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First Thoughts: The Greatest Mile Race in NCAA History? Plus, DMR Palooza & an Exhausting Weekend of Super Fast Performances
Updated: Feb 16, 2025
Written by Garrett Zatlin with additional analysis from Conor Daly
When Friday evening came around and the first day of action came to a close, I thought to myself, "Huh, that wasn't too crazy. Maybe tomorrow will be more of the same."
*Narrator voice*
It was not, in fact, more of the same.
While the men produced plenty of exciting results in their own right, it was the collegiate women who left our jaws on the floor this past Saturday. And now, The Stride Report has been tasked with offering analysis on a very large handful of historic performances from this past weekend.
Unfortunately, some races are going to get more attention than others. Marks that were once considered "elite" less than five years ago may only be listed in our "Quick Hits" section this week. And given the number of high-level performances that we need to discuss, some sections are going to be shorter than others.
So without further ado, let's get into a wild (and exhausting) weekend of racing...
Oregon's Silan Ayyilidiz Runs 4:23 (Mile) to Break NCAA Record While Seven Other Collegians Go Under 4:30 Barrier At Boston U. Valentine Invite
When I crafted my predictions for the Valentine Invitational, I said that four collegiate women would break the 4:30 mile barrier. If that happened, it would have been one of the most successful mile races in NCAA history.
But I was wrong.
As it turns out, my prediction was far too conservative.
In the end, a jaw-dropping total of EIGHT collegians went under the 4:30 mark between three different mile heats! The top NCAA finisher, Oregon's Silan Ayyilidz, walked away with the collegiate record, posting an insane mark of 4:23!
We knew that the Turkish miler was in top form after she ran 4:27 (mile) and 8:45 (3k) earlier this season. Even so, expecting her to drop four seconds and break a Katelyn Tuohy-held collegiate record was not on our bingo card.
With that result, we suddenly have to reevaluate not just where Ayyildiz fits into the national title conversation, but also where the other contenders such as Kimberley (Providence) or Wilma Nielsen (Oregon) now sit in that discussion.
Behind Ayyildiz were Grace Hartman (NC State), Melissa Riggins (Georgetown) and Margot Appleton (Virginia), each of whom ran under the 4:26 mile barrier. Hartman, who soloed a 4:24 mark for the NCAA #3 all-time spot, ran her time in the third heat.
Seeing Riggins and Appleton each run 4:25 in the mile is definitely surprising. They did, after all, have a few minor hiccups over the last few months. But compared to nearly all of the other collegians in this field, if there were two women who were going to run 4:25 in the mile (along with Ayyildiz running 4:23), then it was going to be those two.
Hartman, however, is a different story. We figured that she had decent turnover that was better than what her prior 4:36 mile PR suggested. However, to see the Wolfpack ace drop a time as fast as 4:24 while also knowing that she ran a flat-track converted 15:12 (5k) mark a few weeks ago is insanely impressive.
But what if I added one more layer to this performance that would make it even more impressive?
If you didn't notice, Hartman also ran 8:46 for 3000 meters the night before that mile race! That is incredible! It's one thing to produce a 4:24 mile time and it's another thing to do it solo from the third heat. However, already having 15 laps of racing in your legs within the last 24 hours makes this an unreal performance.
The four other collegians who ran under the 4:30 in the mile were LSU's Lorena Rangel Batres (4:26), Florida's Bethan Morley (4:26), Boston U.'s Vera Sjoberg (4:28) and Oregon's Mia Barnett (4:28), the latter of whom won the second heat.
I would argue that those latter four performances are the ones that mean the most in the grand scheme of things. We are now at a point where multiple 4:26 milers are only getting passively mentioned and grouped together; all because the very top of the NCAA has become unbelievably potent.
And don't get me wrong, Rangel Batres, Morley, Sjoberg and Barnett had each proven to be talented names on multiple occasions. All four of those ladies boast intangibles that could make them All-American on the national stage.
But for each of those women to run under 4:29 in the mile in the same field (although not the same heat) completely warps our idea of where the bar for excellence should be in NCAA distance running.
A sub-4:30 mile time used to be extremely rare. Nowadays, it's a result that is expected to happen with each passing weekend.
And if you don't believe me, then just know that the eight women whom I have already highlighted only make up 62% of the collegiate sub-4:30 milers who we saw this past weekend.
I have been, and always will be, convinced that super shoes are 90% responsible for times in the distance events becoming as fast as they are. But shouldn't we have seen that surge in elite performances level out by now? How is it that both the quality and the depth of NCAA distance running continues to reach new heights?
I don't have the answers to those questions (yet), but this is seemingly becoming the new normal.
