ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, March 10-11 — Our coverage of the NCAA Indoor is divided into 4 parts: men’s track & field and women’s track & field.
The women’s track events:
Teams — Arkansas Wins One For Harter
It came down to the 4×4 — the perfect ending for a team battle and better still when the winning relay squad carries a 2-point lead into the race and runs faster than the World Record.
That baton squad represented Arkansas, which outscored Texas 64–60 to win its fourth indoor team crown. The Razorbacks and Longhorns went 1–2 in the final event.
To take the title, Arkansas upset the expectations of the final pre-meet coaches poll, which foretold a Texas, Florida, Arkansas ordering for the top 3 spots.
The win, sweet anytime, carried additional emotional heft as Razorback head Lance Harter, now in his 33rd season, will retire after the outdoor nationals, leaving the program in the hands of longtime associate head Chris Johnson.
Vaulter Amanda Fassold led off Razorback scoring on Friday with a win, to which 8 runner-up points were added in the DMR. On Saturday miler Lauren Gregory put up 8 more before a 400 in which Britton Wilson (1st), Rosey Effiong (4th) and Amber Anning delivered 18. Ackera Nugent, a transfer from Baylor, won the 60H before the relay squad did its thing.
All in all, a fine indoor finale for Harter, who before the meet was named SEC Coach of the Year for a 45th time (indoor/outdoor/XC). /Sieg Lindstrom/
TEAM SCORES
1. Arkansas 64;
2. Texas 60;
3. Florida 45;
4. Stanford 33;
5. Georgia 31;
6. NC State 29; 7. tie, Alabama, Notre Dame & Tennessee 24; 10. Mississippi 23;
11. tie, LSU & Oregon 22; 13. USC 19; 14. tie, Nebraska & Texas A&M 17; 16. Oklahoma 14; 17. Kentucky 12; 18. tie, Minnesota & Ohio State 11; 20. Illinois 10;
21. tie, Utah, Wisconsin & Oklahoma State 9; 24. tie, Washington, BYU, Kansas & Texas Tech 8; 28. tie, Virginia Tech & South Dakota 7; 30. UNLV 6;
31. tie, Virginia, Harvard & UCLA 5; 34. tie, Ball State, Clemson, Georgetown & Kennesaw State 4; 38. tie, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Michigan, Missouri & Syracuse 3;
43. tie, Arizona, Bradley, Duke, High Point, Louisville, New Mexico, Rice, San José State, South Carolina, Stephen F. Austin & Tulane 2;
54. tie, Auburn, Northern Arizona & Pitt 1.
60 Meters — Julien Alfred (Texas) 6.94 CR
Already the star of the sprint season, Julien Alfred had a meet for the ages, and it started with her CRs in the 60.
The Texas senior, who this year put together the greatest string of dashes in NCAA history, romped to a 6.94 final that elevated her to =No. 2 on the all-time world list. She lowered her own CR of 6.96 set in the heats and brought her record tally in the event to 5 this year.
All eyes were on Alfred in the center of the track, and after a workmanlike start she powered through the final 30m to win by two strides over Georgia frosh Kaila Jackson. Jackson had tied the WJR with a 7.07 in the heats and was only 0.01 off that in the final, beating out Tennessee’s Jacious Sears for silver.
Making up for the disappointment of last year’s 5th-place finish after setting a CR 7.04 in the prelims there, Alfred started her ’23 season on this Albuquerque track in January with an eye-opening 7.02 CR. Two weeks later she returned and dropped that to 7.00, and then captured her second career Big 12 gold with a 6.97 to become the first collegian under 7.00.
Half of the field set lifetime bests in the heats, with Sears zipping to a 7.04 to set an American CR, taking .03 off the existing mark of 7.07, a time that was matched by Jackson and Oregon’s Jadyn Mays. Samirah Moody of USC, who had tied the American CR at Washington in late February, missed the final after a disappointing 7.15. /Glen McMicken/
FINAL
1. Julien Alfred’ (Tx-StL) 6.94 CR (old CR 6.96A Alfred in heats) (=WL) (=2, =4 W;
2. ***Kaila Jackson (Ga) 7.08 (x, 3 WJ; x, 2 AJ);
3. *Jacious Sears (Tn) 7.10;
4. ***Autumn Wilson (Ga) 7.12 =PR;
5. **Jadyn Mays (Or) 7.13;
6. *Favour Ofili’ (LSU-Ngr) 7.17;
7. McKenzie Long (Ms) 7.19;
8. Kiara Grant’ (Clem-Jam) 7.21.
HEATS
I–1. Alfred’ 6.96 CR (old CR 6.97 Alfred ’23) (=5, =10 W);
2. Ofili’ 7.14 PR; 3. Grant’ 7.14; 4. Amira Young (Mn) 7.21; 5. *Rosemary Chukwuma (TxT) 7.23; 6. **Kevona Davis (Tx) 7.24; 7. *Akilah Lewis (Mn) 7.26; 8. **Jayla Jamison (SC) 7.27.
