Predictions & analysis by Donny Speas The state of Utah has been absolutely brilliant in the boy's and girl's high school distance running scene over the last few years. Thankfully, we'll get to see a handful of the top-tier stars from the Beehive State go head-to-head before we the postseason truly kicks off. Here how TSR writer Donny Speas, a Utah native, thinks the meet will play out... Girl's 800 Meters Lily Alder (Timpview) - 2:09 Addie Meldrum (Lone Peak) - 2:11 Cadence Kasprick (Grand County) - 2:11 Bria Anderson (Timpanogos) - 2:12 Tori Stratton (American Fork) - 2:14 Analysis: Lily Alder has had one of the best three-season campaigns this year of any athlete in the country, and it looks like she should continue her superb outdoor track season this Saturday. Alder comes into this race as the big favorite as she's the only athlete entered with a personal best under 2:10 over the half-mile distance. And based on her recent result of 4:40 to take 3rd in the Arcadia Invitational mile, she looks like the fittest athlete in this race. If this race runs slower than expected, Bria Anderson of Timpanogos is one athlete to watch out for. On paper, Anderson has the best foot-speed of anyone contesting this event. She did, after all, recently lower her 400-meter personal best down to a blazing 55.86 seconds. It's also worth noting that the schedule makes the 400/800 double rather difficult, so there is a possibility that we, unfortunately, do not see Anderson contest the 800 meters this Saturday. Boy's 800 Meters Jojo Jourdon (Olympus) - 1:50 Noah Nielson (American Fork) - 1:50 Isaac Sohler (Mountain View) - 1:52 William Steadman (Herriman) - 1:53 Zach Hillhouse (Pleasant Grove) - 1:54 Analysis: This looks to be a two-horse race upfront between Jojo Jourdon, the sub-four miler and NXN champion, and Noah Nielson, the athlete who pulled off three All-American finishes in three days this indoor track season (including relays). The case for Noah Nielson is simple -- the Notre Dame commit is flat-out better over 800 meters, has the faster personal best in this event (1:49) and the race is, well...800 meters long. It's his primary distance. He's also got better 400-meter speed, running 50.32 seconds for 400 meters last weekend, and he's already got a head-to-head win over 800 meters against Jourdon from the Pine View Invitational earlier this season. However, we have yet to see what a fresh Jojo Jourdon can do over 800 meters. His only attempt over the distance this season came in the loss mentioned above to Nielson back in March at the Pine View Invitational. That result also came on the same day after breaking the state record over 1600 meters. All this to say, I think Jourdon is certainly better than what his 1:53 personal best may suggest. Considering that Mountain View's Isaac Sohler, a runner who almost always sets a blazing pace early-on is also entered in this field, I won't be surprised if Nielson or Jourdon can take advantage of a hot pace and challenge Ricky Faure's meet record of 1:50.70. Girl's 1600 Meters Jane Hedengren (Timpview) - 4:42 Boston Bybee (Lone Peak) - 4:49 Addie Meldrum (Lone Peak) - 4:52 Avalon Mecham (American Fork) - 4:54 Julie Moore (Mountain View) - 4:55 Analysis: This looks like it should be a race for 2nd place. Jane Hedengren is far and away the most talented athlete in this field and when you look at what she's already done this season, especially in the mile (4:37 seasonal best, 2nd place at Arcadia), then you see why we're so confident in Hedengren's odds for victory. Behind Hedengren, we see a wildly impressive show of depth by the Lone Peak Knights. The Knights have three out of the top-five entrants (Boston Bybee, Addie Meldrum and Maya Bybee), all with season bests of 4:57 or faster. We could see some team strategy play out, potentially elevating all three athletes to a higher level. The more I look at these entries, the more astounded I am by this race's depth. I'd be remiss not to bring up Avalon Mecham, the two-time cross country All-American, or Julie Moore, who won the 3200 meters at this meet last year. And what Cadence Kasprick? The multiple-time Utah state champion with a 4:51 mile personal best from this indoor track season? In case you couldn't tell, this race is loaded head-to-toe with top-tier talent. Boy's 1600 Meters Danny Simmons (American Fork) - 4:00 Jojo Jourdon (Olympus) - 4:03 Zach Hillhouse (Pleasant Grove) - 4:09 Ben Jaster (American Fork) - 4:09 Isaac Sohler (Mountain View) - 4:11 Analysis: Wow, it looks like both the girl's and boy's 1600-meter fields are loaded. Right off the bat, we see two of the nation's best runners, Daniel Simmons and Jojo Jourdon, at the top of the entries. Jourdon will be doubling back from an intriguing matchup against a different American Fork star over 800 meters the day before, making me think that Simmons should be a slight favorite for Saturday morning's race. Additionally, a couple of weeks ago, Simmons broke Jourdon's state record over 1600 meters, running 4:03 in a race where he faced virtually no competition. These two heavyweights are almost guaranteed to give us a spectacular race on Saturday morning. Looking beyond Simmons and Jourdon, we see the usual elite collection of Utah distance runners, including Tayshuan Ogomo, the winner of the seeded section of the mile at Arcadia, as well as Ben Jaster, an aerobic monster looking to dip under 4:10 for the first time. We also can't forget about Zach Hillhouse who ran a 4:07 (mile) PR to finish runner-up at Arcadia and Isaac Sohler who always sets a fast early pace. Girl's 3200 Meters Avalon Mecham (American Fork) - 10:31 Millie Robinson (Westlake) - 10:38 Maya Bybee (Lone Peak) - 10:43 Isabel Preston (Riverton) - 10:46 Jaylie Jenkins (Union) - 10:47 Analysis: This field looks very close to a preview of the Utah 6A State Championships as almost all of the top runners in this event belong to 6A schools. The top athlete in this race is BYU commit Avalon Mecham who has earned All-American honors on the grass...twice. Admittedly, Mecham is much stronger on the grass than on the track. However, she does have a marquee win from the Pine View Invitational which featured many of the same athletes who we will see in Friday's race. This race also features a lot of young talent with three different freshmen all seeded in the top-10, the fastest being Maya Bybee of Lone Peak at 10:48. And if Utah continues to follow the trend of producing top-tier distance talents, then this trio of rookies could give us a quick glimpse into what their potential for the future is this weekend. Boy's 3200 Meters Austin Westfall (Orem) - 8:55 Jack Beckstorm (Herriman) - 8:59 Caleb Woolford (Maple Mountain) - 9:03 Corbin Randall (Riverton) - 9:03 Kyle Steadman (Mountain View) - 9:05 Analysis: The boy's 3200-meter race features two athletes who have run under nine minutes this season and a whole host of others who are knocking on the door of it. One of the two athletes who have run under nine minutes is Jack Beckstorm, the top finisher on Herriman's NXN title-winning squad from this past fall. He is also someone who has been incredibly consistent this season. The other sub-nine athlete is Austin Westfall. The Orem star is always an interesting name to watch as he had the race of his life this past December, taking 4th place at NXN and further showcasing the elite talent that he possesses in the process. Yes, he clearly thrives on the grass more than the track, but he has been making great strides this season, lowering his personal bests to 4:19 (1600) and 8:56 (3200). Behind the top-two, there is a large group of athletes who could find themselves finishing in the top-five on any given day. Some key names include Corbin Randall, who finished 3rd at the prestigious Pine View Invitational, Caleb Woolford, who can claim All-American honors in the steeplechase in a month, and Kyle Steadman, someone who qualified as an individual for NXN last fall. Girl's 4x800-Meter Relay Timpview Thunderbirds - 8:56 Lone Peak Knights - 8:58 Mountain View Bruins - 9:10 Park City Miners - 9:14 Timpanogos Timberwolves - 9:16 Analysis: I don't think it's crazy to say that the Timpview Thunderbirds might be capable of running 10 seconds faster than their seed time of 9:06. When you look at the lineup that Timpview can put together with all of the talent that they have on their roster, it seems more and more like we could see a sub-9:00 clocking on Saturday (at altitude, nonetheless). A lot of my confidence in the Thunderbirds comes from the elite duo of Lily Alder and Jane Hedgengren (who I believe are the best duo in the country.) Both athletes hold 800-meter personal bests of 2:09 and are favored to win individual events. Where Timpview becomes vulnerable is their other two legs, Vanessa Storey and Ellie Esplin, who hold 800-meter personal bests of 2:20 and 2:23. However, if ether of those runners has a good day, then it should be smooth sailing for the Thunderbirds. However, this isn't a one-team race. The Lone Peak Knights aren't typically known for 800-meter strength, but they hold an insane amount of depth (after all, they did finish 4th as a team at NXN) with six different runners holding seasonal bests faster than 2:20. There is certainly a path for the Knights to use their depth and achieve not only a sub-9:00 effort, but also pull off an upset. Boy's 4x800-Meter Relay American Fork Caveman - 7:43 Herriman Mustangs - 7:49 Layton Lancers - 8:00 Viewmont Vikings - 8:02 Timpanogos Timberwolves - 8:03 Analysis: This feels a lot like a rematch between the programs that took 1st and 2nd place at NXN this past fall. Except, this time, I'm picking the Cavemen to flip the script and take down the Mustangs. As of late, American Fork has been running with an efficiency that most college programs would envy. During the indoor track season, they won the 4xMile relay national title and had three athletes finish in the top-three of their individual events (one producing a national record in the process). This trend continued into the outdoor track season with the Cavemen recently running 7:40 for the 4x800-meter relay. Of course, that's not to say that the Herriman Mustangs have had a bad season. They've had a dang good season, winning both the DMR and the 4x800-meter relay at the Oregon Relays and putting eight athletes under two minutes for the half-mile distance. American Fork versus Herriman has quickly developed into one of the best rivalries in the country and I can't wait for the newest chapter to unfold this Saturday.

Predictions & Analysis via Donny Speas There are not many events like the Kentucky Dream Mile. It's a race containing all the best milers in the Bluegrass State and it doesn't matter whether you come from the biggest school in the state or the smallest. If you run fast enough to be one of the coveted qualifiers by being one of Kentucky's 16 fastest milers, you're in. However, perhaps most importantly, this race is only open to Kentucky residents, giving it a truly unique feeling, and cementing its place in the ever-changing landscape of track and field Girl's Mile Tula Fawbush (Oldham County) - 4:46 Regan Gilmore (Assumption) - 4:46 Addison Moore (Woodford County) - 4:49 Caroline Beiting (Lexington Catholic) - 4:50 Julia Schmitt (Assumption) - 4:51 Analysis: This year's Kentucky Dream Mile is headlined by two athletes who are ranked inside of our Top-50 Distance Recruit Rankings. I am, of course, talking about Regan Gilmore (TSR #29) and Tula Fawbush (TSR #32). And as you might expect, those are the two athletes who I've got coming home in 1st and 2nd place on Friday night. Luckily, we've seen Gilmore and Fawbush go head-to-head on two occasions during this outdoor track season, once over 800 meters and once over 1600 meters. Both times Fawbush took the victory by running personal bests of 2:11 (800) and 4:45 (1600) in the process. While I wouldn't be too shocked if Gilmore took the win (after all, she is fresh off of a 10:19 performance over 3200 meters), I can't pick against Fawbush given her recent track record. Behind the two front-runners, there is a host of solid athletes who have run under five minutes for the mile. The most compelling athlete in that group is Woodford County sophomore, Addison Moore. The second-year prep talent just recently opened her outdoor track campaign a couple of weeks ago, but she didn't show any rust in her effort. The rising Kentucky-based ace ran 4:54 to win the mile title at the Eastern Relays, taking down a handful of other athletes who will also toe the line yet again on Friday night. Boy's Mile Riku Sugie (Thomas Nelson) - 4:11 Roman Sierpina (Louisville Collegiate) - 4:14 Tiger Barlett (Ryle) - 4:14 Lincoln Herald (Grant County) - 4:15 James Gurley (Louisville Catholic) - 4:15 Analysis: The boy's race at this year's Kentucky Dream Mile may not have any athletes listed in our Top-50 Distance Recruit Rankings, but the field does offer a collection of sneaky-good names, some of which will almost certainly be ranked in next year's list. The biggest name in this race is Foot Locker All-American, Riku Sugie. Although Sugie is more known for his prowess over longer distances and on the cross country course, it's hard to imagine Sugie not being a factor in this race. Earlier in April, he ran 8:48 to win the seeded section of the 3200 meters at the Arcadia Invitational. Admittedly, Sugie has yet to run a fast mile this season, making Friday's race all that more interesting. Another runner with a case for the win is Roman Sierpina, the current Kentucky leader over the 1600-meter distance (4:12). One potential advantage that Sierpina has is that he's only run three races this season, meaning that he could have much fresher legs when compared to many of his competitors. After Sugie and Sierpina, there's a large group of athletes who've all had very similar spring campaigns. Luckily for us, a lot of these athletes also ran at the Eastern Relays in Louisville a couple of weeks ago, giving us a lot of insight into how this race may play out. At the Eastern Relays, the top Kentucky athlete was Grant County junior, Lincoln Herald. Herald's performance at the Eastern Relays was certainly a breakout race for him, (dropping his 1600-meter PR from 4:24 to 4:14). One of the race's many storylines will be to see if he can keep that momentum going as we inch closer to the postseason.

