ON A SPECTACULAR Saturday early in the indoor season, the Stanford men's and women's track and field teams collected two school records, 12 victories, and 21 personal bests across two meets in the state of Washington.
The Cardinal, featuring sprinters, jumpers, and throwers, won eight events at the Spokane Indoor Challenge at The Podium. And at the UW Indoor Preview on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, the Cardinal middle and long distance runners won four more.
But victories, bests, and even the 11 improvements and additions to Stanford's all-time indoor top-10 lists, do not quite illustrate the spectacle of a few events – Juliette Whittaker's stunning collegiate debut and Stanford's cavalcade of sub-4 milers.
Whittaker, the national high school outdoor record holder in the 800 meters, opened her collegiate career by breaking the Stanford record in that event and then anchoring the Cardinal to victory in the 4x400 relay. Whittaker ran 2:02.48 to break the 800 meet record on Dempsey Indoor's 307-meter flat track, and Justine Fedronic's 2014 school indoor record of 2:03.25. But because Whittaker's was run on an oversized track, Fedronic, a 2016 Olympian, continues to hold the Stanford record on a standard 200-meter track.
Juliette Whittaker. Photo by Bob Drebin/ISIphotos.com.
Stanford' other school record was broken on Friday night in Spokane when Max McKhann barely exceeded his own Stanford mark in the 35-pound weight throw. McKhann went 71-11 (21.92 meters) on his sixth and final throw to edge his 2022 record of 71-10 ¾ (21.91).
In the invitational mile in Seattle, Ky Robinson continued his scintillating indoor season by leading four Stanford runners to their first sub-4 times. Robinson won in 3:55.87, with Cole Sprout second in 3:56.53, Thomas Boyden third in 3:57.06, and John Lester sixth in 3:58.88. Stanford hadn't had a sub-4 miler since Alex Ostberg in 2019.
Including indoors and outdoors, Stanford now has 22 different sub-4 milers. Sprout, Boyden, and Lester are among 668 Americans in the sub-4 club that was created by Cal's Don Bowden, who became the first American to break the barrier, on June 1, 1957, in Stockton.
Robinson, an Australian, now has the world and collegiate leading times in two events this season: the mile and 5,000, having run 13:11.53 on December 3, 2022, in Boston.
Robinson, Sprout, Boyden, and Lester rank Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 12 on Stanford's all-time indoor mile list. None had broken four minutes before.
Stanford's sub-4 milers (l. to r.): Ky Robinson, Cole Sprout, Thomas Boyden, John Lester. Photos by Bob Drebin/ISIphotos.com.
In Spokane, Alyssa Jones tied a Stanford freshman record in the high jump and became the first Card woman to clear 6 feet indoors or outdoors in 25 years, since Tracye Lawyer in 1998. Jones won the Spokane meet at 6-0 (1.83m) in her collegiate debut in that event. She tied the frosh mark set by Stanford Hall of Famer Lisa Bernhagen in 1985.
Jones missed on only one attempt at six different heights before going out at 6-1 ¼ (1.86m). A versatile athlete, Jones also took second in the 200 in 23.63, tying for the No. 5 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Jones trailed only teammate Alexa Rossum, who also had a big day. Rossum was second in the 60 in 7.41 and won the 200 in 23.59, moving her up to No. 3 all-time at Stanford, after her 60 prelims time of 7.40 placed her at No. 7 at that distance.
Stanford shows promise in the women's 4x400 relays after winning that event in both Spokane and Seattle, and getting individual victories in the 400 at each meet too. Maya Valmon blazed to a 53.50 (No. 4 at Stanford all-time) in Spokane while freshman Roisin Willis, the reigning world under-20 800 champ, won her collegiate track debut with a 53.65 (No. 6 all-time) in Seattle.
Other Spokane victories came from Max Manson in the men's pole vault at 17-7 ¼ (5.37m), Allan Hunter in the men's long jump (Stanford) at 23-10 ¾ (7.28m), and Laurel Wong in the women's pole vault at 12-6 1/4 (3.82m).
