Weekend Preview: Venerable Collegiate Records In Danger At Penn Relays

Venerable (adj.): calling forth respect through age, character, and attainments.

Ergo, venerable collegiate records are in danger at the Penn Relays this weekend.

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

The past few years showed that no collegiate record is safe, no matter how sacred: 2019 The Bowerman winner Grant Holloway demoted Renaldo Nehemiah to No. 2 in the 110-meter hurdles; 2019 The Bowerman winner Sha’Carri Richardson did the same to Dawn Sowell in the 100 meters; 2021 The Bowerman finalist Tara Davis soared past Jackie Joyner-Kersee in the long jump; Abdihamid Nur showed Henry Rono’s 5000-meter standard no mercy last year.

Four longstanding records could meet their maker by the end of the historic meet at Franklin Field, including two established on that same hallowed ground: Arkansas’s men and Villanova’s women cemented their legacy in their respective genders’ distance medley relays in back-to-back years at the carnival (the former at 9:20.10 in 1989; the latter at 10:48.38 in 1988); Arizona State’s men seemingly put the 4×800 marker out of reach nearly 39 years ago at 7:08.96; and the Men of Oregon went 16:03.27 back in 2009 with future The Bowerman winner Galen Rupp on the anchor.

Three programs entered in the College Men’s DMR Championship of America on Friday at 2:05 pm ET proved quicker than the fabled Razorbacks during the indoor season: Oklahoma State, Washington and Wisconsin. The Cowboys and Huskies are No. 1 and No. 2 in collegiate history indoors with their 9:16.40 and 9:16.65 clockings, while the Badgers sit fifth at 9:19.99 (Oklahoma State is also the fifth-fastest quartet in world history, regardless of venue). That trio will be joined by three other top-10 programs indoors: No. 6 Villanova, No. 7 Ole Miss and No. 8 Michigan. Let it be known that the all-time world best of 9:15.50 could be in jeopardy, too. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Washington is no longer listed in the entries as of Friday afternoon.)

Similarly, four of the top-10 fastest women’s programs in collegiate history indoors square off 15 minutes before the men: No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 6 Oklahoma State, No. 8 Stanford and No. 9 Villanova. None of those squads got the baton around quicker than the Vicki Huber-anchored Wildcats 35 years ago, though. That being said, the Cardinal is only entered in this event in the City of Brotherly Love and will unleash a lineup including Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis.

Saturday is when male foursomes from various programs will challenge the Ducks and the Sun Devils.

First on the track at 1:20 pm ET is the College Men’s 4xMile Championship of America featuring the likes of Washington, Oklahoma State and Virginia, among others. All four Huskies went sub-3:54 during the indoor season – Joe Waskom (3:51.90), Nathan Green (3:52.76), Luke Houser (3:52.87) and Sam Ellis (3:53.13) – which means together they have a combined mark of 15:30.66 that would smash both the collegiate record of 16:03.27 and all-time world best of 15:49.08.

Washington is also entered in the College Men’s 4×800 Championship of America at 3:06 pm ET, but so is Iowa State, Ole Miss and Penn State, among others. Only one team in collegiate history has gone sub-7:12 since Arizona State: Penn State at 7:11.17 in 1985. While it’s not an exact science, if you use the current #EventSquad Rankings for the outdoor season, Penn State, Clemson and Iowa State are ranked No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, with four-man totals of 7:10.89, 7:12.22 and 7:12.95 (Texas is No. 1 at 7:09.70). Only the Nittany Lions would come within one second of the Sun Devils, but using the final #EventSquad Rankings from the indoor season, the Cyclones posted an average time of 7:08.49 that would just squeak under Arizona State’s standard.

Other Meets Of Interest

2023 Drake Relays

Hundreds of collegians from across the nation will converge upon Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, for the Drake Relays. Look for big marks from a number of Midwest programs, especially those in the Big Ten, NCAA Division III and at the NJCAA level. Action got underway Wednesday with the combined events and continue through Saturday.

LSU Invitational

Top collegiate sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers will be “Callin’ Baton Rouge” this weekend. Headliners include Talitha Diggs of Florida making her outdoor debut in the 400 meters, both Jasmine Moore of Florida and Jaydon Hibbert of Arkansas competing in the triple jump, and a pair of Razorback collegiate record-holders ready to rip the hurdles (Ackera Nugent and Britton Wilson). Don’t forget a stout matchup in the 200 meters between Matthew Boling of Georgia and Terrence Jones of Texas Tech.

The Big Meet

Stanford and California rekindle their rivalry in a dual meet, which was first held in 1893 and aptly named “The Big Meet.” In last year’s edition, Mykolas Alekna of California set a then-collegiate record of 67.68m (222-1); he has thrown farther than three three times this year and his current CR is 68.73m (225-6).