USTFCCCA News & Notes
By Tyler Mayforth, USTFCCCA May 5, 2017   

MEET PREVIEW: 2017 Payton Jordan Invitational

The collegiate outdoor record books tremble at the sight of the Payton Jordan Invitational.

That’s because each year in late April or early May, hordes of elite professionals and standout collegians converge on Cobb Track to take aim at history and world qualifying marks.

QUICK LINKS: Meet Schedule | Heat Sheets | Collegiate Outdoor Record Book

Since 2009, two collegiate outdoor records were established at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Back in 2009, Jenny Barringer set the standard of 15:07.64 in the women’s 5000. Just one year later, Sam Chelanga clocked the high-water mark in the men’s 10000 of 27:08.49.

And that’s just collegiate outdoor records.

Here’s a quick look at how the all-time lists are shaped by the Payton Jordan Invitational.

  • Men’s 5000 – 4 of the top-10 marks
  • Men’s 10000 – 8 of the top-10 marks
  • Women’s Steeple – 3 of the top-10 marks
  • Women’s 5000 – 4 of the top-10 marks
  • Women’s 10000 – 8 of the top-10 marks

This year’s record chase belongs to Oregon standout Edward Cheserek.

During the indoor season Cheserek took down the collegiate indoor mile record. Now Cheserek focuses his sights on Henry Rono’s 38-year-old standard of 13:08.4h in the 5000, which Rono set during a dual meet of all things.

Cheserek has a PR of 13:18.71 from the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships that is currently the 8th fastest mark in collegiate outdoor history. He hasn’t gone sub-13:25.59 since then but hasn’t had an opportunity like this to do so.

We know from what he did during the 2017 indoor season and 2016 indoor season that he can attack records when the Ducks let him. Remember: It was back in 2016 where Cheserek ran the 2nd fastest time in collegiate indoor history at 3000 meters (7:40.51).

Cheserek will step on the track for the elite 5000 at 12:10 am ET on Friday night, so make sure to get your coffee or set an alarm to wake up from an early slumber.

Other than Cheserek, who are some athletes you should watch? We’re glad you asked.

Let’s break it down by event and section – for good measure.

Men’s 800 Meters

Section 1 – No collegians entered.

Section 2 – Ben Saarel is the one to watch here. Saarel is currently 4th on the NCAA DI Descending Order List at 1500 meters with a time of 3:40.24 and is likely in this race to work on his foot speed. The Colorado junior has a lifetime PR of 1:51.11 and should lower that by a quite a bit here. We wouldn’t be surprised if he contends for the win.

Women’s 800 Meters

Section 1 – It’s time to see another collegiate woman break the 2-minute barrier for 800 meters. Raevyn Rogers did it earlier this season and set the collegiate record in the process. Who becomes the 5th or 6th in collegiate history to do so during the collegiate season? We’re looking at you, Olivia Baker and Shea Collinsworth. Baker owns the better PR of the two at 2:01.02 compared to Collinsworth’s 2:01.42, but both excel in big races. The former clocked her PR at this meet last year, while the latter finished 3rd at the NCAA indoor meet and won a loaded heat at the Sun Angel Classic.

Section 2 – There is only one collegian in this section so it makes it easy, but Oklahoma State’s Kaela Edwards deserves recognition regardless. Edwards is the 2016 NCAA mile champ and had a rougher go of it during the latter part of the 2017 indoor season. She should right the ship here and get back to what helped her set a collegiate indoor record in the 1000 meters earlier this year and get her back on track to contend for another NCAA title.

Section 3 – Cedarville’s Carsyn Koch won’t be racing the NCAA DI elites, but will definitely have her chance to shine. Koch is the NCAA DII record holder in this event (2:02.39) and will be looking to lower that time. She recently turned her attention to the 1500 – and for good reason. Koch is currently ranked 2nd nationally and 2nd in NCAA DII history with her time of 4:12.19.

Men’s 1500 Meters

Section 1 – Adam Palamar should move up the NCAA DI Descending Order List quite a bit after this race. Palamar, who finished 5th in the indoor mile and 12th at NCAAs in this event last year, is currently ranked 43rd with a time of 3:43.02. This heat should be fast with a bunch of studs among the entrants – former collegiate indoor mile record holder Chris O’Hare, Brannon Kidder and Izaic Yorks, among others. Palamar is in a good spot.

Section 2 – BYU’s Chase Horrocks burst on the scene at the Bryan Clay Invitational with his 3rd place finish in the 2nd fastest section of the 1500. Horrocks is currently ranked 14th on the NCAA DI Descending Order List with his time of 3:41.68. His previous PR was 3:44.06, which punched his ticket to the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, so look for him to prove his mettle in a big way.

