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2023 Penn Relays Preview & Predictions (4xMile, 4x1500m, 4x800m & DMR)
- Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
- Apr 27, 2023
- 28 min read
As a Philadelphia native (which more accurately means that I grew up in the suburbs because no one outside of the area has heard of my hometown), I think I’m qualified enough to say that the Penn Relays are a weird meet. It’s not like anything you’ve ever been to.
Despite Franklin Field hosting one of the most historically prestigious meets in the world, the venue has seamlessly meshed a weekend of racing for athletes who are wide-eyed middle schoolers and accomplished Olympians, as well as a unique mix of Americans and all-star Jamaicans.
However, maybe the most interesting aspect of this meet is the pride and bragging rights associated with it. Sure, there are individual/open events, but it’s the distance-based relays, the races that mean nothing for NCAA Championship qualification, that hold the most weight.
Due to the timing of the entries release and the meet schedule, we won’t be able to highlight/preview the individual distance events for this year’s Penn Relays. However, we do have analysis for the men’s 4xMile relay, women’s 4x1500 meter relay, the men’s and women’s DMR as well as the men’s and women’s 4x800 meter relays.
Let’s begin…
NOTE: The Stride Report is basing this preview off of the entries shown on Thursday, April 27th as of late 8:00 am EST. It is possible that these relay entries could change.
Women’s DMR (Championship of America)
Stanford Cardinal
Entered Lineup: Melissa Tanaka, Maya Valmon, Roisin Willis, Juliette Whittaker
On paper, the Stanford women should win this race. They had the most complete DMR lineup this past winter and with the Arkansas women not entered in this field, the biggest threat to the Cardinal will likely be Notre Dame. Yes, Willis and Whittaker have been great, but Melissa Tanaka has been the unsung hero of this group. If she keeps running like she has, then I don’t see too many scenarios where Stanford loses.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Entered Lineup: Katie Thronson, Eve Balserio, Kaitlin Ryan, Olivia Markezich
I am a huge fan of Katie Thronson and she is debatably a top-three lead-off leg in this field. Her value on that opening spot, paired with the elite firepower of Olivia Markezich on the anchor leg, should keep Notre Dame in the conversation to win. Sure, the skillset of these women aren’t necessarily built for the DMR, but they were VERY consistent this past winter and just super reliable.
Oklahoma State Cowgirls
Entered Lineup: Sivan Auerbach, Tamara Woodley, Billah Jepkirui, Taylor Roe
It’s impossible to dislike Billah Jepkirui and Taylor Roe, but trying to find enough firepower in the middle portion of this lineup is what could make or break this relay (and that was the case this past winter). I’d also be interested to see if we could get Roe on the lead-off and Jepkirui on the anchor spot. On paper, given their skillsets, I think I may like that approach better than the reverse option.
Georgetown Hoyas
Entered Lineup: Grace Jensen, Maya Drayton, Katy-Ann McDonald, Melissa Riggins
Just like I said during the winter months, I think Georgetown may have one of the most complete lineups in this field. In fact, they may have THE most complete lineup with the incredible rise of Melissa Riggins (who just ran 4:10 for 1500 meters). Admittedly, Jensen and McDonald will need to have their best races in order for the Hoyas to stay in contention for gold, but on paper, they can pull off the win.
Duke Blue Devils
Entered Lineup: Emily Cole, Megan McGinnis, Lauren Tolbert, Amina Maatoug
Yes, it’s true, Amina Maatoug has “struggled” as of late, but that’s actually not a concern for me. The Duke star has been rumored to be fasting through Ramadan which would explain some of her underwhelming (but still solid) efforts. However, with neither Karly Forker nor Dalia Frias (who has since announced her transfer to UCLA) available for the lead-off leg, I feel like the ceiling for this team is only so high.
Virginia Cavaliers
Entered Lineup: Esther Seeland, Jada Seaman, Alahna Sabbakhan, Margot Appleton
Margot Appleton is awesome and maybe the best anchor in this field, at least as of right now. But a lot needs to happen in order for Virginia to stay in the mix for the win. Esther Seeland is a fantastic middle distance runner, but I don’t always know what we’re going to get from her…although the 1200 meter leg theoretically matches her skillset. What version of Alahna Sabbakhan we get also makes the Cavaliers a little bit of a wild card.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Entered Lineup: Madaline Ullom, Zoey Goldstein, Allison Johnson, Kileigh Kane
Surprisingly, I would say that the Penn State women have one of the more complete DMR lineups in this field. Ullom, Johnson and Kane are all highly underrated talents. No, they don’t have a home-run hitter on any of their distance legs like Stanford or Notre Dame do, but if everyone can produce as they are expected to, then I don’t see why the Nittany Lions can’t be among the top-five.
Villanova Wildcats
Entered Lineup: Maya Dorer, Micah Trusty, Madison Martinez, Lydia Olivere
This lineup is slightly better than some people realize, especially with the Martinez-Olivere combination on those final two legs. But generally speaking, this team just doesn’t have enough firepower (or consistency over the last year) to match their upper-tier counterparts…I think.