NAU's Maggi Congdon Drops 4:27 Mile PR En Route to Win Over Stanford's Amy Bunnage (4:29) & Teammate Alex Carlson (4:29) at Husky Classic // Princeton's Mena Scatchard (4:28) Defeats WVU's Ceili McCabe (4:29) at Eagle Elite Invite
If the women's mile at the Valentine Invite didn't overwhelm you, then maybe adding five more sub-4:30 collegians to our analysis will.
At the Husky Classic, NAU's Maggi Congdon showcased am immense amount of raw talent, dropping a fantastic 4:27 mile PR to take home a big-time win. That, however, isn't a complete shock given that Congdon ran 4:02 for 1500 meters at the Olympic Trials this past summer.
The middle distances have always been where Congdon is at her best. And after seeing the improvements that she made on the grass, it makes sense that was able to capitalize on her newfound blend of speed and endurance.
With this result, Congdon now reenters the All-American conversation. Not just because she ran fast, but because she also took down a small handful of talented women including Adidas' Anna Camp. With great half-mile speed and a wealth of experience, Congdon will be an incredibly tough out in the postseason.
Behind Congdon were Amy Bunnage and Alex Carlson, both of whom ran 4:29.
For Bunnage, this feels like a significant mark. We knew that the Stanford star had made huge improvements in her overall fitness, showcasing far greater control of her aerobic talent over 3000 meters and 5000 meters.
However, running a time as quick as 4:29 in the mile shows us that Bunnage has some strong turnover in her legs. And in the always-tactical championship settings, that speed will be a welcomed aspect of this Aussie's racing prowess.
For Carlson, her 4:29 performance isn't a total shock given that she ran an altitude converted 4:27 mile time back in January. And frankly, we already knew that the NAU star was in the best form of her life after she ran 8:53 (3k) two weeks ago.
If anything, Carlson has (mostly) validated her huge 4:27 altitude converted mile as well as her decision to finish her eligibility with Northern Arizona.
On the opposite coast was a Boston-based meet that featured multiple sub-4:30 mile clockings. And no, I'm not talking about the Valentine Invitational.
On Friday night, at the Eagle Elite Invite, Princeton's Mena Scatchard secured a stunning upset win over West Virginia star, Ceili McCabe. The former ran 4:28 to better the Mountaineer standout who ran 4:29.
This is a massive development for Scatchard. We really liked some of the early-season marks that she had produced, but expecting her to run under the 4:30 mile barrier felt like it was asking a lot. That's why we were fairly stunned to not only see her dip comfortably underneath that mark, but also upset one of the more accomplished veterans in the NCAA!
Scatchard has validated her fitness and has proven that her newfound talent can translate to taking down top-tier runners. That's not often the case for breakout names like herself.
For McCabe, we would have admittedly liked to see her take the win over Scatchard, someone she was clearly favored to defeat. And while that isn't the most encouraging result from a momentum perspective, it's also not a bad one, either. She did, after all, run 4:29 in the mile.
Arkansas’ Yaseen Abdalla Emerges as the Top Collegian at Valentine Invite via NCAA #7 All-Time (D1) 13:09 (5k) Mark
Entering Friday night’s 5k in Boston, Yaseen Abdalla was someone who was seemingly due for a new personal best. He had previously run 13:22 (5k) back at the Boston U. Season Opener just hours after an incredible 3k run in which he went under the former NCAA record.
On fresh legs, it wasn’t a question of if Abdalla would run faster, but rather, by how much.
Sure enough, Abdalla rose to the challenge and ran much of the race by himself. As cool as it is to be in a world record-setting race, Abdalla found himself in no-man’s-land and pushed much of the back-half solo.
When it was all said and done, the Razorback standout posted a blistering 13:09 (5k) PR to chop 13 seconds off of his previous best. That mark puts him at NCAA #7 all-time among Division One runners. But for as fast as that time is, it’s not really all that surprising considering the recent improvements that we have seen out of him.
It’s crazy that we now live in a time in which a 13:09 (5k) no longer is mind-blowing...
Abdalla has strung together multiple fantastic races over the last few months. His recent form has validated his unexpected 4th-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships. And in doing so, he has seemingly become more reliable and more consistent at the highest levels of his fitness.
Even so, he’s a tough name to predict for stages like the indoor national meet.
On one hand, we need to recall that Abdalla has not placed among the top-10 in any individual event at a national meet on the track despite many chances to do so. However, we mustn’t forget that he’s the same guy who anchored the national title winning Texas DMR back in 2022.
It’s these types of storylines that leave us on the edge of our seats, anxiously awaiting the answers.
