USTFCCCA News & Notes
Weekend Recap: All-Time Collegiate Marks Highlight Busy Weekend
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll keep updating this post throughout the weekend.
This collegiate indoor track & field season keeps getting better!
A busy weekend meant tons of opportunities for all-time marks.
From The USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meets & Results | Records & Lists
Collegiate track & field standouts didn’t disappoint – not in the slightest.
Keep reading to find out those moments that stood out the most to us.
Steiner Is Alone At The Top
Abby Steiner and Gabby Thomas had jointly held the collegiate record in the Women’s 200 Meters at 22.38, both with times that they used to win event titles at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships (Steiner in 2021; Thomas in 2018).
Well, Steiner took sole possession of the collegiate record on Saturday.
Competing at the Tiger Paw Invitational, Steiner covered 200 meters in 22.37, shaving off 0.01 seconds from that previous standard. Steiner made up the stagger by 100 meters and cruised through the finish line to a 0.71-second victory.
The Goose Was Loose In Boston
One of the oldest collegiate indoor records is no longer.
Yared Nuguse took down the Alistair Cragg’s 18-year-old chart-topper in the Men’s 3000 Meters with his 7:38.13 effort tonight at the Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational. Cragg’s mark of 7:38.59 had stood since February 14, 2004 (It’s kind of fitting that Nuguse broke it at an aptly named meet, huh?)
Sean Carlson, Nuguse’s coach, told the media earlier this week that the plan was for Nuguse to go out at record pace and see how he felt at the mile. Well, Nuguse kept it going for about 1391 meters right into the record book.
Nuguse is now a two-time collegiate record-holder with this mark and his all-time best in the Men’s 1500 Meters of 3:34.68 from the 2021 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Hurdling Madness In Clemson & Fayetteville
Prior to yesterday, there had only been two women in collegiate history who clocked sub-7.86 marks in the 60-meter hurdles: 2013 The Bowerman winner Brianna Rollins (7.78) and Virginia Powell (7.84).
Omar McLeod was also the third-fastest athlete in collegiate history in the men’s version of the event at 7.43.
Well, all of that changed in the blink of an eye between competitions at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina, and the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Our words can’t do it justice, so go ahead and watch.
You Can’t Slow Him Down!
Randolph Ross Jr. keeps adding to his growing resume.
Ross, who already owned the world lead in the Men’s 400 Meters, lowered his indoor PR to 44.83 in a winning effort at the Tiger Paw Invitational hosted by Clemson. Not only that, but in doing so, Ross became the sixth-fastest performer in collegiate history with the fastest mark this early in the season (Kirani James holds the fastest mark before the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships at 44.80, which he recorded at the 2011 SEC Championships).
If you’re counting at home, which we know you are, Ross is only the second man in collegiate history with all-time top-5 both indoors and outdoors. Ross, who is also the third-fastest athlete in the outdoor 400 with his 43.85 winner from the 2021 NCAA DI Outdoor Championships, is joined by 2018 The Bowerman winner and undisputed collegiate record holder Michael Norman in that regard.
Say It With Us, “Division Doesn’t Matter”
Kassie Parker did it again.
Parker, who won the individual title at the 2021 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, impressed against another predominately NCAA Division I field and turned in another historic mark in the process.
One week after clocking the second-fastest, all-time, all-conditions mark in NCAA DIII history in the Women’s 3000 Meters with her fourth-place finish at the Meyo Invitational, Parker turned her attention to the 5000 at the Iowa State Classic.
It was in Ames, Iowa, where Parker finished third in 15:58.58 and became the fastest female athlete in NCAA DIII indoor history in the 5000, regardless of track size. Parker easily dipped under the previous all-time best of 16:05.36, which was established by Parley Hannan on this same weekend two years ago and is still the recognized NCAA DIII record.
Baran Soars To Another NCAA DIII Record
Welcome to the pantheon of all-time NCAA DIII greats, Ella Baran.
With her 9:13.32 clocking over 3000 meters tonight at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational, Baran is now a two-time NCAA DIII record-holder. Baran took down Missy Buttry’s (now Rock) all-time standard in the mile this past weekend at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge and now demoted Buttry’s former chart-topper from 2003 to No. 2.
Baran more than held her own against a predominately NCAA Division I field. She finished ninth out of 13 athletes and closed extremely well over the final seven laps (37.50, 37.50, 37.23, 37.03, 36.61, 34.81, 33.84).
Cleyet-Merle Takes Down NCAA DII Mile Record
Two weeks ago, Berenice Cleyet-Merle clocked the second-fastest 800 in DII history.
Now she’s the fastest woman in DII history in the mile.
Cleyet-Merle, who won the 800 meter crown at the 2021 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Championships, shattered the NCAA DII record in the mile with her time of 4:31.99 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational. She topped the previous record of 4:37.42 held by Alicja Konieczek of Western Colorado since 2017. She was one of three collegians entered in the fast section, joining NCAA DI Julia Heymach of Stanford and Emily Mackay of Binghamton.
Cleyet-Merle has etched her name all over the record books this season. Her first mile of the season was 4:40.84, good to become the eighth-best performer in DII history. She then followed up with her 2:03.89 in the 800 at the IU Relays – moving to No. 2 all-time – before her historical run in Boston on Friday night.
Orediggers Take Down DII 5K Record
Records are meant to be broken.
Dillon Powell set the NCAA DII record in the 5000 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational with his 13:33.68 performance in Boston on Saturday night. His effort topped the one year old record of 13:37.69 set by Christian Noble of Lee (Tenn.).
Not to be outdone, Powell’s teammate Kyle Moran also dipped under the former record with his 13:35.58 to become the second-fastest performer in DII history. Powell and Moran finished second and third, respectively, in their section behind NCAA DI Joshua Methner of Notre Dame.
More DII All-Time Marks In DMR
The NCAA DII all-time list for the Distance Medley Relay has been under revision this year.
Pittsburg State and Augustana (S.D.) clocked two of the fastest all-conditions times at the Pittsburg State Gorilla Classic. The Gorillas won the event in 9:37.45 with the Vikings finishing in second at 9:39.26. Those times are the second and fourth-fastest times in DII history regardless of track size, respectively.
Earlier this year, American International broke the NCAA DII record in the DMR with their 9:36.62 effort to win the John Thomas Terrier Classic. Simon Fraser, who finished third in that same field with a time of 9:38.04, also dipped under the former record of 9:40.15 to move to No. 2 all-time.
Robles Notches All-Time Effort
Brianna Robles turned in an all-time effort in Seattle, Washington.
Robles, who finished sixth at the 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, clocked 16:03.76 in the 5000 at the Husky Classic. That is the fourth-fastest time in NCAA DII history, regardless of track size. She is also the DII leader in the event this season by more than 15 seconds.
Robles held her own against a field of NCAA Division I athletes and professional runners, as she finished 11th in her heat and 13th overall.
Soaring To Great Heights
Ushan Perera continues to soar to great heights.
In his season opener, Perera cleared 2.25m (7-4½) in the high jump at the Texas Tech Shootout to finish second among all competitors. His clearance is the DII leader, tied for second among all collegians and 10th among world indoor athletes this year.
That is the second-best clearance for Perera in the indoor high jump. He is currently the fourth-best performer in NCAA DII history at 2.26m (7-5).