Ostrander Made Steeplechase History

When you’re best known for your dominant victories in the junior section of the famed Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska – as well as dipping under the long-standing course record in your first foray into the senior portion of said competition – ascending the NCAA podium might seem rather tame in comparison.

At least that’s what we might be able to decipher from what Alaska native Allie Ostrander accomplished during her legendary collegiate career with the Boise State Broncos.

By the time Ostrander turned pro following her redshirt junior season in 2019, she became the only woman – and just fourth athlete overall – in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to win three consecutive steeplechase titles (James Munyala, UTEP; Daniel Lincoln, Arkansas; Anthony Rotich, UTEP). You might remember 2009 The Bowerman winner Jenny Barringer (now Simpson) nabbed three crowns in the event while competing for Colorado, but they came in the span of four years (2006, 2008 and 2009).

Ostrander topped the steeplechase dais for the first time in 2017, as just the third freshman woman to do so in meet history. She crossed the finish line in 9:41.31 after a blistering final lap of 71.89 seconds, where she gapped the field and eventually put seven seconds between herself and New Hampshire’s Elinor Purrier, who shared the lead at the bell (Purrier ended up fourth).

That same year, Ostrander doubled back less than an hour and a half later in the 5000. A customary tactical race in a distance final (20 women were within four seconds of the lead with 2000 meters to go) allowed Ostrander to get her legs back under her. By the time the tempo quickened, Ostrander had more than enough left to finish fourth in 15:46.18, the fastest time by a freshman at the meet since 2011.

Ostrander did the steeplechase-5K two-step once again in 2018, winning the former by more than six seconds in 9:39.28 and holding on for an eighth-place finish in the latter. In doing so, Ostrander became the only woman in meet history to score in both events at two separate editions of the NCAA Championships.

With a three-peat in her sights in 2019, Ostrander left no doubt as to her legacy. Ostrander surged into the lead with three laps to go on a warm night in Austin, Texas, put two seconds on the field at the bell and continued pressing forward, winning by nearly nine seconds in 9:37.73.

“I feel like most of the stuff I’ve done in the NCAA is stuff that other people have done and I’m just replicating it — but this one is all mine, and that feels really special,” Ostrander told ESPN reporter Larra Overton after the race at Mike A. Myers Stadium last year.