USTFCCCA News & Notes
Weekend Recap: NCAA Indoor T&F Conference Championships
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll continue to update this over the coming days.
Conference Championships Weekend never disappoints!
All-time marks continue to pour in over the past few days.
From The USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meets & Results | Records & Lists
Athletes and teams made their final pushes for the upcoming national championships across the nation on March 11-12: NCAA Division I in Birmingham, Alabama; NCAA Division II in Pittsburg, Kansas; NCAA Division III in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Here are the moments that stood out the most to us!
Steiner Demolishes CR in 200
Abby Steiner left no doubt.
After earlier edging ahead of a collegiate record she previously shared, Steiner blew up the record book with a 22.09 performance that rates as a record among the greatest ever.
Her 22.09 obliterated her previous CR of 22.37 so much that it now rates as No. 3 if it had been contested outdoors – an unheard of comparison. Her performance off the last curve saw her overtaking LSU’s Favour Ofilii, whose time of 22.46 made her No. 8 all-time collegiately. It also made Steiner the second-fastest performer in world history indoors.
All We Can Say Is “Wow”
Remember when the collegiate record in the Women’s 4×400 Relay was Remember when the collegiate record in the Women’s 4×400 Relay was 3:26.27?
That was so 2021.
Three teams went under the previous CR set by Texas A&M last year, led by Arkansas at an otherworldly 3:24.09 to win the SEC title. Here were the splits for the Razorbacks: 51.97 Rosey Effiong, 51.97; Jayla Hollis, 51.69; Shafiqua Maloney, 50.60; Britton Wilson, 49.83.
Texas A&M was 2nd in 3:25.43, followed by Kentucky in 3rd in 3:25.89.
Cunningham Continues To Climb
Look at this number: 7.40.
Now watch the race.
Trey Cunningham just went 7.40 in the 60-meter hurdle PRELIMS of the ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships. In doing so, Cunningham moved up to No. 2 in collegiate history behind 2019 The Bowerman winner and current collegiate (and world) record holder Grant Holloway.
Cunningham didn’t improve his mark in the final (7.42), but did make history in several ways. Not only did he become the first athlete to win five consecutive 60H titles at the ACC Indoor Championships, Cunningham also took over the throne as the collegiate athlete with the most 7.42 or better career clockings, topping Grant Holloway’s total of two.
On Top Of The World
No one in history has covered 600 meters faster than Jonathan Jones.
Not in collegiate history. Not in world history.
Jones set a world all-time best in the 600 yards of 1:06.68 to win the event title at the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships in Ames, Iowa. The previous world best belonged to Molitalel Mpoke of South Plains (Texas), who traversed the distance in 1:06.93 back in 2020.
It’s Miller’s Time
Brandon Miller of Texas A&M took control early in the 800 meters at the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships and never let up on his home track.
Miller broke the tape in 1:45.24, making him the third-fastest in collegiate history behind record-holder Paul Ereng (1:44.84) and Michael Saruni (1:45.15).
It was a PR by a margin rarely seen at this level – merely 2.24 seconds.
Hall Scores Big with Record 800 Meters
Anna Hall of Florida finished Friday’s pentathlon in the SEC Championships unlike any other.
Hall clocked the fastest 800 meters ever recorded by a collegian in a pentathlon – 2:05.33! Not only did that smash the previous collegiate best of 2:06.88, it guided Hall to a score of 4618, moving to No. 3 all-time collegiately. Her 800-meter time is the fastest known worldwide for anyone scoring over 4600 points and is the American all-time pentathlon best.
Moore Great Jumping by Jasmine
What’s better than one? Two.
Triple jump collegiate record holder Jasmine Moore of Florida added a second national-leading mark, winning the long jump at the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a PR 6.75m (22-1¾) on Friday night.
Moore set the CR in the triple jump in January at 14.55 (47-9) and owns two of the four farthest marks all-time indoors.
She completed her jumps sweep by taking her specialty in 14.11m (46-3½) on Saturday.
Battle Is Heating Up
Don’t forget about Anavia Battle.