Indiana Hoosiers
Entered Lineup: Jenna Barker, Alyssa Robinson, Maddie Russin, Sarah Schmitt
I really like Sarah Schmitt…even though she’s better suited for the longer distances. I also think there are a few underrated and developmental names who could be due for a decent split. But unless everyone has the race of their lives, I don’t see the Indiana women having enough firepower to finish among the top-five relays.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Entered Lineup: Addie Engel, Gia Napoleon, Jaydan Wood, Aniya Mosley
No, Ohio State isn’t expected to be a factor in this race, but I don’t totally hate the idea of Addie Engel being placed on the lead-off leg. She’s undoubtedly moving down in distance (a lot) if she were to attack the 1200 meter spot, but if Engel can at least stay competitive on that opening spot, then maybe the rest of her lineup can be pushed towards some faster-than-expected splits.
Providence Friars
Entered Lineup: Kimberly May, Niamh Gowing, Alex O’Neill, Shannon Flockhart
This is easily the most underrated DMR lineup in this field. Kimberly May has been thriving as of late, running 2:42 for 1000 meters at the end of the indoor track season and then 4:13 for 1500 meters at the Raleigh Relays. In theory, she could be the best lead-off leg in this race come Friday. And if Shannon Flockhart can return to her 2022 form from last spring (which isn’t guaranteed to happen), then the Providence women could put Stanford and Notre Dame on upset alert.
Boston College Golden Eagles
Entered Lineup: Katherine Mitchell, Sydney Segalla, Paige Carter, Sarah Flynn
Katherine Mitchell is so unbelievably good and the lead-off leg is the perfect spot for someone of her caliber. But the fact of the matter is that the Boston College women just don’t have enough firepower to be competitive with the top programs in this field. That doesn’t mean that they’re bad, but the first few teams are just head-and-shoulders above the latter-half of these entries.
Richmond Spiders
Entered Lineup: Kyra Keurentjes, Ginny Beringer, Kayla O’Connell, Madison Trippett
The Richmond women have been better over the last decade than some people realize, especially in the middle distances. But there just isn’t enough talent potency in the most important legs of this lineup to really have a noticeable impact on this field (or at least, I think that’s the case). Even so, this will be a good opportunity for us at The Stride Report to learn more about certain women on this roster.
Men’s DMR (Championship of America)
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Entered Lineup: Fouad Messaoudi, Charlie Bartholomew, Mehdi Yanouri, Ryan Schoppe
On paper, this lineup is favored to win it all – and rightfully so. They secured NCAA gold in the DMR back in March with ease and Fouad Messaoudi has maybe gotten even better since then. Not only that, but Mehdi Yanouri just dropped a 1:46 mark for 800 meters the other week. But at the same time, it’s not entirely clear if Yanouri will be able to reproduce that kind of time via a split. And given how good some of these opposing anchors have become, Schoppe is going to have his hands full if the Cowboy follow a similar national meet lineup order.
Ole Miss Rebels
Entered Lineup: Tiarnan Crorken, Cade Flatt, Baylor Franklin, Anthony Camerieri
In what is potentially the most complete DMR lineup in this field (or at the very least, among the top-three), the Ole Miss men could very easily win this race. Not only are each of these men perfectly built for this relay, but Crorken, Franklin and Camerieri have been running incredibly well as of late. If I’m Oklahoma State, this is one of the last groups that I would want to face.
Wisconsin Badgers
Entered Lineup: Adam Spencer, Colin Enz, Abdullahi Hassan, Jackson Sharp
I don’t know if Jackson Sharp is the same anchor that Camerieri or Schoppe will/can be, but Adam Spencer and Abdullahi Hassan have been on fire as of late. If the Badgers can get Sharp a big enough lead going into the final leg, which is very possible, then I wouldn’t count out Wisconsin from pulling off the surprise win. On paper, they’re talented enough to do it.
Villanova Wildcats
Entered Lineup: Liam Murphy, Jame Milgie, Sean Dolan, Charlie O’Donovan
The Villanova men sport a trio of distance stars who were built for the DMR. Truthfully, I thought they could have scared the former NCAA DMR record that stood before Oklahoma State and Washington reset that time back in February. But some of their races have been better than others and we didn’t fully get to see what they looked at the indoor national meet after a fluke collision incident on the lead-off leg.
Indiana Hoosiers
Entered Lineup: Camden Marshall, Micah Camble, Parker Raymond, Jake Gebhardt
Ah, yes. Indiana. The relay that has given me nightmares in my predictions. But truthfully, I do see a greater avenue for success this time around given their recent performances. Camden Marshall’s 3:39 mark for 1500 meters earlier this season makes him perfect for the lead-off spot. And after seeing Gebhardt somewhat validate his 3:54 anchor split from this past winter with a great 5k effort, I think there’s a chance that the Hoosiers land within the top-five of the final results.
Michigan Wolverines
Entered Lineup: Riley Flemington, Nick Foster, Cole Johnson, Arjun Jha
Nick Foster has been awesome as of late, showcasing ongoing improvement, greater tactical awareness and a clear jump up in his fitness. And while I do believe in what we’ve seen from Cole Johnson and Arjun Jha, it’ll be those two men who ultimately determine whether they can outlast other relay lineups that seem to be more potent in the middle distances.
Virginia Cavaliers
Entered Lineup: Gary Martin, Jay Pendarvis, Conor Murphy, Wes Porter
This is an AWESOME DMR lineup, one that truthfully should have been able to qualify for the indoor national meet this past winter. Regardless, Gary Martin has been great as of late and his recent success in the 800 meters makes me think that the 1200 meter leg is a perfect middle ground for him. Having Conor Murphy on the 800 meter leg should allow the Cavaliers to stay in contention for the win, but it will ultimately come down to whether or not Porter can fend off the juggernaut anchors that he’ll face from Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, etc.
