USTFCCCA News & Notes
Checking The Record Book: Relay Edition
Relay Weekend is upon us!
Who is ready for the 128th edition of the Penn Relays and the 114th installment of the Drake Relays? Those relay carnivals will take place over the next few days at Franklin Field in Philadelphia and Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
From The USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meets & Results | Records & Lists
Elite collegiate performances have been the norm at both over the years.
There is no doubt that we’ll see more in 2024, which makes us wonder: How many of those efforts will result in collegiate relay records? Well, let’s take a look at those records as they stand today.
Collegiate Records In Relay Events |
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| Event | Men’s Record | Women’s Record | |
| 4×100 Relay | LSU, 37.90 (2023) | Texas, 41.55 (2023) | |
| 4×200 Relay | TCU, 1:19.67 (2000) | Texas, 1:28.05 (2023) | |
| 4×400 Relay | Florida, 2:57.74 (2023) | Kentucky, 3:21.93 (2022) | |
| 4×800 Relay | Arizona State, 7:08.96 (1984) | Villanova, 8:17.45 (2013) | |
| 4×1500 Relay | Arkansas, 14:50.2 (1985) | Arkansas, 16:53.87 (2022) | |
| 4xMile Relay | Oregon, 16:03.27 (2009) | No Record Available | |
| Sprint Medley | Texas A&M, 3:11.94 (2017) | Texas, 3:36.10 (2023) | |
| Distance Medley | Arkansas, 9:20.10 (1989) | Villanova, 10:48.38 (1988) | |
As you can see, several of those records are ancient (by today’s terms).
Three of the men’s records happened before the turn of the millennium with a fourth right on the cusp. The oldest men’s relay record is the 4×800 standard of 7:08.96 established by Arizona State in 1984. No other collegiate team has gone sub-7:11 in the event with Arkansas coming closest the following year in 7:11.17. Virginia’s 2011 quartet, with Robby Andrews on the anchor, clocked 7:12.15 at the Penn Relays and is the third-best program in collegiate history.
Five of the seven biggest women’s relay records have been set in the past two years, including three by Texas alone in 2023. Villanova holds the two oldest records: its distance medley mark of 10:48.38 from 1988 and then its 4×800 standard of 8:17.45 from 2013. It might be about time for either of those to fall, especially in the distance medley relay: Washington and Providence both dipped under that standard this year during the indoor season at 10:43.69 and 10:44.07, respectively.