Colorado University Athletics
Murphy Leads Distance Crew At Husky Classic
February 12, 2016 | Track and Field
SEATTLE — University of Colorado senior Pierce Murphy opened up his final indoor season with the second fastest NCAA 5,000-meter run time of the season, turning in a performance of 13:40.12 on the first day of the Husky Classic on Friday night at the University of Washington.
Murphy, who was running his first race since placing third at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in late November, placed second to Oregon's Edward Cheserek (13:35.86) in the top section of the elite field. Murphy's time was less than a second from his personal record (13:39.29), which he ran a year ago.
Many of CU's distance athletes were competing for the first time since the cross country season. Seniors Morgan Pearson and Ammar Moussa also recorded solid performances in their season debuts. Pearson finished eighth overall in 13:48.18, while Moussa was 11th in 13:51.85.
Sophomore Ryan Forsyth also ran a great 5k race, placing second in the second section with a time of 14:12.64, which was 19th overall.
Sophomore Erin Clark led the women in the 5k, debuting in the event with a time of 15:54.01, which placed her fourth on CU's all-time performers list behind Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, Sara (Gorton) Slattery and Christine Bolf. Sophomore Kaitlyn Benner was just behind Clark, finishing 11th overall in 16:01.53 to put her seventh in Buffs' history.
Personal bests were all around for the Buffs as junior Carrie Verdon recorded a PR in the 5k, placing 18th overall in 16:16.77. Sophomores Mackenzie Caldwell and Eryn Blakely also turned in personal bests. Caldwell placed 28th overall (seventh in the second section), with a time of 16:32.93, while Blakely was 47th overall in 17:01.15.
In the field events, senior Brady Rutt notched a PR of 60-02 in the weight throw on his fourth throw of the night to place ninth overall.
The Buffs will be back in action on Saturday at the Husky Classic.
2016 HUSKY CLASSIC
Dempsey Indoor (Seattle, Wash.)
Field Events
Men's Weight Throw: (1. Colin Dunbar, unattached, 75-2.75) 9. Brady Rutt, 60-02.00
Track Events
Women's 5,000-meters: (1. Chelsea Blaase, Tennessee, 15:43.81) 9. Erin Clark, 15:54.01; 11. Kaitlyn Benner, 16:01.56; 18. Carrie Verdon, 16:16.77; 28. Mackenzie Caldwell, 16:32.93; 47. Eryn Blakely, 17:01.15.
Men's 5,000-meters: (1. Edward Cheserek, Oregon, 13:35.86) 2. Pierce Murphy, 13:40.12; 8. Morgan Pearson, 13:48.18; 11. Ammar Moussa, 13:51.85; 19. Ryan Forsyth, 14:12.54.
