Production via Wyatt Barnsley On this week’s episode of The Stride Report Podcast, Ben and Garrett react to another historic performance from Jane Hedengren as she runs 30:46 to break Parker Valby’s NCAA 10k record, continuing her unbelievable rise. The guys break down Habtom Samuel’s dominant 27:30 win in a loaded 10k field, Taylor Lovell’s upset 5k victory and Simeon Birnbaum’s blistering final lap to secure his own win. They also highlight strong middle distance showings from Carmen Alder, Matan Ivri and Mena Scatchard, along with a loaded 800-meter slate featuring Salma Elbadra, Tinoda Matsatsa and Camden Marshall. The episode wraps with Kole Mathison’s steeplechase victory and a full look at a weekend packed with breakout performances and NCAA-shifting results. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review! (2:48) Jane Hedengren Runs 30:46 to Break Parker Valby’s NCAA 10k Record (15:20) Habtom Samuel Runs 27:30 to Take Win Against Talented 10k Field (18:41) Taylor Lovell Runs 15:15 (5k) PR For Huge Upset Win (25:34) Simeon Birnbaum Splits 56.47 on Last Lap For 5k Win (29:13) Carmen Alder Runs 4:09 For 1500m Victory Over Solid Field (32:44) Matan Ivri Runs 3:38 (1500) PR For Upset Gold (35:59) Mena Scatchard Defends Home Track With 2:00 (800) PR on Double (38:51) Salma Elbadra Runs 2:00 (800) to Take Down Stegall & Sullivan (41:35) Tinoda Matsatsa Clocks 1:46 (800) Mark to Win Over Loaded Field at Florida Relays (42:47) Camden Marshall Edges Reece Sherman-Newell With 1:46 (800) Performance (45:09) Kole Mathison Runs 8:32 to Earn Steeple Win You can listen to that episode (and others) on our PODCASTS  page! You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Soundcloud. If you like it, be sure to leave us a rating  and a review ! Note: If you're having issues loading the episode on the site via mobile, try refreshing  the episode page. We will look into this issue for future episodes.

Written by Aimee Morganti, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin Four-time All-American Sydney Vaught (née Thorvaldson) has announced via Instagram that she has signed a professional contract with Nike. Vaught has not yet clarified if she will remain under the guidance of her current college coach or whether her contract will spark a relocation with a new professional training group. Last month, Nike signed South Carolina star Salma Elbadra to an NIL deal.   Regarding the announcement, Vaught stated ... “Not many people can say they have the job they dreamed of as a kid. I am blessed & humbled to share that I have signed a professional running contract with Nike. This has been a lifelong dream of mine & I’m so grateful for everyone that has supported me in its pursuit. Excited to step forward in faith & chase more crazy dreams!”   In March, Vaught secured her fourth All-American honor with an 8th place finish over 5000 meters at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships. Sydney Vaught also became an All-American at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championship with a 7th place finish over 10,000 meters. The newest Razorback alum also excelled at the NCAA XC Championships where she collected two All-American accolades with an 11th place finish in 2023 and a 13th place effort in the fall of 2025. Outside of her All-American accolades, Vaught made six other national meet appearances across all seasons of competition. Notably, she placed 10th over the 10,000 meters at the 2025 addition of the outdoor national meet in a new personal best time of 32:21.37. On top of that, Vaught competed over 5000 meters at two outdoor outdoor meets where she placed 12th in 2023 and 13th in 2024. This past winter, the Razorback standout posted a string of personal best performances on the indoor oval, including a 15:02 (5k) to claim the title at the 2026 SEC Indoor Championships. Vaught also ran 8:49 (3k) at the 2026 Saucony Battle for Boston and 4:33.35 in the mile at the 2026 Arkansas Invitational.

Simeon Birnbaum (left) competing over 5k at the Stanford Invite // Photo via Lauren Cawley Yes, we have photos! TSR readers can download our photos from 2026 Stanford Invite on our SNAPSHOTS page! When posting to social media, all we ask is that you (please) cite and tag the respective photographer ( Lauren Cawley // laurcawley ) as well as @thestridereport . Enjoy! 2026 Stanford Invite (via Lauren Cawley) Instagram: laurcawley Top section of the women's 5k at the Stanford Invite // Photo via Lauren Cawley