Men Run No. 2 DMR Time In NCAA, World Indoor History

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Just two weeks after the women’s distance medley relay broke the collegiate record, the Husky men’s distance medley relay also ran one of the fastest times in the history of the event at the Arkansas Qualifier at the Randal Tyson Track Center. Washington’s group of Joe Waskom, Daniel Gaik, Cass Elliott, and Kieran Lumb went to No. 2 in World Indoor history and NCAA history with a time of 9:16.65.
 
That time shattered the previous NCAA record of 9:19.42 set by Oregon in 2021. The only damper for the Dawgs was that Oklahoma State edged the Huskies for the victory in a time of 9:16.40. So both teams ran it faster than any previous team in world history indoors, but the Cowboys came away with the record, as the Huskies go to No. 2 all-time in world indoor and NCAA history.
 
Still, Washington was merely looking to secure its spot at NCAA Indoors today and anything records-wise was just a bonus. Mission certainly accomplished on that front.
 
Husky senior Aaron Ahl helped set the pace for the field on the opening leg, as Waskom led off with a stellar opening split of 2:49.41 for the 1,200-meters, passing the baton to Daniel Gaik just ahead of OSU as the two teams had already created some separation. Gaik then kept the lead with a 400-meter run of 46.37.
 
Cass Elliott carried for 800-meters and split a 1:47.42, passing to Kieran Lumb for the 1,600-meter leg anchor. Lumb took the baton just in front of OSU with Arkansas and Virginia teams getting back in touch to make it a four-team race on the final leg. UW and OSU gradually pulled away again from the Razorbacks and Cavaliers. OSU’s Ryan Schoppe moved into the lead with a few laps remaining but Lumb stayed right behind. Lumb tried to go wide and retake the lead on the final lap but Schoppe held him off by a quarter of a second. Lumb split 3:53.46 on the final leg.
 
Just last year, the Husky DMR had shattered the School Record and run a time of 9:21.10 that ranked No. 3 in collegiate history at the time. One year later and UW was more than four seconds faster.
 
The DMR was the one and only event for the Dawgs at Arkansas and for the weekend as a whole. Washington will close out the Dempsey Indoor season next week with the Ken Shannon Last Chance Invitational on Feb. 24-25.