II–1. Sears 7.04 AmCR (old AmCR 7.07 Hannah Cunliffe [Or] ’17, Aleia Hobbs [LSU] ’18 & Samirah Moody [USC] ’23) (2, 6 C);
2. Jackson 7.07 AJR, =WJR (=WJR Ewa Swoboda [Pol] ’16; old AJR 7.11 Teahna Daniels [Tx] ’16) (=4, x C; =2, =2 AmC;
3. Mays 7.07 (=4, x C; =2, =2 AmC);
4. Long 7.10 PR; 5. Wilson 7.12 PR; 6. Ezinne Abba (Tx) 7.15 PR; 7. **Samirah Moody (USC) 7.15; 8. ***Dajaz Defrand (FlSt) 7.27.
200 Meters — Julien Alfred (Texas) 22.01 CR
That the 1-lap sprint would be a blazer was a foregone conclusion — what with pre-meet list leader Julien Alfred having twice lowered her own 60 CR. What’s more, Favour Ofili, next on the collegiate year list, had come within 0.02 of Abby Steiner’s year-old metric furlong CR in her 22.11 heat.
It turned out to be irrelevant that Texas senior Alfred claims she detests the 200.
Georgia frosh Autumn Wilson led section 1 of the 2-section final, putting up 22.45 as the time to beat. Few doubted it would be beaten and all eyes looked to Nigerian Ofili in lane 4 and St. Lucia’s Alfred on the outside in 5.
Alfred wasted no time in unleashing her jet-legged early speed yet Ofili, an LSU purple kerchief wrapped below the knot of locks atop her head, ate most of the stagger on her opponent around the second turn.
Alfred’s arms swung a tad wildly coming off the curve but she dashed down the straight with velocity that kept Ofili at bay and about a meter back at the line. Her 22.01 time, with Ofili at 22.20, tore off 0.08 from Steiner’s Collegiate Record.
It also capped the meet’s first women’s dash double since that by Auburn’s Kerron Stewart in ’07.
Alfred developed no love for the indoor lap despite her historic accomplishment. She told ESPN during the immediately post-race interview, “I’m still sitting on the ground and I can’t get up. This is why I hate it.”
Viz her second CR of the afternoon, Alfred said, “On the Collegiate Record? I was not expecting that. I’m sure my coach [Longhorn head Edrick Floréal] was, but not me.”
But the outside lane draw suited her tastes just fine: “I love running blind so I can run my own race. I feel like I’m running for my life rather than chasing somebody else.” /Sieg Lindstrom/>/em>
FINAL
(2-section time final)
1. Julien Alfred’ (Tx-StL)
2. *Favour Ofili’ (LSU-Ngr)
3. ***Autumn Wilson (Ga)
4. McKenzie Long (Ms)
5. **Jadyn Mays (Or)
6. Lanae Thomas (Tx)
7. Caisja Chandler (USC)
8. ***Kaila Jackson (Ga)
Sections: I–1. Wilson 22.45; 2. Long 22.54; 3. Thomas 22.73; 4. Jackson 22.84.
II–1. Alfred’ 22.01 CR (old CR 22.09 Abby Steiner [Ky] ’22) (WL) (2, 2 W; in/out: 3, 3 C);
2. Ofili’ 22.20 (x, 9 W; x, 5 C);
3. Mays 22.63; 4. Chandler 22.74.
HEATS
I–1. Wilson 22.42 PR (AL, AmCL) (=6, =10 A; =7, x C; =5, =9 AmC; 2. Long 22.48 PR (10, x A; 9, x AmC);
3. *Mariah Ayers (Bay) 22.91; 4. **Jayla Jamison (SC) 23.13.
II–1. Ofili’ 22.11 NR (WL, CL) (4, 4 W; 2, 2 C);
2. Jackson 22.69 PR; 3. **Kevona Davis’ (Tx-Jam) 22.90; 4. Kynnedy Flannel (Fl) 22.98.
III–1. Mays 22.58 PR; 2. Chandler 22.70 PR; 3. Thomas 22.74; 4. Ezinne Abba (Tx) 23.27.
IV–1. Alfred’ 22.38 (x, =7 C);
2. *Jacious Sears (Tn) 22.80 PR; 3. *Rosemary Chukwuma’ (TxT-Ngr) 22.80; 4. ***Dajaz Defrand (FlSt) 22.89 PR.
400 Meters — Britton Wilson (Arkansas) 49.48 AR, CR
If you thought defending champion Talitha Diggs had a leg up for this race, you weren’t alone. As it happens, you were underestimating Britton Wilson, the NCAA 400 hurdles champion last year. The Arkansas soph led the list of heat times, her 50.69 PR 0.10 faster than Diggs’ 50.79.
