PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, April 27–29 — The Stanford women made the most of their whirlwind trip to Franklin Field for the 127th Penn Relays, taking the distance medley relay in a swift 10:50.56 despite chilly temperatures and steady rain.
Just as they had done at the NCAA Indoor, Melissa Tanaka (3:19.93), Maya Valmon (52.15) and Roisin Willis (2:04.82), gave anchor Juliette Whittaker a comfortable cushion — and the pressure of being chased. And once again, Whittaker ran a well-paced solo effort to secure the win, ahead of Oklahoma State (10:53.18). Her 4:33.66 carry was more than enough to hold off Billah Jepkirui (4:32.73), who couldn’t make much of a dent into Whittaker’s lead.
Virginia (10:58.05), Georgetown (10:58.78) and Notre Dame (10:59.14) all dipped under 11:00 in an incredibly deep field.
“I knew Oklahoma State was on the hunt,” said the prize frosh, who returned to Penn a year after winning the high school mile. “It felt like indoors, being out front with my great teammates getting me such a great lead. It’s definitely hard running alone, but I just tried to stick to the pace and make them work to come get me.”
Tanaka, a grad student who ran the 800 leg on the Quakers’ winning DMR team in ’19, was feeling nostalgic. “It’s super special being back at Penn,” she said of her alma mater. “Even just being back on the track, it’s kinda like my home track in a way. It feels very natural to be back here, I couldn’t have asked for more.”
About two hours after becoming the No. 5 school with the 6th-fastest time, the Cardinal quartet hopped on a plane home so they could race against Cal in the next day’s Big Meet. That left the door open in Saturday’s 4×8 and 4×15 races. The shorter of the two was won by Penn State in 8:23.81, nearly 5 seconds clear of Washington.
Providence took the 4×15 win in 17:11.35, thanks to Kimberly May’s finishing kick, which relegated Oklahoma State and Jepkirui to runner-up status for a second day in a row.
Texas A&M was the weekend’s most successful program, picking up three titles, in the 4×1 (43.63), 4×4 (3:25.97) and sprint medley (3:50.64 in Friday’s cold downpour). Jermaisha Arnold was part of the sprint medley and 4×4 wins, anchoring the latter in 49.79 to overtake Ohio State (3:26.56).
“Texas A&M left our mark here at the Penn Relays,” Aggie coach Pat Henry said of his team’s first appearance in the traditional baton-fest since ’15. “This meet is about letting our athletes experience this environment and performing to the best of their ability.”
In the pro races, Philadelphia resident (and native of nearby New Jersey) Ajee’ Wilson led the way with a perfectly executed strategy in the 600, much to the delight of the crowd. Trailing frontrunning Natoya Goule through 500, Wilson effortlessly switched gears on the homestretch to clock 1:24.45 ahead of the Jamaican (1:24.96).
“I’m definitely a strength-based 800 runner, but I definitely want to get my footspeed up,” Wilson said of the step down in distance — her fastest 600 since setting the AR 1:22.39 in ’17. “Doing races like this along with some of the training I’m doing is going to help that.”
Allie Wilson won the 800 in 2:01.13 in Friday’s unfriendly conditions, while Josette Andrews took Saturday’s 1500 in 4:04.88 ahead of training partner Sinta Vissa (4:07.27) and Anna Camp-Bennett (4:08.94).
Pacing the field events was Harvard’s Stephanie Ratcliffe, who threw a meet record 231-7 (70.59) in the hammer.
PENN RELAYS WOMEN’S RESULTS
(4/27—St, 5K, 400H, HT; 4/28—800, 4×2, SM, DM)
100(0.8): 1. **Iyana Gray (TCU) 11.50.
200(-1.7): 1. Shawnti Jackson (NCHS) 23.11; 2. Kortnei Johnson (EmpA) 23.38.
400: 1. Taylor Manson (unat) 51.71; 2. Leah Anderson’ (Jam) 51.97; 3. Stephanie Davis (EmpA) 52.15; 4. Kyra Constantine’ (Can) 52.16; 5. Wadeline Jonathas (adidas) 52.17.
600: 1. Ajee’ Wilson (adidas) 1:24.45 (out WL, AL) (x, 9 A);
2. Natoya Goule’ (Jam) 1:24.96; 3. Sage Hurta-Klecker (OAC) 1:25.33; 4. McKenna Keegan (unat) 1:25.60; 5. Sophia Gorriaran (RIHS) 1:27.23; 6. Kendra Chambers (Ois) 1:27.75.
800: 1. Allie Wilson (AtlTC) 2:01.13; 2. Maddy Berkson (Tracksm) 2:03.16; 3. Danielle Jones (unat) 2:03.95; 4. Aaliyah Miller (unat) 2:05.39.
1500: 1. Josette Andrews (OAC) 4:04.88 (out AL);
2. Sintayehu Vissa’ (Ita) 4:07.27; 3. Anna Camp-Bennett (adidas) 4:08.94; 4. Gabi Jennings (adiTB) 4:09.73; 5. Berkson 4:12.84; 6. Aisha Praught-Leer’ (Jam) 4:13.59.