Georgetown Hoyas
Entered Lineup: Abel Teffra, Joshua Paige, Matthew Rizzo, Matthew Payamps
On paper, this lineup is great. Teffra may be young, but he has great upside. Rizzo may be known as a miler/1500 meter runner, but he can have moments where he’s just as good over 800 meters. Payamps has admittedly been very inconsistent this year, but as we saw at the Bryan Clay Invite, when he’s at his best, he can take down (almost) anyone. Of course, whether or not we see all of these Hoyas at their best on Friday is an entirely different question.
Duke Blue Devils
Entered Lineup: Austin Gabay, Jackson Walker, Beck Wittstadt, Nick Dahl
A lot of attention will be on Nick Dahl when Duke toes the line – and understandably so. He’s their true ace who will ultimately keep the Blue Devils competitive. But at the end of the day, the success and upside of this relay will fall on the shoulders of Walker and Wittstadt, two underrated middle distances talents who are still looking to take another leap. Could we see that happen on Friday?
Davidson Wildcats
Entered Lineup: Owen Drometer, Josh Hardin, Jack Muldoon, Joe dosReis
It’s highly unlikely that the Davidson men will be able to stay competitive with the teams that we have already mentioned, but you gotta respect what Joe dosReis could do on the anchor leg. He was the first sub-miler in Davidson history this past winter and recently ran 3:40 for 1500 meters. They’ll need big-time efforts from everyone else to stay in the mix, but all things considered, this is a very solid lineup.
Navy Midshipmen
Entered Lineup: Carson Sloat, Jonathan Simmons, Ian Bartlett, Alex Rizzo
Alex Rizzo is definitely better than what his seasonal best mark of 3:43 for 1500 meters suggests. He has posted times of 1:48 (800), 3:41 (1500) and 3:58 (mile) before. But the rest of this lineup will need to support Rizzo in a major way who will be fighting to stay competitive with a handful of other anchors are simply more accomplished.
Boston College Golden Eagles
Entered Lineup: Steven Jackson, Alex Brown, Spencer Pett, Eddie Kelly
I feel like Steven Jackson may be one of the more underrated names in this entire field of DMR entrants. He was so good during the winter months and feels like someone who could be far more competitive with the top dudes in this field than some people realize. Of course, Jackson alone is not going to keep the Golden Eagles competitive with the upper-half of this field if each of their opponents run up to their expectations.
Cornell Big Red
Entered Lineup: Pelham Bergesen, Mario Xerri, Noah Cummings, Colden Longley
The Cornell men have a few runners who would have made this a fairly competitive lineup. But given these current entries, Big Red just doesn’t have enough raw talent to keep up, at least not on paper. I want them to prove me wrong, but this is likely going to be more of a learning experience than anything else.
Women’s 4x1500 Meter Relay (Championship of America)
Oklahoma State Cowgirls
Entered Lineup: Billah Jepkirui, Lilly Lavier, Taylor Roe, Gabija Galvydyte
You could say that the Oklahoma State women are favored to win this race and I don’t think anyone would argue with you…too much. But Lavier isn’t quite as proven, Galvydyte hasn’t looked quite as sharp as she did back in December and Jepkirui is young (which has largely been a non-issue so far). Not everyone on this relay needs to be perfect in order for the Cowgirls to win, but Notre Dame, New Mexico, Providence and Washington will not make things easy.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Entered Lineup: Katie Thronson, Annasophia Keller, Olivia Markezich, Siona Chisolm
A relay which features Katie Thronson and Olivia Markezich is always going to catch my attention. Compared to the rest of this field, I don’t know if there are any other relay lineups with a 1-2 punch that is overwhelmingly better than them. Of course, this race will come down to Keller and Chisolm. Both of those women have been running very well as of late, but they’ll be fairly significant wild cards.
New Mexico Lobos
Entered Lineup: Stefanie Parsons, Elise Thorner, Danielle Verster, Abbe Goldstein
I’m surprised that I’m saying this, but the New Mexico women may have one of the more complete 4x1500 meter lineups in this field. Parsons’ was a 4:34 miler this past winter, Thorner has run 4:15 for 1500 meters before and Goldstein has run 4:10 for the metric mile, unattached. Verster could ultimately make or break the Lobos’ chances of winning this race, but gosh, this group of four doesn’t seem to have a ton of weaknesses.
Washington Huskies
Entered Lineup: Chloe Foerster, Carley Thomas, Sophie O’Sullivan, Kayley DeLay
On paper, the Washington women have the most complete lineup through four runners and theoretically zero weak points on their relay. Each of their listed entrants hold excellent times and some kind of upside. And yet, at the same time, this group isn’t perfect. Foerster is still young, DeLay has been struggling as of late, Thomas is more of an 800 meter runner (but has a 4:36 mile PR) and O’Sullivan has been a bit quiet as of late.
Virginia Cavaliers
Entered Lineup: Esther Seeland, Ellie Desmond, Margot Appleton, Sophie Atkinson
I really like the value and raw talent of Margot Appleton. If she can get the baton in (or near) the lead, then the Virginia women could pull off the win. And given how good Esther Seeland was in the 1500 meters at the beginning of the season (running 4:12 at the Raleigh Relays), the Virginia women aren’t going to simply go away on Friday. Of course, without any true understanding of how impactful Desmond and Atkinson will/can be, it’s hard to envision Virginia matching their opponents on all four legs.