Section 3 – There are four collegians in this section and we’re looking at two (Yeah, we’re breaking the rules here): Josh Evans and Miller Kettle from Colorado School of Mines. Evans and Kettle are ranked 20th and 21st on the NCAA DII Descending Order List and could nab automatic qualifying times of 3:45.65 for the NCAA DII Championships.

Women’s 1500 Meters

Section 1 – Before the NCAA Indoor Championships, the name Karisa Nelson would not have rung a bell. Well, it should now – especially after Nelson won the indoor mile title. Nelson came out of nowhere and has a great chance to prove her mettle as the lone collegian in the field. Her PR of 4:15.12 should be destroyed and she should let the rest of the nation know that her win back in March wasn’t a flash in the pan.

Section 2 – Is the Arkansas duo of Therese Haiss and Nikki Hiltz ready to contend for an NCAA title? We’re going to find out as they’ll run one of the biggest races of their career so far this weekend. Both punched their first individual ticket to NCAAs this past March and will look to improve their standing on the NCAA DI Descending Order List in this race.

Section 3 – Weber State’s Jamie Stokes and BYU’s Whittni Orton can prove they’re ready to come out of a rough-and-tumble West Region as an NCAA semifinal qualifier with a big race here. Stokes is currently 24th on the NCAA DI Descending Order List, while Orton is 29th.

Men’s 3000 Steeplechase

Section 1 – You’d expect us to say Furman’s Troy Reeder, who is the NCAA leader at the moment. We’ll go with Louisville’s Edwin Kibichiy instead. Kibichiy is a big-time racer and finished 3rd at NCAAs last year with a PR of 8:30.71. Kibichiy and Reeder are two of three men who competed at NCAAs last year in this section. Georgetown’s Darren Fahy is the other.

Section 2 – Gonzaga’s Troy Fraley is the highest ranked collegian on the NCAA DI Descending Order List in this section. Fraley is currently ranked 8th and should see another substantial drop in his PR. He went from 8:56.23 in 2015 to 8:45.14 at the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival/UCLA Legends Invitational.

Women’s 3000 Steeplechase

Section 1 – If you look at the top of the NCAA DII Descending Order List, you’ll find Alicja Konieczek’s name. The Western State standout clocked a time of 9:51.09 earlier this season which ranks as the 2nd best time in NCAA DII history. We expect the NCAA DII standard of 9:50.54 – set by Emily Oren last year – to fall to her this weekend.

Men’s 5000 Meters

Section 1 – We already mentioned Edward Cheserek, but what about Syracuse standout Justyn Knight? Many feel Knight is the obvious threat to Cheserek’s reign at this distance and his PR of 13:26.33 is the 2nd fastest for a collegian in the field behind Cheserek. So if Cheserek goes for the collegiate outdoor record here, you better believe Knight will be hot on his heels.

Section 2 – How about Campbell’s Amon Terer, who finished 3rd in this event indoors at NCAAs? Terer should easily demolish his PR of 13:42.78 and will have a trio of collegians from BYU to work alongside: Jonathan Harper, Rory Linkletter and Clayton Young.

Women’s 5000 Meters

Section 1 – Keep your eyes on both Allies in this race: Furman’s Allie Buchalski and Boise State’s Allie Ostrander. Buchalski is the current NCAA leader with her time of 15:35.55 that she ran in mid-March at the Raleigh Relays. Ostrander is back from injury and ran a top-3 time in the steeplechase (9:55.61) and a strong time in the 1500 (4:18.19). An extremely deep field could lead to a top-10 time in collegiate history (15:18.85 gets on the list).

Section 2 – No collegians entered.

Men’s 1000 Meters

Section 1 – This event is absolutely loaded with talent and only one collegian: Tulsa’s Marc Scott. He has only raced once this outdoor season after a breakout indoor campaign that saw him place 2nd in the 5000 and 3rd in the 3000. Scott is currently ranked 2nd in the nation at 5000 meters with his time of 13:37.45 and hasn’t run a 10000 on the track since 2015 (28:30.33). That same year he finished 11th at NCAAs in the 10000. Scott should be pulled to a fast time here and we’ll see if he is ready to turn a solid indoor season into more outdoor success.

Women’s 10000 Meters

Section 1 – Just like the men’s version of this event, there is only one collegian entered here: New Mexico’s Alice Wright. We last saw Wright compete in the 5000 at the Bryan Clay Invitational where she finished 3rd in 15:53.28. Wright was NCAA runner-up last year at 10000 meters and set a PR of 32:36.11 at the Payton Jordan Invitational last year. A stacked field should pull Wright to another PR one year later.