Stanford's Juliette Whittaker & Arkansas' Sanu Jallow Each Drop All-Time 800-Meter Marks of 1:59 at Different Meets
It's not necessarily shocking that both Juliette Whittaker (Stanford) and Sanu Jallow (Arkansas) both ran 1:59 for 800 meters this past weekend. The former is an Olympian and has a 1:57 (800) PR from the summer. The latter is also an Olympian (for Gambia) and ran 1:59.29 (800) last spring.
While the end result was impressive, we were expecting Whittaker to run a time like that at some point this winter. She is, after all, the reigning NCAA champion over 800 meters. But more importantly, she has a track record of peaking perfectly for championship races. And as of right now, that seems to be happening once again.
Jallow, however, has now solidified her place among the middle distance elites. Sure, she already ran 1:59 for 800 meters last spring. However, given that she was just a sophomore, we knew that the Razorback star needed a bit more refinement before she could be mentioned alongside women like Whittaker, Roisin Willis and Michaela Rose.
Now, with a 1:59.26 (800) result on her resume -- which was run on a 200-meter indoor track while Whittaker's time was run on a 300-meter track -- Jallow may have an argument that she belongs in the same conversations with that above-mentioned group moving forward.
Georgetown's Tinoda Matsatsa Runs 1:45 (800) in Boston While Seven Other Collegians Run 1:46 Over 800 Meters Elsewhere
When it comes to the men's 800 meters this winter, the top-end of the national leaderboard doesn't show us anything surprising. In fact, we're almost surprised that there are "only" two 1:45 (800) marks at this point the season!
However, the depth over the half-mile distance this winter is unlike anything that we have ever seen before. At the time of writing, there are 19 different men who have run under the 1:47 (800) barrier this season.
In other words, you need to be a 1:46 half-miler if you want to even make the indoor national meet.
Because there were so many impressive 800-meter efforts, I am going to highlight each of the seven men who dipped under 1:47 this weekend and offer one or two paragraphs of analysis for each of them...
Tinoda Matsatsa (Georgetown) - 1:45.21
We knew that Tinoda Matsatsa was in crazy-good shape and that he would likely post one of the best performances of his career over 800 meters. Sure enough, that's what happened as Matsatsa was flat-out better than everyone else in the half-mile field at the Valentine Invite.
A mark of 1:45-low now sits at NCAA #3 all-time for the indoor 800 meters. That alone would usually be enough to tab someone as the national title favorite. But what really has us high on his title-winning potential is the strength and control that he has showcased in each of his races this season.
Colin Sahlman (Northern Arizona) - 1:46.40
Based on the fact that Colin Sahlman ran 1:45 over 800 meters last spring, it makes sense that he was able to produce a 1:46-mid mark on a 300-meter indoor oval. However, seeing him lay down a lethal kick to narrowly secure the overall win, after running a huge 3k PR of 7:40 the night before, was very impressive.
From a speed perspective, Sahlman looks like he's in postseason form. That's going to be crucial on the national stage which is almost always tactical, especially in the mile.
Justin O'Toole (Washington) - 1:46.44
Kyle Reinheimer (Washington) - 1:46.58
I'm lumping these two together, mainly because they're on the same team and have largely been duplicative of each other.
O'Toole very nearly got the win at the Husky Classic before Sahlman got him at the line. Even so, I think the ongoing consistency that we have seen from him and Reinheimer has been exceptionally encouraging. Their rise to being upper-echelon half-milers feels validated after posting another pair of 1:46 (800) marks.
Tyler Mathews (BYU) - 1:46.62
Tyler Mathews may be a true freshman, but he's certainly not racing like one. The BYU rookie has seemingly been unfazed in multiple national-caliber fields. He has been unafraid to attack the front of competitive 800-meter races and he is continuing to make improvements going into the postseason.
I do still worry about how his inexperience will affect him on the national stage. And yet, Mathews' natural poise has been much better than I expected.
Tyrice Taylor (Arkansas) - 1:46.62
This is now the second time that Tyrice Taylor has run 1:46 for 800 meters this season. Not only that, but he just secured a win against a half-mile field where two other men also went under the 1:47 barrier.
The NCAA Indoor Championships are going to be VERY different from the NJCAA Indoor Championships that Taylor is used to attending. Even so, the Jamaican middle distance star has seemingly had no issues acclimating to NCAA competition.
Lloyd Frilot (TCU) - 1:46.82
This was a HUGE statement performance for Lloyd Frilot!
The current TCU standout ran 1:47.47 (800) earlier this season. That was a new PR from his 1:47.58 mark which he recorded in the spring of 2023 with the Houston Cougars. But now, Frilot has made a significant leap, running a 1:46 (800) PR to establish valuable momentum going into the postseason.