Predictions & analysis by Gavin Struve, additional edits & commentary via Garrett Zatlin With the Division Three and Division Two conference championships officially beginning last weekend and finishing next weekend, we opted to focus on a handful of meets taking place later this week (at least for the ones that we were able to acquire performance lists for). The Gulf South Conference (GSC) Championships will be one of the more competitive D2 conference meets on the distance side this week and span Thursday, May 2nd to Saturday, May 4th. Here's how D2/D3 editor Gavin Struve envisions the distance races playing out in Montevallo, Alabama this weekend. *Denotes that a collegian 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). Men's 800 Meters 1. Titus Lagat (Lee (Tenn.)) - 1:50 2. Gabe Hodson (Mississippi College) - 1:51 3. Weston Ellison (Alabama-Huntsville) - 1:51 4. Roberto Fajardo (Lee (Tenn.))* - 1:52 5. Cole Benoit (Mississippi College)* - 1:52 Analysis: Titus Lagat is the defending GSC outdoor 800-meter champion and the event record holder at this meet. While he's been up and down in recent years, he'll be heavily favored to win this race, especially after recently cracking 1:50 earlier this month. Gabe Hodson is back after finishing runner-up at this same meet last year and rookie Weston Ellison could push both men after winning the GSC indoor 800-meter title. The latter seems in line for an improvement upon his 1:52.90 (800) PR. Roberto Fajarado has been a middle distance revelation this season, but one has to think that much of his focus will be on the 1500 meters at this meet. You can also count on Cole Benoit and Jacob Hatcher among other established upperclassmen in a quietly loaded fourth heat that's mostly comprised of Mississippi College and Lee (Tenn.) men. Women’s 800 Meters 1. Letlhogonolo Magoro (Lee (Tenn.)) - 2:12 2. Lauren Wallace (Mississippi College)* - 2:12 3. Aria Hawkins (Lee (Tenn.))* - 2:14 4. Lily Hare (Lee (Tenn.))* - 2:14 5. Taylor Benoit (Mississippi College)* - 2:14 Analysis: Taylor Benoit and Lauren Wallace are among the women who helped make up a Choctaw 1-2-3 sweep at the GSC Indoor Championships, but this race feels pretty open without indoor half-mile conference champion, Jazmin Hernandez. Other women who could contend for the title include last year's GSC Outdoor Championship runner-up, Aria Hawkins, and two of her teammates: Letlhogonolo Magoro, who's broken out this spring with a 2:11 personal best, and Lily Hare, who has long been a key cross country scorer and DMR piece. Wallace has shown the best form this spring, running 2:10, and would get the nod here, but Magoro is the only top contender in this field who's not doubling back. Men’s 1500 Meters 1. Roberto Fajarda (Lee (Tenn.))* - 3:50 2. Cole Benoit (Mississippi College)* - 3:50 3. Jacob Hatcher (Lee (Tenn.))* - 3:52 4. Ryan Lovelace (Lee (Tenn.))* - 3:54 5. Nathan Knox (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 3:54 Analysis: The top contenders in this race are all doubling back in the 800 meters just over an hour after this race, so this could be a tactical affair. Roberto Fajarda has run an NCAA #3 mark of 3:40 this spring and thus is the favorite. However, Cole Benoit is the defending conference champion, also won the GSC indoor mile title in March and recently ran a PR of 3:44. Ryan Lovelace and Jacob Hatcher placed third and fourth, respectively, in this event at the 2023 GSC Outdoor Championships. But the latter has been sharper this calendar year. There's a bit of a dropoff after that group, but Nathan Knox took bronze in the mile at the 2024 GSC Indoor Championships. Women’s 1500 Meters 1. Aria Hawkins (Lee (Tenn.))* - 4:25 2. Mckenna Cavanaugh (Lee (Tenn.))* - 4:26 3. Lauren Wallace (Mississippi College)* - 4:27 4. Lily Hare (Lee (Tenn.))* - 4:27 5. Taylor Benoit (Mississippi College)* - 4:28 Analysis: Aria Hawkins, Lily Hare and Lauren Wallace are the top returners in this event, and it will be interesting to see how they balance this event and the 800 meters with little time in between on Saturday. I anticipate that Hawkins, as the top returner, may put more emphasis on the metric mile. She put forth a fast time here last spring while doubling and ran a new personal best of 4:22 in her most recent race, so we could see something relatively fast from her. It would also be wise to keep an eye on Taylor Benoit as well as Mckenna Cavanaugh in her first 1500-meter race for the Flames. Men’s 5000 Meters 1. Sam Wilhelm (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 14:00 2. Matthew Fowler (Lee (Tenn.)) - 14:07 3. Berket Mesele (Christian Brothers)* - 14:11 4. Aaron Himes (Lee (Tenn.))* - 14:26 5. Jon Fielding Stogner (Lee (Tenn.))* - 14:27 Analysis: Without Jan Lukas Becker competing, this race should be a relative romp for Alabama-Huntsville's Sam Wilhelm who has the fastest 10k PR by a sizable margin and should break up the chain of Lee (Tenn.) and Mississippi College distance event winners. Beyond him, Berket Mesele and Matthew Fowler are both nationally competitive names, though the latter has the luxury of not doubling back in other events. Fowler's teammate, Aaron Himes, is more proven in championship settings, but also appears to be making his 10k debut. Another Flame, Jon Fielding Stogner, broke out at the 2024 GSC Indoor Championships in this event with a PR and a bronze medal. Women’s 5000 Meters 1. Megan Adams (Lee (Tenn.))* - 17:06 2. Emily McMurry (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 17:07 3. Danielle Horter (Lee (Tenn.))* - 17:16 4. Katie Krueger (Lee (Tenn.))* - 17:17 5. Paige Patterson (Lee (Tenn.))* - 17:21 Analysis: Devoid of any true stars, this sets up as one of the most compelling races at this meet. Megan Adams won the GSC outdoor 5k title last year as a freshman, but has raced only a few times on the track since then. Danielle Horter was one of several Flames teammates to beat her at their home meet this spring and Emily McMurry was the GSC's 2024 indoor 5k champion while the Flames' Paige Patterson was the runner-up. Another Lee (Tenn.) runner, Katie Krueger, is riding a significant hot streak with PRs in her last three races. Take your pick for the winner of this race, but mine is a bet on Adams' pedigree. Men’s 10,000 Meters 1. Sam Wilhelm (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 30:48 2. Aaron Himes (Lee (Tenn.))* - 31:19 3. Jon Fielding Stogner (Lee (Tenn.))* - 31:21 4. Ezekiel Harless (Lee (Tenn.))* - 31:31 5. Gabe Henneberger (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 31:33 Analysis: As is the case in the men's 5k, Sam Wilhelm is a heavy favorite in the 10k due to Jan Lukas Becker's absence from this meet. Wilhelm is, after all, the defending conference champion in the 10k. However, the rest of the top-five finishers from last year's GSC 10k are not returning. Relatedly, most of the men in this race don't have seed times, but that doesn't mean the field is devoid of talent. Braedon Methvin, Jon Fielding Stogner, Ezekiel Harless and Aaron Himes are more proven commodities over 5000 meters. Wilhelm's teammate, Gabe Henneberger, is the top returner (sixth) beyond Wilhelm from last year's GSC 10k. Women’s 10,000 Meters 1. Danielle Horter (Lee (Tenn.))* - 35:56 2. Katie Krueger (Lee (Tenn.))* - 36:46 3. Emily McMurry (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 36:55 4. Paige Patterson (Lee (Tenn.))* - 37:15 5. Josie Whipp (Mississippi College)* - 38:01 Analysis: Celine Ritter won three different events at the 2023 GSC Outdoor Championships and her absence leaves room for three new conference champions between the 1500 meters, the 5000 meters and the 10k. Lee (Tenn.)'s Katie Krueger, Paige Patterson and Danielle Horter as well as UAH's Emily McMurry are doubling back in the 5k, but one of them should have a very real chance at winning this race. Krueger is the top returner from last year after earning bronze, but I'll go with Horter given that she's raced this distance twice in the past month and has posted the fastest time by some margin. Men’s 3000-Meter Steeplechase 1. Owen Pearce (Lee (Tenn.))* - 9:08 2. Nathan Knox (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 9:11 3. Luke Gaddis (Lee (Tenn.))* - 9:24 4. Taylor Nails (Alabama-Huntsville) - 9:31 5. Will Clayton (Christian Brothers)* - 9:33 Analysis: I discussed Nathan Knox in our men's 1500-meter analysis, but he merits mention here as well given that he's the top returner. The UAH Charger earned bronze in the 2023 GSC steeplechase race, but he should have a worthy adversary in Owen Pearce of Lee (Tenn.) who recently ran a 9:10 PR. A pair of Pearce's teammates, Luke Gaddis and Caleb Guthery, could fill out the spots behind him after each ran a slew of PRs in recent weeks, though the latter hasn't contested the steeplechase this spring. Women’s 3000-Meter Steeplechase 1. Mckenna Cavanaugh (Lee (Tenn.))* - 10:30 2. Ashlyn Iliff (Lee (Tenn.))* - 10:37 3. Bre Bell (Mississippi College)* - 10:39 4. Kathrin Maurer (West Georgia)* - 12:11 5. Elizabeth Cain (Alabama-Huntsville)* - 12:14 Analysis: Just 10 women populate this race, all in one heat. And the top-two returners from, you guessed it, Lee (Tenn.) and Mississippi College, both return. That would be reigning GSC steeplechase champion Bre Bell, a Choctaw, and Ashlyn Iliff, a Flame. Both women ran PRs in the same race at Georgia Tech two weeks ago, but Iliff was eight seconds faster with a mark of 10:44. That seemingly sets this up as an intriguing mano-a-mano battle. However, the catch is that Mckenna Cavanaugh enters the picture armed with an even faster recent PR (10:34) and ample high-level postseason experience.

Predictions & analysis by Kevin Fischer Additional edits & commentary via Garrett Zatlin & Gavin Struve With the Division Three and Division Two conference championships officially beginning last weekend and finishing next weekend, we opted to focus on a handful of meets taking place later this week (at least for the ones that we were able to acquire performance lists for). We'll start with the Liberty League Championships, which span Friday, May 3rd to Saturday, May 4th and are fittingly hosted by the conference's deepest distance team (RPI) this year. Here's how long-time D3 writer (and competitor) Kevin Fischer foresees the distance races playing out in eastern New York this weekend... *Denotes that a collegian 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). Men's 800 Meters 1. Sean Hendricks (Rochester)* - 1:52 2. Jack Keelan (Bard) - 1:53 3. Dominic Pena (RPI) - 1:54 4. Danny Gall (RPI)* - 1:55 5. Daniel Ford (Rochester) - 1:55 Analysis: An upset of All-American Sean Hendricks would take a herculean effort. The only variable that gives the rest of the field hope is the expectation that he will be on tired legs doubling back from the 1500 meters. Still, he should have no problem winning here. Jack Keelan of Bard has twice been a runner-up finisher in the half-mile at past Liberty League Championships. And with the form that he’s in, there is no reason to believe he won’t earn that distinction again. The RPI true freshman duo of Dominic Pena and Danny Gall will be out to show once more that they don’t shy away from big moments, and Rochester’s Daniel Ford is looking to rediscover his 1:53 form from 2023. Women’s 800 Meters 1. Megan Bell (Rochester)* - 2:14 2. Allison Sibold (St. Lawrence)* - 2:17 3. Ava Whitney (Vassar) - 2:19 4. Norah Reade (Vassar) - 2:19 5. Sophia Henderson (Vassar) - 2:21 Analysis: Megan Bell figures to be 40 minutes removed from the 400 meters entering this race, but she should still have no problem holding off the rest of this field. Her biggest challenger will be Allison Sibold, but there just seems to be too much of a gap between them for it to be a true contest. With that said, I would consider the top-two spots fairly safe bets despite Sibold’s relative inconsistency this spring. Behind them, Vassar has tons of really solid talent and will have a chance at some serious team points in this event. Men’s 1500 Meters 1. Davis Piercy (RPI) - 3:54 2. Nicholas Lyndaker (St. Lawrence)* - 3:55 3. Sean Hendricks (Rochester)* - 3:55 4. Cory Kennedy (RPI)* - 3:55 5. Matthew Smalling (RPI)* - 3:56 Analysis: This is one of the deepest events in the meet, and I could realistically see up to eight men challenging for the win. I’ll take my chances on indoor national mile qualifier Davis Piercy winning on his home track, but Nicholas Lyndaker will give him a scare. Cory Kennedy is the biggest name in the field based on his 5000-meter prowess. And while I'm not sure that he has enough momentum to take the win in a clear "off" event for him, he will still be in the mix most of the way. An interesting name here is 800-meter All-American Sean Hendricks. He has more pure speed than anyone else in the field and should thrive in a tactical race setting. Women’s 1500 Meters 1. Haley Schoenegge (Vassar)* - 4:30 2. Allison Sibold (St. Lawrence)* - 4:31 3. Jules Bleskoski (RPI)* - 4:39 4. Olivia Pisacano (RPI)* - 4:42 5. Catherine Dacey (Union (NY)) - 4:45 Analysis: Haley Schoenegge and Allison Sibold have been trending in opposite directions since the indoor track season ended. While Schoenegge has developed from someone with star potential to a true ace, Sibold has had a difficult spring campaign (so far). I think the mile indoor national meet runner-up finisher will come closer to her winter form this weekend and make it a highly competitive race. However, Schoenegge’s momentum appears to be just a little too much in my eyes. Jules Bleskoski, who was a national qualifier in the 3000 meters a couple of months ago, should be the favorite to grab bronze while teammate Olivia Pisacano won’t be too far back from her. Men’s 5000 Meters 1. Cory Kennedy (RPI)* - 14:28 2. Vince Simonetti (RPI)* - 14:28 3. Jason Gibbons (RPI)* - 14:30 4. Nicholas Lyndaker (St. Lawrence)* - 14:31 5. Mitchell Dailey (RPI)* - 14:33 Analysis: With almost all of the top athletes in this field doubling back, I don’t think this race will get out very fast. Still, the RPI duo of Cory Kennedy and Vince Simonetti is on a different level than the rest of the field. They should be the clear favorites to go 1-2 regardless of the type of race we see. Their teammate Jason Gibbons, a 3000-meter indoor national qualifier, had a tough day at Penn Relays, but he is more than capable of a 3rd-place finish if he runs at the level that we know he can. Meanwhile, St. Lawrence standout Nicholas Lyndaker will look to break up the Engineer pack, but it won’t be easy a couple of hours after the 1500-meter final. Women’s 5000 Meters 1. Haley Schoenegge (Vassar)* - 17:05 2. Jules Bleskoski (RPI)* - 17:20 3. Olivia Pisacano (RPI)* - 17:22 4. Sennett Turner (Rochester)* - 17:31 5. Kyla Eisman (Ithaca)* - 17:59 Analysis: There is a pretty big talent gap between the top runners in this field and the fringe scorers. Haley Schoenegge will be doubling back from what should be a tightly contested 1500-meter battle against Allison Sibold, but none of the top-nine seeds will be fresh, so that shouldn’t be a concern for her. Bleskoski and Pisacano are national-caliber talents, but they are still a tier behind Schoenegge and will likely struggle to hang with her. Even so, a comfortable 2-3 finish would be considered a great success in the team scoring. Men’s 10,000 Meters 1. Vince Simonetti (RPI)* - 29:45 2. Mitchell Dailey (RPI)* - 29:45 3. Jonathan Craun (RPI)* - 30:16 4. Miles Takiguchi (Vassar)* - 30:32 5. Brady Geisler (RPI) - 30:58 Analysis: Vince Simonetti is the heavy favorite to win the men's 10,000 meters and shouldn't need a 100% effort to get maximum team points for RPI. He'll likely run the majority of the race with Mitchell Dailey who should comfortably earn 2nd place. Miles Takiguchi holds the next fastest 10k PR at 30:00, but he has struggled a bit this season. I think he will run faster than his current seasonal best of 30:52, but I'm not sure that will be enough to beat out Jonathan Craun for bronze and stop a 1-2-3 finish for the Engineers. Women’s 10,000 Meters 1. Sennett Turner (Rochester)* - 37:19 2. Kyla Eisman (Ithaca)* - 37:28 3. Katie Cobos (RIT)* - 37:43 4. Leah Goodloe (RPI)* - 38:37 5. Amaavi Miriyagalla (Vassar) - 38:51 Analysis: Seeing as she's the top seed by over two minutes, it’s difficult to imagine anybody beating Rochester’s Sennett Turner here. With the 5000 meters coming up the following day, there’s a good chance that she runs a relaxed effort to win this race while saving her legs. Katie Cobos of RIT and Kyla Eisman of Ithaca are pretty clearly the two next-best talents in the field. Cobos has not contested the 10k yet this year, but her 18:05 (5k) mark suggests that she can do some good things here. Eisman’s 38:15 seed time was from a solo effort and likely not representative of what she can do, especially considering her 17:46 (5k) PR. Men’s 3000-Meter Steeplechase 1. Jason Gibbons (RPI)* - 9:32 2. Aidan Mayer (Vassar)* - 9:34 3. Patrick Russell (St. Lawrence)* - 9:44 4. Michael Harkins (RPI) - 9:51 5. Joseph Krenzer (RIT) - 9:51 Analysis: With nobody running under 9:40 so far this season, the Liberty League steeplechase seems to be a bit devoid of star power compared to other events. There should still be some good racing, however, and I think the win will come down to Jason Gibbons and Aidan Mayer. The latter has only run 9:46 this spring, but has the fastest lifetime best in the field (9:20) while Gibbons is by far the most talented in flat distance events in the field. It's hard to see anyone outside of those two winning on Friday, and I'd give Gibbons a slight edge given that he has only run the steeplechase once this season. And while his 9:41 result was pedestrian by his standards, it was still the top mark in the Liberty League this spring. Women’s 3000-Meter Steeplechase 1. Emma Palumbo (St. Lawrence)* - 11:25 2. Kat Benninger (Rochester)* - 11:27 3. Claudia Wolf (RPI) - 11:38 4. Allison Malatesta (Union (NY))* - 11:39 5. Sab Lin (Rochester)* - 11:45 Analysis: Emma Palumbo holds far and away the best steeplechase PR in the field, but she hasn’t fully gotten it going yet this year, as her only effort in the distance was an 11:46 mark at Middlebury. I’m not sure that she is in range of recapturing her sub-11 form yet, but she should take enough of a step in the right direction to beat this field. Kat Benninger, the only other athlete in this field to have run under 11:30, will give her the most trouble. After her, there's a lot of parity, and the 3-4-5 spots could feasibly go to anyone seeded in the top-eight or so.