Texas soph Rhasidat Adeleke’s 50.45 in the event’s first section set a quality marker, though certainly one Diggs’ AR/CR 50.15 SEC win suggested was under threat, particularly at Albuquerque’s altitude.
Adeleke had stormed her first section, Diggs aimed for a more even distribution of effort though it was by no means cautious. Splitting 23.17, the Florida soph ran from lane 5 into the lead at the break over Wilson’s 23.56.
The Razorback dropped the hammer on the backstretch and overtook Diggs entering the final turn and kept going. Her margin was nearly 2m when she hit the homestretch, and grew to 6 or so when she crossed the line.
The figure on the clock astounded: 49.48! She had whacked 0.27 from Diggs’ American and Collegiate Record and left the defending champion back at 50.49 just ahead of Razorback junior Rosey Effiong’s massive 50.54 PR. A month earlier — before Femke Bol’s 49.26 in Europe — she would be the holder of the WR
“I just wanted to execute and run smart,” Wilson told ESPN. “Talitha is a really strong runner. She gets out, so just having her in the race is really great. Competition pushed me to be my best too.”
Wilson, whose mark lifted her to equal-No. 6 on the U.S. all-time absolute list as the fastest active sprinter on that compilation is also no slouch over the hurdles. She placed 5th at the World Championships last summer and promises double trouble for opponents this spring and summer.
“I love both events,” she said. “So I’m looking forward to doing both outdoors.” /Sieg Lindstrom/
FINAL
(2-section time final)
1. **Britton Wilson (Ar)
2. **Rhasidat Adeleke’ (Tx-Ire)
3. **Talitha Diggs (Fl)
4. *Rosey Effiong (Ar)
5. *Jan’Taijah Jones (USC)
6. *Amber Anning’ (Ar-GB)
7. **Savannah Sutherland’ (Mi-Can)
8. **Jermaisha Arnold (TxAM)
Sections: I–1. Adeleke 50.45 (x, =5 C) (23.07/27.38);
2. Anning 51.22 (23.83/27.39); 3. Sutherland 51.60 PR (24.38/27.22); 4. **Arnold 51.80 (24.40/27.40).
II–1. Wilson (Ar) 49.48 AR, CR, absolute CR (old indoor records 50.15 Talitha Diggs [Fl] ’23; old outdoor CR 49.57 Athing Mu [TxAM] ’21) (2, 2 W; in/out: =6, x A) (23.56/25.92);
2. Diggs 50.49 (x, 6 A; x, 9 C; x, 6 AmC) (23.17/27.32);
3. Effiong 50.54 PR (=7, =9 A; =8, =12 C; =7, =9 AmC) (24.09/26.45);
4. Jones 51.03 PR (24.26/26.77).
HEATS
I–1. Anning’ 51.42; 2. **Joanne Reid’ (Ar-Jam) 51.98; 3. Paris Peoples (Ar) 52.51; 4. Tierra Robinson-Jones (TxAM) 52.85.
II–1. Effiong 51.73; 2. *Ziyah Holman (Mi) 52.12 PR; 3. **Nickisha Pryce’ (Ar-Jam) 52.16; 4. **Kennedy Wade (TxAM) 52.26.
III–1. Diggs 50.79; 2. Arnold 51.73; 3. Sutherland’ 51.75 PR; 4. Kennedy Simon (Tx) 52.28 PR.
IV–1. Wilson 50.69 PR (=10, x C; =8, x AmC);
2. Adeleke’ 51.12; 3. Jones 51.56; 4. **Yemi John’ (USC-GB) 51.90 PR.
800 Meters — Roisin Willis (Stanford) 1:59.93
Rarely do new recruits pay off as big as Stanford’s did in the 800. Cardinal yearlings Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker delivered a solid 1-2 punch on the rest of the field, Willis taking the win in 1:59.93 and her teammate a step behind at 2:00.05.
Willis took the lead from the gun, Whittaker in tow, and passed 200 in 28.31. At 300, LSU’s Michaela Rose, who had made herself the No. 3 collegian ever with her 2:00.18 at Boston a month earlier, fought past to make sure the pace didn’t lag. She led through halfway in 58.96 and the trio built a huge margin on the rest of the field.
At 600, Rose still looked strong, clocking 1:28.58, and it wasn’t until the beginning of the final turn that she started to show fatigue. The two Cardinal runners moved into striking position on the turn, and coming off it swept past for a dominating 1-2 finish. Rose placed 3rd in 2:00.85, a healthy 2.33 ahead of 4th-placer Claire Seymour of BYU (2:03.18).
Said Willis, “It kind of played out how I thought it would in my head. I trusted myself and I trusted my kick.”