Matthew Erickson (Oregon) - 1:46.89
For the last couple of years, Matthew Erickson has been a consistently strong and steady runner over 800 meters. He almost never has a poor race and he is no stranger to earning top finishes in competitive fields.
Now, Erickson has recorded the fastest indoor 800-meter time of his career. The only problem is that he sits at NCAA #18 on the national leaderboard, meaning that his chances of qualifying for the indoor national meet are in jeopardy. This may be the best that the Canadian middle distance runner has ever been, but he'll likely need to run a PR if he wants to advance to the indoor national meet.
BYU's Lexy Halladay-Lowry & Riley Chamberlain Each Run 8:40 (3k) While Elise Stearns (8:41) & Sophia Kennedy (8:42) Also Thrive at Husky Classic
Two weekends ago, at the Boston U. John Thomas Terrier Classic, BYU stars Lexy Halladay-Lowry and Riley Chamberlain were downright brilliant. The former posted a jaw-dropping 5k time of 14:57 while the latter emerged as the top collegian in the mile, running a time of 4:26.
After seeing those performances, there was no denying that both Halladay-Lowry and Chamberlain were in elite form. But if you were someone who needed to see them validate those efforts, then they certainly did that with a pair of 8:40 (3k) marks from this past weekend! The Cougar duo was able to go 1-2 at the Husky Classic and now sit at NCAA #3 and NCAA #4, respectively, on the all-time list regardless of track sizes.
With these results, the idea of Halladay-Lowry and/or Riley Chamberlain contending for NCAA gold next month isn't totally unrealistic. Both of these women are showcasing an amount of raw talent that few other collegians can match.
Chamberlain's turnover makes her a massive threat in championship settings while the Halladay-Lowry seemingly has the aerobic strength to match women like Doris Lemngole, Pamela Kosgei and Hilda Olemomoi at the indoor national meet.
But believe it or not, those BYU women were not the only collegians who posted phenomenal 3k marks at the Husky Classic. In fact, relative to expectations, you could argue the Northern Arizona's Elise Stearns (8:41) and Stanford's Sophia Kennedy (8:42) were just as impressive.
Stearns has always been a true long distance runner who has leaned on her strength-based skillset for the last few years. That, in turn, has made her a star on the grass and an excellent 5k runner.
And yet, despite her credentials, we did not see an 8:41 (3k) mark coming from her this season. That is the best personal best on her resume by a fairly wide margin. It's also a performance which suggests that Stearns has a bit more turnover than maybe we originally gave her credit for, even if the 3k is still considered a longer distance event.
When Stearns is firing on all cylinders, she is a nightmare to match up against. Her 2022 cross country campaign is a perfect example of that. And now, it looks like the NAU veteran is in the best form of her life -- and she may still be finding her ceiling.
Speaking of high-upside distance stars, Stanford's Sophia Kennedy continues her ascent of the NCAA ranks. The sophomore standout posted an incredible 3k time of 8:42 this past weekend, a monster performance which beautifully meshes the speed of her 4:32 (mile) PR and the stamina of her 15:26 (5k) PR.
Kennedy isn't quite as strong as her fellow sophomore teammate, Amy Bunnage, yet...but she's not far off, either. Right now, the Cardinal ace is riding a wave of run-away momentum. It's clear that she has not yet reached her ceiling and that she has become more and more willing to be aggressive with other NCAA stars.
I'm not saying that Kennedy is going to win a national title this year. But at this rate, I I think she could don NCAA gold before she leaves Palo Alto.
Led by New Mexico's Habtom Samuel & Ishmael Kipkurui, Eight Collegiate Men Run Sub-7:42 (3k) at Husky Classic
This article is (unsurprisingly) getting very, very long. For that reason, I'm going to do what we did with the men's 800 meters section above. Here is a list of the top collegians in the men's 3000 meters at the Husky Classic, each with analysis specific to them...
Habtom Samuel (New Mexico) - 7:39.39
The 3k is a distance that Habtom Samuel is moving down to, making his 7:39 (3k) clocking particularly impressive. However, it's not his time, but rather who he beat, that really left us encouraged.
Despite having to face phenom Nico Young, Samuel was able to fend off both him, and a crazy-loaded field, that were on top of each other in the final moments of the race. That is an extremely encouraging win for someone who we've had questions about in regards to his late-race turnover and ability to win close battles.
Ishmael Kipkurui (New Mexico) - 7:40.06
This is the result that we were waiting to see! Ishmael Kipkurui entered the NCAA with elite personal bests, but his first two races were just okay. The New Mexico star ran an altitude converted 3:58 mile time in his collegiate opener before posting a more promising 13:22 (5k) mark in Boston.
However, a 7:40 (3k) result feels like a reflection of Kipkurui becoming increasingly more comfortable with NCAA competition. He did, after all, take down a slew of incredibly talents distance stars on Friday.