Providence Friars
Entered Lineup: Alex O’Neill, Jane Buckley, Kimberly May, Shannon Flockhart
Jane Buckley (4:40 mile), Kimberly May (4:13 for 1500 meters) and Shannon Flockhart (4:10 for 1500 meters) could combine to create a juggernaut lineup. However, there is by no means a guarantee that this group will all run at their best on the same day. And with Alex O’Neill feeling a little bit like an x-factor, the possible results for the Providence women could wildly fluctuate.
Ole Miss Rebels
Entered Lineup: Kristal van den Berg, Sophia Baumann, Skylar Boogerd, Loral Winn
This is a good 4x1500 meter lineup – but it’s not a great lineup. There aren’t any significant flaws or glaring weak points among this group of four, but it feels like Loral Winn is the only one who can bring an upper-tier split when racing her competition come Friday. Of course, in a race where a lot of things can go wrong for a lot of different teams, there seems like to be some level of steadiness and reliability from the Ole Miss women that not every team can flex.
Wisconsin Badgers
Entered Lineup: Madison Mooney, Kylie Finger, Emma Watcke, Victoria Heiligenthal
It’s admittedly hard to imagine the Wisconsin women being a major factor in this race. They utilized a similar group for a competitive DMR field this past winter, but that effort didn’t end well for the Badgers. This roster is clearly built for cross country, but it will be nice to see how this group handles the 1500 meters as a collective whole.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Entered Lineup: Madaline Ullom, Makenna Krebs, Sophia Toti, Kileigh Kane
I actually like this lineup quite a bit! They seem to have the same level of completeness that Ole Miss and Providence have. Sure, the Nittany Lions may not have a home run hitter like a few other relays, but each of their entered women have shown flashes of competitive brilliance. I really like what Kane has been doing as of late and Ullom is a really good/reliable name to have on such a crucial lead-off leg.
Indiana Hoosiers
Entered Lineup: Phoebe Bates, Maddie Dalton, Jenna Barker, Sarah Schmitt
It feels like a lot of these Indiana women have a ton of upside that they just haven’t tapped into like I thought they would. But that’s the same theory that leads me to believe that the Hoosiers could be better than expected on Friday. A lot of these women in red and white are very solid distance talents, although it will be interesting to see if they can match the depth of their competition.
Georgetown Hoyas
Entered Lineup: Sami Corman, Chloe Gonzalez, Chloe Scrimgeour, Maggie Donahue
This is a surprisingly good lineup despite being listed this far down in the entries. Corman and Donahue are really nice names to lean on at each end of their four-person group. And while Gonzales and Scrimgeour are slight unknowns in terms of their 1500 meter upside/potential, they should at least be able to keep the Hoyas competitive in a field where there isn’t a big drop off in talent in this field.
Toledo Rockets
Entered Lineup: Alex Bauer, Karina James, Lianna Surtz, Lou Trois
This is a fairly young Toledo lineup that is very clearly trying to gain some experience against top competition. Each of these entered women have the potential to be more competitive than they already are, but expecting more than two of these runners to surpass expectations on Friday seems unlikely.
Michigan State Spartans
Entered Lineup: Katie Osika, Katelyn Stewart-Barnett, Kaitlyn Hines, Taylor Visscher
I really like this Michigan State group…on paper. Katie Osika is a much better miler than some people realize, Stewart-Barnett has been sneaky-good over 1500 meters and Hines has been slowly improving over the last year. Sure, they’re not going to blow you away, but they just feel like a very solid lineup with a lot of under-the-radar names who could make things interesting in the middle portion of this race (at least within their own chase pack).
UCONN Huskies
Entered Lineup: Chloe Thomas, Jenna Zydanowicz, Celia Chacko, Danielle Adams
Admittedly, the Connecticut women just aren’t at the same level as their opponents. They have some really solid names who could put together a few competitive splits, but cross country is where this team is at their best, at least for now. Even so, this will be a good race for us to get a better look at what their team is capable of.
Men’s 4xMile Relay (Championship of America)
Washington Huskies
Entered Lineup: Luke Houser, Sam Ellis, Nathan Green, Joe Waskom
There shouldn’t be any excuse for the Washington men to not win this race. This might end up being the best collegiate 4xMile relay lineup that the Penn Relays (and maybe the NCAA) ever see. Yes, Oklahoma State has a handful of their own stars and Virginia is just as complete, but no one can match the collective firepower of Houser, Ellis, Green and Waskom. And truthfully, if they don’t get the collegiate record, I’ll be shocked.
Oklahoma State Cowgirls
Entered Lineup: Chris Middleton-Pearson, Ryan Schoppe, Isaiah Priddey, Fouad Messaoudi
The 1-2 punch of Ryan Schoppe and Fouad Messaoudi is arguably just as good as any duo of entrants that you’ll find in this field. But for as good as those two men are, I don’t know if I see Isaiah Priddey and Chris Middleton-Pearson being able to match the firepower of Washington, Virginia and Wisconsin. To be clear, this isn’t to say that those two guys aren’t talented. They’re actually underappreciated on Oklahoma State’s loaded roster! But from a big picture perspective, the Cowboys just don’t have the same kind of complete lineup that a few others do.