It was an absolutely wild weekend of action which had a little bit of everything -- and your TSR hosts Garrett and Ben made sure to cover it all. Join your favorite podcasting duo as they break down the incredible NCAA DMR record from the Harvard women, Liam Murphy's unreal kick en route to two Penn Relays wheels, Colin Sahlman's win over Rivaldo Marshall and so. much. more. Be sure to leave a rating and review and don't forget to subscribe as well! (1:57) Harvard Women Set NCAA DMR Record (6:13) Liam Murphy's Kick Gives Villanova Two Penn Relays Victories (12:14) NC State Wins Women's 4x1500m Relay at Penn Relays (14:03) Sam Whitmarsh Splits 1:45 in Texas A&M's Winning 4x800m Relay (17:28) Drama in the Women's 4x800m Relay (22:20) Colin Sahlman Runs 1:45 (800) to Defeat Rivaldo Marshall (27:47) Sebastian Fernandez Runs 1:46 (800) at Altitude (29:16) Four Collegians Go Sub-1:47 (800) at Drake Relays (30:55) Julia Nielsen Runs 2:00.99 (800) at Drake Relays (32:03) Teagan Schein-Becker & Silan Ayyildiz Run 4:09 Over 1500m (33:37) Luke Houser Defeat Ezekiel Rop Over 1500m (35:07) James Corrigan & Kristian Imroth Headline Steeple Performances (38:02) Sub-15:40 Efforts Over 1500m (41:05) Kelsey Chmiel Returns in 10k Effort (44:17) Quick Thoughts On Everything Else 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.

In the midst of all of the exciting distance running action, there were a small handful of headlines around the NCAA that we wanted to get everyone caught up on. Here are a few recent developments from the last month that you may have missed... Tulane Adds Highly Talented Men's & Women's Distance Runners From Overseas Tulane's ongoing pursuit of talented distance runners from overseas hasn't slowed down. In fact, their efforts have only accelerated. That's because the Green Wave men and women have added a handful of impressive athletes who will soon be joining their track and field and cross country rosters in the near future. Let's first chat about Tharushi Karunarathna, a Sri Lankan middle distance star with absolutely lethal leg speed. The 2023 Asian Games champion over 800 meters boasts a blistering personal best of 2:00.66 at that distance and has also run 53.41 for 400 meters. Simply put, Karunarathna is already at the fitness level that would put her in the All-American conversation over the half-mile distance -- and maybe even make her a favorite to earn that honor. However, maybe more importantly, this Sri Lankan middle distance star is still only 18 years old! With so much talent being showcased at such a young age, the upside that Karunarathna could bring to Tulane is arguably the most exciting aspect of her resume. But while Karunarathna will be a nationally competitive talent in the middle distance events, it's East Africa native Caroline Jeptanui who will take responsibility of the longer races. That's because the Kenyan distance ace has supposedly run impressive times of 1:13 (half-marathon), 15:57 (5k) and 9:12 (3k). However, TSR has been unable to confirm those marks. Jeptanui's addition to Tulane is massive, especially for a cross country team that was viewed as a fringe contender to advance out of the South Central region last fall. The Green Wave women had a quietly great cross country squad in 2023, winning the American Athletic Conference team title and placing 4th at the South Central regional meet. However, more importantly, everyone from Tulane's postseason lineup is expected to return in 2024, per TFRRS. And with Jeptanui projected to add some valuable scoring, potentially as a low-stick, the chances of the Green Wave women qualifying for the NCAA XC Championships have seemingly risen even higher. The final name to highlight is Sunil Joliya, a native of India with a head-turning steeplechase PR of 8:37! And for those who value consistency as much as they do personal bests, this future Tulane runner also ran 8:39 in the steeplechase a month before posting his PR. Admittedly, Joliya's resume seems centered around the steeplechase and not much else. Even so, an 8:37 mark over the barriers and water pits is a great display of talent for someone who was only 21 years old at the time. With his personal best of 8:37.15 in the steeplechase, Joliya would current sit as the eighth-fastest runner in the East region in that event this season. The soon-to-be Green Wave runner would almost certainly be favored to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships and would maybe be in contention to earn All-American honors should he make further improvements. On the grass, Joliya remains as more of an x-factor given his lack of results on that terrain. Even so, his raw talent alone should make him an impact scorer for this team as soon as this upcoming fall. With cross country ace Bradley Makuvire now at South Carolina, there was a clear need for greater upfront scoring in Tulane's 2024 projected lineup. But with Joliya expected to join Jack Jennings and Illia Kunin -- the latter two are returning as the team's top scorers -- there is potential that the Green Wave men could finally upend Tulsa for the American Athletic Conference team title come October. And if they have a strong enough season overall, then Tulane could potentially position themselves to qualify for the NCAA XC Championships via the Kolas selection process. The odds would be stacked against them, but...it's not impossible, either. Gabe Sanders Steps Down as Director of Boston U. Earlier this month, The Stride Report received notice from one source that Gabe Sanders, the Director of Track & Field at Boston University, had been placed, "on leave from the team until further notice." Last week, RunnersWorld's Sarah Lorge Butler reported that Sanders was "stepping down" as Boston University's coach. Sanders spent a total of 12 years (combined) as a coach at Boston University, first serving as an assistant coach from 2008 to 2015 before assuming the Director role in 2019. Boston University has since confirmed that report. Sanders departs from a university known for hosting some of the most prestigious non-championship indoor track meets in the world (specifically for distance runners). Not only that, but the Terrier men and women have also consistently been one of the top three-season programs in the Patriot League alongside Navy and Army. Coach Jordan Carpenter, the current associate head coach for Boston University, has had promising success with his men's distance program as of late. Veteran Foster Malleck has thrived in recent seasons, posting new personal bests of 3:55 (mile) and 13:48 (5k), while teammate Parker Schneider had a huge breakout season during the winter months, running 3:56 in the mile. Sophomore Freddy Collins also showed tremendous promise with times of 3:59 (5k) and 13:45 (5k). When asked about the possibility of Boston University elevating Coach Jordan Carpenter to the program's Director role, one source close to the team said, "I think it could happen and I’d be very happy with that. It’s being talked about, but we really have no idea what direction things will go." Carpenter, as well as coaches Grant Cartwright and Sara Macey, will continue to lead the team for the remainder of the season. Boise State & Coach Corey Ihmels Part Ways Last month, Boise State announced that the Broncos' head cross country and track and field coach, Corey Ihmels, will no longer be with the team. Assistant coach Gavin O'Neal will serve as the program's interim head coach. Boise State also noted that a "national search for a new head coach" has already begun. After a successful stint at Iowa State, Ihmels found eve more success with his men's and women's distance programs since joining the Broncos in 2013. Over that time, the Broncos made 11 appearances at the NCAA XC Championships as a team (between men and women). Among those 11 instances, four of them resulted in top-10 finishes on the national stage. Standout distance stars such as Emma Bates, David Elliott, Allie Ostrander, Yusuke Uchikoshi and Kristie Schoffield all emerged as national-caliber talents under the direction of Ihmels. The Boise State opening will likely be a highly sought-after position given the history of success with the program, it's place within a competitive conference and it's national recognition not often found among non-Power Five schools. Sources who have spoken to The Stride Report have already mentioned that one distance coach from a nationally competitive cross country program has keen interest in the Broncos' now-open position.

