2024 Alex Wilson Invite DMR Preview

The Alex Wilson Invitational is one of the NCAA's single-best indoor track meets of the year when it comes to producing elite DMR times. And despite a handful of other competitive DMR-centric meets popping up around the country, the 2024 rendition of this Notre Dame-hosted distance medley showcase is still set to be plenty entertaining.

Below, we listed all of the DMR entries for the men's and women's races, offering a few lines of analysis for all of the entered teams. Yes, there are individual/open events, but the priority for this weekend is the distance medley relay.

So let's not waste anymore time. Let's jump right into it...

Click here for final predictions

Men's DMR

NOTE: Teams are listed in order found on the entries

North Carolina Tar Heels

The North Carolina men are the only team (other than NAU) who I could see winning this race on Saturday. Having Ethan Strand as your lead-off leg and Parker Wolfe as your anchor leg should at least keep the Tar Heels competitive with likes of Northern Arizona.

But the success of this team will ultimately hinge on what Andrew Regnier and Kyle Reinheimer do. The former was a high school superstar who ran 1:47.95 for 800 meters while the latter has run 1:48 for the half-mile distance before.

Neither of those men have truly jumped off the page this season, but compared to the other top relays in this field, they're arguably just as good. If the UNC men can get a 1:48 split on whoever takes over that 800-meter leg, then the team's anchor (presumably Wolfe) should be in close contention with NAU.

Wisconsin Badgers

According the entries, the Wisconsin men are not fielding Bob Liking, Adam Spencer, Jackson Sharp or Abdullahi Hassan for this race -- and I'll admit, I'm very surprised. The Badgers almost always field a competitive DMR at this meet and they are typically a top power on the national stage in this event.

However, on the other hand, Wisconsin's pre-race preview on their athletics website says the following...

Now, admittedly, just because their preview says that they return three legs from last year's DMR lineup doesn't necessarily mean that those same men will also be contesting the DMR this weekend. As such, I'm going with what the entries say. And in that case, I just don't see the Badgers standing out in this field with other top programs entering their best lineups.

Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan men have this tendency to produce a DMR group that is always way better than I think they will be. Having a 3:54 miler in Nick Foster on the anchor leg is huge. The presumed first three legs of this lineup are solid -- I like Miles Brown when he's firing on all cylinders -- but they also don't have the explosiveness that teams like North Carolina and Northern Arizona do.

Even so, I don't see this relay having a "poor" race. And while I don't know how high Foster can take them, I do know that I will not doubt this team again like I did last year.

Ole Miss Rebels

Admittedly, this current Ole Miss middle and long distance group isn't quite as potent as they have been in years past. And yet, when you step back and evaluate each name, the Rebels should still have some decent value throughout a good portion of their lineup.

Cruz Gomez owns a 3:57 mile PR, Marcus Dropik has run 1:48 for 800 meters this season and Cade Flatt is a former high school star who may be best utilized on the 400-meter leg.

However, the challenge is trying to figure out what to do with Toby Gillen. While he is undoubtedly the Rebels' next best option for the fourth spot in this DMR, it's also safe to say that he coming down in distance quite a bit.

A 4:02 mile PR doesn't necessarily jump off the page, but his recent string of personal bests (7:53 for 3k and 13:28 for 5k) suggest that, at the very least, he's in sub-four shape. But would it make sense to put him on the lead-off leg and utilize Gomez, who is more of a known quantity, on the anchor leg? Or would it be the other way around?

I suppose we'll find out tomorrow...

Indiana Hoosiers

I've been burned one too many times by Indiana's DMR and that's why I will not question their competitiveness for Saturday. But frankly, why would I? The Hoosiers boast a 3:55 miler in Camden Marshall who is teaming up with recent 3:58 miler, Austin Haskett. That is a lot of firepower to have at the two most important ends of a DMR lineup.

With a 1:48 (800) guy in Cole Raymond adding some stability to the middle portion of this relay, I don't see too many scenarios where the Indiana men struggle on Saturday. On paper, they are one of the better assembled groups in this field.

Tennessee Volunteers

I don't necessarily love Tennessee's DMR lineup, but I certainly don't hate it, either. And truthfully, any knowledgable distance running fan should know not to doubt Coach Sean Carlson in the DMR. Almost no coach in the NCAA has had as much success in that event as he has had in recent years.

Yaseen Abdalla on the anchor leg gives me confidence that the Volunteers can realistically stick in the national qualifying hunt. And with recent sub-four miler, Dalton Hengst, on the lead-off leg (or Canaan Anderson), the Tennessee men should be taken care of at their two most critical legs.

But...who's going to run the 400-meter leg? Christopher Cherry and Canaan Anderson should be serviceable at the 800-meter spot, but the four men on this relay are all distance based. If I had to guess, Tennessee will bring add a more sprint-centric talent to that lineup between now and tomorrow...I think.

Northern Arizona Lumberjacks

I don't know how this team possibly loses this race. They are absolutely stacked to the brim with elite talents who have all found success in the mile (to varying degrees).

