NCAA Cross Country Champions Get Another Big Result To Open Indoor Track, With Valby Smashing Collegiate Record With 14:56.11 and Blanks Doing The Same With 13:03.78

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photos courtesy University of Florida (Valby) and Harvard (Blanks)

RESULTS

The end of the fall racing season extended one event beyond the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships for some of the collegiate system's brightest stars, who gathered Saturday for the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University. 

Parker Valby of Florida lowered the collegiate indoor record in the 5,000 meters by 16 seconds, running the seventh-fastest time ever by an American woman, 14:56.11. Her time eclipsed the collegiate record of Emily Sisson of Providence, who ran 15:12.22 in 2015. She also ran faster than Jenny Simpson's oversized track performance of 15:01.70, which she achieved for Colorado in 2009. 

Behind Valby, Annie Rodenfels of the B.A.A. (15:03.97) and Ella Donaghu of Nike's Union Athletics Club (15:16.97) ran new personal best times. 

Harvard's Graham Blanks and Stanford's Ky Robinson ran the two fastest indoor 5,000s by collegiate men. Blanks, who won the Ivy League's first NCAA individual cross country title Nov. 18, ran 13:03.78. That moved him to No. 6 on the all-time American list and broke Lawi Lalang's collegiate record of 13:08.28, set in 2012 when he was at Arizona. 

Robinson's time of 13:06.42 improved the Australian record held by Oliver Hoare, who ran 13:09.96 in 2021. 

Additionally, Sam Atkin of Great Britain (PUMA) ran 13:06.66 and Parker Wolfe from North Carolina ran 13:13.61. New Mexico freshman Habtom Samuel was next with 13:14.85. 

The winning times in the 3,000 meters were also exceptional. 

Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame ran the No. 2 all-time collegiate performance with 8:40.42, a time that trails only Katelyn Tuohy's 8:35.20 from the Millrose Games last February. 

Markezich's time moved her to No. 19 on the all-time U.S women's indoor list. 

Harvard's Maia Ramsden ran a time of 8:46.84 to become the No. 6 all-time collegiate indoor performer (also No. 2 all-time New Zealand indoor mark). Duke's Amina Maatoug ran 8:46.89 for the No. 7 all-time collegiate indoor clocking (also No. 4 all-time Dutch indoor mark). Oklahoma State's Billah Jepkirui ran 8:49.08 for No. 10 all-time on the collegiate list.

Oregon's Maddy Elmore (8:50.43) and Oregon State's Kaylee Mitchell (8:51.06) also turned in fast times. 

In the men's 3,000 meters, Northern Arizona's Nico Young and Oklahoma State's Brian Musau ran historically fast times, moving to Nos. 3 and 4 on the all-time collegiate indoor list. Young ran 7:37.73 for No. 12 all-time by an American and Musau ran 7:38.04. 

A second Oklahoma State athlete, Ryan Schoppe, was fourth in the race in 7:38.80, elevating to No. 7 all-time collegiate indoors.

Nike's Craig Engels was fifth in 7:43.76, one spot ahead of Northern Arizona's Drew Bosley (7:43.98).