Weekend Recap: Collegiate Track & Field Stars Shine In California & Florida

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

Maybe The Mamas & The Papas and Jimmy Buffett had it right.

“California Dreaming” or “Floridays” were the way to go this weekend.

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

Top collegiate track & field athletes either headed west to the Bryan Clay Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays in the Golden State or down south to the Tom Jones Memorial in the Sunshine State – and big marks followed.

Here are some highlights from this past weekend in collegiate track & field.

Alfred Blisters All-Time Half-Lapper

60 meters? 100 meters? 200 meters?

The distance doesn’t matter: Julien Alfred is FAST.

Alfred, making her individual debut on Friday at the Tom Jones Memorial, clocked a sizzling, wind-legal 21.91 (+1.8) to take over as the second-fastest 200-meter performer in collegiate history behind 2022 The Bowerman winner Abby Steiner.

Orogot To Be Kidding!

Tarsis Orogot ran into the record book on Friday.

Orogot, competing at the Tom Jones Memorial, turned in the third-fastest all-conditions mark over 200 meters in collegiate history when he stopped the clock at 19.60 (+2.9). Only Kenny Bednarek at 19.49 (+6.1) and Andre De Grasse at 19.58 (+2.4) ran faster as collegians.

Rose Cracks 2:00 In Bryan Clay 800

Michaela Rose had flirted with 2 minutes long enough – 2:00.18 indoors, 2:00.34 outdoors, plus a 1:58.40 relay leg at the Texas Relays – and finally broke the barrier at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

A 1:59.08 – second behind a fast-finishing Nikki Hiltz (1:59.03) – made her No. 2 all-time among among collegians, passing up 2017 The Bowerman winner Raevyn Rogers (1:59.10) and behind only 2021 The Bowerman winner Athing Mu (1:57.73).

Wilson Blazes Seasonal Debut 400-Meter Hurdles

Britton Wilson didn’t find hurdles to be any barrier in her seasonal debut in the event.

The reigning NCAA champion cruised to a time of 53.23 to win the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, moving up to No. 3 all-time collegiately. Wilson dispensed with a strong field that included 2022 The Bowerman finalist Anna Hall (54.48) and 100-meter hurdle CR setter Masai Russell of Kentucky (55.39).

Fast 800s Alter Divisional All-Time Lists

Oussama El Bouchayby of Angelo State followed up his Texas Relays 800 victory by winning the Bryan Clay Invitational in 1:45.88. He wasn’t quite as fast as his 1:45.31 in the Lone Star state, but became the first NCAA Division II athlete with multiple sub-1:46 clockings, his latest being the No. 4 performance all-time.

The fast field included MIT’s Ryan Wilson making his outdoor debut. The NCAA Division III indoor record setter at 800 and mile clocked his fastest outdoor 800 at 1:47.93 – good enough to become No. 3 all-time DIII with the fastest time since 2006.

Tinch Unifies Sprint Hurdling Records

Cordell Tinch is now a double NCAA DII record-holder.

Tinch, who already held the divisional best in the 60-meter hurdles indoors, took down the year-old standard in the 110-meter hurdles on Friday afternoon at the Cal State LA Twilight with his 13.32 (+1.1) winner.

A day later he lined up in the Mt. SAC Relays and burned the track again, winning the elite 110 hurdles in a wind-aided 13.22 (+2.2), the fastest auto time in Division II under all conditions.

Cunningham, Smith Shine Over 10,000 Meters

Lindsay Cunningham and Fiona Smith continue to leave their mark.

Cunningham and Smith, both competing at the Mt. SAC Relays on Thursday night, etched their respective names into the NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III record books in the 10,000 meters. Already among the division’s all-time greats indoors, Cunningham and Smith are now both ranked third in the 25-lapper with their 32:43.64 and 33:23.89 efforts, respectively.

Back in March, Cunningham and Smith starred at their respective editions of the NCAA Indoor Championships: Cunningham, a Winona State star, shattered the NCAA DII record in the 5000 meters with her 15:41.30 winner in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Smith, a Saint Benedict standout, doubled up on distance titles in Birmingham, Alabama, which included a 9:25.62 winner in the 3000 meters, which vaulted her to No. 4 in NCAA DIII history.

Long Discus Throws For Alekna, Stona

Mykolas Alekna of California added to his domination of the all-time collegiate discus list, winning the Mt. SAC Relays elite discus in 68.35m (224-3). That the No. 3 performance all-time for Alekna, who now owns all of the top-5 marks.

Finishing second was Roje Stona of Arkansas with a PR 66.64m (218-8) to become No. 5 all-time collegian.

Chelangat Cracks Collegiate All-Time Top-10

Mercy Chelangat made quick work of 25 laps on Thursday night.

How quick? Try 31:55.80.

Chelangat, competing at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California, went sub-32 minutes over 10,000 meters and moved up to No. 7 in collegiate history in the process. She is now the second-fastest woman in collegiate history since 2015 (Emily Venters of Utah clocked 31:48.35 earlier this season at the Stanford Invitational).

Moore Soars In The Long Jump

Jasmine Moore didn’t wait long to leave her mark.

Moore, making her season debut at the Tom Jones Memorial on Friday, spanned a wind-aided 6.98m (22-10¾) to win the invitational section of the long jump. That was the fourth-farthest all-conditions jump in collegiate outdoor history behind Tara Davis’ CR of 7.14m (23-5¼), Carol Lewis’ wind-aided 7.03m (23-0¾) and Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s wind-legal 6.99m (22-11¼) that sits No. 2 on the all-time chart.

Messaoudi Climbs 1500 List

Oklahoma State’s Fouad Messaoudi finished second as the top collegian in Bryan Clay elite men’s 1500 meters, clocking 3:35.16 behind former Oregon star Cooper Teare (3:34.96). Messaoudi is now No. 4 all-time collegiately.

Joe Waskom of Washington was third in a PR 3:35.86, placing him just outside the all-time top-10 at No. 11.