Matt Strangio (Portland) - 7:40.09
No surprises here. Matt Strangio has run 7:39 (3k) before and it's clear from his cross country season that he's never been more fit. Emerging as the third-best collegian in a field that was littered with top-heavy distance stars feels like a great step in the right direction as we enter the postseason.
Colin Sahlman (Northern Arizona) - 7:40.41
The range that we've seen from Colin Sahlman is beyond impressive. Not only did he run a lightning-fast 3k PR of 7:40 this past weekend, but he also ran 1:46 for 800 meters to secure the overall win the next day!
Sahlman's skillset should, in theory, allow him to thrive in pretty much any race scenario on the national stage. His in-race positioning, however, will likely be the determinant of how highly he places.
Acer Iverson (Washington) - 7:41.02
This is a wild result that I never expected to see from Acer Iverson. I've always been a fan of his and I have always said that he was an underrated name. Even so, a 7:41 (3k) result is massive.
Iverson showcased sneaky-good turnover with a 3:56 mile PR earlier this season, a great result for someone who has been aerobic-centric throughout his career. That said, I never thought we'd see the Husky standout run 7:41 over 3000 meters to defeat Casey Clinger.
Casey Clinger (BYU) - 7:41.05
This is by no means a bad result for Casey Clinger, and the same can be said for his 13:21 (5k) effort from earlier this month. Even so, it feels like this BYU veteran is missing an edge that he has flashed in prior seasons.
David Mullarkey (Northern Arizona) - 7:41.21
I'm still trying to process that a 7:41 (3k) mark isn't as surprising as it once used to be. Other than that, this result is mostly on par for the Northern Arizona runner who has been super consistent, but is still sitting on the fringes of national qualification.
Drew Bosley (Northern Arizona) - 7:41.47
I really feel for Drew Bosley. In every year before this one, a 7:41 (3k) mark absolutely gets you into the national meet. But as of right now, Bosley's time puts him at NCAA #19 on the national leaderboard, a few spots out from an automatic qualifying result.
The good news, however, is that Bosley is seemingly healthy and relatively fit. Sure, he's not in top form (yet), but I imagine his bigger priority is being ready for the outdoor track season.
Alabama's Doris Lemngole Battles Under Armour Pro Lauren Ryan to Finish Line En Route to 8:41 (3k) PR
At the Valentine Invitational, we saw Alabama superstar Doris Lemngole do battle with Under Armour and Florida State alum, Lauren Ryan. And in the latter portions of the race, we thought the Crimson Tide standout was going to run away from Ryan.
But on the last lap, as she swung off the curve, the Under Armour pro out-leaned Lemngole at the line. Both women ran 8:41 (3k).
Despite the narrow loss, that was still a very encouraging performance. An 8:41 PR for 3000 meters showcases just a bit more turnover for Lemngole than we thought she had. And during Saturday's race, she was smart to recognize her strength-based skillset, attempting to get separation with a few laps remaining rather than kick with everyone else.
Ultimately, that move didn't work out, but I did think it was great awareness from Lemngole who wanted to run the kick out of her opponents -- and she very nearly did. That's a move that makes me feel comfortable saying that she's also a 3k national title contender/favorite come March.
We should also note that Colorado's Jessie Secor ran 8:50 for 3000 meters in that same race. That's a fantastic result for the Buffalo star who we knew was due for a breakout performance. And now, she sits at NCAA #25 all-time for the women's 3k among record-eligible marks.
But the craziest part? Secor may not be safe for national qualification. At the moment, the Colorado standout sits at NCAA #16 on the national leaderboard. If just one additional woman runs faster than her in the coming weeks, then Secor is likely going to be out of the national meet (assuming no one scratches).
Adams State's Romain Legendre Smashes Former NCAA D2 Record Over 3k via Huge 7:36 PR En Route to Win
If you had not heard Romain Legendre's name before this past weekend, then you almost certainly know it now.
After running an incredible 5k time of 13:02 two weeks ago, the Division Two superstar dropped an outstanding 3k time of 7:36 at the Boston Valentine Invitational! That mark shattered the former NCAA D2 record of 7:43 which was run back in December by Colorado Mines' Loic Scomparin.
However, what truly impressed us about this performance was that Legendre straight-up dominated the field. With a couple of laps remaining, the Adams State phenom threw down an overwhelming kick that the rest of his competitors had zero shot at matching.
There may have been a few questions about how Legendre was going to translate his 5k prowess to the 3k distance. But given that he had once run 3:41 for 1500 meters, there was good reason to think that he could break the 7:40 (3k) barrier -- I just didn't think he would do it by as much as he did.
