records were broken to highlight the third and final day at the 2024 Pac-12 Track and Field Championships, Sunday at Potts Field.
The Cougar men finished eighth in the team standings with 64 points while the WSU women also finished eighth with 54 points.
McAlvey's time of 49.84, the sixth-fastest in school history, edged out Washington's Jonathan Frazier by .03 seconds to claim his first Pac-12 titles and continue the recent domination of the 400m Hurdles at the Pac-12 Championships. He becomes the third different Cougar and seventh champion in the event since 2008, joining four-time winner Jeshua Anderson (2008-11) and C.J. Allen (2014, 2016).
The day began with the women's 4x100 relay team of Maribel Caicedo, Brooke Lyons, Jasneet Nijjar and Skyler Walton breaking the program record set last season for the fourth-place finish. After starting the day in record-breaking fashion, the men's 4x400 relay team was equally impressive as it eclipsed the program's 39-year-old record by finishing third in a time of 3:05.37, .21 seconds ahead of the mark.
"Throughout the championships, we had some amazing performances, including several school records and an Olympic qualifying time," said Men's and Women's Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach Wayne Phipps. "I am very proud of the way both teams competed in one of the best meets in the world and very excited moving forward as we look to advance a great number of student-athletes to the NCAA finals!"
In the women's 5k, Cheptoo stayed in close contact throughout the race before Colorado's Bailey Hertenstein pulled away late for the victory on her home track. Cheptoo's time of 16:16.72 was six seconds ahead of the third-place finisher. IN the women's 100m hurdles, graduate student Caicedo, whose 12.61 time in the prelims broke the Washington State school record, the Potts Field facility record and tied the Pac-12 Championships meet record set in 1988, narrowly missed out on the title as she finished second in a time of 12.98. Cougar teammate and redshirt-junior Micaela De Mello finished third as WSU placed two on the medal podium.
In the men's 110m hurdles, sophomores John Paredes and Parker Duskin finished third and fourth, respectively, to add to the WSU's team point total. The men's 4x100 relay team posted a season-best time of 39.80 as it finished .10 seconds off the podium and in fourth place.
WSU had strong showings in both the men's and women's 400m. On the women's side, graduate student Jasneet Nijjar came from last eight and posted the second-fastest mark in program history as she crossed in a time of 52.26 seconds, the fastest by a Cougar since WSU Hall of Famer Celestine N'Drin ran 52.04 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. On the men's side, freshman Grant Buckmiller crossed in 45.87 seconds, the fourth-best mark in program history and seventh place.
In the men's 200 meters, sophomore Mason Lawyer finished sixth in a time of 21.03.
In the field events, sophomore A.J. McGloflin reached the podium with a third-place finish in the high jump, clearing 2.09 meters (6'10 ¼"). In the men's discus, junior Ronald Grueso Mosquera led a quartet of throwers in the event as his mark of 53.21 meters (174'7" was a season-best and good for sixth place.
Freshman Tatum Moku added to WSU's point total in the women's pole vault, finishing in either place after clearing 4.18 meters (13'8 ½").
The Cougars are next in action when a contingent of men's and women qualifiers compete at the 2024 NCAA Track & Field West First Round, May 22-25 in Fayetteville, Ark.
WSU Results – 2024 Pac-12 Track & Field Championships Day 3
Women's 4x100 Final
- Maribel Caicedo, Brooke Lyons, Jasneet Nijjar, Skyler Walton: 43.93 / 4th / [SR]
Men's 4x100
- Grant Buckmiller, John Paredes, Ethan Willems, Mason Lawyer: 3:05.37 / 3rd [SR]
Women's 100m Hurdles
- Maribel Caicedo: 12.98 / 2nd
- Micaela De Mello: 13.25 / 3rd
Men's 110m Hurdles
- John Paredes: 14.00 / 3rd
- Parker Duskin: 14.34 / 4th
Women's 400m
- Jasneet Nijjar: 52.26 / 4th
Men's 400m
- Grant Buckmiller: 45.87 / 7th / [PR]
Men's 400m Hurdles
- Jared McAlvey: 49.84 / Champion / [SB]
Men's 200m
- Mason Lawyer: 21.03 / 6th
Women's 5,000 meters
- Zenah Cheptoo: 16:16.72 / 2nd
Men's 5,000 meters
- Brian Barsaiya: 14:35.80 / 9th
- Leif Swanson: 15.49.43 / 24th
- Kelvin Limo: DNF
Women's 4x400 Relay
- Maya McCabe, Jasneet Nijjar, Elena Willems, Brooke Lyons: 3:37.01 / 8th
Men's 4x400 Relay
- Ethan Willems, Jared McAlvey, Mason Lawyer, Grant Buckmiller: 3:05.37 / 1st [SR]
Women's Discuss
- Nevaeh Wilson: 45.64m / 149' 9" / 16th
Men's Triple Jump
- Eli Lawrence: 14.64m / 48' 0 ½" / 8th
Men's High Jump
- A.J. McGloflin: 2.09m / 6' 10 ¼" / 3rd
Women's Pole Vault
- Tatum Moku: 4.18m / 13' 8 ½" / 8th
- Eva Lowder: NH
- Madisyn Negro: NH
Men's Discus
- Ronald Grueso Mosquera: 53.21m / 174' 7" / 6th [SB]
- Maxwell Moore: 50.38 / 165' 3" / 9th
- Caden Hottman: 48.23m / 158' 3" / 12th
- Lee Walburn: 47.19m / 154' 10" / 16th