As for coming back the day after the two had helped Stanford win the distance medley, she admitted, “I didn’t feel great walking out here. We both woke up with major pains in our legs, so I was just praying I could come out here and give it my all.” /Jeff Hollobaugh/</em.
FINAL
1. ***Roisin Willis (Stan) 1:59.93 PR (AL, CL) (2, 2 C; in/out: 6, 8 C)
(28.31, 30.84 [59.15], 29.76 [1:28.91], 31.02) (59.15/60.78);
2. ***Juliette Whittaker (Stan) 2:00.05 PR (3, 4 C; in/out: 7, 11 C)
(28.55, 30.80 [59.35], 29.78 [1:29.13], 30.92) (59.35/60.70);
3. **Michaela Rose (LSU) 2:00.85 (x, 11 C; x, 10 AmC)
(28.70, 30.26 [58.96], 29.62 [1:28.58], 32.27) (58.96/61.89);
4. Claire Seymour (BYU) 2:03.18
(28.83, 31.10 [59.93], 31.49 [1:31.42], 31.76) (59.93/63.25);
5. Sarah Hendrick (KennSt) 2:03.21
(28.99, 31.26 [60.25], 31.30 [1:31.55], 31.66) (60.25/62.96);
6. Valery Tobias (Tx) 2:03.25
(28.78, 31.50 [60.28], 32.13 [1:32.41], 30.84) (60.28/62.97);
7. ***Wilma Nielsen’ (Brad-Swe) 2:03.34
(29.24, 31.28 [60.52], 31.58 [1:32.10], 31.24) (60.52/62.82);
8. Aurora Rynda’ (Mi-Can) 2:06.83
(28.89, 31.25 [60.14], 32.18 [1:32.32], 34.51) (60.14/66.69).
HEATS
I–1. Whittaker 2:01.82; 2. Tobias 2:02.07 PR; 3. Rose 2:02.21; 4. Seymour 2:02.92; 5. Nielsen’ 2:03.16; 6. *Carley Thomas’ (Wa-Aus) 2:03.37; 7. **Bronwyn Patterson (Penn) 2:04.63; 8. MaLeigha Menegatti (Boise) 2:09.94.
II–1. Willis 2:04.36; 2. Rynda’ 2:04.54; 3. Hendrick 2:04.81; 4. Katherine Mitchell (BC) 2:05.23; 5. Isabella Giesing (MaL) 2:06.72; 6. Imogen Barrett’ (Fl-Aus) 2:08.25; 7. *Marlena Preigh (Wa) 2:08.25; 8. Kelly-Ann Beckford’ (Hous-Jam) 2:10.25.
Mile — Olivia Howell (Illinois) 4:34.00
With CR holder Katelyn Tuohy concentrating on the two longer races, the mile appeared wide open. In the end, it was Olivia Howell of Illinois — just No. 20 on the yearly list — who had the most at the finish, taking her first NCAA title in 4:34.00.
Arkansas’s Lauren Gregory, the SEC champion who had placed in both the 3000 and 5000 last year, had led the heats at 4:39.46, with Big 10 champ Howell just 0.03 behind.
The next day it was Duke Amina Maatoug who shaped the race. The Duke soph from the Netherlands started in the outside box, and went to the front with Howell slotting into the second spot. She passed 409m in 69.03 and covered the next 400 in 69.04. By that point, she and Howell had started to pull away from Gregory in 3rd, the gap building to about 8m over the next lap.
With 3 to go, Gregory came to life and worked to narrow the gap, as she had spectacularly in the previous evening’s DMR. That she did, and with 2 to go (Maatoug still leading at 3:29.21), the Razorback moved out to pass. Howell sensed her coming and beat her to the lead, the two racing through the fastest lap of the race to that point (Howell 33.57/Gregory 33.52).
At the bell, Gregory made another move, but Howell held her off before the turn. On the backstretch Gregory tried again and squeezed ahead as they entered the final turn. Coming off it, Howell fought back and passed her with 10m left, finishing strongly to win, 4:34.00–4:34.24. Alabama’s Flomena Asekol crossed 3rd in 4:35.18.