Behind Legendre were North Carolina's Colton Sands and Wake Forest's Luke Tewalt. Both men posted incredible times of their own, each running 7:39 (3k).
With Sands breaking the 7:40 (3k) barrier, North Carolina has become the first team in NCAA history to have three men run under 7:40 in the same season. The Tar Heels join Northern Arizona as the only squads to have three or more men ever run under 7:40 (3k) in their program's history.
I'll admit, I did not see Sands or Tewalt running as fast as they did. They are further proof that the bar for excellence in the NCAA has jumped ten-fold. And sure, both men had showcased fantastic fitness before, but their latest performances have us questioning where in the national conversation these two men belong.
Sands in particular has some of the best momentum of anyone in the NCAA right now. He is on absolute tear. Be sure to continue monitoring him. If he's able to secure another big result at the ACC Indoor Championships, then he may have an argument as an All-American contender.
Virginia Tech's George Couttie also had a fantastic run, producing a time of 7:40-low over 3000 meters. That mark is tremendous validation of my suspicion that the Hokie star was built for this event specifically.
Don't dismiss Couttie from the All-American conversation over 3000 meters this season. On paper, he's not as fast as a handful of top stars, but his turnover is better than most (although not all) of the men who are ahead of him on the national leaderboard.
BYU Women Run Fastest NCAA Indoor DMR Time Ever Among All Conditions (10:37) While Four Other Relays Also Surpass Former Top Mark
I would love to tell you that I'm surprised by this result. But I'm not. That's partially because we now live in an era where no collegiate record is safe (well, maybe with the exception of the men's steeplechase).
However, the other reason is simply that the BYU women are very, very, very good.
The Cougars secured a huge DMR win at the Husky Classic with a time of 10:37. That is the fastest indoor DMR time ever run by a collegiate program. However, faster marks were posted on an outdoor track last spring at the Penn Relays. And because this race was held on an oversized indoor track, the result won't technically count towards the official NCAA record books.
Even so, the Cougars were flat-out brilliant. Their lineup consisted of Carmen Alder (a 4:29 miler), Meghan Hunter (a 2:00-low half-miler), Tessa Buswell (a 2:04 runner for 800 meters) and Riley Chamberlain (a 4:26 miler), in that order.
And on paper, there is only team that could potentially match that kind of mark: Oregon (and maybe Providence).
It is going to be extremely interesting to see who Coach Diljeet Taylor fields in that DMR lineup at the indoor national meet. She has multiple high-quality options to choose from, but the lineup order and who she chooses to enter may end up being the difference between gold and silver come March.
Behind BYU were Stanford (10:38), Northern Arizona (10:39), Washington (10:40) and Utah (10:42). For the most part, Stanford and Washington were expected to have top relays this winter. Sure, their times were a bit faster than expected, but then again, that also applies to everyone else.
Northern Arizona, at first glance, feels like a surprise. That is a team that typically doesn't put much emphasis on the DMR, historically. However, the Lumberjacks have become far more formidable in the middle distance events. And given how well both Alex Carlson and Maggi Congdon have been running, it makes sense why NAU would want to go after a top mark in this relay.
Utah, however, is a total shocker.
Make no mistake, I really liked a lot of women on their team. Erin Vringer is a highly underrated name and the Martin sisters are sneaky-good middle-lineup contributors. Even so, I did not at all think that this team would run 10:42 in the DMR this season. I would love to see what their splits were.
Washington Men Run Fastest-Ever DMR Time in 9:14.10
Honestly, are we really even surprised?
The Huskies had a 3:51 miler as their lead-off leg, a 1:46 (800) runner as their half-mile leg and a 3:50 miler as their anchor leg. Frankly, it would have been surprising if they didn't run this fast!
My lack of surprise should not at all be interpreted as unimpressed. That is, after all, the fastest DMR time ever run in world history (yes, you read that correctly). Of course, in today's day and age, that has more or less become the standard.
I don't feel the need to dive too deep into this result, mainly because I have doubts that this exact lineup will be fielded at the indoor national meet. And if for some chance it is, then they almost certainly won't be fresh.
Georgetown's Lucy Jenks Thrives in Boston, Runs Huge 15:15 (5k) PR to Emerge as Top Collegian
If you go back and listen to any of our podcasts or read any of our articles, then you'll see that many of us at The Stride Report were thrilled about Georgetown signing graduate transfer, Lucy Jenks. And throughout the fall months, it was abundantly clear that she had upped her fitness.
A 15:27 (5k) PR back in December was a positive step in the right direction for Jenks. However, I'm not sure that we expected her to eventually run 15:15 for the same distance! In a race where the pros broke away fairly early-on, Jenks led the chase pack and did not relent (that we could see) at any point.