Virginia Cavaliers
Entered Lineup: Conor Murphy, Gary Martin, Nathan Mountain, Wes Porter
In a world where the University of Washington doesn’t exist, I would say that that the Virginia men are favored to win this race. Outside of the Huskies, this is the most complete lineup in this field. All of these guys have been running exceptionally well as of late, they’re all nationally competitive milers and their four-man group has absolutely zero weaknesses. Washington should win, but the Cavaliers could give them a few problems.
Georgetown Hoyas
Entered Lineup: Camden Gilmore, Parker Stokes, Matthew Rizzo, Matthew Payamps
In theory, the Georgetown men boast a lineup that is very similar to Virginia. They have nationally competitive, middle distance-centric talents at each leg of their lineup and there are virtually zero weaknesses. However, depending on who you’re talking about, certain Hoyas can have moments of inconsistency. And while I do believe that they’re naturally talented enough to finish among the top-five, I don’t know how high among that top-five group that they’ll actually finish.
Wisconsin Badgers
Entered Lineup: Adam Spencer, Jackson Sharp, Jack Meijer, Bob Liking
The Wisconsin men are basically a cross between the first four teams that we have already highlighted. They have a lethal 1-2 punch like Oklahoma State and they’re fairly complete through most of their entered names like Georgetown, Virginia and Washington. But it’s clear that certain men are better than others. In other words, I have no doubts that the Badgers will be competitive, but trying to compare them to the other contenders isn’t exactly a one-to-one science.
Villanova Wildcats
Entered Lineup: Charlie O’Donovan, Sean Donoghue, Evan Addison, Unknown Fourth Leg
Charlie O’Donovan and Sean Donoghue is a great nucleus to have going into this race like this. Evan Addison is also a decent option to utilize, even if he isn’t a proven sub-four miler. But with the entries showing Evan Addison twice, it’s hard to know who that final name on this relay will be. I imagine that it will be Josh Phillips or Marco Langon. If that’s the case, then Villanova should be an upper-half team, but without Liam Murphy or Sean Dolan, it’s hard to know what their ceiling will be.
Duke Blue Devils
Entered Lineup: Nick Dahl, Beck Wittstadt, James Lee, Austin Gabay
Nick Dahl is awesome, especially if he’s running the lead-off leg. He’ll be in the mix and keep things competitive. And if James Lee, a sub-four miler, is actually listed at that third spot, then there’s a chance that the Duke men will still be in the mix late in this race, even if they don’t get the final result that they want.
Iona Gaels
Entered Lineup: Nick Soldevere, Matt Rankin, Damien Dilcher, Mael Gouyette
I really like Mael Gouyette. The sub-four miler is due for a big performance and can put together a competitive split. But at the same time, I don’t always know what he’s going to bring to the table each and every weekend. Regardless, Gouyette at this best can’t carry this team, entirely. The other men within this lineup will need to step up if they want to finish in the upper-half of this field.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Entered Lineup: Carter Solomon, Daelen Ackley, Jake Renfree, CJ Singleton
This is admittedly a unique lineup for the Notre Dame, but I think all four of these men could be competitive and I think they all have some great potential. Solomon is more of a 5k guy, but also ran 3:57 in the mile this past winter. Renfree has been very inconsistent over the last year or so, but when he’s at his best, he can be very valuable. Both Ackley and Singleton are super young, but have shown plenty of promise as of late and could be even better this weekend. In other words…I have no idea what to expect from the Fighting Irish.
Syracuse Orange
Entered Lineup: Assaf Harari, Karl Winter, Nathan Henderson, Noah Carey
I think a lot of people will look at Syracuse in the entries and assume that they’re fielding a bunch of cross country guys who are stepping down in distance…but that’s only half true. Yes, Harari and Carey have proven to be more aerobic-centric talents, but Henderson is a sub-four miler and an outdoor national meet qualifier in the 1500 meters. Winter, meanwhile, has run 3:39 for the metric mile before. They won’t be competitive with the top teams in this field, but they’ve got a few really solid options at certain points in their lineup.
Indiana Hoosiers
Entered Lineup: Gabriel Sanchez, Dustin Horter, Austin Haskett, Jake Gebhardt
Without Camden Marshall, the ceiling for this Indiana lineup feels limited. But having Jake Gebhardt among these four men should give the Hoosiers a spark. And to be clear, it’s not like the other three guys are “bad” by any means. Sanchez, Horter and Haskett all hold great value for this kind of race, but there is only so much firepower within this four-man squad.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Entered Lineup: Drew Maher, Evan Dorenkamp, Jonah Powell, Yukichi Ishii
I do like the Penn State men, but they are simply better suited for the 4x800 meter relay. Sure, certain guys like Mahrer and Ishii can step up in distance if necessary, but Dorenkamp is the only true mile-centric ace on this team. And while he has slowly rallied from an injury that he sustained last year, he alone cannot carry this lineup to a top-half finish…unless someone else produces a monster split.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Entered Lineup: Ray Sellaro, Will Hare, Justin Cornetta, Gavin Richards
This is a huge race for Rutgers. They have three former Penn guys (Sellaro, Hare and Cornetta) as well as a still-young Syracuse transfer (Richards) who could come together to be very competitive. Sellaro is the true ace of this team who could ensure that Rutgers has a presence near the front of this race early-on (if he’s leading-off). And if the Scarlet Knights can stay competitive for long enough, then Coach Matthew Jelly will have taken yet another encouraging step forward to show us that Rutgers distance running is on the rise.