Battle, who holds the all-time, all-conditions collegiate best in the 200 meters (which counts indoors and outdoors, in-season and postseason), turned in a scintillating effort on Saturday at the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships. She went 22.39, which is the fourth-fastest mark in collegiate indoor history, regardless of track size.
It’s safe to say Battle is hitting her stride at the right time. Battle opened the season in mid-January at 22.76, dropped that to 22.49 two weeks ago and took 0.10 seconds off in Geneva, Ohio.
Baxter Vaults Into Collegiate History
Fifteen feet had been in Rachel Baxter’s crosshairs for a while.
Baxter finally tracked it down on Friday night at the ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Her field series was a thing of beauty. Starting at 4.11m (13-5¾), Baxter strung together seven first-bar clearances all the way up to 4.51m (14-9½). That’s O-O-O-O-O-O-O, if you’re counting at home.
Then, as the only vaulter left, Baxter asked the bar to be raised to 4.61m (15-1½). It took Baxter three attempts, but once she topped the height, she tied the fifth-best performer in collegiate history and notched the first 15-foot clearance at the collegiate ranks since 2020.
Azamati Turns In Fast Times At LSC Championships
Two event titles, two meet records.
It was business as usual for Benjamin Azamati of West Texas A&M at the Lone Star Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Azamati got his day started by clocking 6.55 in the 60 to set the LSC Meet Record. That effort is just 0.01 shy off his NCAA Division II record of 6.54. He also clocked 6.57 in the prelims of the 60 the day before and has four of the 10 fastest marks recorded in DII history.
Azamati came back for the 200 and scorched the track to the tune of 20.57 second event title of the weekend, smashing his own LSC Meet Record and All-Time Record of 20.96 set at last year’s conference meet. That moves him up to No. 2 all-time in division history and is the third-fastest time recorded, regardless of track size.
The finals of the 200 was historic in more than one way. Right behind Azamati was Delan Edwin of Texas A&M-Commerce in second with a time of 20.79 to become the fourth-best performer on the all-time division list. Talk about an amazing race.
Sub-4s Galore In Big Ten Mile Prelims
No man had gone sub-4 in the mile at the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships before Friday afternoon. The meet record of 4:00.56 was set 24 years ago by Michigan’s Kevin Sullivan, who is now the head coach at his alma mater.
Notice that we said “before Friday afternoon.”
Six men dipped under the fabled barrier on the oversized track at the SPIRE Institute, led by Ben Veatch of Indiana at 3:58.09. Veatch now holds the meet record, but John Petruno of Michigan State (3:58.16), Morgan Beadlesomb of Michigan State (3:58.23), Jonathan Davis of Illinois (3:58.72), Nick Foster of Michigan (3:59.72) and Jackson Sharp of Wisconsin (3:59.85) all clocked superior marks as well.
UPDATE: The final played out tactically with Jonathan Davis breaking the tape first in 4:08.37. Davis edged Ben Veatch by 0.13 seconds, as the top-6 finishers all canvassed the finish line within one second.
One Day; One Meet Record
Virginia Tech protected its home turf on the opening day of the 2022 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The Hokies swept the distance medley relay crowns, which included a meet record from the women’s team of 10:53.75. That took down a nine-year-old best of 10:57.41 and narrowly beat the conference record of 10:53.62, set by who else but Virginia Tech back in 2018.
The women’s race proved quick, as the top-3 teams all went sub-11: Virginia Tech in 10:53.75 MR; Virginia in 10:56.84; NC State in 10:58.10. All three of those marks bettered their previous raw seasonal bests, which don’t count conversions from altitude or track size. Lindsey Butler had a blistering anchor leg for the Hokies, covering 1600m in 4:29.89.
The men’s race had some drama. Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame led Antonio Lopez Segura of Virginia Tech with about 100 meters to go. Nuguse then tripped on the rail coming around the final curve and tumbled to the track. Lopez Segura dodged Nuguse and cruised across the finish line to give the Hokies a 2.10-second victory over the Irish – 9:35.00 to 9:37.10.