Said Howell of the last lap battle with Gregory: “I saw her coming on my shoulder and I tried to hold her off. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. But you know what? I don’t stop until I cross the finish line and it worked out in my favor.” /Jeff Hollobaugh/
FINAL
1. *Olivia Howell (Il) 4:34.00
(34.47, 34.85 [69.32], 34.67 [1:43.99], 34.86 [2:18.85], 34.88 [2:53.73], 35.54 [3:29.27], 33.57 [4:02.84], 31.16)
(31.16, 64.73, 2:15.15);
2. Lauren Gregory (Ar) 4:34.24
(31.33, 64.84, 2:14.84);
3. *Flomena Asekol’ (Al-Ken) 4:35.18
(31.92, 65.59, 2:15.56);
4. **Margot Appleton (Va) 4:35.83
(32.33, 66.03, 2:15.70);
5. **Maia Ramsden’ (Harv-NZ) 4:36.54
(32.81, 66.39, 2:16.64);
6. ***Klaudia Kazimierska’ (Or-Pol) 4:37.82
(32.24, 66.06, 2:16.73);
7. **Amina Maatoug’ (Duke-Neth) 4:38.83
(34.91, 69.62, 2:20.27);
8. *Annika Reiss (NnAz) 4:40.79 PR
(34.13, 69.41, 1:44.89, 2:20.11);
9. *Izzy Thornton-Bott’ (Or-Aus) 4:44.34;
10. *Lindsey Butler (VaT) 4:45.65.
HEATS
I–1. Maatoug’ 4:41.25; 2. Thornton-Bott’ 4:41.41; 3. Butler 4:41.80; 4. Appleton 4:42.10; 5. *Kaylee Mitchell (OrSt) 4:42.36; 6. **Silan Ayyildiz’ (SC-Tur) 4:43.65; 7. ***Riley Chamberlain (BYU) 4:43.82; 8. **Alexandra Carlson (Rut) 4:53.18.
II–1. Gregory 4:39.46; 2. Howell 4:39.49; 3. Asekol’ 4:39.63; 4. Ramsden’ 4:40.16; 5. Kazimierska’ 4:40.36; 6. Reiss 4:41.24; 7. Anna Gibson (Wa) 4:41.78; 8. **Laura Pellicoro’ (Port-Ita) 4:43.59.
3000 — Katelyn Tuohy (NC State) 9:10.07
Katelyn Tuohy was not going to be denied. Already the winner of the 5000 the day before — her third national title — the fastest 3000 runner in NCAA history came in as an overwhelming favorite. For anyone else to win would be an upset for the ages.
Indeed, it all played out to form. Notre Dame junior Olivia Markezich did the early frontrunning, but the pace stayed quite tame in the oxygen-thin air. She passed 1K in 3:07.89, flanked closely by Alabamans Hilda Olemomoi and Mercy Chelangat, as well as Tuohy.
The Tide pair took over the lead and Chelangat led through 1600 in 5:03.30. At 2K (6:17.58), Tuohy moved alongside then-leader Olemomoi and started accelerating. The Kenyans dropped back and defending champion Taylor Roe of Oklahoma State tried to stay with Tuohy.
The favorite kept speeding up through laps of 35.32, 34.31 and 33.68. At the bell she and Roe had separated from the rest, but it was taking everything Roe had to hold on. In contrast, Tuohy looked stronger with every stride. She covered her final circuit in 33.05 to win her fourth NCAA crown (9:10.07).
Markezich caught the flagging Roe in the final steps, 9:13.01 to 9:13.22. The next spot went to unheralded Simone Plourde of Utah in 9:14.59.
Said the victor, who had been runner-up last year, “We talked about it beforehand, we talked about going with a K to go. Got held off a little bit but stuck with it. Finished hard. It was a lot better than last year.” /Jeff Hollobaugh/
RESULTS
1. **Katelyn Tuohy (NCSt) 9:10.07
(34.20, 37.62 [1:11.82], 38.55 [1:50.37], 38.77 [2:29.14], 38.89 [3:08.03], 39.43 [3:47.46], 38.71 [4:26.17], 37.46 [5:03.63], 36.85 [5:40.48], 37.13 [6:17.61], 36.12 [6:53.73], 35.31 [7:29.04], 34.30 [8:03.34], 33.68 [8:37.02], 33.05)
(33.05, 66.73, 2:16.34);
2. *Olivia Markezich (NDm) 9:13.01
(30.99, 65.45, 2:18.18);
3. *Taylor Roe (OkSt) 9:13.22
(34.42, 69.27, 2:19.12);
4. **Simone Plourde’ (Ut-Can) 9:14.59;
5. **Hilda Olemomoi’ (Al-Ken) 9:15.26;
6. **Ceili McCabe’ (WV-Can) 9:16.05;
7. *Kelsey Chmiel (NCSt) 9:16.26;
8. **Maia Ramsden’ (Harv-NZ) 9:16.99;
9. *Samantha Bush (NCSt) 9:17.35; 10. *Kaylee Mitchell (OrSt) 9:18.40; 11. Mercy Chelangat’ (Al-Ken) 9:19.33; 12. *Grace Fetherstonhaugh’ (OrSt-Can) 9:19.38; 13. *Sadie Sargent (BYU) 9:24.19; 14. **Amina Maatoug’ (Duke-Neth) 9:38.14; 15. **Lexy Halladay-Lowry (BYU) 9:49.11;… dnf—**Alexandra Carlson (Rut).