Believe it or not, there were college track and field meets other than the Penn Relays -- and they produced headline-worthy results! If you'd like to read our Penn Relays analysis for the team races, you can click here. If you'd like to read our Penn Relays analysis for the individual events, you can click here. There's no time to waste, let's begin... Colin Sahlman Drops Down to 800 Meters, Runs 1:45 to Defeat NCAA Indoor Half-Mile Champion Rivaldo Marshall Colin Sahlman captured headlines earlier this month when he ventured to the Bryan Clay Invite and nearly earned the NCAA 1500-meter record. With a PR of 3:33.96 and a monumental victory, the expectations for Sahlman have only grown larger. Of course, when you look at what he did this past weekend, you could make the argument that the rising pressure and newfound expectations haven't fazed this NAU sophomore. In fact, he may have gotten even stronger. The Lumberjack ace had already proven in prior seasons that he was an extremely versatile weapon who could drop down to the 800 meters fairly easily. Of course, even after his incredible metric mile performance a few weeks ago, the idea of Sahlman running 1:45-mid seemed like a big ask. And if he was going to run that fast, then trying to also take down Iowa's Rivaldo Marshall, the reigning NCAA indoor 800-meter national champion, was going to be even harder. But Sahlman doesn't seemingly care if the odds are stacked against him. That's because the underclassman phenom unleashed a monster 1:45.63 mark for 800 meters this past weekend! That time also allowed him to comfortably defeat Marshall who settled for a still-strong 1:46.38 effort. So...what does this mean in the grand scheme of things? In my eyes, Sahlman validated his Bryan Clay Invite performance in a fairly big way. Saturday showed us that his fitness can effectively translate to other events -- something we've seen from him before, but never to this magnitude. Not only that, but this is an extremely encouraging display of speed, something that Sahlman will need as we inch closer and closer to the postseason. We already figured that the Northern Arizona star could be a national title contender (over 1500 meters) this season, but this past weekend certainly raised his stock in that regard. Championship experience and general growth will still play roles in how he matches up against his opponents, but as far as fitness is concerned, very few men are better than Sahlman right now. As for Marshall, I'll admit, this isn't the most encouraging loss to take, especially given that Sahlman is considered to be more of a miler. Even so, if this Iowa ace was going to lose to anyone in his primary event, it might as well be the guy who has been on an electric hot streak as of late and won't be contesting the half-mile on the national stage. And of course, it's not like running 1:46 (800) is a poor performance! Marshall has already run 1:45 this season and at the very least, he's showcasing some valuable consistency. Relative to the rest of the nation's 800-meter stars, he hasn't necessarily hurt his stock. We also can't forget about Nico Young, the 3rd place finisher in this race who ran 1:47 for 800 meters! That is obviously a great result for someone who is more aerobic-centric and this is probably the best turnover that we've ever seen from the NAU veteran. Of course, after seeing how unbelievably fit he was during the winter months, it makes sense that Young would basically be able to will himself to a 1:47 (800) PR. He's just that good. Luke Houser Returns to Racing, Takes Down Ezekiel Rop in Sub-3:40 (1500) Effort The two-time NCAA mile champion didn't have his best effort at the Bryan Clay Invitational in the top section of the men's 1500 meters. Despite being the early-aggressor with the pacers, Luke Houser would fade and settle for a time of 3:42. However, at the Payton Jordan Invitational this past weekend, Houser once again toed the line for the 1500 meters. And while the race wasn't nearly as stacked as his last effort was, he still found strong competition from Iowa State's Ezekiel Rop as well as his fellow teammate, Joe Waskom. In the end, Houser would hold on to get the win on Rop, 3:39.05 to 3:39.39. Both Waskom and Colorado's Isaiah Givens produced marks of 3:40 for 3rd and 4th place, respectively. Does this race change how we view Houser? No, not really. We knew he was still one of the best all-around milers in the country despite his poor Bryan Clay outing and a sub-3:40 win (which was more convincing in reality than on paper) largely validates that. Video via X.com / @UWTrack & @Flotrack However, I think Ezekiel Rop deserves a bit more attention after this kind of result. This is the second-straight race where Rop has been battling with a Washington national champion over 1500 meters in the final straightaway of Stanford's track. The first time resulted in an early-season upset of Nathan Green and a time of 3:40. Now, Rop has run 3:39 and has come within striking distance of one of the most formidable milers in the NCAA. This Iowa State standout proved last year that when he's firing on all cylinders, his fitness can match a lot of top-tier All-Americans. Don't forget, he made it to the 1500-meter finals at last year's outdoor national meet where he finished 7th. And while he hasn't necessarily showcased that same level of fitness via his times this spring, Rop has looked great in races that have been slightly slower and a little more tactical. As for Waskom and Givens, there isn't a whole lot to discuss. This is roughly what we would have expected out of both of them given their recent performances. Bradley's Julia Nielsen Runs 2:00.99 (800) at Drake Relays While Roisin Willis Returns With 2:02 Effort There have been multiple women over the half-mile distance who have been on incredible breakout hot streaks this season. Between Victoria Bossong, Makayla Paige and debatably Judy Kosgei, there women's 800 meters is certainly not low on new talent. And sure enough, that theory remains true given how well Bradley's Julia Nielsen has been running. The Swedish middle distance star, whose sister is Wilma Nielsen (Washington), has been outstanding this spring. So far this season, Nielsen has won the top section of the women's 800 meters at the Raleigh Relays (after already running the 1500 meters), put together a 2:02/4:12 (800/1500) weekend double at the Bryan Clay Invite and, this past weekend, run a huge 2:00.99 PR over 800 meters to finish a very narrow runner-up at the Drake Relays. Everything that we've seen from Nielsen since late February has been extremely encouraging. She caught fire early in the season and has taken full advantage of that momentum. Not just in the 800 meters, but the metric mile as well! However, the thing that I love most about Nielsen's 2024 spring campaign is that she's consistently battling for wins against great competition. It's one thing to run fast and it's another thing to do it consistently. But if you're able to do all of that while still battling for top finishes and wins, then that's a major plus in my book. Elsewhere, Stanford's Roisin Willis made her season debut, recording a respectable 2:02 (800) mark in her first 800-meter race back since the indoor national meet. And while that performance may not seem like a big deal, the last that we saw Willis was at the Stanford Invite where she ran the 400 meters and 4x400-meter relay. Being absent from racing since then admittedly left us nervous about her status for this spring. Of course, returning in late April with a competitive time is obviously a good sign. Oregon's Silan Ayyildiz Continues to Thrive With Ducks, Runs 4:09 (1500) PR at Drake Relays One of the biggest transfer headlines that took place during the winter months was Turkish miler Silan Ayyildiz leaving South Carolina and joining Oregon. And while we figured that she would be great with the Ducks, I'm not sure that we expected her to be this good this early during her time in Eugene. After a promising indoor track season where she flexed an 8:54 (3k) PR and strong mile prowess, Ayyildiz has run 15:15 (5k), 4:10 (1500) and now 4:09 (1500). That latter mark came at the Drake Relays where the former Gamecock runner placed 3rd and emerged as the top collegian in the field. Now, admittedly, that latest result didn't really tell us anything that we didn't already know about Ayyildiz. Even so, that's a new personal best and it's further validation that her fitness has improved across the board. With seemingly greater reliability compared to prior seasons and a more diverse skillset, all signs are pointing to Ayyildiz earning her first individual All-American honor. Also in this race was Klaudia Kazimierska, a fellow Oregon Duck who clocked a 4:10 mark of her own. That's a solid mark for the Polish miler, but it's nothing new, either. She did, after all, run 4:08 (1500) at the Bryan Clay Invite to emerge as the top collegian in the invite heat. David Mullarkey Runs 13:28 (5k) While Annika Reiss, Sadie Sargent, Jenna Hutchins and Amy Bunnage All Run Under 15:40 (5k) at Payton Jordan Invitational We're grouping these performances into one section, mostly because these collegiate results aren't all that surprising to see. Florida State's David Mullarkey arguably had the best race of the bunch with a fantastic 13:28 personal best over 5000 meters. But frankly, this was someone who initially built his reputation in the 5k and has been brilliant throughout this past year. A 13:28 mark is really solid and further solidifies him as a fringe All-American contender, but that mark is very much on par with what we expected to see from him. The women's race, however, held far greater depth. Northern Arizona veteran Annika Reiss emerged as the top collegian at the Payton Jordan Invitational, running 15:33 for 5000 meters. And while that performance largely matches what she produced this past winter, it was still a big result, especially when you look at who she defeated. The BYU duo of Sadie Sargent and Jenna Hutchins weren't far behind, both running 15:34 for the same distance. For Sargent, this is a great mark given that she has largely thrived in races a touch shorter than the 5k. To have this kind of race under her legs should give her even more confidence should she opt to return to the steeplechase this season. Amy Bunnage was the last collegian under 15:40 (5k) in this race, posting a time of 15:38. That would usually be a great time for most runners, but for the Stanford rookie, she has proven that she can do so much more. The Cardinal freshman ran 15:11 (5k) on the indoor oval this past winter, but was then surprisingly absent for the indoor national meet. It seems fair to say that Bunnage isn't in top form at the moment. Even so, she's still a competitive name who has a month before the regional meet comes around. If she can continue to build back her fitness over that time, then I wouldn't totally dismiss someone as naturally talented as her from the All-American picture. Sebastain Fernandez, Wes Ferguson, Darius Kipyego, Finley McLear & Isaac Basten All Drop 1:46 (800) Marks Alright, let's break down these results name by name. BYU's Sebastian Fernandez once again attacked his primary distance, the 800 meters, this past weekend. However, this time, he ran at altitude. The Cougar standout ran 1:46.77 to earn a 1:46.25 conversion -- and in my eyes, that's a really crucial result for Fernandez. This has been a challenging year for the BYU middle distance talent. His consistency has been lacking and there are certain races where he has just been straight-up not good. But after a series of 800-meter times that never cracked 1:48, Fernandez finally delivered on his full talent and potential with a 1:46 mark at altitude. This is the Sebastian Fernandez who we have grown to admire and respect. If we only evaluated raw talent, then he would certainly be viewed as an All-American. And now that we can see that he is back near peak form, this BYU ace enters the postseason with momentum in his legs -- and he'll need it. He does, after all, have to face a loaded 800-meter field at the BIG 12 Outdoor Championships in the coming weeks. I only want to briefly touch on Wes Ferguson (Nebraska-Kearney) and Darius Kipyego (Iowa State). The former ran 1:46.08 to win the men's 800 meters at the Drake Relays while the latter was close behind with a time of 1:46.27. Make no mistake, the consistency that both of these men are displaying right now is very impressive. Even so, this pair of results didn't change our opinion on either of them...although I did like how competitive Kipyego was with his D2 counterpart. We then come to Finley McLear, the long-time middle distance veteran who, yet again, bolstered his resume ever-so-slightly. A 1:46.81 (800) mark in his season debut (at the Drake Relays) is the slightest bit faster than what he ran during the winter months. And while he still has a ways to go before we can call him a national title contender, we at least know that he's capable of reaching that tier. With incremental improvements and proven tactical brilliance this past winter, McLear is a name who you can simply not dismiss among the half-mile All-American favorites. Let's wrap up this section with Drake's Isaac Basten. The Bulldog veteran dropped down in distance from his traditional 1500-meter discipline to contest the 800 meters...and my goodness, I did not know that he had that kind of speed! A 1:46.89 PR is an extremely impressive result for Basten who had never run faster than 1:48.94 (800) in his career. That's a reassuring development after a last brutal month of racing. And knowing his history as a kick-heavy tactical miler, that newfound speed should make him just as dangerous in the rounds as he ever has been. Sophie Novak (Notre Dame), James Corrigan (BYU) & Hayden Hayward (Southern Utah) All Thrive in Steeplechase Most of the steeplechase headlines from this past weekend came from the Penn Relays (which we already discussed). However, there are few key results in that event elsewhere. Notre Dame's Sophie Novak clocked a promising 9:52 effort over the barriers and water pits at the Drake Relays. The Fighting Irish runner has been having a quietly great year, earning new personal bests in non-steeplechase events like the 1500 meters where she ran 4:14 the other weekend. However, maybe more importantly, Novak's latest steeple effort validates her postseason success from last year in the same event. And unlike 2023, her resume seems to be more balanced and she's generally been pretty consistent since the winter months. That could be the sign that she's ready to make it to the national meet this year. At the Payton Jordan Invitational, both BYU's James Corrigan (8:34) and Southern Utah's Hayden Hayward (8:39) posted new personal bests. For the former, that's not too surprising given that he was a cross country All-American in the fall, ran 13:30 (5k) in the winter and held prior steeplechase experience from last spring. This result does, however, seemingly signal that Corrigan can be a legitimate contender for an All-American honor come June. While I'd like to tell you something new and exciting about Hayward, I don't know if I really can. That's because the Southern Utah standout ran 8:39 in the steeplechase which is also what he ran at the Bryan Clay Invitational. However, consistency and validation of his prior sub-8:40 mark is huge. If Hayward brings that reliability to the West Regional Championships, then he'll have a shot at making it to the national meet. Quick Hits Solid 2:02 (800) effort for Olivia Howell who has been fairly quiet since transferring to Texas. She had a nice string of 800-meter races during the winter, but her name hasn't come up in any recent All-American discussions as of late. Nice 2:03 (800) marks for Lipscomb's Kiara Carter and Arkansas' Sanu Jallow. For the latter, that result isn't surprising, but I do love the versatility that Carter has showcased throughout this year. Samford's Zephaniah Carico-McLennan stunned us with his out-of-nowhere 1:47 (800) performance earlier this month. But with yet another 1:47 mark on his resume this month, we can feel a bit more confident in saying that he's the real deal. Washington's Evan Jenkins clocked a respectable 13:38 (5k) mark at the Payton Jordan Invitational. And while that is by no means a poor effort, he should also be able to run faster given his 28:04 (10k) win at the Stanford Invite earlier this season.