St: 1. Kayla Windemuller (unat) 9:51.60; 2. Katelyn Stewart-Barnett’ (Can) 9:56.76; 3. Helena May Lindsay’ (Jpn) 9:59.39.
5000: 1. Erin Strzelecki (unat) 15:51.88.
100H(-1.5): 1. *Darci Khan (How) 13.18; 2. Paula Salmon (NCAT) 13.32; 3. ***Jaiya Covington (TxAM) 13.38.
400H: 1. Jessica Wright (How) 56.58; 2. *Lashanna Graham’ (Clem-Jam) 56.62; 3. Sanique Walker’ (SFl-Jam) 57.14; 4. *Sydni Townsend (Hous) 57.35; 5. ***Abasiono Akpan’ (Aub-Ngr) 57.39.
5000W: 1. Natalia Alfonzo’ (Ven) 22:52.59; 2. Olivia Lundman’ (Can) 22:53.68; 3. Miranda Melville (NYAC) 22:57.47; 4. Maria Michta-Coffey (Ois/WUSA) 23:18.13.
Relay Events
4 x 100: 1. Texas A&M 43.63; 2. Ohio State 44.13; 3. Duke 44.37; 4. Virginia 44.46; 5. San Diego State 44.64.
4 x 200: 1. South Florida 1:36.45.
4 x 400: 1. Texas A&M 3:25.97 (Jallow 51.66, Arnold 49.79); 2. Ohio State 3:26.56 (Dayle’ 51.81, Murphy 50.62); 3. Duke 3:27.14 (Mulder 51.84, McGinnis 50.18); 4. South Carolina 3:33.02; 5. Clemson 3:34.28; 6. Penn 3:34.30; 7. Auburn 3:35.82; 8. Houston 3:37.50.
4 x 800: 1. Penn State 8:23.81 (#7 school) (Ullom 2:07.70, Johnson 2:06.20, Kitching’ 2:06.54, Gearing 2:03.37);
2. Washington 8:28.50 (Thomas 2:05.72); 3. Villanova 8:30.42 (Martinez 2:05.74); 4. Michigan 8:34.72 (Juul 2:06.89); 5. Michigan State 8:37.12; 6. Richmond 8:38.27; 7. Clemson 8:38.48; 8. South Carolina 8:40.20; 9. Maryland 8:42.96.
4 x 1500: 1. Providence 17:11.35 (WL) (4 C; #4 school) (O’Neill’, Flockhart’, Buckley’, May’); 2. Oklahoma State 17:11.70 (5 C; #5 school) (Galvydytė’, Salek, Roe, Jepkirui’);
3. Washington 17:15.64; 4. Georgetown 17:19.44; 5. Notre Dame 17:19.95; 6. New Mexico 17:26.44; 7. Wisconsin 17:27.25; 8. Virginia 17:34.32; 9. Indiana 17:39.23 (AL).
SpMed: 1. Texas A&M 3:50.64 (AL) (Wade, Dickson, Arnold, Jallow 2:10.26);
2. Clemson 3:51.98; 3. Duke 3:52.34; 4. Penn State 3:54.44.
DisMed: 1. Stanford 10:50.56 (out WL, AL, CL) (Tanaka 3:19.93, Valmon 52.15, Willis 2:04.82, Whittaker 4:33.66);
2. Oklahoma State 10:53.18 (Galvydyte’ 2:04.50, Jepkirui 4:32.73); 3. Virginia 10:58.05 (Seeland 4:33.88); 4. Georgetown 10:58.78; 5. Notre Dame 10:59.14; 6. Providence 11:00.03; 7. Duke 11:04.05; 8. Boston College 11:11.53; 9. Villanova 11:12.22; 10. Indiana 11:14.08.
Field Events
HJ: 1. *Sanaa Barnes (Aub) 6-0 (1.83).
LJ: 1. *Ilse Steigenga’ (Pitt-Neth) 21-2¾ (6.47); 2. *Nia Robinson’ (SFl-Jam) 21-1½ (6.44); 3. **A’liyah Thomas (UConn) 20-5¾ (6.24).
TJ: 1. Jaimie Robinson (OhSt) 43-2¼ (13.16); 2. **Simone Johnson (SDi) 43-2¼ (13.16); 3. Amy Warren (Aub) 42-1½ (12.84).
SP: 1. Josie Schaefer (Wi) 58-2 (17.73); 2. *Sarah Omoregie’ (Harv-GB) 56-10¾ (17.34); 3. **Jayden Ulrich (Ind) 54-7½ (16.65); 4. ***Katrin Brzyszkowská’ (VaT-CzR) 53-11¼ (16.44); 5. *Mallory Kauffman (PennSt) 53-5 (16.28).
HT: 1. **Stephanie Ratcliffe’ (Harv-Aus) 231-7 (70.59); 2. Madi Malone (Aub) 219-7 (66.93); 3. *Sara Killinen’ (VaT-Fin) 208-0 (63.40); 4. **Marie Forbes’ (Clem-Jam) 204-6 (62.34).
JT: 1. Leonie Tröger’ (Cinc-Ger) 174-4 (53.14); 2. *Dana Baker (Duke) 162-11 (49.66).