Teams that perennially contend for national championships usually rely on solid contributions from their upperclassmen.
While this is certainly the case for the ASU track and field team this season, the team is also receiving outstanding performances from a pair of true freshmen who have yet to reach their full potential.
Certainly, the coaching staff has a lot more wisdom that it can impress upon Mason McHenry and Cara Carpenter, but there is no substitute for raw talent.
Carpenter’s meteoric rise began this year in Flagstaff, where she captured first place in the pole vault in her first two collegiate meets.
The former Arizona high-school state champion in the event showed early signs that she could produce at the NCAA level as well.
“The track team has been national champions indoors and out,” Carpenter said. “It’s just cool to be a part of it and just to actually be adding to [the success] also as a freshman, and not just being on [the team].”
For McHenry, the impressive results came a little later, but they would eventually resonate throughout the nation.
In his debut, McHenry recorded a time of 1:49.71 in the 800 meters at the Husky Classic in his native Washington, which put him at No. 2 on ASU’s all-time list.
McHenry returned to Seattle two weeks later for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships.
The MPSF meet was the biggest of the season up to that point, but McHenry seemed undaunted by what was at stake.
He went out and dusted the competition to take first in only his second collegiate competition, with a time of 1:49:00, solidifying himself as a big time threat when his team needed it the most.
“It was really thrilling because my parents were there,” McHenry said. “It wasn’t that fast of a record, but it was still sweet being a freshman and being like, ‘Oh yeah, I hold the school record.’”
Heading into the NCAA Indoor National Championships, it seemed as if Mason would be vying for a top spot in the 800.
Although he finished in the top 10 in the nation, McHenry’s time was not up to par with the previous week’s performances.
After the race was over, McHenry said he was disappointed by finishing one spot out of the top eight, who receive All-American honors.
That feeling subsided quickly after he found out that the one of the runners in the field was Chris Gowell from England.
Subsequently, Gowell was ineligible for the honor because he completed his undergraduate work in the U.K.
Gowell still had eligibility at the American collegiate level, but the illustrious All-American title now belonged to McHenry.
The outdoor season began the week after nationals, and both of the freshmen continued to blossom.
Carpenter began her outdoor campaign by achieving one of the goals she set for herself during the indoor half of the year.
The goal was to clear 13 feet, which was also a regional qualifying height.
“I was ecstatic. I’ve been trying to clear 13 feet for a long time now, so it was really exciting,” Carpenter said.
McHenry did not seem to have a hangover from a stellar indoor season either.
He won his second race and broke his own ASU record in the process, which is the third time he has achieved that feat this year.
“Both of their timelines and their impact, we thought, were down the road,” ASU coach Greg Kraft said. “You need to have kids like that, that can step up, and they’re what we hoped they would be and then some.”
Reach the reporter at emschimm@asu.edu.