Michigan Wolverines
Entered Lineup: Anthony Hancock, Michael Hancock, Henry Johnson, Arjun Jha
This is a good group, but without Nick Foster, Cole Johnson, Ollie Raimond and maybe a few others, the Michigan men can only go so far with this group. Having Arjun Jha will give the Wolverines some pop at the end of this lineup and some people don’t realize that Henry Johnson has run 1:47 for 800 meters. Even so, I’ll be interested to see how the Hancock brothers respond to such a deep field.
Michigan State Spartans
Entered Lineup: John Petruno, Luke Perelli, Jeremy Kloss, Owen Huard
I really like the idea of having John Petruno on the lead-off leg of this lineup. He’s run 3:39 (1500) who can be really dangerous, especially in tactical races (which the 4xMile at the Penn Relays tends to be). I was surprised not to see rookie Riley Hughes not in this lineup, but the rest of these men will likely be pushed to their fullest extents assuming that Petruno puts them in a good-enough position.
UCONN Huskies
Entered Lineup: Sam Geisler, James Maniscalco, Kevin Cawley, Mahamed Sharif
I do think that there are really respectable names within this Connecticut program, but I would be lying if I said I knew a lot about this group of four. Yes, Sharif was fantastic over 800 meters at the tail-end of the 2023 indoor track season, but how will that talent translate to the mile? I also like Maniscalco who may not be a pure miler, but is talented enough to provide some respectable value at a leg on this relay.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Entered Lineup: Leif Anderson, Charlie Smith, Chris Cherono, Myles Collins
The Georgia Tech men will certainly have their hands full given some of the teams that they’ll be facing this weekend. They’ve been relatively quiet as a distance group this year and will likely be hoping that this field drags them to a handful of fast splits.
Women’s 4x800 Meter Relay (Championship of America)
Penn State Nittany Lions
Entered Lineup: Victoria Vanriele, Allison Johnson, Hayley Kitching, Rachel Gearing
This is, without a doubt, the safest team to pick as your winner of this race. Gearing has been on fire, recently running a 2:02 (800) PR. Johnson has been slowly returning to competitive form after some extensive time off. Kitching was excellent this past winter and sneaky-reliable. Vanriele has had a few up-and-down days, but at her best, is just as good as her teammates. This field is too good to say that the Penn State women are locks to secure the overall victory, but in nearly aspect, they’re favored to win this race.
Washington Huskies
Entered Lineup: Chloe Foerster, Marlena Preigh, Carley Thomas, Sophie O’Sullivan
Between Marlena Preigh and Carley Thomas, the Washington women have two big-time legs who could put the Huskies in the lead. Together, that duo could give the Washington women enough firepower to fend off Penn State, but Foerster and O’Sullivan are primarily milers who are stepping down in distance. They’ll need to channel their best turnover/speed to keep up with a Penn State group that entirely features pure half-milers.
Virginia Cavaliers
Entered Lineup: Alahna Sabbakhan, Esther Seeland, Keara Seasholtz, Margot Appleton
On paper, the Virginia women can win this race, but a lot has to go right. Margot Appleton has to run around 2:04 (800) which is faster than her PR. Keara Seasholtz will need to reproduce her huge 2:05 (800) PR from last weekend. Esther Seeland will need to be at least a second better than her 2:04 half-mile result from the other weekend. Alahna Sabbakhan (who ran 2:05 in the winter of 2022) will then be a wild card who will ultimately determine how competitive Virginia can/will be with Penn State and Washington.
Villanova Wildcats
Entered Lineup: Alex Stasichin, Micah Trusty, Maya Dorer, Madison Martinez
The Villanova women have some sneaky-good middle distance runners. Micah Trusty, in my eyes, is one of those women who is a nice name to have in the middle portion of this lineup. But for as much as I like Madison Martinez, who will be a very serviceable anchor leg, the Wildcats will need significantly more firepower if they want to contend for the win.
Clemson Tigers
Entered Lineup: Jessica McLean, Brynne Sumner, Leah Disher, Kayan Green
Brynne Sumner is a really great name for this Clemson middle distance group to rally around. And while I’m sure there’s a name who is better than I’m realizing, the Clemson women just don’t have enough 800 meter potency to be a factor in this field. Maybe for a top-five finish, but a top-three result would be a stunner.
Michigan State Spartans
Entered Lineup: Lauren Freeland, Shae Harbaugh, Abbey Carvey, Judith Rector
Lauren Freeland is the top name to watch when Michigan State toes the line for this race. While more of a 1500 meter runner, she can effectively step down to 800 meters and provide great value there. But the Spartans still have a relatively young roster and they are more proven over the longer distances. Freeland is good, but she’ll need more support to ensure that this team stays within the top-half of the results.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Entered Lineup: Silan Ayyildiz, Grace Zamrowski, Alexandria Costantino, Svenja Sommer
With Silan Ayyildiz in this lineup, the South Carolina woen will be a team to watch. However, their ceiling feels limited, especially with Syvlia Chelangat (who has run 2:02 for 800 meters) not among the four women entered in this relay. That’s a bit of a surprise in mind. Entering Ayyildiz in this race would suggest that the Gamecocks want to go all-in which is why I would have thought Chelangat would be listed in the entries.
