Husky Classic 2014

Washington Husky Classic Preview

Washington Husky Classic Preview

Feb 14, 2014 by Isaac Wood
Washington Husky Classic Preview

Since the University of Washington Husky Classic is one of the premier invitationals in the country, we're just going to get down to the brass tax and give you the facts. Below, we've listed the heat sheets and predictions for the marquee events.

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Men

800m

1 Jock, Charles Nike
2 Gurr, James Santa Monica
3 Emmen, Tetlo Brooks I.D.
4 Guyota, Boru Oregon
5 Evans, Aaron Oregon Track
6 Kitur, Felix Santa Monica
7 Abda, Harun Oregon Track
8 Smith, Tyler U. of Victor
9 Collin, Olivier U. of Victor


This is an exciting bunch of young guns (Smith and Collin), fresh out of college pros, and seasoned veterans. One thing is certain, Charles Jock will take the pace out hard and that this race should be sub-1:47.

Predictions:
1. Charles Jock- Nike- 1:46.83
2. Harun Abda- OTC- 1:47.44
3. Felix Kitur- Santa Monica- 1:47.99
4. Boru Guyota- Oregon- 1:48.32
5. Tyler Smith- U. of Victoria- 1:48.55


Mile

1 Watson, Cole Oregon
2 Creese, Robby Penn State
3 Elliott, Matthew Brooks
4 Johnson, Brett Oregon
5 Presson, Isaac North Caroli
6 Fleet, Mac Oregon
7 Yorks, Izaic Washington
8 Prakel, Sam Oregon
9 Simons, John Minnesota
10 Kidder, Brannon Penn State
11 Wakefield, Todd Washington S
12 Dey, Dey Brooks
13 Bertolotti, Marco Stanford
14 Dahleen, Zach Unattached
15 Stutzman, Tyler Unattached


The interviewee that stunned America (Matt Elliott) headlines this mile field with the NCAA reigning 1500m champ Mac Fleet. The Penn State studs: enigmatic Robby Creese and one of the top middle distance stars in the country Brannon Kidder also highlight this field. I could see at least eight guys going sub-4 in this race.

Prediction:
1. Mac Fleet- Oregon- 3:56.90
2. Robby Creese- Penn State- 3:57.23
3. Brannon Kidder- Penn State- 3:57.59
4. Isaac Presson- North Carolina- 3:57.93
5. Brett Johnson- Oregon- 3:58.11


3000m

2 Campbell, Kemoy Arkansas
3 Atchoo, Michael Stanford
4 Dunbar, Trevor Oregon
5 Happe, Nick Notre Dame
6 Rotich, Anthony UTEP
7 Stevens, Tabor Adams State
8 Batt, Kevin Adams State
9 Bitchell, Adam New Mexico
10 Zarda, Zach Unattached
11 Hurysz, Jake Colorado
12 Fraser, Rory Unattached
13 Saarel, Ben Colorado
14 Presson, Isaac North Caroli
15 Rayyan, Morsi Michigan
16 Kebenei, Stanley Arkansas
17 Theroux, Blake Colorado
18 Winter, Connor Colorado
19 Brewer, Chris Oregon
20 Endress, Wade Penn State
21 Caldwell, Luke New Mexico
22 Haile, Solomon Arkansas
23 Fay, Dustin UCLA


The most loaded field of the entire Husky Classic is the Men's 3000m. Kemoy Campbell is fearless and will make this a fast pace. I really like (and yes I'm a bit biased) Ben Saarel of Colorado and think he has a shot to run low 7:50s if not sub 7:50. 3k Steeple reigning champ Anthony Rotich of UTEP will be at the front of the race for its entirety. We will see ten sub-8:00 minute 3ks in this race.

Predictions:
1. Anthony Rotich- UTEP- 7:47.88
2. Kemoy Campbell- Arkansas- 7:48.29
3. Trevor Dunbar- Oregon- 7:48.92
4. Ben Saarel- Colorado- 7:50.00
5. Jake Hurysz- Colorado- 7:50.44


5000m

2 Caldwell, Luke New Mexico
3 Campbell, Kemoy Arkansas
4 Rotich, Anthony UTEP
5 Cheserek, Edward Oregon
6 Ward, Jared BYU
7 Atkins, Cole Zap Fitness
8 Stinson, Parker Oregon
9 Kebenei, Stanley Arkansas
10 Ferlic, Mason Michigan
11 Thatcher, Tylor BYU
12 Chelimo, Micah Alaska Ancho
13 Olson, Erik Stanford
14 Bosshard, Joe Colorado
15 Parrish, Mark Florida
16 Pearson, Morgan Colorado
17 Jordan, Drew Washington S
18 Walling, Ryan North Caroli
19 Cabada, Fernando Unattached
20 Rayyan, Morsi Michigan
21 Rosa, Joe Stanford
22 Flint, Steve BYU
23 Byers, Reesey Sacramento S
24 Zacharias, Patrick New Mexico
25 Fischer, Matt Penn State


The NCAA XC Champ Ed Cheserek will run his first open 5k in Oregon uniform and is certainly the one to beat in this field. Jared Ward of BYU is fit and will be in the mix along with Cheserek's counterpart Parker Stinson. Luke Caldwell has the fastest PR of the bunch (13:29) and Kemoy Campbell and Anthony Rotich are slated to run both the 3k and 5k and we will see what race they actually choose to run.

