Weekend Recap: Collegians Continue To Soar In 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll continue to update this post throughout the day.

What would a weekend with more than 40 collegiate track & field meets across the nation be without a few all-time marks?

It’s a good thing we don’t need to answer that today.

From the USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meets & Results | Records & Lists

We have seen some incredible performances already this weekend.

Here are a few that caught our eyes from collegiate track & field.

Up, Up and Away!

Raise your hand if you thought one of the best pole vault competitions this weekend would happen at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge on Friday.

That’s what we thought, but it’s a good thing that 2022 The Bowerman Watch List member Zach McWhorter of BYU and Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton were at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory.

McWhorter and Guttormsen went bar-for-bar after they both entered at 5.45m (17-10½). They both needed two or more tries to clear that height and McWhorter two more to top 5.55m (18-2½) – Guttormsen got over on his first attempt – but once they got over 5.65m (18-6½) and 5.75m (18-10¼), the real fun could begin. 

A clearance at 5.85m (19-2¼) would put them into the all-time collegiate top-5.

Both men missed their first two attempts, but McWhorter dug deep and cleared it on his third try (Guttormsen couldn’t muster the same). That marked a PR for McWhorter and tied him with former Texas standout Jacob Davis as the fifth-best performer in collegiate history.

This Blue Jay Can Fly!

What do you remember about 2005?

George W. Bush just began his second term.

Microsoft debuted the Xbox 360.

“We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey topped the charts.

Missy Buttry held the NCAA Division III record in the mile.

Well, 2022 sure is different.

Buttry is no longer the fastest woman over the mile distance in NCAA DIII history. That title belongs to Ella Baran, who ran 4:40.53 at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge on Saturday to shatter Buttry’s 17-year-old mark of 4:43.92. Baran placed seventh in a predominately professional athlete field of the Women’s Invitational Mile at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory.

What’s next? Baran said she will take a crack at a fast 3000m next week.

Seeland Goes Right To The Top

Esther Seeland didn’t wait long to etch her name into the NCAA Division III record book in 2022.

Seeland, competing at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge on Saturday, took down the four-year-old NCAA DIII record in the Women’s 800 Meters. The Messiah standout stopped the clock at 2:05.90, which lowered the previous all-time mark of 2:06.53, held by Emily Richards of Ohio Northern since 2018.

If you’re wondering, which we sure you are, Seeland sits No. 2 on the NCAA DIII outdoor chart at 2:02.52 with her winning mark from the 2021 NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. Guess who’s No. 1. That’s right, Richards at 2:00.62, which was one of the fastest collegiate marks in 2017.

Parker Romps To An All-Time Best

Kassie Parker needs no introduction in NCAA Division III.

Parker, who won the individual title at the 2021 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships back in November, has left her mark all over the NCAA DIII record book on the track. Saturday afternoon was another opportunity for the Loras standout.

Competing at the Meyo Invitational, Parker went 9:13.10 over 3000 meters to set an all-time, all-conditions NCAA DIII best for the distance. Parker is now faster than NCAA DIII record-holder Missy Buttry, who still holds that record at 9:13.10 since Parker’s effort was on an oversized track (USTFCCCA record books only count those marks on regulation, 200-meter tracks).

Can’t Keep Up With This Jones

Jonathan Jones wasn’t content with being No. 8

Fourth in collegiate history sounds a lot better to him.

Jones, competing at the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational, covered 600 meters in 1:15.12 to move up four spots on the all-time collegiate chart. That puts the Texas standout behind record-holder Michael Saruni (1:14.79), Isaiah Harris (No. 2, 1:14.96) and Emmanuel Korir (No. 3, 1:14.97) in the annals of collegiate history. Jones also jumped ahead of two Texas A&M athletes – Devin Dixon (now No. 5) and Brandon Miller (now No. 7) – to keep that rivalry alive.

Azamati Is Back

Remember Benjamin Azamati, the speedster from West Texas A&M?

He’s back and faster than ever.

Azamati matched the NCAA DII record in 60 in his season opener at the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational. He won the event in 6.54, tying North Carolina Central’s Jason Smoots record set in 2003. Azamati also clocked 6.55 in the preliminaries to give him two of the fastest times in divisional history.

Azamati first burst onto the scene last indoor season with a season best 6.59, making him the fifth-best performer in DII history. A few weeks after winning the indoor title in the 60, he opened up the outdoor season at the Texas Relays and smashed the NCAA DII record in the 100 with a blistering 9.97. He became the first athlete in DII history to break the 10 second barrier and owns the top-5 times in the event.