I think it's fair to wonder if Jenks can be an All-American in March. Her aerobic strength has made a big jump and that will help her in a national 5k race that will be dictated by endurance-based stars such as Lemngole, Olemomoi, Bunnage, Kosgei and Halladay-Lowry.
However, it admittedly wasn't the best day for Jenks' teammate, Chloe Scrimgeour. Even so, the Hoya star still ran a strong time of 15:22 (5k), a mark which suggests that she's still within range of her peak form.
However, maybe more importantly, Notre Dame standout Siona Chisholm had the race of her life! A 15:23 (5k) PR is huge. That mark will likely put her on the national stage and the same could be said for Penn State star, Florence Caron, who ran 15:25 in the second 5k heat!
Despite all of the outstanding performances, I would argue that North Dakota's Jadyn Keeler was the biggest winner from this entire 5k.
The Fighting Hawk veteran had proven to be a solid distance runner prior to this past weekend. However, her prior 5k PR sat at 15:57 from December. That, of course, changed on Saturday night when Keeler dropped an absurdly strong time of 15:28 in the second heat of the 5k!
That mark came out of nowhere. And now, Keeler has been thrust into the national qualifying discussion for 5000 meters. Right now, her 15:28 PR puts her at NCAA #17 on the national leaderboard. But with just one scratch, this breakout star from North Dakota could find herself in Virginia Beach come mid-March.
Washington State's Evans Kurui Posts 13:17 (5k) PR to Secure Marquee Win at Husky Classic
I'll admit, I have no idea how to analyze Evans Kurui.
There is no question in my mind that the Washington State star has tons of raw talent. After all, you can't accidentally run 13:17 for 5000 meters (en route to a win) at the Husky Classic.
But back in December, Kurui "only" ran 13:38 (5k) at the Boston U. Season Opener. And while his 3k performances of 7:48 and 7:51 are decent, his recent 13:17 (5k) PR suggests that he should be faster over that distance.
Even so, Kurui's latest performance can only be viewed as a positive. When this Cougar standout is firing on all cylinders, he is one of the last names you should want to face. In theory, he'll only grow more competitive (and more consistent) as he becomes more comfortable with the NCAA circuit.
Also, really nice race from Stanford's Thomas Boyden. The Cardinal veteran ran a time of 13:21 (5k) to secure runner-up honors. That result is a nice complement to his 7:41 (3k) PR from earlier this season. However, in both of those events, Boyden is still on the outside-looking-in when it comes to national qualification.
Don't be surprised if the Stanford ace goes after another all-out effort at a "last chance" meet in the coming weeks.
Cal Poly's Aidan McCarthy & Boston College's Steven Jackson Each Run 3:52 Mile PRs On Opposite Coasts
You have to be happy for guys like Aidan McCarthy and Steven Jackson. Both men have been fairly underrated throughout their careers, never getting the spotlight that they have so often deserved.
But now, both of those men hold 3:52 mile PRs after emerging as the top collegians at the Husky Classic (McCarthy) and the Eagle Elite Invite (Jackson) this past weekend. Then again, maybe we should have seen those efforts coming.
McCarthy had already run 1:46 (800) and 3:56 (mile) before this indoor track season even began. And after he ran 1:46 for 800 meters earlier this season, as well as a 2:19 mark over 1000 meters, it was clear that the middle distance star was in the best shape of his life. Plus, in a loaded field of pro standouts, McCarthy was bound to get dragged to a top mark.
Jackson, meanwhile, has proven to be at his best in the month of February and beyond. He ran his former 3:54 mile PR at the Valentine Invite last year before upsetting Parvej Khan a few weeks. Now, after running 3:54 earlier this month, the Boston College veteran was able to secure what may be the biggest win of his career. Jackson's 3:52 PR in the mile allowed him to defeat the likes of Sam Tanner (barely), Mick Stanovsek, Amon Kemboi and Josh Thompson.
It feels like both of these men have truly reached a new tier in their fitness. Not only are they the most fit that they've ever been, but they're also showcasing their highest levels of their fitness on a more consistent basis.
Princeton’s Harrison Witt (3:52) Win's Mile at Valentine Invite From Second Heat, Five Additional Collegians Break 3:55 (Mile) Barrier in Boston
Entering the season, Harrison Witt was a regionally competitive name. The 1:48 (800) and 3:40 (1500) man was a force to be reckoned with in the Ivy League, but he wasn’t necessarily someone who caught our eye as a threat on the national stage.
However, from early-on this season, it was apparent that Witt had leveled up in a gbi way. At the Penn 10 Elite, he placed 5th in the mile, keeping collegians Marco Langon, Liam Murphy and Gary Martin within reasonable striking distance.