Prediction:
1. Ed Cheserek-Oregon- 13:25.32
2. Kemoy Campbell- Arkansas-13:26.55
3. Anthony Rotich (if runs)- UTEP- 13:27.01
4. Jared Ward- BYU- 13:27.83
5. Parker Stinson- Oregon- 13:28.00




Women

800m

1 Smith, Jessica Unattached
2 Crofts, Helen Valley Royal
3 Francois, Rachel U. of Victor
4 Leinert, Shannon Oregon Track
5 Kesselring, Anne Oregon Track
6 Kishikawa, Akari Hasegawa Spo
7 Nichols, Clara Oklahoma Sta
8 Landen, Shanie UC Davis


I really like the Kesselring vs. Leinert matchup here. Don't sleep on Jessica Smith who has run sub-2:00 outdoors in 2012.

Prediction:
1. Shannon Leinert- OTC- 2:03.02
2. Jessica Smith- Unattached- 2:03.15
3. Anne Kesselring-OTC- 2:3.78


Mile

2 Holt, Hillary College of I
3 Brown, Stephanie Arkansas
4 Quigley, Colleen Florida Stat
5 Fouhy, Vicky Virginia
6 Camacho, Savannah Oklahoma Sta
7 Fulton, Eleanor Washington
8 Penney, Sarah Oregon
9 Hall, Linden Florida Stat
10 Greene, Rebekah Florida
11 Leblanc, Annie Oregon
12 Arter, Charlotte New Mexico
13 Anderson, Chloe New Mexico
14 Hamilton, Carly Georgia
15 Peel, Georgia Florida Stat
16 Smith, Kelsey UCLA


Some of the top Mile-3k talent on both coasts headline this loaded Mile field. Florida State has gobs of mile talents and Linden Hall, Colleen Quigley, and Georgia Peel are capable of winning on any given day. Vicky Fouhy is a pure metric miler and will be in the mix. Kelsey Smith of UCLA (former Sleeper of the Week) has posted a solid altitude mark earlier in the year (4:42 converted). College of Idaho's Hillary Holt has run 4:11 for 1500m and could be the best in the group.

Prediction:
1. Hillary Holt- College of Idaho- 4:33.08
2. Colleen Quigley- Florida State- 4:34.15
3. Vicky Fouhy-Virginia- 4:34.42
4. Georgia Peel- Florida State- 4:35.31
5. Carly Hamilton- Georgia- 4:36.00


3000m

2 Houlihan, Shelby Arizona Stat
3 Strausa, Agata Florida
4 Knight, Katie Washington
5 Patrignelli, Megan Oregon
6 Juodeskaite, Monika Oklahoma Sta
7 LeHardy, Annie North Caroli
8 Heymsfield, Grace Arkansas
9 Gerlach, Tori Penn State
10 Thweatt, Laura Boulder Trac
11 Woolven, Pippa Florida Stat
12 Scott, Dominique Arkansas
13 Anderson, Elizabeth Vanderbilt
14 Callahan, Maggie Hts Elite
15 Walker, Hannah Florida Stat
16 Johnson, Rachel Baylor
17 Robison, Diane Arkansas
18 Tyerman, Kayleigh Florida Stat
19 Hauger, Maria Virginia
20 Beattie, Kayla Arizona
21 Verdon, Carrie Colorado
22 Roberts, Ruby Washington S
23 Flanagan, Kaylee Washington


Shelby Houlihan is above and away the class of this field. Florida's Agata Strausa has the chops to be in the mix along with Florida State's Pippa Woolven who is a diamond in the rough in Tallahassee. Kayla Beattie will certainly factor into the race at some point at Kayleigh Tyerman will be testing more of her wheels than her usual 5k-10k preferred race. Freshman Maria Hauger from Virginia's debut indoor 3k will be something to take note of as well.

Prediction:
1. Shelby Houlihan- Arizona State- 9:07.32
2. Kayla Beattie- Arizona- 9:10.73
3. Agata Strausa- Florida- 9:12.91
4. Pippa Woolven- Florida State- 9:13.41
5. Annie Lehardy- North Carolina- 9:13.89



5000m

1 Kroeger, Kathy Stanford
2 Walker, Hannah Florida Stat
3 Nelson, Meaghan Unattached
4 Foster, Karaleigh Oiselle
5 LeHardy, Annie North Caroli
6 Cuffe, Aisling Stanford
7 Behm, Mia Rogue Athlet
8 Kirk, Elinor UAB
9 Robison, Diane Arkansas
10 Haws, Morgan Team Run Eug
11 Dahlberg, Bridget San Francisc
12 Grabill, Molly Oregon
13 Kipp, Shalaya Colorado
14 Anderson, Leigha Penn State
15 Flanagan, Lindsey Una - Washington
16 Strehler, Barbara Virginia
17 Cliff, Rachel Vancouver Th
18 Levene, Abbey Colorado
19 Tyerman, Kayleigh Florida Stat
20 Pease, Sarah adidas/Rogue
21 Mendez, Allison adidas/Rogue
22 Beattie, Kayla Arizona
23 Blaase, Chelsea Tennessee
24 Flattmann, Kaitlin Arkansas
25 Lacy, Megan Stanford
26 Mitchell, Rachel Sacramento S


A loaded 5k (what distance field isn't loaded, let's be honest), with many ladies in the mix that can push the pace, will lead to hopefully a very fast 5k. We should be looking for at least 7 sub 16:00 performances. Hannah Walker of Florida State has great chops in the 5k from her time in Birmingham, England. Kathy Kroeger ran 15:46 at the Husky Classic two years ago. If Tyerman of Florida State decides on the 5k she will certainly be in that top pack. Shalaya Kipp will be an interesting person to watch out for as she has never broken 16:00 for 5k and she certainly could do it this weekend.

Prediction:
1. Kathy Kroeger- Stanford- 15:44.32
2. Hannah Walker- Florida State- 15:47.69
3. Eli Kirk- UAB- 15:50.55
4. Meghan Nelson- Unattached- 15:52.23
5. Aisling Cuffe- Stanford- 15:52.41