On paper, Colin Sahlman is probably the best 1200-meter option on this team. However, his value would actually greater elsewhere. After recently posting a 1:47 mark over 800 meters, Sahlman should take that spot on NAU's relay while Theo Quax, a converted 3:54 miler, takes over the lead-off leg.

With Nico Young on the anchor leg, there isn't a team in this field that should, in theory, be able to take down the Lumberjacks. I'm sure the results will end up tighter than I expect them to be, but there isn't a single weakness on this DMR.

Clemson Tigers

Don't be fooled, there is a lot of sneaky-good value in Clemson's DMR lineup. Freshman Blaik Slavinski has run 2:20 for 1000 meters this winter and Tarees Rhoden is arguably the best 800-meter talent in this field.

Through the first three legs, I could very easily see the Tigers getting into the mix with some of the better DMR lineups in this field. However, the overall success of their relay will likely come down to Corentin Serbource, a 4:03 miler.

To be clear, Serbource doesn't need to have a jaw-dropping, resume-altering PR in order for Clemson to have a good day. He will, however, need to run faster than 4:03 and likely inch closer to the four-minute barrier.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (A)

This Notre Dame lineup features Carter Solomon, Vinny Mauri, Daelen Ackley and Joseph Dobrydney (although not necessarily in that order). And I gotta say, I like the personnel for this DMR way more than I thought I was going to.

Mauri can be placed pretty much anywhere, although the lead-off position would likely make the most sense for him. Ackley, meanwhile, just ran 1:49 for the half-mile distance and may be placed in that position. And of course, it's only appropriate that the veteran ace of this program, Carter Solomon, anchors this relay.

Yes, it's true, there doesn't seem to be a home-run hitter among this Fighting Irish group like a few other teams may have. But on the other hand, this is one of the more complete lineups in this field -- they don't seem to have a "bad" or "wrong" lineup order.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (B)

I wouldn't expect this lineup to be too competitive against other teams that are simply better (or more well suited) for this event. That is not to say that I dislike the men on this relay, but no one is going to argue that Tyler Berg and CJ Singleton are better suited for the longer distances.

Cornell Big Red

Do I expect the Cornell men to qualify for the national meet in the DMR this year? No, I don't. But do I think that the Big Red men are better than others may believe? Yes, I do think that.

The combination of Damian Hackett and Rhys Hammond on either end of this lineup could create some challenges for their opponents. Both of those men are sub-four minute milers which is not something that a few of these other teams can say about their DMR squads.

The middle portion of this lineup will need some attention, but Pierre Attiogbe has run 4:00 in the mile this season, potentially allowing for some flexibility in the order of this DMR.

The Cornell men are still significant underdogs, but they won't go down quietly.

Women's DMR

NOTE: Teams are listed in order found on the entries

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (A)

As long as Olivia Markezich is the anchor leg of this DMR, the Notre Dame women should secure the win. The South Bend veteran is a 4:27 miler which is dramatically better than what most of their competitors will field.

Of course, when you tack on Gretchen Farley, who has run 2:05 (800) this season, and Claire Sievern, who has a 2:05 (800) PR, the Fighting Irish should at least remain competitive through the first three legs. And as long as that happens, then the Notre Dame women should be able to snag the win.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (B)

For a group that is considered to be a "B" team, this is a fairly strong lineup. Sophie Novak is coming off of recent personal bests of 4:38 (mile) and 9:02 (3k), making her a really solid anchor leg for this race. And frankly, I'm surprised that she's not in the "A" lineup.

Paige Grant and Molly Grant are both sub-4:50 milers. And while they aren't expected to carry this relay, they should still be respectable options for the other two distance legs.

LSU Tigers

If there is any team in this field that can challenge the Notre Dame women, it's likely the ladies of the LSU. However, in my eyes, they'll need to have the ideal lineup order (and maybe a little bit of luck) to upset the Fighting Irish.

Michaela Rose is an elite, all-time 800-meter runner, but there is a possibility that she's placed on the lead-off or anchor legs. She has run 4:11 for 1500 meters before and ran 4:38 in the mile earlier this year. Similarly, teammate Lorena Rangel Batres has also run 4:11 for 1500 meters and posted a 4:36 mile PR last weekend.

However, Callie Hardy, a 4:42 miler, is also entered for LSU. This leads me to believe that it will actually be Hardy on the lead-off leg and Rose on the 800-meter leg which effectively erases the net loss if the roles were reversed.

If they can find the right combination of women, and Ella Onojuvwevw drops a 52-second or 53-second split, then LSU may have a shot at gold.

Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan women don't necessarily have the most explosive lineup in this field, but they do seem fairly solid at a handful of spots.

Samantha Tran is one of the more reliable and effective anchor legs in this field. As long as her team gives her the baton in the mix with the other programs, then the Wolverine standout should be able to maintain a decent result.