Indiana Hoosiers
Entered Lineup: Maddie Dalton, Jenna Barker, Elizabeth Stanhope, Maddie Russin
The Indiana women aren’t favored to win this race (or finish among the top-five), but they are far better suited for this race compared to the DMR or the 4x1500 meter relay. Individually, none of these women stun you in any major way, but they could come together to put together a cohesive and competitive lineup.
Richmond Spiders
Entered Lineup: Caroline Donohoe, Kate McAndrew, Kayla O’Connell, Kyra Keurentjes
Richmond, historically, is a very good program when it comes to producing women’s 800 meter talents. And while this is a respectable squad, capping their firepower with half-mile personal bests of 2:07 isn’t going to allow the Spiders to mix it up with some of the better teams in this field. That said, they do seem to have some decent upside.
Michigan Wolverines
Entered Lineup: Anna Juul, Cassie Kearney, Alyna Lewis, Samantha Tran
Despite what their personal bests suggests, this is a fairly respectable relay for this far down the entries. Tran will almost certainly run faster than her 2:09 (800) PR and either Juul or Kearney are due for a new half-mile reset as well (via splits). Sure, the Michigan women aren’t expected to be a competitive group in this kind of field, but they should at least hold their own.
Liberty Flames
Entered Lineup: Katie Sigerud, Calli Doan, Naomi Armstrong, Jessica Palisca
It’s admittedly hard to see a lot of middle distance potency for the Liberty women. This is predominately a cross country program and while they do have some solid names, I’m not entirely sure where they’ll find the necessary turnover to play a major role in this field.
Maryland Terrapins
Entered Lineup: Kami Joi Hickson, Mackenzie Morgan, Anna Coffin, Michaela Bracken
There are some recognizable names within this lineup, and it feels like Anna Coffin is going to be due for a new PR, but any result outside of the bottom-two should be considered a successful race for the Maryland women.
Men’s 4x800 Meter Relay (Championship of America)
Ole Miss Rebels
Entered Lineup: Shane Bracken, Tiarnan Crorken, Cade Flatt, Baylor Franklin
On paper, this is an insanely loaded lineup. Depending on how you feel about the Iowa State men, Crorken and Franklin may be the best 1-2 half-mile punch in this field. But for as good as Shane Bracken and Cade Flatt are, they haven’t shown that they can match the 800 meter firepower of their competitors. Flatt has run 1:50 (800) twice this season and Bracken’s PR sits at the same mark. Could that change this weekend? Definitely, but this isn’t going to be a cake walk race for the Rebel men.
Iowa State Cyclones
Entered Lineup: Ezekiel Rop, Jason Gomez, Darius Kipyego, Peter Smith
Between Jason Gomez, Darius Kipyego and Peter Smith, the Cyclones probably have the best trio of 800 meter runners in this field. And that might still be enough for them to secure the overall win! Let’s not forget, Gomez and Kipyego have both run 1:46 for the half-mile distance before. But Ezekiel Rop is a major question mark. Yes, he just ran 3:36 for 1500 meters, but he’s never run the 800 meters (collegiately) before and that 3:36 mark came out of nowhere. If Rop can produce a 1:49 mark on his split (or faster), then Iowa State is definitely going to be favored for the overall win.
Washington Huskies
Entered Lineup: Joe Waskom, Luke Houser, Nathan Green, Sam Ellis
Sam Ellis and Nathan Green have each run 1:46 for 800 meters before, making them (arguably) just as dangerous as the Tiarnan-Crorken and Gomez-Kipyego duos. But how fast can Waskom and Houser run over 800 meters? Sure, Waskom has run 2:18 for 1000 meters before and they’re both elite milers, but can one of them crack 1:48 for an 800 meter split? That certainly seems possible, but it also doesn’t seem like that’s a lock to happen by any means.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Entered Lineup: Olivier Desmeules, Darius Smallwood, Callum Dodds, Handal Roban
When looking at all four entrants for each of these relays, this is the best lineup. Every single one of these Penn State men can run 1:47 for 800 meters, but right now, that is seemingly their cap. If all of these men run 1:47 on their splits, then the Nittany Lions will absolutely win this race. That, however, is not guaranteed as I don’t always know which Penn State middle distance runner is going to run 1:47.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Entered Lineup: Mehdi Yanouri, Juan Diego Castro, Hafez Mahadi, Alex Stitt
Much like Penn State, this is a very complete lineup with essentially zero weaknesses. Not only that, but Mehdi Yanouri gives this group some extremely valuable upper-tier firepower that, frankly, they didn’t have two weekends ago. Admittedly, the rest of this lineup doesn’t have the consistency and proven middle distance talent that Penn State, Washington, Ole Miss and Iowa State hold, but if anything things go wrong, then the Cowboys can contend for the win.
Indiana Hoosiers
Entered Lineup: Nick Couyoumijan, Parker Raymond, Keefer Soehngen, Camden Marshall
I love the idea of having a 1:47 (800) guy in Camden Marshall on the anchor leg of this relay if the Hoosiers are able to stay competitive through those first three legs. And while every single one of those first three men are flat-out solid, they’ll need one of those guys to have a big day in an effort to complement Marshall.
