Weekend Recap: DMR Weekend Doesn’t Disappoint

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

A week hasn’t gone by without an all-time mark.

That wasn’t going to stop with the postseason approaching.

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

Collegiate track & field athletes are operating on a different level.

Here are some moments that stood out to us from this weekend.

Oklahoma State Crushes DMR Record

Well, there goes another collegiate record.

Oklahoma State’s men made quick work of the distance medley relay at the Arkansas Qualifier on Friday night.

The Cowboys clocked 9:16.40 to lower the 9:19.42 set by Oregon in 2021 on the very same track inside the Randal Tyson Track Center. OSU didn’t win by much, as Washington was also under the old standard in 9:16.65.

OSU’s foursome was comprised of Fouad Messaoudi (2:49.49), DJ McArthur (46.82), Hafez Mahadi (1:47.27) and Ryan Schoppe (3:52.84).

The host Razorbacks were third in 9:22.13 to become the No. 5 program all-time, while Virginia was fourth in 9:23.71 to move to No. 7. Alabama was fifth in 9:24.63 as the race produced the five fastest times of the year – so far.

Oregon Wins Thrilling Women’s DMR

For the first time in collegiate history, multiple teams broke the 10:50 threshold in the same race at the women’s DMR at the Arkansas Qualifier.

The final tally under that barrier was three as Oregon won in 10:49.07 over Arkansas (10:49.14) and BYU (10:49.24), with Oklahoma State following in fourth (10:50.65).

Izzy Thornton-Bott of Oregon (4:30.68) held off the Razorbacks’ Lauren Gregory (4:30.24) on the 1600-meter anchor leg to secure the victory.

The Ducks’ time is the third-fastest performance collegiately, behind only Washington’s 10:46.62 CR from earlier this year and Oregon’s former CR of 10:48.77 in 2017. The Razorbacks, Cougars and Cowgirls became the Nos. 3, 4 and 5 programs all-time. Kentucky was fifth in 10:53.45 to move to No. 9 all-time.

DMRs Run Crazy At Notre Dame

The Alex Wilson Invitational at Notre Dame’s Loftus Center produced its best-ever collection of distance medley relay times, and what a collection it was.

The men’s elite competition was split into two sections, which incredibly were even as both winning squads – North Carolina in Section 1 and Wisconsin in Section 2 – clocked matching times of 9:19.99. In all, five teams broke the previous meet record of 9:21.73 from last year’s fantastic race.

The Tar Heels and Badgers are now tied for No. 4 program all-time when combining tracks of all sizes. Villanova (second in Section 2 at 9:20.44) moved to No. 6, Michigan (second in Section 1 at 9:20.83) to No. 8 and BYU (third in Section 1 at 9:21.18) to No. 9.

The women’s competition had just one section, but an amazing seven teams broke 11:00 led by host Notre Dame. The Irish won by over three seconds in setting a new meet record of 10:50.41. That puts Notre Dame as the No. 5 program on the all-time all-conditions list.

Georgetown was runner-up in 10:54.18 ahead of Ole Miss (10:55.04), LSU (10:56.41) and Michigan State (10:57.60).

Nelson Lowers Own DIII Hurdles Record

Birgen Nelson of Gustavus Adolphus did more than qualify for the 60-meter-hurdles final of the U.S. Indoor Championships on Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Nelson smashed her own NCAA Division III record with a time of 8.33 in the heats. That bettered her own 8.38 from early December. The NCAA DIII record was 8.44 before this indoor season. Nelson finished sixth in the final at 8.42, giving her five of the fastest times in NCAA DIII history.

Blaskowski Blasts A DIII Record, Then Ties It

Sam Blaskowski of UW-La Crosse added a second outright NCAA Division III indoor record to his resume at the U.S. Indoor Championships Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

That was before matching the record performance.

In the semifinals of the 60 meters, Blaskowski advanced to the final with a 6.67 clocking. That bettered the 6.68 DIII record he shared from two weeks ago with UW-Eau Claire’s Thurgood Dennis from 2014. Blaskowski equaled the 6.67 record in the final, finishing fifth.

Blaskowski already owned the DIII indoor 200 record at 21.13 from late-January.

Angelo State Sets DII 4×400 Record

Angelo State broke a near 26-year old record to close out the 2023 Lone Star Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.

The Rambelles’ 4×400 Meter Relay got the baton around in 3:38.38 to win the conference title by more than five seconds over runner-up West Texas A&M (3:44.24). The quartet of Shiean Walters, Zykia McDaniel, Maricia Spence and Shadae Findley topped the previous best of 3:39.24 set by Lincoln (Mo.) in 1997.

Robinson & Smith Win U.S. Titles

Justin Robinson of Arizona State and J.T. Smith of Texas A&M-Commerce won first-ever U.S. titles at the U.S. Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Robinson claimed the 400 crown with an indoor PR of 45.40, while Smith closed out the meet with victory in the 60 meters with a second-straight PR, claiming the final in 6.53.

Middle Distance Magic In NAIA

Over a weekend full of shakeups at the top of the middle distance lists, Charles Dorsett III’s effort stands alone. 

The Texas A&M-Texarkana sophomore standout found his way into the record books in a big way this weekend, dropping a monstrous 1:49.50 800 this weekend at the Arkansas Qualifier. Not only does this effort slot Dorsett in atop the NAIA 800 list, but it also makes him the second person in NAIA history to go below 1:50 over 800 meters, placing him second all-time.

Courtesy USTFCCCA Communications Intern Nicholas Lieggi

Olivas Challenges Sub-4 Barrier

Gilbert Olivas of Paradise Valley (Ariz.) CC won his section of the mile at the Arkansas Qualifier in 4:02.30, the second-best time in NJCAA history.

The only sub-4 indoor mile in NJCAA history was 3:58.34 in 2008 by Boaz Lalang of Rend Lake (Ill.).

Olivas – third in last year’s NJCAA Indoor Championships – won his section by more than two seconds. His previous best was 4:05.85 at the Iowa State Classic two weeks ago. He finished fourth in the fall at the NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships.