SEATTLE — Oregon attempted to maintain its hold on a NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships spot for its men's distance medley relay team Friday.

The team of James West (1,200-meter leg), Jacob Miller (400), Reed Brown (800) and Cooper Teare (1,600) posted a time of 9 minutes, 28.62 seconds at the UW Last Chance College Elite meet at Dempsey Indoor. It is the fifth-fastest time in school history.

Based on marks entering the weekend and earlier results from Friday, that time ranks No. 6 in the NCAA. The 12-fastest declared teams will earn a spot in the NCAA Indoor meet March 8-9 in Birmingham, Ala.

In Oregon’s only other race Friday, sophomore Jack Yearian ran a personal-record time of 4:04.50 in the mile. Teammate Soren Knudsen had a time of 4:05.88.

On Saturday, the invitational section of the men's mile will be contested and is expected to include West, Brown, Blake Haney, Jackson Mestler and Charlie Hunter.