Clemson Tigers
Entered Lineup: Gabriel Ludwick, Carson Tillman, Aman Thornton, Victor Ndiwa
I’m very surprised that Clemson didn’t enter Tarees Rhoden, their 1:46 (800) man and recent half-mile All-American, in this relay. If he was, then I think I would have put Clemson in the discussion to win this race. Even so, Thornton is a 1:46 (800) guy and Ndiwa has run 1:48 (800) this season, seemingly rising as the spring months progress. They might not be in the mix to win, but they’ve got some guys who have a ton of momentum and are just as good as some of the top men on other upper-tier relays.
Texas A&M Aggies
Entered Lineup: Caden Norris, Christian Simmons, Gavin Hoffpauir, Sam Whitmarsh
Caden Norris and Sam Whitmarsh are two younger guys who have both run 1:48 for 800 meters this season. And while Whitmarsh has run 1:46 (low) before, he likely won’t be in that kind of shape this weekend. The Aggies will hold their own with those two men at either end of their lineup, but Simmons and Hoffpauir will need to give them a spark with an 800 meter PR via a split in the 1:48 to 1:49 range.
Princeton Tigers
Entered Lineup: Jordan Kaplan, Connor Chen, Samuel Rodman, Ethan Reese
I am a huge Sam Rodman fan given his ability to consistently produce 1:46 marks over 800 meters. Reese is also a very strong half-mile talent in his own right, giving Princeton a nice secondary middle distance ace to lean on. But much like Texas A&M, Kaplan and Chen will need to have one of their better races for the Tigers to escape the latter-half of the final results.
Virginia Cavaliers
Entered Lineup: Conor Murphy, Gary Martin, Liam Bellamy, Myles Plummer
If this is the relay order that Virginia is opting to go with, then I’ll be very interested to see how this lineup holds up as their personal bests progressively get slower going into the anchor leg. But both Murphy and Martin are listed in the other distance relays for Virginia this weekend, making us wonder if the Cavaliers will actually contest this event with this group of men. If they do, they’ll be competitive, but it may be best to attack the other two races.
Villanova Wildcats
Entered Lineup: Sean Dolan, Sean Donoghue, Miller Anderson, Charlie O’Donovan
Sean Dolan is the ace for the Villanova men, boasting a 1:46 (800) PR that can pretty much match any other guy in this field. But it’s no guarantee that we’ll see that version of Dolan this weekend. And even if we do, the rest of his lineup doesn’t necessarily hold extensive half-mile credentials. But could Donoghue, Anderson and O’Donovan all run 1:49 on their 800 meter replay splits? I definitely think so. And if that happens, then Villanova will be far more competitive than the entries suggest.
NC State Wolfpack
Entered Lineup: Kyle Durham, Zach Hughes, Jake Toomey, Gavin Gaynor
It’s hard to envision a distance-centric roster playing a major role in this 4x800 meter race, but Zach Hughes is a quality 800 meter talent that this group can lean on. Gavin Gaynor is also a solid piece and it doesn’t feel like Durham or Toomey will truly hurt this relay. Sure, they may not blow away their competition, but they’ll hang tough.
Penn Quakers
Entered Lineup: Anton Idahammar, Denis Gallagher, Alec Jackson, Titus Bretzke
With only one guy running under 1:50 for 800 meters this season, it’s hard to envision Penn playing a major role in this race. Luckily for them, there isn’t really a major drop-off at any point in their lineup, so it seems like they have good upside and limited downside.
Michigan Wolverines
Entered Lineup: Henry Johnson, Riley Flemmington, Cole Johnson, Thomas Shilgalis
I’m surprised to see the Michigan men this low in the entries. Yes, there is a significant gap in 800 meter talent between the Johnson brothers and Flemmington and Shilgalis, but Henry and Cole Johnson have both run 1:47 for 800 meters! That’s a lot of firepower to have in this kind of relay race as long as your other two legs are respectable enough (which they are).
Maryland Terrapins
Entered Lineup: Eric Albright, Solomon Lawrence, Maxwell Myers, Chase McGeehan
Eric Albright is a solid name who could effectively lead-off or anchor this group. But for the most part, this will be a big learning moment for the Terrapin men.
FINAL PREDICTIONS
*Assumptions all collegiates will contest every race they are entered in fresh.
Women's DMR
Stanford Cardinal - 10:48
Notre Dame Fighting Irish - 10:52
Georgetown Hoyas - 10:54
Providence Friars - 10:54
Oklahoma State Cowgirls - 10:54
Men's DMR
Oklahoma State Cowboys - 9:18
Ole Miss Rebels - 9:20
Villanova Wildcats - 9:23
Virginia Cavaliers - 9:23
Wisconsin Badger - 9:25
Women's 4x1500 Meter Relay
Oklahoma State Cowgirls - 16:59
Notre Dame Fighting Irish - 16:59
New Mexico Lobos - 17:01
Virginia Cavaliers - 17:03
Washington Huskies - 17:07
Men's 4xMile Relay
Washington Huskies - 15:57
Virginia Cavaliers - 16:04
Oklahoma State Cowboys - 16:06
Georgetown Hoyas - 16:06
Wisconsin Badgers - 16:07
Women's 4x800 Meter Relay
Penn State Nittany Lions - 8:21
Washington Huskies - 8:23
Virginia Cavaliers - 8:23
Villanova Wildcats - 8:25
Clemson Tigers - 8:28
Men's 4x800 Meter Relay
Iowa State Cyclones - 7:10
Penn State Nittany Lions - 7:11
Washington Huskies - 7:13
Ole Miss Rebels - 7:14
Oklahoma State Cowboys - 7:15