When you consider that Witt “tuned-up” for the Valentine Invite with a 1:47.42 (800) effort last week, the Princeton Tiger seemed due for a breakthrough. Sure enough, that's exactly what happened on Friday.
Paced by his teammate, Witt elected to be aggressive and take the lead once his teammate stepped off at the halfway point. From there, Witt didn’t look back, a decision that paid off via a four-second personal best of 3:52 (mile) and a heat win by over a second.
It’s not everyday that we see someone in one of the top heats at Boston U. run away from the field like that. In fact, it’s almost unheard of.
With some serious half-mile credentials from the recent weeks and years already on his resume, there’s no reason why Witt couldn’t run just as well in a slower, more tactical race in which he utilizes his speed.
With this potential racing versatility and momentum, we definitely need to put Witt in the All-American picture for the mile, even in a historic year for the event. We are left a bit uneasy knowing that he lacks experience against nationally competitive fields over this distance, but the recent results speak for themselves.
Trailing Witt in the second heat were Benne Anderson (Syracuse) and Rheinhardt Harrison (Oregon), who each ran very respectable 3:54 mile personal bests in their own right. That’s a nice step in the right direction for Anderson who has shown the potential for a performance like this.
For Harrison, it’s more or less the same story except his newfound form could have greater implications for his team when you add in teammate Tomas Palfrey who clocked a 3:54 mile mark of his own in the first heat.
Admittedly, that performance in-and-of-itself isn’t overly impressive for Palfrey who has thrice run 3:38 for 1500 meters. However, when you add in Matthew Erickson and Simeon Birmbaum -- each of whom have run 1:47 (800) and 3:52 (mile) this season, respectively -- the Ducks seemingly have a very complete DMR lineup.
Quick Hits
Villanova's Dan Watcke ran 2:17 for 1000 meters at the Boston U. Valentine Invite. And yet, despite sitting at NCAA #3 all-time, we're pushing his performance to our "Quick Hits" section. Regardless, that is a tremendous performance and it shows us that Watcke is a legitimate All-American threat (dare I say favorite?) over 800 meters this season.
At the Valentine Invite, LSU's Michaela Rose ran 2:01 (800) to barely fend off Oregon's Wilma Nielsen and Harvard's Sophia Gorriaran (who both ran 2:01 as well). In a post-race interview, Rose mentioned that she has had a few small injuries over the last few months and that certain workouts weren't going as well as she would have liked. That's an important piece of news given that fellow national title contender, Juliette Whittaker, looks just as sharp as she was last year.
It feels incredibly wrong to put Laura Pellicoro's 800-meter PR of 2:00 from this past weekend in our "Quick Hits" section. Even so, that is a fantastic mark which further bolster's her resume. Is there a possibility that this Italian distance star would contest the 800 meters at the indoor national meet and not the mile? The latter event did, after all, become insanely top-heavy this past weekend.
Nice 2:01 (800) run from Clemson's Gladys Chepngetich. All the Tiger ace needed to do was better her position on the national leaderboard in order to stay in national qualifying territory. Sure enough, she did just that, although her 2:01.64 mark "only" puts her at NCAA #12 so far this season...
Oklahoma freshman Shadrack Kiptoo ran 13:22 for 5000 meters at the Husky Classic. That's a fantastic mark for a rookie who is still so new to the NCAA. Keep an eye on him over the long-term.
I don't know if anyone caught this, but Toledo's Laura Nicholson ran two singular mile races in the span of roughly 24 hours. She ran 4:30.85 at the Eagle Elite Invite on Friday night and then came back the next day to run 4:31 at the Valentine Invite. I'm not confident that she'll make it to the national meet, but if she does, then she is someone who could be a deep sleeper if she makes it out of prelims.
Really strong win from Oklahoma State's Denis Kipngetich at the Tyson Invitational. The Cowboy standout ran 7:42 over 3000 meters to take down Arkansas' Patrick Kiprop and Reuben Reina who both ran 7:43. That's a fairly impressive victory for a guy who is typically better over the longer distances. Unfortunately, Kipngetich was the lone bright spot for Oklahoma State in this race after both Ryan Schoppe and Fouad Messaoudi struggled to hang.
In the women's 3k race at the Husky Classic, we also saw Washington's Amina Maatoug run 8:46. That's an important mark. Not just because it puts her in position to qualify for he indoor national meet, but because it validates the idea that she has returned to her prior peak level of fitness (or at the very least, she's close to it).
Arkansas' Paityn Noe posted an 8:47 (3k) PR at the Tyson Invitational. That mark roughly aligns with her 15:23 (5k) result that she posted back in December. And now, the Razorback sophomore has a shot of qualifying for the indoor national meet in two events.
