Third Annual Mile City Event Brings In Over 1,500 Entries; Sam Prakel, Brannon Kidder, Eleanor Fulton Among Top Pros Competing With Washington's Milers; Pole Vault Super Stars Amanda and Hana Moll Making Season Debut; Canadian Olympians Justyn Knight, Regan Yee Racing UW Invite's 3,000 Friday Night

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Ken Martinez/Tavan Smith photos

Over 1,500 milers will take over the University of Washington’s Dempsey Indoor Facility Saturday for this year’s Mile City event.

WATCH THE WASHINGTON INDOOR INVITATIONAL JAN. 30 ON RUNNERSPACE+

WATCH THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON MILE CITY JAN. 31 ON RUNNERSPACE+

Mile City has paid homage to Washington’s indoor and outdoor success in the mile and 1,500 meters races since coaches Andy and Maurica Powell arrived on campus in 2018.

All ages, including those at the professional, collegiate, high school and middle school levels, will take part in this year’s event.

In the men’s top section, pros Sam Prakel, Brannon Kidder, Thomas Ratcliffe, Joe Waskom and Sam Ellis will race collegians Evans Jenkins, Jamar Distel, Thomas Bilyard, Owen Powell, Josiah Tostenson, Rueben Reina Jr. and Thomas Diamond of Washington and Chris Caudillo of Cal Poly. Former Husky Nathan Green will rabbit.

Section two also features a compelling line-up with pros Grant Grosvenor, Garret Macquiddy, Acer Iverson, Rhys Hammond, Ronan McMahon Staggs, Cal Poly’s Spencer Pickren and Carson Smith, Portland’s Jonas Price and Washington's Nathan Niel. Cal Poly’s Lewis Westwood and Chase Walter will rabbit.

The top high schoolers entered in the seeded section of the mile are Issac Benjamin (South Kitsap WA), Brady Anderson (Faith Lutheran NV), Maxwell Miracle (Crater OR), Noah Strohman (Holliday TX) and Kellen Williams (Jesuit OR).

The women’s top section is headlined by pros Eleanor Fulton and Claire Yerby, Washington’s Chloe Foerster, Mia Cochran and Jenica Swartz, Utah’s Erin Vringer and Brianna Rinn, Washington State’s Rosemary Longisa and Boise State’s Kaiya Robertson. Maleigha Menegatti will rabbit.

High schoolers Cassidy Armstrong (Ballard WA), Brynn Davenport (Crater OR), Sydney Kosa (Olympia WA) and Sophie Schoolmeester (Banks OR) will race in the seeded sections.

In addition to the mile races on Saturday, pole vault stars Amanda and Hana Moll of Washington will make their season debuts. Amanda is the reigning NCAA indoor champion and Hana is the reigning NCAA outdoor champion.

Jimmy Rhoads of Washington will be back on the pole vault runway two weeks after breaking the Dempsey facility and Washington school record at the Washington Preview, clearing 19 feet, 1 inch (5.82m).

Along with Mile City, the Washington Invitational will kick off the weekend Friday, which will showcase athletes racing both days.

In the men’s 3,000, Justyn Knight and Duncan Hamilton of Nike Swoosh TC will face former Wake Forest standout Luke Tewalt, former Colorado Buffalo Chris Cherry, and Portland’s Price.

Regan Yee leads the women’s 3,000 field against Washington’s Chloe Thomas and Julia David-Smith, Utah’s Vringer and Washington State’s Zenah Cheptoo.

In the 800, Collin Dylla is the men’s top entry and Washington State’s Longisa is the women’s top entry.

Ray Ray Wells Jr. will race his second 60 of the season at Dempsey. He won the Washington Preview in 6.71.