5000 — Katelyn Tuohy (NC State) 16:09.65
Since placing 2nd in last year’s 5K and then as runner-up again in the next day’s 3000, Katelyn Tuohy had only won in NCAA title races — specifically ’22’s outdoor 5000 and cross country.
In this race, the first of a hoped-for 2-day 5K/3K double, the NC State soph kept her win streak alive, taking control with 800 go and then surging with 400 left and the fastest two laps of the contest (33.50 and 33.89) to rapidly build a lead over Alabama’s pursuers Hilda Olemomoi and Mercy Chelangat.
Tuohy’s kick carried her home in 16:09.65, 8½m clear of Olemomoi (16:11.08) followed by Chelangat (16:11.63).
Albuquerque’s altitude was a factor as the pack stayed tight through 3000 in 10:08.10, a stroll-like 16:54 tempo. At 3200 Chelangat upped the ante some by lifting the lap tempo into the 36-second range, after which the eventual first 3 had a gap on the field. Tuohy’s Wolfpack teammate Kelsey Chmiel pushed to catch the breakaway with 3 left but never got there and placed 4th in 16:18.87.
Tuohy’s winning time was the slowest since Abby D’Agostino’s 16:20.39 in ’14, also in Albuquerque and also part of a successful distance double.
“Coach [Laurie] Henes and I decided to wait until 800 or less to go, decided to try to save energy for the 3K tomorrow,” Tuohy told ESPN. “And we just thought that with the altitude, like it wouldn’t be smart to hammer it. So I stayed patient, but I had to go to the lead a little bit early to keep my position cuz I didn’t want to get boxed in — just cuz on the tight turns it could be dangerous.
“So, 800 to go I started squeezing it down a little bit and the last 2 gave it a really good effort. I turned around and saw Kelsey coming in and then Sydney [Seymour in 8th] so that was awesome.” /Sieg Lindstrom/
RESULTS
1. **Katelyn Tuohy (NCSt) 16:09.65
(35.33, 39.39 [1:14.72], 40.95 [1:55.67], 41.17 [2:36.84], 41.42 [3:18.26], 41.77 [4:00.03], 41.03 [4:41.06], 41.28 [5:22.34], 43.20 [6:05.54], 41.07 [6:46.61], 40.90 [7:27.51], 40.96 [8:08.47], 41.10 [8:49.57], 39.46 [9:29.03], 39.07 [10:08.10], 38.75 [10:46.85], 36.65 [11:23.50], 36.48 [11:59.98], 36.36 [12:36.34], 36.90 [13:13.24], 37.13 [13:50.37], 36.11 [14:26.48], 35.78 [15:02.26], 33.50 [15:35.76], 33.89)
(33.89, 67.39, 2:19.28);
2. **Hilda Olemomoi (Al) 16:11.08
(33.66, 68.45, 2:20.53);
3. Mercy Chelangat (Al) 16:11.63
(33.94, 68.73, 2:21.12);
4. *Kelsey Chmiel (NCSt) 16:18.87;
5. Emily Venters (Ut) 16:25.28;
6. Amanda Vestri (Syr) 16:25.30;
7. *Gracelyn Larkin’ (NM-Can) 16:27.76;
8. Sydney Seymour (NCSt) 16:28.15;
9. Sarah Carter (CoSt) 16:31.52; 10. **Amelia Mazza-Downie’ (NM-Aus) 16:33.71; 11. **Elise Stearns (NnAz) 16:34.04; 12. Aubrey Frentheway (BYU) 16:38.77; 13. ***Zofia Dudek’ (Stan-Pol) 16:38.98; 14. **Ruby Smee’ (USF-Aus) 16:41.56; 15. *Ella Baran (Co) 16:48.53; 16. ***Natalie Cook (OkSt) 17:21.48.
60 Hurdles — Ackera Nugent (Arkansas) 7.73
Masai Russell came in as the Collegiate Recordholder, but it became clear in the heats that she would have her hands full with 2-time champion Ackera Nugent of Arkansas.
Nugent, the SEC runner-up to Russell, stunned in heat 1 with a 7.72 that sliced 0.03 from the CR that Russell had set at lower-altitude Lubbock in January. Russell’s response in the next heat was a 7.78, tying the No. 4 collegiate time ever.
In the final, Nugent drew lane 4, Russell 5. The Kentucky senior got out slightly better, as the two appeared even over the first two barriers before she took a slight lead at hurdle 3. Nugent was just getting going, though, and edged ahead at hurdle 4, building momentum to come off the final barrier with a lead of a foot or so.
She held off a strong Russell finish to triumph in 7.73, the No. 2 NCAA time ever, with Russell at 7.75, tying her best, a mark that stood as the American CR. Tennessee’s Charisma Taylor finished 3rd in 7.93, ahead of LSU junior Leah Phillips (7.95).