The aforementioned Butler returned to the track on Saturday for the final of the 800 meters and set a meet record and facility record of 2:01.23, a mark that also gave her the collegiate lead. Not only that, but she’s now also the ninth-fastest performer in collegiate history.
Blaskowski Shines At WIAC Championships
Sam Blaskowski of UW-La Crosse is having himself a DAY.
Blaskowski starred on Day 1 of the WIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, cracking the all-time top-5 in NCAA Division III history in the 60 meters and topping the seasonal chart in the long jump.
We might as well start with the historic mark – 6.70. That sent Blaskowski all the way up to No. 4 on the all-time divisional list behind record-holder Thurgood Dennis (6.68), as well as Chaz Clemons and Dayne Ross, who are both tied at 6.69. Needless to say, it also put Blaskowski at the top of the seasonal chart, right ahead of Jaylen Grant of UW-Oshkosh (Grant went 6.72 last week to earn National Athlete of the Week honors).
Blaskowski also soared 7.48m (24-6½) on his first attempt in the long jump, which gave him sole possession of the top spot on that seasonal chart and eventually won him the conference title.
Cartwright Sprints Into DII All-Time List
Denisha Cartwright of Minnesota State sprinted herself into the NCAA Division II All-Time List.
Cartwright clocked 8.23 in the prelims of the 60H at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships, making her the No. 10 performer on the all-time division list. She also tops the Descending Order List in the event by .15 seconds.
It wasn’t the only event in which Cartwright shined during the prelims. She also qualified for the finals in the 60 and 200 with times of 7.38 and 24.36, respectively.
In the finals, Cartwright clocked 8.24 to win the event crown, just shy of her new PR from yesterday. She also won the 200 in 24.22 and finished second in the 60 with a time of 7.36 behind teammate Makayla Jackson.
Speaking of Jackson, she cracked the top-10 all-time list herself after winning the 60 in 7.32. That puts into a three-way tie for the No. 7 performer in DII history, joining Nikia Squire of Queens (N.C.) (2016) and Danielle Williams of Johnson C. Smith (2014) at the mark. It was a busy weekend for Jackson as well, as she won the long jump title with a leap of 6.04m (19-9¾) and earned runner-up honors in the 200 at 24.54.
Perera Raises The Bar
Ushan Perera of Texas A&M-Commerce continues to raise the bar.
Perera cleared 2.27m (7-5¼) in the high jump on Day 1 of the Lone Star Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship to take home the event title. His winning clearance gives him sole possession of being the fourth-best performer in NCAA Division II history and improves his national-leading mark on the Descending Order List.
Perera was previously in a three-way tie for No. 4 on the all-time division list at 2.26m (7-5) with Oliver Harsanyi of Western Colorado (2012) and Joe Kindred of Saint Augustine’s (2008). That effort came last year en route to his NCAA title.
It’s A Sweep For Parker
Kassie Parker just continues to amaze.
Parker, who won the individual title at the 2021 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships and owns multiple all-time marks in the divisional record book from this indoor season, completed the mile-3000-5000 sweep at the American Rivers Conference Indoor Championships this weekend.
It all started on Friday in the 5000 with a 17:20.81 clocking. Then Parker turned her attention to Saturday, where she won the mile (4:58.63) and 3000 (9:42.59) within three hours of each other. The latter was a meet record.
Mooney Ascends Heptathlon Leaderboard
Trey Mooney of Pittsburg State continues to ascend the NCAA DII all-time list.
Mooney won the MIAA title in his first heptathlon of the year with 5614 points to move up to No. 6 all-time in NCAA DII history. He was previously the No. 8 performer with a score of 5567 that came from last year’s NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama.
Mooney opened up the competition with a 7.09 in the 60 and 6.80m (22-3¾) in the long jump before going on to win the next three events. He threw the shot put 14.52m (47-7 ¾), cleared 1.99m (6-6¼) in the high jump, and ran 8.22 in the 60H. Mooney went on to clear 4.34m (14-2¾) in the pole vault and ran the 1000 in 2:46.64 to close out the competition.