The last weekend in April is a fairly unusual one when it comes to analyzing results. There are only a small handful of meets that hold the best names in the country -- the Penn Relays, Drake Relays and Payton Jordan Invitational -- and it seems as though everyone else decides to stay on the down-low. But while the results may not be as plentiful, there was still multiple performances that deserved our attention and analysis. And today, we're chatting about what we saw at the Penn Relays (don't worry, we have more analysis coming tomorrow or Monday). Oh, and sure to check out our latest First Thoughts article by clicking here! Alright, let's get right into it... Harvard Women Run 10:37 in DMR as Maia Ramsden Splits 4:21 at Penn Relays When I was making my predictions for the Penn Relays, I opted to choose the Harvard women as my overall winners for the Championship of America DMR for two reasons. The first was because Victoria Bossong has been incredible in recent months. And when she is firing on all cylinders, the Crimson owned one of the most complete lineups in this field. The second, and arguably more important, reason was because Maia Ramsden still dons a Harvard singlet. The Ivy League star has been an unstoppable miler over the last year and as long as she was close enough to the leaders when she got the baton, I trusted that the Kiwi ace would bring her team a Penn Relays wheel. Of course, what I didn't expect was for the Harvard women to run a jaw-dropping DMR mark of 10:37 to secure the overall win behind a 4:21 anchor split from Maia Ramsden to take down a sub-10:40 effort from Providence. Everyone on this relay was incredible. Sophia Gorriaran was relentless on the lead-off leg even if the leaders got away from her. Chloe Fair quietly made up a good bit of ground on the leaders on her 400-meter leg. Victoria Bossong was outstanding as she split 2:02 on the 800-meter leg to give the baton to Ramsden less than one second behind Providence. And when Ramsden got the baton, it was essentially game over given her 4:21 split. Coach Alex Gibby has been flat-out incredible with his women's team. He has developed and recruited some of the finest names in the country. He has produced one of the best collegiate milers we've ever seen. He has refined Victoria Bossong into an All-American threat in the middle distances. He was also able to land Sophia Gorriaran, one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. As for Ramsden's split, I'd like to tell you that I'm surprised, but...I'm not. This New Zealand megastar simply looks unstoppable, at least at the NCAA level. I don't know how anyone in the collegiate realm could possibly beat her in the metric mile. She can defeat you with a last lap kick and she is aerobically strong enough to hang with any aggressive pace thrown at her, something that she proved by tailing Kimberley May on Friday afternoon. Speaking of May, we have to give the Providence women some major credit. You could argue that they were the best team in this field through each of their four legs. They were consistently at the front of this field and that can largely be attributed to Shannon Flockhart splitting 3:15 for 1200 meters. Of course, Kimberley May splitting 4:23 on her anchor leg is the main headliner for the Friars. We've seen her employ aggressive front-running tactics before and I don't mind that she tried to be aggressive yet again, especially knowing that Ramsden was less than a second behind. When this era of elite women's milers concludes their time in the NCAA and we reflect on their impact, we will undoubtedly think of Maia Ramsden first. However, Kimberley May will very much deserve to be part of that same conversation. As for a few others, you gotta give the Virginia women a lot of props. The Cavaliers had a complete lineup with each woman being a perfect fit their respective legs. Placing Margot Appleton on the lead-off leg was an interesting choice, but I didn't hate it, either. Given how well Anna Workman has run in the mile, ensuring that the UVA women were in the mix when she got the baton, in retrospect, makes sense. The Washington women held their own, placing 4th overall, but I did think that they were capable of running a bit faster. Chloe Foerster didn't look comfortable (at all) in this race, but if she was still able to split 4:33.96 despite not having her best day, then I think that's actually a good thing. And frankly, it's best to get an "off" day out of the way now rather than in the postseason. TCU was the 5th place team in large part due to Gracie Morris dropping an outstanding 4:29 split! I had mentioned in our meet preview that the Horned Frogs were a sneaky-good squad and that Morris had been running exceptionally well as of late. Even so, I don't think I expected her to run that well, especially given how far back she was when she got the baton. Liam Murphy Gives Villanova Men Wins in DMR & 4xMile Last year, Liam Murphy was out-kicked at the Penn Relays in the DMR, settling for a runner-up finish behind Adam Spencer and the Wisconsin Badgers. Of course, Murphy would come back the next day to put down a winning kick of his own to give the Wildcats gold in the 4xMile relay. But 2024? Well, this time, there was no need for redemption. On Friday, Liam Murphy battled with Virginia's Gary Martin and Georgetown's Abel Teffra in the final moments of the men's DMR. In the final lap, it was Teffra leading the way. And for a moment, it looked like he may have gotten the perfect jump on his competition. However, as the pack came off the curve, Murphy hugged Teffra's shoulder and then surged past the Hoya ace to give Villanova their first Penn Relays wheel of the weekend. But wait, there's more! We saw almost the exact same scenario in the men's 4xMile relay on Saturday. In a race which, yet again, featured Murphy, Teffra and Martin, multiple moves were made to take Murphy's lead position from him. However, the Villanova star fought off every challenge thrown his way. And with another big-time kick over the final 200 meters, Murphy was able to keep his challengers at bay to secure gold. So...what does this all mean? Well, it means that Murphy not only has one of the best kicks in the NCAA (which we already knew), but that his kick has gotten even better since last year. In on race, he swung off the curve in a classic slingshot move and charged past the guy ahead of him. But in the other race, he took the lead and held his position in almost identical fashion to what we saw from Luke Houser in the mile finals at the NCAA Indoor Championships. I would go as far to say that this weekend at the Penn Relays boosts Murphy stock more than his 3:36 (1500) PR at the Bryan Clay Invitational did. He is not only one of the most dynamic runners across all distance events, but he can also seemingly handle any race scenario thrown at him as well. For as much as we like Gary Martin and Abel Teffra (two men who we view as underrated names), Murphy is going to have even greater late-race challenges once he reaches the postseason. Still, his recent display of turnover was a massively encouraging sign. But more importantly, how about Villanova's 4xMile relay in general? The slowest split on that relay was 4:00 and everyone else ran under four minutes. With Murphy's 3:54 split, Villanova ran 15:51, an NCAA record and the second-fastest mark ever produced in the event. Oh, and by the way, the only relay that now sits ahead of the Villanova men featured a certain runner named Marcus O'Sullivan, the Wildcats' head coach. On paper, Virginia was largely Villanova's equal in the 4xMile as their splits mostly matched throughout the race. However, maybe even more interestingly, the team that had all four of their men run under 4:00 didn't even crack the top-two! The Georgetown men were excellent as every runner went 3:59 or faster. I gained so much respect for Abel Teffra after seeing how gutsy and poised he was in critical moments. And yes, I didn't predict the Hoyas to finish in the top-five, but the entries didn't initially show that Abel Teffra, their best miler, was in this race. It's one thing for Villanova to run 15:51, but that doesn't happen without Virginia and Georgetown making this race so fast on all four legs. These teams deserve major kudos. When it comes to the DMR, there isn't a whole lot to discuss. This was a fairly tactical race, especially at the end, and no one in particular ran out of their minds. However, having freshman Dan Watcke split 1:48 on the 800-meter leg of Villanova's DMR was huge for putting Liam Murphy in a good position. Yes, Murphy may have brought home gold, but there is an argument that, relative to expectations, Watcke was the most impactful name in this lineup. Both Oregon and Duke ran fairly well. Rheinhardt Harrison was quietly great on the lead-off leg for the Ducks and Matthew Erickson's 1:47 split on the 800-meter will fall under the radar despite no other runner in the field going under 1:48. As for Duke, it wasn't the flashiest relay, but everyone was solid and Ryan Wilson was in the hunt going into that last lap. NC State Women Outrun 4x1500m Field to Earn Statement Win at Penn Relays Did I think that the NC State women could win this race? Yes. Did I predict that the NC State would win this race? No. On paper, I felt that both Virginia and Penn State were flat-out better teams, at least when you look at their metric mile times. Make no mistake, the Wolfpack had plenty of great talents of their own, but the Nittany Lions and Cavaliers each had four established women who had proven in varying magnitudes that they could be impact names in this race. And yet, it was the NC State women who simply proved to be stronger. Both Penn State and Virginia put up a fight, and the Nittany Lions looked like they could realistically win this race on the third leg. However, having both Kileigh Kane and Florence Caron double back from the 1500 meters on Thursday night certainly wasn't going to help them run fast on Saturday. The Virginia women also had a big race in their legs after a few women doubled back from the DMR. But it was the Wolfpack women who were freshest and that showed on the third leg as Hannah Gapes, the main hero of NC State's effort, established a gap that no other team in the field could match. From there, Sam Bush anchored her team home to a very comfortable win. Without splits, it's hard to really evaluate how certain woman performed. Even so, Gapes really boosted her stock. She was in a big-time race and made a decisive move that more or less gave NC State the win. Funny enough, Gapes was the main woman on NC State's relay that I felt was the biggest wild card. I admittedly don't have much to say about Virginia and Penn State. Again, I thought they would be more competitive for the win, but they also had multiple races under their legs. Although, even if they were fresh, I don't know if the Cavaliers or Nittany Lions would have been able to make up the five to second-second gap that NC State put on them. Also, great run by the Wisconsin women. I felt like they were one of the more underrated lineups in this field and they proved that by earning a strong 4th place finish. Yes, they admittedly found themselves in "no man's land" by the end of the race, but they were closer to the top teams than the next-best relays. Sam Whitmarsh Splits 1:45 (800) as Texas A&M Defeats Oregon for 4x800m Win at Penn Relays From a time perspective, no team in the men's 4x800-meter relay had a runner who was as strong as Sam Whitmarsh. The Texas A&M standout had proven pedigree and had posted a monster 1:44 (800) PR earlier this season. In other words, all that the Aggie men had to do in this race was give Whitmarsh the baton within striking distance of the leaders. And thankfully for him, they did just that. The first leg of this race was oddly tactical with the fastest split being 1:51 and seven teams failing to run under 1:52. In my eyes, that was very disadvantageous for Texas A&M. With a high-octane lead-off runner such as Kimar Farquharson (who has run 1:46 multiple times), the Aggies weren't able to get the time differential edge on the rest of the field that they likely thought they could. Not only that, but Virginia's Alex Leath was brilliant, taking over the lead with a great kick in the final 100 meters. Thankfully for the men of College Station, both Caden Norris (1:48) and Cooper Cawthra (1:49) did exactly what was needed of them. Neither of those men needed to blow the field away or run in the 1:47 range. However, both men did need to split under 1:50 and keep Texas A&M within reach of the leaders -- and that's exactly what happened. But make no mistake, Sam Whitmarsh wasn't at all handed the win. The towering half-miler in maroon still had a lot of work to do to catch Oregon's Matthew Erickson. With him, he brought Georgetown's Tinoda Matsatsa who initially hung on fairly well before faltering. However, maybe the most impressive part about Whitmarsh's race is that his competition was still on his heels with 200 meters. But once he turned on the jets, no one could match his stride nor his eventual one-and-a-half-second lead. Whitmarsh should leave this weekend with a lot of positives. The Texas A&M star split 1:45-low which somewhat validates his monster 1:44 (800) PR from earlier this season. Not only that, but he was able to run tactically and pull away from a very strong field despite being so aggressive in the first-half of his split. We already viewed Whitmarsh as a national title contender, but Saturday's performance further solidified that status for him. The Oregon men deserve major kudos for how they performed. Rheinhardt Harrison splitting 1:47 on the second leg of this relay was massive. It's been a while since we've seen the former high school superstar toe the line and be truly competitive, partially due to injuries. But the month of April has suggested otherwise for this Florida native. Harrison ran 3:41 for 1500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational and split an 800-meter time that opened up this relay for the Ducks to be in contention to win. That didn't happen, and they instead had to settle for runner-up, but seeing Harrison healthy and firing on all cylinders is a major win. Georgetown's Tim McInerney (1:47) continues to validate my theory that he is one of the most reliable half-milers in the NCAA. Virginia's Alex Leath ran like a veteran on the lead-off leg to put the Cavalier men in front. The Villanova men were great across the board, but Jamie Moreland splitting 1:48 was really impressive for a former D3 guy (even if he had run 1:49 multiple times before). Drama Ensues as Providence Women Drop Baton in Final Moments of 4x800m Battle, Washington Earns Victory Because what's Penn Relays without some late-race drama? The Providence women were the leaders of this race through the first three legs after their lead-off runner, Alex O'Neill, put a fairly large gap on the field. And with Kimberley May splitting 2:02, it was going to be hard for another team to make up that gap. But the Washington women slowly chipped away at the Friars' lead on the third leg as Samantha Friborg was excellent, earning a 2:02 split of her own. And from there, it was up to Chloe Foerster to catch up to Shannon Flockhart on the anchor leg. Sure enough, Foerster and Flockhart ended being shoulder-to-shoulder with 200 meters to go. And as they hit the final stretch, the two mile stars were still neck-and-neck. However, with 50 meters to go (maybe less) Flockhart dropped the baton after potentially tangling arms with Foerster. Flockhart would cross the line without the baton, seemingly showing confusion as to what happened. However, the Friars would ultimately be disqualified and Washington was given the win in an NCAA record time of 8:17.28. Regardless of the final result, this was an incredible effort for both teams. Alex O'Neill looked like a borderline star in her effort with the separation that she was able to get on the lead-off leg and Kimberley May's 2:02 split may fall under the radar despite being really impressive. Overall, Providence was not a team that I expected to be in contention for winning this race, especially after posting a 10:39 mark in the DMR the day before. Washington, meanwhile, not only got a 2:02 split from Chloe Foerster, but they also got a 2:02 split from Samantha Friborg! The Yale graduate transfer has been great since joining the Huskies and she is a major reason why this team was battling for the win in the final moments of this race. As for Foerster, I loved that she ran something quick after struggling on the DMR the night before. That's great resilience for a sophomore. I also gotta give some love to Duke, a team that I specifically highlighted as a team to watch in this race. Sure, they were a ways back from the leaders, but they still secured silver (after the Providence DQ). Plus, Duke joined Washington (and presumably Providence if they had not been DQ'd) as the only teams in the field to have all four women split under 2:10. How about Charlotte Tomkinson? The Blue Devil talent has always had a ton of upside and potential, but we're finally beginning to see that this spring. After running 4:15 (1500) and 2:03 (800) earlier this season, the Duke athlete recorded the fastest split on her relay (2:05). Be sure to keep an eye on her at the East Regional Championships -- she could be in store for a better-than-expected performance.