Said Nugent, whose record in the heats makes her =No. 5 on the world all-time list, “Masai is a very good athlete. She has been working very hard and I feel like she’s somebody that deserves everything that she’s having now. But at the end of the day, for me, I’m the type of person that I’m a championship runner, so when it comes down to the last bit of time I’m gonna perform.” /Jeff Hollobaugh/
FINAL
1. **Ackera Nugent’ (Ar-Jam) 7.73 (x, =11 W; x, 2 C);
2. Masai Russell (Ky) 7.75 =AmCR (=AmCR Russell ’23) (x, =9 A; x, =3 C);
3. Charisma Taylor’ (Tn-Bah) 7.93;
4. *Leah Phillips (LSU) 7.95;
5. Demisha Roswell’ (TxT-Jam) 8.00;
6. ***Aaliyah McCormick (Or) 8.01;
7. Talie Bonds (Az) 8.03;
… dnf—***Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck’ (UCLA-Bel).
HEATS
I–1. Nugent’ 7.72 CR (old CR 7.75 Russell ’23) (WL) (=5, =6 W);
2. Taylor’ 7.91; 3. Roswell’ 7.92; 4. Phillips 7.99; 5. **Alexis Glasco (CCar) 8.03; 6. *Myreanna Bebe (Ia) 8.07; 7. *Aasia Laurencin (Mi) 8.16; 8. *Destiny Huven (Wi) 8.58.
II–1. Russell 7.78 (x, =4 C; x, =3 AmC);
2. McCormick 8.01; 3. Ndjip-Nyemeck’ 8.01; 4. Bonds 8.01; 5. *Rayniah Jones (UCF) 8.16; 6. Maribel Caicedo’ (WaSt-Ecu) 8.29;… dnf—*Rosealee Cooper (MsSt);… dq—**Marcia Sey (OhSt).
4 x 400 — Arkansas 3:21.75 CR, “WR”
Arkansas head-coach-in-waiting Chris Johnson had a satchel full of superb quartermilers ready and willing, including six who ran in the heats of the 400, so the odds were in favor of the Razorbacks taking down the school’s own CR of 3:24.09.
The final section featured three SEC powerhouses and Big 12 champion Texas, which had 400 runner-up Rhasidat Adeleke and double sprint gold medalist Julien Alfred in its lineup.
Leading off with Britain’s Amber Anning, who was 6th in the 400, Arkansas took a marginal lead with a 51.47, the fifth-fastest indoor opening leg ever and 0.01 ahead of Florida.
Storming to a 50.52 on the second carry, Jamaican Joanne Reid extended that gap to almost a second and put Arkansas in position to avoid any hijinks that might happen in ensuing exchange scrums. Open 4th-placer Rosey Effiong basically sealed the victory with a 50.57 third leg before passing to anchor Britton Wilson, who had earlier shattered the AR/CR in the 400.
Not content to cruise to a win, Wilson dropped the fastest indoor split ever, a 49.19 to finish in 3:21.75, a time that not only obliterated the CR but also gave the Razorbacks the fastest women’s indoor 4×4 ever run.
Russia holds the official WR at 3:23.17, but the Arkansas quartet is not record-eligible due to a team with mixed nationalities. The time was also an absolute CR, bettering the 3:21.93 set outdoors last year by Kentucky.
Behind the record run, Texas moved to No. 3 on the all-time collegiate list at 3:25.67, with Texas A&M claiming the American CR at 3:26.99 for bronze. /Glen McMicken/
RESULTS
(3-section time final)
1. Arkansas; 2. Texas; 3. Texas A&M; 4. USC
5. Kentucky; 6. Florida; 7. South Carolina; 8. Ohio State
9. Michigan; 10. UCLA; 11. LSU; 12. Stanford.
Sections: I–1. South Carolina 3:30.09
(Frank 53.60, Francis 52.14, Johnson 52.16, Registre’ 52.19);
2. Ohio State 3:30.80
(Marsh 53.62, Murphy 52.33, Robinson 52.73, Wood 52.12);
3. UCLA 3:31.91
(Jendrezak 53.82, Conyers 52.99, Pierre-Webster 51.81, Johnson 53.29);
4. Stanford 3:32.80
(Rossum 53.85, Valmon 52.38, Whittaker 51.93, Willis 54.64).
II–1. USC 3:28.58
(Lear 52.00, Jas. Jones 51.60, John’ 52.77, Jan. Jones 52.21);
2. Kentucky 3:29.08
(Davis 51.66, Russell 52.83, Moss’ 52.74, Miles 51.85);
3. Michigan 3:31.24
(Isom 54.26, Sutherland 52.37, Stephens 53.26, Holman 51.35);
4. LSU 3:32.21
(Onojuvwevwo’ 53.19, Douglas 53.13, Rose 52.11, Sanders 53.78).
