Track: Collins, Machu Set Program 5K and 10K Records at Stanford Invitational

Friday, March 29

Stanford, CA

Gonzaga University

Stanford Invitational

Track: Collins, Machu Set Program 5K and 10K Records at Stanford Invitational

3/30/2024 2:35:00 PM | Track and Field

Stanford Invitational Results

Stanford, Calif. – Gonzaga men's and women's track traveled to Stanford, California for the Stanford Invitational Friday and Saturday. The majority of Zag runners took to the track on Friday, setting two new program records, nine new top ten times, and a dozen new personal bests on the day.

The men kicked things off on a rainy Friday morning in the 5000m. Jacob Alfonso (14:12.08), Mason Kissell (14:33.28), and Will Thorsett (14:40.17) each notched PRs. Alfonso's PR improved his previous time by 35 seconds, while Kissell improved by six seconds and Thorsett by 17.

In the women's half of the 3000m steeplechase, the Zags went 3-for-3 in PRs and new top ten program times, with Jessica Frydenlund's 10:30.24 a new second-fastest, Kate Donaldson's 10:57.56 fifth-fastest, and Jorun Downing's 11:12.17 eighth-fastest. Paul Talens also entered the top ten on the men's side, recording the seventh-fastest steeple time of 8:56.82.

The latter half of Friday's action saw elite runners from around the country compete in the 5000m and 10000m invite races. Willow Collins was the lone Zag woman in the 5000m, running just the second sub-16 time in program history with a 15:53.41 new record finish.

Rosina Machu raced for the first time this outdoor season in the women's 10000m invite late Friday night. In her first collegiate 10K, Machu ran a new program record 32:45.57, the first time in program history under 33 minutes.

In the men's 10000m, Wil Smith, Bryce Cerkowniak, and Nick Braz shuffled the top ten list with new PR times of their own. First it was Smith in the invite portion of the event who just missed a first-place finish, setting a 20-second PR and second-fastest men's 10K time of 28:04.77, one that would have won the 2023 NCAA Championships.

In the second heat, Cerkowniak ran a 50-second PR time of 28:45.00 to move up to third in program history, finishing 11th overall. Braz, in his first collegiate 10K, ran a strong 29:27.68 to finish 29th overall and stand sixth-fastest in program history.

In the lone Gonzaga event on Saturday, Ellie Armbruster and Bailee Carr took to the women's 800m in the early afternoon on Cobb track. A week after setting the program fastest and fourth-fastest times at the Buc Scoring Invite, Armbruster and Carr just missed PRs. However, Carr's 2:12.05 improves her Gonzaga best and cushions her fourth-fastest time in program history.

UP NEXT
Gonzaga will be back at Whitworth's Boppell Track next week for their annual Peace Meet on Friday. Follow @ZagRunning on social media, and check gozags.com for the latest updates and live results.