Rosemary Longisa Triumphs in NCAA West 1,500-Meter Quarterfinals for Washington State

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Washington State’s Rosemary Longisa has secured her place on the national track and field stage once again after clinching victory in the 1,500-meter quarterfinals at the NCAA West regional on Saturday. Longisa showcased her talent by breaking away from the competition in the final stretch, finishing with an impressive time of 4:07.38.

The standout sophomore from Kenya, who has already etched her name in Washington State's history with multiple records, surged ahead of a trio of Oregon athletes after rounding the last turn, winning by a comfortable margin.

Longisa came into the regional competition boasting the fastest 1,500-meter time in the nation this year, as well as the second-fastest time in NCAA women’s history. Her remarkable performance earlier this season at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California, saw her clock a time of 4:02.55.

This will mark Longisa's second appearance at the NCAA Championships this year, with the outdoor event set to take place on June 10 in Eugene, Oregon. She previously finished as the national runner-up in the mile at the indoor finals held in Fayetteville back in March.

In related news, Longisa's teammate at Washington State, Caroline Jepkorir, also earned a spot at the NCAA Championships by finishing 11th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase quarterfinals. Jepkorir, another sophomore from Kenya, crossed the line in 10:10.15, securing her place among the top 12 competitors. Meanwhile, University of Idaho junior Constanze Paoli achieved a third-place finish in the same event, clocking in at 10:02.74, and earlier set a new UI record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.