Stanford emerges from the weekend with three collegiate-leading marks – from Robinson in the men's mile and 5,000 and Whittaker in the women's 800. Valmon is No. 3 in the women's 400, Sprout and Boyden and Nos. 2 and 4 in the men's mile, Jones is No. 4 in the women's long jump, and Devin Hart is No. 4 in the men's 3,000.
Hart ran a personal best 7:51.84 to place third at the UW Indoor Preview. He is among 18 Stanford athletes who are among the nation's top 16 and therefore in position for inclusion to the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 10-11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. However, there is a long way to go – seven weeks – before the fields will be determined.
* * *
Spokane Indoor Challenge
At The Podium
(200-meter banked track)
Winners and all Stanford
Friday
Men
High jump – 1, Steven Schmidt (Northwest Nazarene) 6-8 ¾ (2.05m); 9, James Stevens (Stanford) 6-2 ¼ (1.89m).
Weight throw – 1, Max McKhann (Stanford) 71-11 (21.92m) (PB, school record); 2, Anthony Argyropoulos (Stanford) 59-3 (18.06m) (PB).
Saturday
Men
60 final – 1, Roman Johnson (San Jose State) 6.68; 7, Dorien Simon (Stanford) 6.92. Prelims – 3, Dorien Simon (Stanford) 6.85.
200 – 1, Jeremiah Walker (San Jose State) 21.49; 3, Dorien Simon (Stanford) 21.60 (ties No. 8 Stanford AT).
400 – 1, Shareez Hamm (Academy of Art) 48.28; 4, Miles Zoltak (Stanford) 48.63; 7, Karson Lippert (Stanford) 49.03; 24, Gabriel Navarro (Stanford) 51.38.
4x400 relay – 1, Academy of Art 3:12.64; 4, Stanford (Miles Zoltak, Karson Lippert, Gabriel Navarro, Dorien Simon) 3:22.89.
Pole vault – 1, Max Manson (Stanford) 17-7 ¼ (5.37m); 3, Garrett Brown (Stanford) 15-11 ¾ (4.87m); 4, J.T. Herrscher (Stanford) 15-5 ¾ (4.72m).
Long jump – 1, Allan Hunter (Stanford) 23-10 ¾ (7.28m); 4, John Kroeger (Stanford) 22-10 (6.96m); 8, Kevin Yang (Stanford) 21-8 ¼ (6.61m).
Triple jump – 1, Mathieu Tshani (Academy of Art) 51-1 (15.57m); 4, Kevin Yang (Stanford) 48-0 (14.63m); 7, Marcus Floyd (Stanford) 46-10 ¼ (14.28m) (PB).
Shot put – 1, Dayne Gordien (Western Oregon) 55-1 ½ (16.80m); 8, Garin Gross (Stanford) 47-7 ¾ (14.52m).
Women
60 final – 1, Cheetah Burrell (G3 Performance) 7.36; 2, Alexa Rossum (Stanford) 7.41; 5, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 7.67; Prelims – 1, Alexa Rossum (Stanford) 7.40 (ties PB, No. 7 Stanford AT); 7, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 7.66; 15, Cydney Wright (Stanford) 7.77; 18, Megan Olomu (Stanford) 7.85.
200 – 1, Alexa Rossum (Stanford) 23.59 (No. 3 Stanford AT); 2, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 23.63 (ties No. 5 Stanford AT, No. 4 Stanford frosh AT); 4, Cydney Wright (Stanford) 24.45; 9, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 25.11 (PB); 16, Megan Olomu (Stanford) 25.56.
400 – 1, Maya Valmon (Stanford) 53.50 (No. 4 Stanford AT); 5, Camille Peisner (Stanford) 56.04; 6, Trinity Price (Stanford) 56.16; 7, Samantha Thomas (Stanford) 56.40.
