Track: Zags Break More Records at Husky Classic

Friday, February 9

Seattle, WA

Gonzaga University

Husky Classic

Track: Zags Break More Records at Husky Classic

2/10/2024 1:00:00 PM | Track and Field

Gonzaga sets new men's and women's 3k, women's 800m record

SEATTLE, Wash. - Gonzaga men's and women's track continued to set records this season, with the latest coming at the Husky Classic at Demspey Indoor on Friday and Saturday. Both 3k records were broken late Friday evening before Ellie Armbruster broke the women's 800m record for the third time in three weeks on Saturday.

Kate Donaldson and Brittney Hansen opened the Zags' first of two days at Dempsey with PRs in the first four heats of the women's 3000m event. Hansen's 9:42.64 placed herself tenth all-time at Gonzaga. Logan Law was the first on the men's side to record a PR, winning the second heat of the 3000m with a program sixth-best finish of 8:06.53. His time marks the fastest finish by a freshman in the event in program history.

Later on Friday, Rosina Machu placed 16th in the women's 5000m with a finishing time of 15:58.45. Despite not improving her season best, Machu's 15:37.05 back in December still places her on the indoor qualifying list with just two weeks until the qualifying deadline. On the men's side, Wil Smith also looked to move up on the indoor qualifying list for the 3k at the NCAA Indoor Championships next month. Previously 17th and needing to mark in the Top 16, Smith put down his second program 3K record of the season to improve his season-best time by five seconds (7:44.97). Time will tell for Machu and Smith if they will head back to Boston in March.

In the final heats of the women's 3k, Kristen Garcia and Willow Collins were the last Zags to hit the track on Friday. First it was Garcia who broke the program record set by Alicia Anderson just a couple of months ago, placing the new time-to-beat at 9:27.80. However in the following heat, Collins set a brand new record of 9:12.03 in her first 3k race of her collegiate career. Between the men's and women's program, the program 3k records have now been broken five times this season. The women have also set the new four fastest 3k times this season alone.

Action continued Saturday in the women's mile, as Collins set yet another new PR in her debut season with Gonzaga. Just a week after her PR time at the Riverfront Invite, Collins improved that time again with a 4:44.05 finish, still second-fastest in program history. Jorun Downing also improved a week-old PR in the mile with a 4:56.81. On the men's side, Law continued to put his name in the Gonzaga all-time rankings, setting a program freshman record of 4:05.96 in the mile, the sixth-fastest time in GU history.

In the final event for the Bulldogs inside Dempsey, Ellie Armbruster and Bailee Carr competed in the women's 800m. For Armbruster, it marked the third consecutive week in the 800m. As she did at the previous two meets, she would break the program record once again, this time with a 2:08.53 finish. Carr also moved up on the all-time program Top Ten to No. 2 with a time of 2:11.79.

After their split-squad action wraps up Saturday, Gonzaga will be off until the outdoor season kicks off in March. 13 meets await the Bulldogs beginning on March 16th at Whitworth's Sam Adams Classic.

Full results can be found HERE