Day one of Penn Relays is a wrap! And as we continue to cover day two and day three of the meet on our social media pages, we wanted to offer some analysis and insight on a few of the individual collegiate results that we on Thursday night. Here is what took place in the individual events at Franklin Field... Rider's Teagan Schein-Becker Runs 4:09 (1500) to Earn Marquee Win We've known for multiple seasons that Rider's Teagan Schein-Becker is a nationally competitive middle distance talent. She thrived in March of 2023, running 2:02 for 800 meters at the IC4A Indoor Championships and later running 4:10 for 1500 meters at the Raleigh Relays. However, Schein-Becker's performances on the track this past winter and spring, while strong, weren't quite as potent as what she had shown us last year...that is, until she reached the second-half of April. The Rider veteran threw down another 2:02 (800) mark last weekend at the Virginia Challenge (earning a small PR in the process) and just took home a massive 1500-meter win at the Penn Relays last night! In a field that featured a variety of underrated talents, Schein-Becker produced a fantastic 4:09 personal best to comfortably earn a two-and-a-half-second win. However, more importantly, Schein-Becker was fantastic late in the race, throwing down an incredibly smooth kick that the field had zero response for. Schein-Becker's 2023 outdoor track season ended earlier than she likely wanted it to as she failed to get out of the East region. However, this year, the Rider veteran looks just as good -- maybe even better -- and is seemingly peaking later than last year (which is a good thing). Sure, the Bronco ace was the favorite to win Thursday night's metric mile battle, but taking down top milers such as Kileigh Kane, Florence Caron, Alex Carlson and a breakout performer in Aniya Mosley deserves massive respect. Be sure to keep Schein-Becker on your radar moving forward. As for Mosley, her 4:12 (1500) was a massive personal best. By how much? Well, what if I told you that, according to TFRRS, her 1500-meter PR prior to Thursday was 4:21 and her mile PR was 4:43? That is A TON of time to drop in one race, even if her 2:04 (800) suggested that she was more fit than that. And it wasn't just the time that was impressive -- Mosley took down BIG 10 rivals who were battling for conference titles this past winter. That includes Kane, Caron and Carlson. Keep that in mind when the BIG 10 Outdoor Championships come around. As for Kane (4:13), Caron (4:13) and Carlson (4:15), they had fine races, but Northeastern's Ava Duggan (4:15) and Richmond's Elizabeth Stockman (4:15) did split them up with solid efforts of their own. Eastern Kentucky's Kristian Imroth Runs 8:35 in Steeplechase as Four Other Men Go Sub-8:40 Death, taxes and the Eastern Kentucky men boasting some of the best steeplechase talents in the NCAA. Those are guarantees in life. However, we thought we already knew what the EKU men had on their roster this year as far as steeplechasers were concerned. Highlighted by Abdelhakim Abouzouhir, Pedro Garcia-Palencia, Ahmed Kadri and Keeton Thornsberry, the Colonels were already stacked to the brim with men who could thrive on the barriers. But then Kristian Imroth toed the line at the Penn Relays on Thursday night. He was a name who, truthfully, we should have given more attention to. After all, he had run 8:42 over the barriers and water pits at the Raleigh Relays earlier this season. However, for this EKU junior to drop seven seconds, run 8:35 and defeat a very underrated field of established All-American-caliber veterans is a big deal. Guys like NC State's Brett Gardner and Providence's Patrick Thygesen are not at all pushovers. And by having a second race on his resume where he was in the mix with those same men, I think it's time that we start talking about Imroth as a possible backend All-American threat. More importantly, Imroth covered a fairly large gap that Gardner established late in the race and out-kicked him in the final straightaway. That's tremendous poise and tactical awareness from the EKU talent was able to celebrate across the line. Even though Gardner didn't win, I still really liked that he was as aggressive as he was. That move almost paid off for him and he still ran an 8:36 PR in the process. The NC State veteran has been a competitive names for a few years now, but Thursday night was the most poised and confident that I have seen him be in a long time -- maybe ever. Gardner will still need to continue to improve and be able to respond to even better competition in future races. However, with still over a month to go until the national meet, I like the trajectory that this Wolfpack runner is on. Providence's Patrick Thygesen, Wisconsin's Logan Measner and Michigan's Caleb Jarema took the next three spots (in that order) and all posted times of 8:37. For Thygesen, this was a solid effort, although he has proven in past races that he can be even better. I did like that he was the one who took over the lead when Northeastern's Alexander Korczynski began to fade, but his jump to the front didn't necessarily break the field, either. Of course, if the Providence veteran is still running 8:37 in a steeplechase battle that I thought wasn't his best effort, then that may actually be a good thing. Simply building consistency in a race as variable and volatile as the steeplechase isn't easy to do. As for Measner and Jarema, they both had breakout races, each running 8:37. However, if you look at their past performances, you could see that a result like this was coming for both of these men. Measner had run 8:41 in this event at last year's West Regional Championships while Jarema has posted five personal bests in five different races in his last six efforts. Plus, his cross country accolades showed a clear rise in his fitness. Both of those men have shown promising momentum as of late. And in a race where they were (mostly) competitive with legitimate All-American threats, you have to imagine that they'll build on these performances in the postseason (as most steeplechasers do). Elon's Jette Beermann Runs 15:42 (5k) to Narrowly Defeat Northwestern's Ava Earl Who Also Runs 15:42 (5k) How this race unfolded was fairly straightforward. Washington's Haley Herberg took over leading duties for a good portion of this race before Penn State's Sophia Toti assumed the lead for a few laps as well. However, it wasn't until the final portions of the race that Northwestern's Ava Earl and Elon's Jette Beermann began to go back and forth. In the end, Beermann got the narrow edge on Earl, holding off her Northwestern counterpart in the final stretch to secure the win. Both women ran personal bests of 15:42 in the process. Video via X.com / @Flotrack For someone like Earl, we saw this kind of performance coming. In fact, TSR contributor Maura Beattie even predicted that Earl would run 15:41 for the win (she didn't nail it, but gosh was she close). The Wildcat veteran has been quietly really solid over the last year or so and had run 15:46 for 5000 meters at the Raleigh Relays earlier this season. While she didn't secure gold, the ongoing improvements of Earl have been more than encouraging to see. She has clearly made a leap in her fitness, but she's still improving with each passing race -- that's really hard to do! Despite the fantastic 5k success that Earl is having, everything on her resume suggests that she would actually be at her best in the 10k. I don't know if we'll see her contest that race for the first time ever this late into the season, but there is clear aerobic strength that would lend well to the monotony and aerobic exhaustion that comes with the 10k. Of course, Beermann was the one who actually secured the win. And unlike Earl, there weren't many signs on the resume of this Elon stud that she was going to run 15:42 (5k) on Thursday night. According to TFRRS, Beermann had never run under 16:00 for 5000 meters before. In fact, her prior 5k PR was "only" a time of 16:07 which she ran at the Raleigh Relays earlier this season. Not only that, but Beermann was likely viewed as more of a miler prior to Thursday after running a strong mark of 4:16 for 1500 meters at the Duke Invitational. Sure, there were subtle aspects of Beermann's season which suggested that she was due for a big-time race. However, to drop so much time and reach a nationally competitive mark en route to a win on a notably large regular season stage is stunning. We still want to see this rising Elon star replicate the caliber of this result in the near future. But at the very least, we do know that her momentum is legitimate. And not only that, but she may have even more untapped upside that we still don't know about. That's maybe the scariest part about Beermann's latest performance... As for Sophia Toti, the Penn State runner held her own. Yes, Beermann and Earl did get her in the end, but Toti hung tough and still walked away with an impressive 15:44 (5k) PR. That's great validation for a runner who was having a respectable year, but truly reached a new level when she ran 32:57 for 10,000 meters at the Raleigh Relays. And now, with a strong 5k mark under her belt, Toti may be approaching her peak at just the right time. Notre Dame's Josh Methner Runs 28:43 (10k) to Secure Penn Relays Win as Five Other Men Run Under 29 Minutes This was basically a race which featured men from Notre Dame and Eastern Kentucky as well as Hofstra ace, Abraham Longosiwa. And after a bunch of back and forth tactics, it was Fighting Irish veteran Josh Methner taking over with 400 meters to go en route to a 10k win, a time of 28:43 and a tribute to streamer Sketch as his finish line celebration. The following men -- Abraham Longosiwa (Hofstra), Nikodem Dworczak (Eastern Kentucky), Robert Cozean (Notre Dame), Cooper Schroeder (Florida State) and Evan Brennan (Stony Brook) -- also ran under 29 minutes in this same race. Video via X.com / @Flotrack Methner has been such a challenging name to figure out throughout his time in the NCAA. This is someone who was a cross country All-American during the pandemic-altered winter of 2021 and eventually went on to qualify for the outdoor national meet over 10,000 meters in the spring of 2022. However, Methner's career has also featured stretches where he doesn't race and there are other times where some of his performances are so much better than others. Thankfully, this Notre Dame veteran is seemingly nearing his prior peak form. A 28:43 mark is only three seconds off of his 10k PR and if he can maintain/build upon this effort, then there is a good chance that Methner will find himself back on the national stage. As for everyone else, there isn't much to discuss. This is roughly what we expected to see from this field in general, although that doesn't make their performances less impressive. I do, however, believe that Abraham Longosiwa can run even faster. That's because the Hofstra talent ran 28:35 in this event during his time in Kenya. Leah Stephens Doubles Back From 1500m to Win 10k in 33:09 While Kelsey Chmiel Makes Long-Awaited Return Admittedly, the women's 10k race didn't leave us with a ton of jaw-dropping performances. Even so, the NC State women made sure to leave us with a few headlines before Thursday night concluded. That's because true freshman Leah Stephens took home the win in a strong 10k time of 33:09. And while that is certainly a respectable mark, what made that performance even more impressive is the fact that Stephens also ran the 1500 meters a few hours beforehand! Truthfully, Stephens' metric mile effort wasn't all that exciting, but securing a 10k win on tired legs over a field that had a handful of respectable talents is impressive. Video via X.com / @Flotrack In my eyes, Stephens is still more of a cross country runner than she is a track runner. Her entire freshman year has largely validated that suspicion. Even so, earning a clutch win like this and running as fast as she did should put the Wolfpack rookie into contention for a national qualifying spot in this event once we reach the postseason. However, maybe more importantly, teammate Kelsey Chmiel made her long-awaited return! The NC State veteran finished runner-up behind Stephens in 33:15 to hold off Georgetown's Maggie Donahue (33:16) as well as Tennessee's Caroline Lyerly (33:19) and Jillian Candelino (33:30). But...what did we actually learn from Chmiel's first race back since October? Well, we learned that Chmiel has remained competitive, but she's not necessarily in All-American form...yet. Remember, this Wolfpack veteran owns a personal best of 32:45 for 10,000 meters. Yes, that's still 30 seconds out from what she ran on Thursday, but for someone as talented and as experienced as Chmiel who still has a month to go before the East Regional Championships, her PR may not be completely out of reach this spring. And if she's able to run this well in what was the rustiest of rust-busters, then what can she do in late May and early June? I've learned over the years not to doubt Chmiel and unbelievably, despite all that she's gone through, I'm not prepared to take her out of All-American conversation yet. Quick Hits Did anyone see how good the Stony Brook men were on Thursday night? Collin Gilstrap won the 1500 meters in 3:42, Evan Brennan was the last man under 29 minutes for 10,000 meters and Carlos Santos ran a very strong time of 8:40 in the steeplechase! Coach Andy Ronan should be thrilled with how his Seawolf men performed last night, that was some all-around impressive racing. Gilstrap in particular looks like he could legitimately be national-caliber standout a few years down the line. Penn's Olivia Morganti secured the win in the women's steeplechase. The Quaker ace was the only woman in the field to run under 10:00 in the event, clocking a mark of 9:57. Don't be surprised if Morganti makes it to the national meet this year. She may also end up being a sneaky-great graduate transfer pickup for a Colorado program that's been in need of greater scoring on the grass. A 3:43 mark for 1500 meters may not look exciting, but I do like that Villanova's Devon Comber is building consistency. He unleashed a big kick at the end of this race that led me to believe that he could run considerably faster. The men's 5000 meters was highlighted by North Carolina's Will Coogan, Youngstown State's Hunter Christopher and North Carolina's Patrick Anderson. That trio went 1-2-3 and clocked 5k times of 13:52, 13:53 and 13:53, respectively. However, the story goes much deeper than that. That's because both Coogan and Anderson are now a little over a year removed from being in a severe car accident -- one that was nearly fatal. So while Thursday's results may not seem all that exciting on paper, their comeback story most certainly is.