III–1. Arkansas(mixed nationalities) 3:21.75 “WR,” CR, absolute CR (old WB 3:23.37 Russia ’06, old indoor CR 3:24.09 Arkansas ’22, old absolute CR 3:21.93 Kentucky ’22)
(Anning’ 51.47, Reid’ 50.52, Effiong 50.57, Wilson 49.19 [fastest indoor split ever]);
2. Texas 3:25.67 (11 W; 4 C; #3 school)
(Helbling 52.46, Simon 50.69, Alfred’ 51.75, Adeleke’ 50.77);
3. Texas A&M 3:26.99 AmCR (old AmCR 3:27.07 Oregon ‘17) (4 A; 10 C)
(Arnold 51.86, Wade 50.98, Martin 52.63, Robinson-Jones 51.52);
4. Florida 3:29.88
(Owens 51.48, Hollis 51.48, Watson 52.99, Diggs 53.93).
Distance Medley — Stanford 10:56.34
Stanford’s star frosh class led the charge as the Cardinal reversed last year’s runner-up placing behind Arkansas. The closing 1600 leg thrilled the crowd as Razorback Lauren Gregory, fastest qualifier in the mile heats, closed like a freight train in 4:31.36. At the line star Cardinal star yearling Juliette Whittaker had just enough left to cross a step ahead after leading 800 qualifying an hour earlier.
Right at the finish Whittaker passed lapped Washington anchored by Sophie O’Sullivan who had finished up the Huskies’ 10:46.62 Collegiate Record 5 weeks earlier. Here Washington ran out of contention after the first leg.
At the finish of the opening 1200, Stanford senior Melissa Tanaka (3:23.02) handed off in front with Oklahoma State, UCLA and Oregon closest.
Tanaka’s pass went to soph Maya Valmon, whose 51.91 gave Cardinal 800 leg Roisin Willis a 3m lead over UCLA. Super-frosh Willis extended it to nearly 20m at the end of her 2:02.75 carry and handoff to Whittaker.
Arkansas and eventual 3rd-place squad Notre Dame ran 4th and 5th at the last exchange. Whittaker passed the 800 point on her leg in about 2:17. Three laps later at the bell, however, Whittaker’s lead over UCLA’s Mia Barnett was down to about 6m with another 6 or 7 back to Gregory in 3rd. Gregory, having anchored the Razorback win of ’22, had now cut Stanford’s 7.57 lead over Arkansas at the exchange to just over 2 seconds with a lap to run. At the end of the penultimate bend Gregory passed Barnett into 2nd and was closing hard.
Off the last turn Whittaker looked back to see Gregory sprinting to within a meter. She would get no closer but Gregory had closed with a 31-mid last lap.
Said Whittaker after finishing off Stanford’s first DMR title in 23 years, “I maybe took a few too many glances up to the screen, but I definitely felt ‘em coming. But I had faith in my kick and just tried to trust my training and what has brought me here.” /Sieg Lindstrom/
RESULTS
1. Stanford 10:56.34
(Tanaka 3:23.02, Valmon 51.91, Willis 2:02.75, Whittaker 4:38.66);
2. Arkansas 10:56.61
(Eudaly 3:26.26, Peoples 52.12, Quandt 2:06.87, Gregory 4:31.36);
3. Notre Dame 10:59.46
(Thronson 3:25.32, Balseiro 55.14, Ryan 2:05.33, Markezich 4:33.67);
4. UCLA 10:59.87
(George 3:23.83, Jendrezak 51.99, Pittman 2:04.78, Barnett 4:39.27);
5. Georgetown 11:02.41
(Jensen 3:24.65, Drayton 54.84, McDonald 2:04.43, Riggins 4:38.49);
6. Oklahoma State 11:02.57
(Jepkirui’ 3:23.49, Woodley 56.68, Galvydyte’ 2:04.05, Roe 4:38.35);
7. BYU 11:03.55
(Rohatinsky 3:30.37, Hart 53.10, Ellsworth 2:04.05, Sargent 4:36.03);
8. NC State 11:07.72
(Shaw 3:26.11, Lewis 57.43, Hartman 2:09.17, Bush 4:35.01);
9. Kentucky 11:08.98
(Steely 3:30.67, Davis 52.48, Schwinghamer 2:03.67, Herman 4:42.16);
10. Duke 11:21.20
(Cole 3:29.28, McGinnis 51.56, Tolbert 2:06.64, Forker 4:53.72);
11. Oregon 11:26.40
(Thornton-Bott’ 3:24.06, Clayton 54.25, Nelson 2:06.27, Kazimierska’ 5:01.82);
12. Washington 11:36.40
(Markezich 3:35.25, Thomas’ 54.23, Gibson 2:11.58, O’Sullivan’ 4:55.34).