Penelopea Gordon and Cassie Kearney are respectable middle distance runners. And in a field like this, they shouldn't be too overwhelmed by their competition. In other words, I see the Michigan women having a fairly high floor going into Saturday (albeit, with a somewhat low ceiling as well).

TCU Horned Frogs

The TCU women haven't exactly been known as a top distance program over the years. But as of late, they've begun to muster some very solid results.

In the grand scheme of things, the Horned Frogs aren't too different when you compare them to the Michigan women. Gracie Morris is to Samantha Tran what Tabitha Kalunde Ngao and Jasmin Muhammad-Graham are to Penelopea Gordon and Cassie Kearney. However, I think I would trust the experience and consistency of Michigan a bit more at the moment.

Clemson Tigers

I don't exactly know what to expect from the Clemson women, but the Tigers could surprise the rest of the country on Saturday (or at least, those who don't read The Stride Report).

Gladys Chepngetich on the anchor leg gives this Clemson group a true distance ace that they didn't have last year. And although she has "only" run 4:37 in the mile this season, her recent 2:01 (800) PR and All-American cross country finish suggest that she can run faster.

With veteran Brynne Sumner, a 2:05 (800) and 4:47 (mile) runner, putting together one of her better seasons, Clemson should at least be able to get through the lead-off legs without completely falling out of contention. And given that Kayan Green just ran 2:06 over 800 meters, the Tigers, on paper, have each of their legs covered with someone who can at least be competitive with the rest of this field.

Of course, in order to truly contend at the top, almost all of these women will need to have their very-best days -- and maybe even produce a few personal bests.

Kansas Jayhawks

When I first saw that the Kansas women were in this field, I didn't give them much attention. The Jayhawks, after all, haven't exactly been a major player in the distance events over the years. But when you look into their seasonal results, you may find that this is a sneaky-dangerous squad.

Emmaculate Jemutai has run 4:39 in the mile this year while Aaliyah Moore has run 2:04 for 800 meters. On paper, that's a really solid duo that could provide a lot of value for Kansas in the second-half of their lineup (if those are the legs that they run).

However, the biggest x-factor in all of this is Dorcas Kiptanui. The little-known distance talent has only one (fairly strong) 9:10 mark for 3000 meters on her resume (which she ran last weekend). If she ends up producing something similar to what Jemutai has (or better), then you're looking at a Kansas team that could realistically finish 3rd on Saturday.

Georgia Bulldogs

Charlotte Augenstein, Dominique Mustin and Sophia Baker are all respectable runners, but this lineup just doesn't have the same potency that most of the other lineups in this field do.

FINAL PREDICTIONS

*Denotes that a collegiate is also entered in another individual event. In these predictions, TSR is assuming that each runner is contesting an event fresh (i.e. not doubling back). At time of publishing, the entries for this meet were not split into heats yet.

NOTE: Predictions are made under the assumption that the listed entries for each DMR lineup are correct unless otherwise specified in the article.

Men's Mile

1. Abdullahi Hassan (Wisconsin) - 3:58

2. Graydon Morris (TCU) - 3:59

3. Joe dosReis (Wisconsin) - 4:00

4. Pierce Seigne (Wisconsin) - 4:02

5. Aidan Lord (Indiana) - 4:08

Women's Mile

1. Mariah Wehrle (Indiana) - 4:45

2. Ruby Madden (Wisconsin) - 4:45

3. Mckenzie Bailey (TCU) - 4:49

4. Jenna Sayle (Miami (OH))* - 4:57

5. Elizabeth Schmidt (Notre Dame) - 5:03

Men's 3k

1. Rowen Ellenberg (Wisconsin) - 7:55

2. Benjamin Nibbelink (Wisconsin) - 7:57

3. Brayden Henkle (Butler) - 8:06

4. Oliver Paleen (Wisconsin) - 8:06

5. Sean Robertson (Butler) - 8:19

Women's 3k

1. Annie Christie (Miami (OH)) - 9:29

2. Ava Nuttall (Miami (OH)) - 9:33

3. Julia Rushing (Miami (OH)) - 9:41

4. Caroline Lehman (Notre Dame) - 9:45

5. Jenna Sayle (Miami (OH))* - 9:51

Men's DMR

1. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks - 9:17

2. North Carolina Tar Heels - 9:19

3. Indiana Hoosiers - 9:21

4. Michigan Wolverines - 9:22

5. Tennessee Volunteers - 9:22

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (A) - 9:23

7. Ole Miss Rebels - 9:27

8. Clemson Tigers - 9:28

9. Cornell Big Red - 9:29

10. Wisconsin Badgers - 9:35

11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (B) - 9:38

Women's DMR

1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (A) - 10:52

2. LSU Tigers - 10:54

3. Michigan Wolverines - 10:57

4. Clemson Tigers - 10:59

5. Kansas Jayhawks - 10:59

6. TCU Horned Frogs - 11:01

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (B) - 11:04

8. Georgia Bulldogs - 11:07