The Penn Relays have a special place in my heart. 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 was able to attend the Penn Relays in each of my four years in high school. And it isn't until you attend the Penn Relays in person that you can truly appreciate the historic prestige of the Franklin Field-hosted meet. The venue has seamlessly meshed a weekend of racing for athletes who range anywhere from wide-eyed middle schoolers to accomplished Olympians and everything in between. 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 being released and the meet schedule, we weren't 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… Click here for final predictions NOTE: The Stride Report is basing this preview off of the entries shown on Thursday, April 25th as of 5:00pm EST. It is possible that these relay entries could change. Women’s DMR (Championship of America) Providence Friars Entered Lineup: Shannon Flockhart, Jillian Fenerty, Alex O'Neill, Kimberley May There is a very good argument to be made that the Providence women boast the best two legs in this entire field. Shannon Flockhart and Kimberley May are top-tier milers who helped the Friars win the 4x1500-meter relay at last year's Penn Relays. And given how strong 800-meter leg Alex O'Neill looked at the indoor national meet, expect the Friars to be even more dangerous with fresh legs. Virginia Cavaliers Entered Lineup: Margot Appleton, Alahna Sabbakhan, Esther Seeland, Anna Workman Across the board, this is a very strong lineup that doesn't seem to have any weaknesses. Margot Appleton is a true ace while Esther Seeland and Anna Workman are two national-caliber names in their own right. If they simply stay the course and avoid anyone having a true "off" day, then the Cavaliers could have a shot at the win. Harvard Crimson Entered Lineup: Sophia Gorriaran, Chloe Fair, Victoria Bossong, Maia Ramsden Some may argue with me, but I think the Harvard women may actually be favored to win this race. A lot of that is because Maia Ramsden is likely going to be their anchor leg. And as long as she is close enough to the lead, she'll likely come out on top. But with Sophia Gorriaran and Victoria Bossong emerging as upper-echelon middle distance runners, they should fare well against a DMR field that isn't necessarily littered with star names prior to the anchor leg. Washington Huskies Entered Lineup: Samantha Friborg, Marlena Preigh, Wilma Nielsen, Chloe Foerster Much like Virginia, there isn't necessarily a weak spot in this lineup. Everyone on Washington's entered relay should be able to add meaningful value. However, the order of this lineup will largely dictate just how effective this team can be on Friday. Chloe Foerster will undoubtedly be a great anchor leg, but any of the remaining three women listed for this relay could run in any of the three remaining spots. Duke Blue Devils Entered Lineup: Julia Fenerty, Samantha Wallenstrom, Iris Downes, Charlotte Tomkinson Not having Amina Maatoug, who recently entered the transfer portal as a future graduate student, admittedly limits the ceiling of what this Duke team will be able to do. That said, Julia Fenerty is better than some people may realize and I would argue that the rest of the women in this lineup are due for breakout performances. No, I don't think that's going to put them in contention with the top teams, but they probably won't be flailing, either. Penn State Nittany Lions Entered Lineup: Hayley Kitching, Zoey Goldstein, Allison Johnson, Kileigh Kane If Hayley Kitching takes the 1200-meter leg, then the Penn State women may have the best lead-off runner in the field depending on the order of their opposing lineups. Across the board, the Nittany Lions are going to be competitive throughout the race, but after Kitching, they're going to have a major challenge trying to find an edge on this field. That's because other relays seemingly get stronger after their opening runner hands off the baton. Clemson Tigers Entered Lineup: Gladys Chepngetich, Jessica McLean, Brynne Sumner, Silvia Jelelgo The Clemson women aren't going to win this race, but they could improve upon their 11:00 mark from the indoor track season. Gladys Chepngetich is an excellent ace to have and Silvia Jelelgo will at least raise the floor of this team going into Friday. Even so, the Tigers' DMR is certainly going to have their work cut out for them. Villanova Wildcats Entered Lineup: Madison Martinez, Oliva Allen, Micah Trusty, Emma McGill This is a team that is built for the 4x800-meter relay as both Madison Martinez and Micah Trusty have run under 2:05 (800) at certain points in their careers. Sure, the Wildcats will hold their own in this race, but they aren't expected to be major factors. Saturday, however, may be a slightly different story in the 4x800-meter relay. Columbia Lions Entered Lineup: Nicole Vanasse, Sydney Goldson, Olivia Schmitt, Phoebe Anderson Nicole Vanasse and Phoebe Anderson are going to be the two women who this relay is built around. The former has been looking awesome as of late, recently running 4:11 for 1500 meters, while the latter has some of the best aerobic strength in this entire field. Sure, the Lions aren't necessarily built for the DMR, but they have high-impact names at the two most important spots of their lineup. Georgetown Hoyas Entered Lineup: Anya Hirschfeld, Kaira Brown, DeAnna Martin, Chloe Gonzalez Without Melissa Riggins, it's hard to see the Georgetown women truly being a factor in this race. That, of course, isn't to say that they don't have some solid names. Each of these women fit perfectly into their projected legs of this lineup. So while I don't necessarily expect them to have a high ceiling, I do think they have a somewhat high floor. Richmond Spiders Entered Lineup: Elizabeth Stockman, Ginny Beringer, Caroline Donohoe, Madison Trippett The Richmond women are admittedly going to have their work cut-out for them on Friday. Each of these ladies has shown recent promise and progression. Plus, they don't seemingly have a major drop-off in talent between legs. However, they'll need a big-time performance from one or two of these women to boost themselves out of the backend of this field. TCU Horned Frogs Entered Lineup: Tabitha Ngao, Dreunna Washington, Jasmin Muhammad-Graham, Gracie Morris Despite their underwhelming DMR effort at the Alex Wilson Invite during the winter months, I still think this team is better than what their 11:04 performance previously showed. Gracie Morris is one of the better anchors in this field who has looked very strong as of late. I'm not saying that the Horned Frogs are going to be anywhere near the winning group, but Morris is at least going to keep things interesting...I think. Ohio State Buckeyes Entered Lineup: Aniya Mosley, Gia Napoleon, Carina Napoleon, Amelia Figler Aniya Mosley is having a fairly respectable season, but the Ohio State women are simply not as accomplished as the other teams in this field. That, of course, is because many of their best runners are longer distance talents. Texas A&M Aggies Entered Lineup: Bailey Goggans, Kennedy Wade, Avery Perkins, Kennady Fontenot The middle distance duo of Bailey Goggans (2:02 for 800 meters) and Kennedy Wade (52.10 seconds for 400 meters) should give this lineup a really nice boost. However, the other half of the Aggies' DMR lineup are going to be racing against women who are flat-out stronger across the board. Men’s DMR (Championship of America) Georgetown Hoyas Entered Lineup: Camden Gilmore, Joshua Paige, Tinoda Matsatsa, Abel Teffra I would not argue with anyone who says that the Georgetown men are favored to win this race. They did, after all, finish a narrow runner-up in this event at the NCAA Indoor Championships and this lineup is just as good. There are legitimate heavy-hitters at each point of this relay and they can mostly match the top-tier names on other relays. However, if Abel Teffra gets the baton on the anchor leg at the same time as Gary Martin and Liam Murphy, then he is going to have his hands full trying to defeat those men. Virginia Cavaliers Entered Lineup: Conor Murphy, Alex Sherman, Alex Leath, Gary Martin This is a complete DMR lineup void of any major deficiencies. Gary Martin is a true ace on the anchor leg of this lineup and his teammates should keep him within reach of the lead. However, Conor Murphy will be the key name to watch. He hasn't been at his best since the month of February. Even so, Murphy at 70% should still make him a strong enough name to keep the Cavaliers competitive. Villanova Wildcats Entered Lineup: Charlie O'Donovan, Dan Watcke, Sean Dolan, Liam Murphy On paper, I think this is the best lineup in the field. Liam Murphy is the best anchor leg who is entered, Sean Dolan might be the best 800-meter leg who is entered (depending on what you think about Sam Whitmarsh and Handal Roban) and Charlie O'Donovan is as good as any 1200-meter leg who he'll toe the line next to. No NCAA program at the Penn Relays takes this meet as seriously as Villanova does. And with tons of experience on their side, I would tab the Wildcats as the focal favorites of this DMR race. Oregon Ducks Entered Lineup: Rheinhardt Harrison, James Harding, Matthew Erickson, Simeon Birnbaum* NOTE: Simeon Birnbaum is listed in the entries, although the Register Guard reported earlier this month that the Oregon freshman is not expected to compete for the remainder of the academic year due to injury. Both James Harding and Matthew Erickson are better than some people may give them credit for. However, the youth and inexperience of both Rheinhardt Harrison and Simeon Birnbaum will be interesting to monitor in a field as loaded as this. The Ducks' DMR lineup is packed with tons of natural talent, but Oregon's general lack of racing has made it tricky to gauge expectations. Michigan Wolverines Entered Lineup: Miles Brown, Michael Hancock, Camden Law, John O'Reilly I've said before that I really like Miles Brown when he's on Michigan's DMR. He has consistently stepped up and provided great value every time that he has a baton in his hand. However, without standout anchor leg Nick Foster, this team is simply going to be limited on firepower compared to a few of their counterparts. Penn State Nittany Lions Entered Lineup: Yukichi Ishii, Cheickna Traore, Handal Roban, Evan Dorenkamp Across the board, this is a really strong relay with pockets of explosive speed (i.e. Cheickna Traore and Handal Roban). If Yuikichi Ishii can keep the Nittany Lions in contention through the first leg (which we're assuming he'll run), then the middle portion of this lineup should be good enough to put Evan Dorenkamp within reach of the leaders. And if that happens, then I wouldn't sleep on the underrated closing speed of the Penn State veteran. Duke Blue Devils Entered Lineup: Ryan Wilson, Alejandro Rodriguez, Jeremy Kain, Beck Wittstadt When everyone is at their best, this is a somewhat underrated lineup, especially with Beck Wittstadt showing a lot of promise of late. Ryan Wilson isn't quite in top form yet, but he's still very solid and Jeremy Kain has been fairly reliable as well. While they may not have tons of upside in a race like this, I also don't see a scenario where the Blue Devils struggle in any dramatic way on Friday. Texas A&M Aggies Entered Lineup: Cooper Cawthra, DeMarco Escobar, Sam Whitmarsh, Ondrej Gajdos Assuming that the order listed above is the order that Texas A&M actually employs for this race, the men from College Station may have a legitimate shot at a top-five finish. DeMarco Escobar and Sam Whitmarsh are a lethal duo to have in the middle portion of this lineup while Cooper Cawthra and Ondrej Gajdos are no slouches, either. Other teams will have more impactful lead-off and anchor legs, but the Aggies have an overall better DMR than some may give them credit for. NC State Wolfpack Entered Lineup: Zach Hughes, Xavier Branker, Wesley Larson, Brett Gardner I like this NC State lineup, but I don't necessarily love it. Having veteran Zach Hughes on the lead-off leg should be a good fit for him and Brett Gardner is seemingly at/near the best fitness in his career. However, ensuring that Gardner gets the baton in a good enough position will be a challenge when looking at the competition that the Wolfpack's first three legs will have to face. Navy Midshipmen Entered Lineup: Luke Nester, William Gravitt, Carson Sloat, Samuel Keeny For whatever reason, the Patriot League always seems to have a sneaky-good amount of middle distance depth. And sure enough, the Naval Academy is a good example. Even so, this team is built more for the 4x800-meter relay than the DMR. Clemson Tigers Entered Lineup: Brian Kweyei, Charles Crick, Gabriel Ludwick, Corentin Serbource Without Blaik Slavinski, Cameron Rose, Tarees Rhoden, Aman Thornton or Victor Ndiwa, there's only so much that Clemson's DMR lineup will be able to do on Friday. That said, Brian Kweyei is a 1:45 (800) runner who recently came over from Kenya. He hasn't replicated that kind of effort yet, but he has proven to be a strong and competitive name. Yale Bulldogs Entered Lineup: Winslow Atkeson, Aaron Miller, Thomas Cirrito, Owen Karas I would not sleep on the Yale men this Friday. If you piece together the best performances of the men entered in this relay, then they could pull off a few upsets. Thomas Cirrito has run 1:48 (800) this season, Winslow Atkeson is a sub-four miler and Owen Karas is fresh off of running 3:40 for 1500 meters. No, I'm not saying that they'll win, but it would not at all surprise me if Yale ended up in the top-half of this race. Women’s 4x800-Meter Relay (Championship of America) Penn State Nittany Lions Entered Lineup: Victoria Vanriele, Allison Johnson, Madaline Ullom, Hayley Kitching If the Penn State women win this race, it's going to be because their first three legs positioned their presumed anchor leg, Hayley Kitching, in a good enough position to take down the Washington women. I would argue that the Huskies have the advantage through the first three legs, but it won't be by a lot. If the Nittany Lions can stay within striking distance, then I would take Kitching over any other leg in this field (yes, that includes Wilma Nielsen and Gladys Chepngetich). Washington Huskies Entered Lineup: Wilma Nielsen, Samantha Friborg, Marlena Preigh, Chloe Foerster Each of these women would be focal names on nearly every other relay in this field. In fact, this is probably the best four-person collection of middle distance runners that you'll find in this race. Sure, the talent of this group is admirable, but their consistency and reliability is what puts them over the top. Of course, if the rest of the field is close enough to Chloe Foerster when she gets the baton, then the sophomore will have quite the fight on her hands as she aims to shake off top-tier half-milers. Villanova Wildcasts Entered Lineup: Maya Dorer, Madison Martinez, Alex Stasichin, Micah Trusty There isn't necessarily one name on this relay who stands out in a major way. However, in theory, it feels like the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Both Madison Martinez and Micah Trusty are sub-2:05 (800) runners and Alex Stasichin is a respectable name as well. Admittedly, Maya Dorer hasn't looked like herself this year, but as long as she can continue to chip away at her times like she recently has, then the Wildcats will have a shot at placing inside the top-half of this field. Clemson Tigers Entered Lineup: Brynne Sumner, Kayan Green, Jessica McLean, Gladys Chepngetich There isn't a woman on this relay who has an 800-meter PR that is slower than 2:06. That is a really impressive stat when you consider that Clemson's ace, Gladys Chepngetich, has run 2:00 for the half-mile distance before. Simply put, I see very limited downside and tons of upside for the Tigers this weekend. Providence Friars Entered Lineup: Alex O'Neill, Kimberley May, Maeve O'Neill, Shannon Flockhart While this may be Providence's entered lineup for the 4x800-meter relay, it's highly doubtful that this is the personnel who the Friars will use for Saturday's race. That's because the women's 4x1500-meter relay is two hours beforehand and that's almost certainly the event that Coach Ray Treacy and his women will want to go "all-in" for. Virginia Cavaliers Entered Lineup: Esther Seeland, Alahna Sabbakhan, Maggie Hock, Tatum David Having a 2:02 (800) runner like Esther Seeland certainly makes the Virginia women an interesting team in this field and similar to Clemson, the Cavaliers don't have anyone in this lineup with an 800-meter PR slower than 2:05. Rookie Tatum David will be the main x-factor for this team. Her latest 2:11 (800) mark isn't encouraging, but a 4:19 (1500) mark most certainly is. Georgetown Hoyas Entered Lineup: Melissa Riggins, DeAnna Martin, Chloe Gonzalez, Sierra Dinneen Most people will look at this Georgetown lineup and assume that Melissa Riggins will simply carry this team on Saturday. And while it's true that she is the focal star of this relay, the rest of these women are hardly pushovers. Having DeAnna Martin, who is seemingly due to improve upon her 2:05 (800) PR, should be a nice complement to Riggins. Duke Blue Devils Entered Lineup: Charlotte Tomkinson, Iris Downes, Julia Fenerty, Lauren Tolbert Even without Amina Maatoug, this is a really good lineup that could absolutely finish among the top-five on Saturday. Everyone but Iris Downes owns a 2:03 PR in this event and Downes is someone who just ran a promising 2:05 PR last weekend. I really like this group a lot and they wouldn't surprise me if they upset a handful of top teams in this race. Richmond Spiders Entered Lineup: Caroline Donohoe, Ginny Beringer, Dylan Miller, Morgan Lyons Keep an eye on Carolina Donohoe who has run 2:07 for 800 meters. Otherwise, this lineup may be overwhelmed against teams that are simply better than them. Penn Quakers Entered Lineup: Elizabeth Orr, Chloe Hassman, Camille Jordan, Phoebe White Elizabeth Orr just ran a recent 2:09 (800) PR, Chloe Hassman just ran a recent 2:06 (800) PR, Camille Jordan just ran a recent 2:08 (800) PR and Phoebe White is a bit of a wildcard who can run faster than her 2:13 mark suggests. Racing on their home track with tons of momentum under their legs should allow the Penn women to beat expectations. Maryland Terrapins Entered Lineup: Kami Joi Hickson, Emma Pegg, Katie Turk, Anna Coffin On paper, the 800-meter times of these women don't necessarily capture your attention. Even so, this is an experienced Maryland group that has produced a handful of new personal bests as of late. They're massive underdogs compared to the rest of the field, but it feels like they're slightly better than their times suggest. Navy Midshipmen Entered Lineup: Alexandra Wercinski, Kayla McGuire, McKenna Brophy, Eleanor Abraham Sure, this team won't make headlines tomorrow, but they're a respectable group. The women of Navy boast