Michigan
Payton Jordan Invitational
Ferlic Goes Under Olympic Trials Standard at Stanford
5/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
May 1, 2016
» Ferlic's time ranks No. 2 all-time at Michigan, vaulting him from fifth to second and helping him pass Craig Forys and Dan Heikkinen while also going under the U.S. Olympic standard of 8:30.
» Co-captain Codie Nolan made his return from an injury that sidelined him during the championship phase of the indoor season, running a PR 10.67 in the 100-meter dash.
» This weekend brings the championship phase of the season into the focus. U-M will begin preparation for the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (May 13-15), hosted by Nebraska.
• Results
Site: Palo Alto, Calif. (Cobb Track and Angel Field)
Event: Payton Jordan Invitational
U-M Team Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Friday, May 6 -- at Toledo Invitational (Toledo Ohio)
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- The University of Michigan men's track and field team competed at the Payton Jordan Invitational on Sunday (May 1), an elite middle-distance and distance meet hosted by Stanford University at Cobb Track and Angel Field. The highlight of the day, and perhaps the outdoor season so far, was fifth-year senior Mason Ferlic coming in more than three seconds under the USATF Olympic qualifying standard in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to overtake the NCAA lead at 8:28.77.
The Wolverine distance co-captain was the top collegian in a field featuring just one other NCAA athlete mixed in with pros and other post-collegians. Ferlic pushed U-M alum Craig Forys to the line, finishing just behind Forys in the race while passing him in Michigan's record book to move from No. 5 to No. 2 all-time in Michigan history.
Ferlic will run at the U.S. trials, scheduled from July 1-10 in Eugene, Oregon, and now that he has bettered the Olympic standard in addition to the trials standard, a top-three finish will earn him an opportunity to represent the United States in Rio.
MID-DISTANCE/DISTANCE
The St. Paul, Minnesota, native represented Michigan in a field with only one other collegian. Among the pros in the field were winner Matt Hughes (8:22.31), runner-up Stanley Kebenei (8:22.85) and fourth-place finisher Anthony Rotich (8:27.62), in addition to Forys in fifth.
Ferlic began at the back of the pack but made a move into fifth about 800 meters into the race. He continued to push on the outside, using his long stride to his advantage and took the lead with four laps remaining almost even at the 4:00 mark. Ferlic led for a lap until Taylor Milne moved up and pushed the pace, chased by Matt Hughes and Anthony Rotich.
Ferlic fell off the lead group but continued to push, and his conditioning paid off with a strong closing effort to cross the finish line under the trials standard with time to spare. He nearly nipped Forys at the finish line (8:28.73) but had to settle for passing him in the Michigan record books instead. U-M great and 1984 U.S. Olympian Brian Diemer is the program record-holder at 8:22.13.
In the 5K, junior Ben Flanagan took third place, finishing just a few seconds off his personal best, while senior Tony Smoragiewicz placed fifth as the duo paced four athletes in the event.
The Wolverines ran a strong team race. They had a grasp in three-four-five position with four laps to go, and the lead group crossed at 6:07 with seven laps to go.
After a shuffling of the leaders, Flanagan moved into second, and Smoragiewicz shifted into fifth, while the pack hit the 3K mark at 8:25, following a 70-second lap to a 66-second lap. When Washington's Fred Huxham, the eventual winner, made a move at the 3K mark (8:25), Flanagan stayed on his heels, working himself into a lead position before Huxham broke the field.
The UW Husky came in at 11:25 with two laps to go, and Flanagan showed his strength and led the chase pack before finishing third overall, leading the Wolverines in the field.
Sophomore Brennan Munley ran 1:49.88 in the 800, finishing as the third collegian behind seniors from Florida State and Mississippi. With several post-collegians in the race, Munley's time was good for sixth.
Freshman Jordy Hewitt continues to lower his PRs heading into the championship phase of the season, as he shaved nearly a second off his personal best at 1,500 meters. Hewitt timed 3:46.78 off a strong first 800 meters, during which he split 2:04, and went on to win his heat. Later in the fourth section, sophomore/freshman Chase Barnett ran to his own personal-best, 3:51.35.
SPRINTS
Fifth-year senior Codie Nolan returned to the track in the 100-meter dash, competing for the first time since an injury sidelined Nolan during the Indoor Big Ten Championships.
He watched hard to rehab and return to action, and in his outdoor debut today, had a satisfying PR of 10.67 to finish fifth among collegians. [ Men's Sprinter Nolan Finds Inspiration in Weight Room 
]
Fifth-year senior Phil Washington III ran in the 200 and 400-meter dashes, setting a PR in the shorter race with a 21.54 finish to win heat two. That time placed Washington third overall.
U-M is fast-approaching the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (May 13-15) and will send just a small group of competitors to the Toledo Invitational (May 6) next weekend in Toledo, Ohio.
COLLEGIATE PERSONAL BESTS
Track Events
100-meter dash
Codie Nolan -- 10.67*
200 meters
Phil Washington -- 21.54
1,500-meter run
Jordy Hewitt -- 3:46.78
Chase Barnett -- 3:51.35
3,000-meter steeplechase
Mason Ferlic -- 8:28.77^%
* = Outdoor debut
^ = NCAA-leading time
& = under U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time
TWEET OF THE DAY
.@masonferlic is as hard a worker as you'll find. Preparation, mindset s to his success » https://t.co/46LJbxKN0v pic.twitter.com/BODMv1FWVY
-- Michigan Track&Field (@umichtrack) May 2, 2016
Communications Contact: Chad Shepard
Players Mentioned
