Sophie O'Sullivan Runs Fastest Collegiate 1,200 Split Ever As UW Quartet Runs 10:46.62

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The quartet of Sophie O'Sullivan, Marlena Preigh, Carley Thomas and Anna Gibson broke the NCAA record in the distance medley relay by two seconds Friday at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational at Boston University.

O'Sullivan got it started off with a 3:16.24 split on the 1,200-meter leg, the fastest relay split ever recorded in the college indoor DMR and No. 5 in world history. The previous fastest was 3:18.2 by Stanford's Elise Cranny in 2017. 

Preigh split 54.21 on the 400-meter split, the fastest ever for Washington on a 200-meter track. Thomas was timed in 2:01.92, the second-fastest 800 split ever behind Stanford freshman Roisin Willis (2:01.06).

Gibson closed it in 4:34.25, the second-fastest in program history behind Maddie Meyers' 4:34.23 in 2016.

The record-breaking relay for the women comes one week after the Washington men made headlines when a staggering eight members of the current program broke four minutes in the mile. 

Washington won the NCAA title in the DMR in 2012. That team ran 10:55.01 and that was the school record until Friday. The Huskies went eight seconds faster and broke the record of 10:48.77 held by Oregon since 2017. That group was coached by current Washington Director of Track & Field Maurica Powell.