a few sub-2:10 (800) runners while Eleanor Abraham has been posting some really solid times as of late. Michigan State Spartans Entered Lineup: Shae Harbaugh, Alison Ziehl, Sarah Coyne, Reese Powers With a 2:07 (800) mark, Shae Harbaugh is a nice name to have headlining this lineup. However, the rest of her teammates are going to have their work cut out for them as the other women in this field boast personal bests that are noticeably faster. Men’s 4x800-Meter Relay (Championship of America) Penn State Nittany Lions Entered Lineup: Yukichi Ishii, Darius Smallwood, Olivier Desmeules, Handal Roban Each of the men entered for Penn State in the 4x800-meter relay all own personal bests under the 1:48 mark. Handal Roban is a true star who has run 1:45 (800) before and Desmeules can be very underrated at times. This team isn't unstoppable, but with Yukichi Ishii and Darius Smallwood often acting as reliable names in their own right, the other teams in this field will need their best-ever efforts to secure gold. Texas A&M Aggies Entered Lineup: Caden Norris, Cooper Cawthra, Kimar Farquharson, Sam Whitmarsh Potentially the biggest threat to the Penn State men is Texas A&M. With two star-caliber legs on this relay, Kimar Farquharson and Sam Whitmarsh, the potential for gold is very much present for this group. However, Caden Norris and Cooper Cawthra, while solid, will need some of their best-ever races to match the names who Penn State and Georgetown will field. Georgetown Hoyas Entered Lineup: Tim McInerney, Abel Teffra, Matthew Payamps, Tinoda Matsatsa I really like every single name in this lineup. Tim McInerney has quietly evolved into one of the more reliable half-milers in the country, Abel Teffra has made a leap in his fitness, Matthew Payamps is near his peak fitness and Tinoda Matsatsa showed us how talented he is during the winter months. The only caveat, however, is that Teffra is also listed in Georgetown's 4xMile relay. Would he really try to double back from that race from two hours beforehand? Clemson Tigers Entered Lineup: Aman Thornton, Gabriel Ludwick, Brian Kweyei, Tarees Rhoden I don't know if I personally see the Clemson men winning this race, but it's certainly possible. Tarees Rhoden is All-American talent and Aman Thornton is one of the more underrated half-milers on the east coast. However, the real differentiator for the Tigers will be Brian Kweyei, a recent Kenya recruit who owns a 1:45 (800) PR. Admittedly, Kweyei has "only" run 1:48 this year, but knowing what his potential is makes the Tigers plenty scary. Oregon Ducks Entered Lineup: Matthew Erickson, James Harding, Tomas Palfrey, Elliott Cook If you're looking for a deep sleeper team, I would suggest taking the Oregon men. Matthew Erickson has run 1:46 (800), James Harding has run 1:47 (800), Tomas Palfrey has run 1:48 (800) and Elliott Cook has run 1:46 (800). On paper, that lineup may be just as complete as what Penn State and Georgetown have. Villanova Wildcats Entered Lineup: Sean Dolan, Jamie Moreland, Dan Watcke, Evan Addison This is a very solid relay with a lot to like. However, Sean Dolan is the engine that makes this group truly competitive. And for as much as I like him and Dan Watcke, there are other teams that are simply more complete and feature more firepower. Virginia Cavaliers Entered Lineup: Conor Murphy, Alex Leath, Shane Cohen, James Donahue It would take a monumental team performance for the Virginia men to win this race...but it's not impossible. Alex Leath and Shane Cohen have quietly become extremely reliable 800-meter talents and James Donahue has exhibited more raw talent than what his 1:49 (800) PR would suggest. If Conor Murphy can return to his peak for this weekend, then maybe, just maybe, the Cavaliers could pull off a major upset. Michigan Wolverines Entered Lineup: Miles Brown, Henry Johnson, Camden Law, John O'Reilly This is a much stronger relay than they may get credit for. Miles Brown is a borderline ace over 800 meters and is historically awesome in the relay events. Meanwhile, both Law and Johnson have run comfortably under 1:49 before. Sure, they may not have the top-end firepower that a few other relays do, but this is not a team that you'll be able to easily shake come Saturday. Penn Quakers Entered Lineup: Denis Gallagher, Edwin Klanke, Liam Going, Titus Bretzke On paper, this is a deep group with a very high floor. Admittedly, they only have one guy who has run under 1:49 (800) and two men who own PRs that "only" sit at 1:50 for the half-mile distance. Even so, this team should remain relatively competitive throughout most of this race, even if they aren't contending near the front. Columbia Lions Entered Lineup: Justin Gottlieb, Matt Gatune, Michael Danzi, Justin O'Toole The Columbia men have a relay that is very similar to the Penn men. They have strong depth and little downside, but only so much firepower. The one difference, however, is that the Lions have Justin O'Toole, a 1:47 (800) guy with 1:46 (800) potential. The catch? O'Toole hasn't raced since early February when he ran 1:54 for 800 meters at Boston U. In other words, O'Toole's fitness is largely an unknown going into this weekend. UConn Huskies Entered Lineup: Stephen Sutton, Mahamed Sharif, Samuel Geisler, Travis Martin On paper, this is a relay that could finish in the top-half of this field. The challenge, however, is that each of these men are capable of running much faster than they recently have. If everyone's firing on all cylinders, then the Huskies could maybe scare the top-five. That, of course, would require a lot of different things falling in their favor. Navy Midshipmen Entered Lineup: Matthew Newell, Jack Lange, Garrett Baublitz, Tate Frost Navy is typically known for their middle distance depth, at least in the Patriot League. Even so, they'll be deficient on the top-end talent necessary to truly contend with the teams that we have highlighted so far. Women’s 4x1500-Meter Relay (Championship of America) Georgetown Hoyas Entered Lineup: Melissa Riggins, Chloe Gonzalez, Anya Hirschfeld, Chloe Scrimgeour Having someone like Melissa Riggins on your relay will certainly keep you in contention with the top teams in this field. Both Chloe Gonzalez and Anya Hirschfeld are respectable milers, but if the Hoyas want to win, then those two women will need to have big days and Chloe Scrimgeour will need to effectively drop down in distance. NC State Wolfpack Entered Lineup: Samantha Bush, Hannah Gapes, Amaris Tyynismaa, Angelina Napoleon The very best version of this relay can likely win the women's 4x1500-meter title on Saturday. We're confident in what Sam Bush can do, but it's the rest of this lineup that features numerous x-factors. The good news is that Amaris Tyynismaa is slowly rounding back into form, something that could allow the Wolfpack to remain in the hunt for gold. Virginia Cavaliers Entered Lineup: Margot Appleton, Caroline Timm, Tatum David, Anna Workman On paper, this might be the most complete 4x1500-meter lineup in the field. And if Penn State isn't favored to win, then Virginia likely is. Margot Appleton is a true star who should be able to match (or come close to) the top runner on any relay. More importantly, Anna Workman has thrived at this distance and Caroline Timm is a true veteran who recently produced a 1500-meter personal best the other weekend. Tatum David is the main wildcard on this team, but she doesn't necessarily have to be her superstar self in order for the Cavaliers to win gold. Washington Huskies Entered Lineup: Ella Borsheim, Julia David-Smith, India Weir, Haley Herberg I like most of the women in this lineup, although I would also say that they are better suited for the longer distances rather than the 1500 meters. India Weir is a really solid miler and her teammates should be fit enough to remain competitive. But in a race that features four different 1500-meter legs, having a lineup of mostly non-milers is an interesting development. Wisconsin Badgers Entered Lineup: Leane Willemse, Victoria Heiligenthal, Kylie Finger, Madison Mooney This isn't the flashiest lineup, but it doesn't need to be. The Wisconsin women have four fairly solid names among this group and Madison Mooney should be provide great value on the anchor leg. Not only that, but Victoria Heiligenthal is a 4:40 miler who has recently ripped off a handful of personal bests. In other words, she's due for a big mile/1500-meter race. Penn State Nittany Lions Entered Lineup: Kileigh Kane, Florence Caron, Madaline Ullom, Hayley Kitching If the Virginia women aren't favored to win this race, then the Penn State women most certainly are. This four-person lineup is crazy talented with Kileigh Kane holding a 4:32 mile PR, Florence Caron holding a 4:33 mile PR, Madaline Ullon holding a 4:35 mile PR and Hayley Kiching boasting a 4:14 PR for 1500 meters. If everyone on this relay is firing on all cylinders, then I'm not sure how they would lose. That, of course, is not a given. Michigan State Spartans Entered Lineup: Lauren Freeland, Katie Osika, Makenna Veen, Olivia Millen This is a really strong lineup with multiple veterans who have built their reputations over the 1500-meter and mile distances. Lauren Freeland and Katie Osika offer tremendous stability and should keep the Spartans in the hunt for a top-five result. Veen is more of a longer distance talent, but her recent improvements suggest that she'll be plenty helpful on this relay. The main x-factor for Michigan State is Olivia Millen. She's a still-developing sophomore, but as long as she can hold her own, then this team will have a good shot at cracking the top-five. Clemson Tigers Entered Lineup: Brynne Sumner, Madelyn Dinneen, Madison Roush, Silvia Jelelgo Silvia Jelelgo and Brynne Sumner are respectable milers, although the former is coming down in distance and the latter is moving up in distance. With the rest of the field simply being more talented, the Tigers are likely placing more emphasis on the 4x800-meter relay and DMR rather than this event. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Entered Lineup: Gracie Marston, Helena Lindsay, Lottie Chappell, Mary Brady The Georgia Tech women are certainly underdogs, but don't let this race be a reflection of their talent. Both Helenda Lindsay and Mary Brady have been making great progress as of late which should give them some momentum heading into Saturday. Men’s 4xMile Relay (Championship of America) Villanova Wildcats Entered Lineup: Sean Donoghue, Xian Shively, Marco Langon, Devon Comber Some may say that the Villanova men are favored to win this race while others may say the same thing about Wisconsin and Virginia. Regardless, all four men in this lineup are really strong talents who can make up ground if necessary. Marco Langon is probably closer to being a true "ace" than not, but opponents like Adam Spencer and Gary Martin have proven to be far more formidable at this distance. Wisconsin Badgers Entered Lineup: Adam Spencer, Jackson Sharp, Benjamin Nibbelink, Joe dosReis Having Adam Spencer on this relay automatically puts the Badgers into contention for the win regardless of what the rest of this lineup looked like. However, adding in Jackson Sharp who is also a sub-four miler only boosts Wisconsin's chances even more. Both Benjamin Nibbelink and Joe dosReis are sub-four milers, but they'll need to replicate their best efforts to give Spencer an optimal position for the win (assuming that he's anchoring). Virginia Cavaliers Entered Lineup: Yasin Sado, Nathan Mountain, Wes Porter, Gary Martin This relay is very similar to what the Villanova men boast. They have a handful of accomplished talents who each hold great value with one name standing out above the rest (Gary Martin). The dynamic distance star once split 3:51 on an anchor leg this past winter, making him one of the most dangerous runners in this entire field. Even if the Cavaliers are at a deficit when he gets the baton, Martin will likely find a way to put them back in the mix. Georgetown Hoyas Entered Lineup: Lucas Guerra, Peter Herold, Parker Stokes, Camden Gilmore Both Parker Stokes and Camden Gilmore have proven that they can be competitive milers. Thankfully, Lucas Guerra is beginning to come into his own, running 3:41 (1500) last weekend and posting a sub-four mile effort this past winter. If Peter Herold can maintain his position, then the Georgetown men may have an outside shot of placing in the top-five. Michigan Wolverines Entered Lineup: Tom Brady, Nick Foster, Riley Flemington, Trent McFarland Everyone knows how good Nick Foster is, especially in a relay setting. He'll be the name who keeps this group competitive. Neither Tom Brady or Riley Flemington will hurt the Wolverines' position during this race, but Trent McFarland is the one who can likely make up some ground on teams who may jump out in front of them. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Entered Lineup: Carter Solomon, CJ Singleton, Daelen Ackley, Jake Renfree For the most part, we know what we're getting out of this lineup...well, for everyone except CJ Singleton. Both Carter Solomon and Daelen Ackley are sub-four milers while Jake Refree is a veteran who has been here before. On paper, Singleton is in the best shape out of all of those men right now, recently posting an 8:33 steeplechase PR, but how will that effort translate to the mile distance? Iona Gaels Entered Lineup: Aiden Coles, Bradley Giblin, Nick Soldevere, Damien Dilcher This is a much better lineup than some people may realize. Three of these guys are sub-four milers and the only one who isn't has run 4:00. Damien Dilcher is fresh off of a 3:39 (1500) effort and has all of the momentum in the world. There is a lot to like about the Gaels and they should be on your radar as a team that could surprise and crack the top-five. Penn State Nittany Lions Entered Lineup: Evan Dorenkamp, Luke Seymour, Ryan Watson, Yukichi Ishii If you've read our content for long enough, then you likely know how good Evan Dorenkamp can be when he's firing on all cylinders. Even so, this Nittany Lion veteran can only take this lineup so far given the lack of true milers he'll be teaming up with. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Entered Lineup: Charlie Smith, Myles Collins, Alexander Arrambide, Nick Nyman Nick Nyman is a fairly solid name who is having a nice season. And while the other men in this relay have shown flashes of promise this year, the Georgia Tech men will need more than that if they want to crack the top-half of this field. Michigan State Spartans Entered Lineup: Andrew Nolan, Riley Hough, Luke Perelli, Owen Huard Riley Hough is beginning to show that he can be nationally competitive this spring and Owen Huard just ran 3:43 for 1500 meters. Andrew Nolan has run 4:02 in the mile and Luke Perelli just ran a 3:45 (1500) PR. This may not be the flashiest group, but if they all come in and execute, then they can take down teams with more volatility. Duke Blue Devils Entered Lineup: Ryan Wilson, Zubeir Dagane, Austin Gabay, Beck Wittstadt I'm not sure why the Duke men are listed towards the bottom of the entries -- this is a strong lineup with a lot of potential! Ryan Wilson isn't at his best (yet), but he's still a really solid metric miler. Austin Gabay just ran 3:40 (1500) and Beck Wittstadt could be due for an improvement upon his 3:41 (1500) mark after running 1:47 over 800 meters two weeks in a row. With Zubeir Dagane showcasing promising consistency via back-to-back 3:42 (1500) marks, I don't see much downside on this relay. Clemson Tigers Entered Lineup: Sawyer Dagan, Brandon Garcia, Corentin Serbource, Brian Kweyei The Clemson men are not going to have an easy time on Saturday as they are simply outclassed compared to the rest of this field. Brian Kweyei could play a key role, but it feels more likely that he'll keep his legs fresh for the 4x800-meter relay. FINAL PREDICTIONS Assumes all collegiates will contest every race that they are entered in fresh. Women's DMR Harvard Crimson - 10:49 Providence Friars - 10:49 Washington Huskies - 10:49 Virginia Cavaliers - 10:54 Penn State Nittany Lions - 10:58 Men's DMR Villanova Wildcats - 9:28 Virginia Cavaliers - 9:29 Georgetown Hoyas - 9:29 Texas A&M Aggies - 9:32 Yale Bulldogs - 9:35 Women's 4x800-Meter Relay Penn State Nittany Lions - 8:20 Washington Huskies - 8:24 Duke Blue Devils - 8:31 Virginia Cavaliers - 8:32 Clemson Tigers - 8:34 Men's 4x800-Meter Relay Penn State Nittany Lions - 7:12 Oregon Ducks - 7:13 Texas A&M Aggies - 7:13 Georgetown Hoyas - 7:15 Virginia Cavaliers - 7:16 Women's 4x1500-Meter Relay Penn State Nittany Lions - 17:14 Virginia Cavaliers - 17:17 NC State Wolfpack - 17:18 Wisconsin Badgers - 17:20 Georgetown Hoyas -17:20 Men's 4xMile Relay Wisconsin Badgers - 16:09 Virginia Cavaliers - 16:10 Villanova Wildcats - 16:10 Iona Gaels - 16:15 Michigan Wolverines - 16:15