60 hurdles prelims – 16, Madison Romain (Stanford) 9.27. Qualifying – 3, Madison Romain (Stanford) 9.20 (PB).
4x400 relay – 1, Stanford 'A' (Cydney Wright, Trinity Price, Maya Valmon, Camille Peisner) 3:45.26; 5, Stanford 'B' (Samantha Thomas, Alexa Rossum, Alyssa Jones, Alaysia Oakes) 3:54.90.
High jump – 1, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 6-0 (1.83m) (No. 3 Stanford AT, ties Stanford frosh record); Elise Miller (Stanford) NH.
Pole vault – 1, Laurel Wong (Stanford) 12-6 1/4 (3.82m); 5 (tie), Kelly Kern (Stanford), Lianne Kistler (Stanford), each 12-4 ½ (3.77m).
Long jump – 1, Marie-Jeanne Ourega (Academy of Art) 19-10 ¼ (6.05m); 2, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 19-2 ½ (5.85m).
Triple jump – 1, Emilia Sjostrand (San Jose State) 41-6 ½ (12.66m); 8, Ellie Talius (Stanford) 35-7 ¾ (10.86m).
Shot put – 1, Deandra Tyler (UC Irvine) 48-0 (14.63m); 5, Kaiah Fisher (Stanford) 44-1 ¼ (13.44m); 15, Brandy Atuatasi (Stanford) 38-5 ½ (11.72m).
* * *
UW Indoor Preview
At Dempsey Indoor
(307-meter flat track)
Winners and all Stanford
Saturday
Men
Mile – 1, Ky Robinson (Stanford) 3:55.87 (PB, No. 2 Stanford AT); 2, Cole Sprout (Stanford) 3:56.53 (PB, No. 3 Stanford AT); 3, Thomas Boyden (Stanford) 3:57.06 (PB, No. 4 Stanford AT); 6, John Lester (Stanford) 3:58.88 (PB); 9, Zane Bergen (Stanford) 4:02.97 (No. 5 Stanford frosh AT); 11, Robert DiDonato (Stanford) 4:05.92 (PB).
3,000 – 1, Kieran Lumb (Washington) 7:43.27; 3, Devin Hart (Stanford) 7:51.84 (PB); 5, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau (Stanford) 7:54.67 (PB); 10, Caleb Boutelle (Stanford) 8:03.82 (PB); 58, Callum Sherry (Stanford) 8:48.00.
Women
400 – 1, Roisin Willis (Stanford) 53.65 (No. 6 Stanford AT, No. 5 Stanford frosh AT); 2, Anna Tovkach (Stanford) 56.06; 3, Taylor James (Stanford) 56.48.
800 – 1, Juliette Whittaker (Stanford) 2:02.48 (meet record, school record, Stanford frosh record).
Mile -- 1, Kaela Edwards (adidas) 4:32.83; 15, Ellie Deligianni (Stanford) 4:45.86 (PB).
3,000 – 1, Laura Pellicoro (Portland) 9:05.91; 4, Lucy Jenks (Stanford) 9:16.93; 9, Melissa Tanaka (Stanford) 9:24.31 (PB); 11, Riley Stewart (Stanford) 9:27.01 (PB); 15, Audrey DaDamio (Stanford) 9:32.81 (PB); 17, Audrey Suarez (Stanford) 9:33.47 (PB); 18, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 9:33.95; 25, Ava Parekh (Stanford) 9:43.02 (PB); 26, Imogen Gardiner (Stanford) 9:43.34; 30, Julia Flynn (Stanford) 9:46.25 (PB).
4x400 relay – 1, Stanford 'A' (Roisin Willis, Anna Tovkach, Taylor James, Juliette Whittaker) 3:41.09; 6, Stanford 'B' 3:58.22.
AT = all-time
PB = personal best
Note: Lead photo of Max Manson by Jacob Thompson/Central Washington University.