Gruver surpasses Morris’ 2015 outdoor best with 15-6.25 (4.73m) clearance; Sisson, Huddle lead fastest women’s 10,000-meter race in meet history, with Alaska Anchorage star Kurgat setting NCAA Division 2 record

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Washington senior Olivia Gruver highlighted the afternoon schedule Friday at the 44th Stanford Invitational by breaking the collegiate outdoor women’s pole vault record, setting the stage for a memorable night of distance running at Cobb Track and Angell Field.

INTERVIEWS

Gruver cleared 15 feet, 6.25 inches (4.73m) on her second attempt to eclipse the 2015 record of 15-5.75 (4.72m) set by former Arkansas standout Sandi Morris at the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships. Gruver also elevated to No. 2 in the world this year.

Gruver, a Kentucky transfer and two-time NCAA Division 1 Outdoor champion, had a previous outdoor best of 14-11 (4.55m) from last year’s national finals at Hayward Field. Her indoor best is 15-3.75 (4.67m) from last year’s SEC Indoor Championships.

Only former Stephen F. Austin standout Demi Payne has produced a higher clearance in college than Gruver with her all-time indoor record.

Gruver’s performance wasn’t the only record that was toppled Friday, with the fastest women’s 10,000 meters in meet history producing several significant efforts.

Emily Sisson ascended to the No. 3 performer in U.S. history with her victory in 30:49.57, prevailing over American record holder Molly Huddle, who ran 30:58.46.

Sisson ran the sixth-fastest time by an American, with Huddle now boasting three of the nine fastest marks in U.S. history. Both athletes ran faster than the 2013 meet record of 31:04.85 set by Shalane Flanagan.

Behind the talented tandem, who used the 10,000 as a tuneup as part of their training in preparation for the London Marathon on April 28, there were several all-time collegiate performances.

Boise State’s Allie Ostrander took third in 32:06.71, Syracuse’s Paige Stoner was fourth in 32:07.36 and Alaska Anchorage senior Caroline Kurgat placed fifth in 32:08.09, smashing the NCAA Division 2 record of Cal State Los Angeles star Sylvia Mosqueda that has stood since 1988 by more than 20 seconds.

Ostrander elevated to the No. 10 all-time collegiate performer, with Stoner improving to No. 12 and Kurgat at 13th.

The top 16 women’s 10,000 performances in collegiate history have all been run at Cobb Track and Angell Field, either as part of the Stanford Invitational or Payton Jordan Invitational.

Stanford senior Mackenzie Little won her fourth consecutive javelin title at the invitational, producing a second-round throw of 192-1 (58.55m) to eclipse the 2009 meet record of 190-11 (58.20m) set by Oregon’s Rachel Yurkovich. Cardinal teammate Jenna Gray was second at 184 feet (56.09m).

Vashti Cunningham won the women’s high jump with a 6-4.25 (1.94m) clearance, with Nevada Gazelles training partner Jelena Rowe taking second by clearing 6-0.50 (1.84m).

Nick Howe, a former two-time NCAA Division 2 champion at UC San Diego, produced the top javelin mark by an American this year with his fourth-round throw of 251-8 (76.72m).

Oregon senior Jessica Hull won the women’s 5,000 in a personal-best 15:34.93, which ranks No. 3 in the world this year. BYU junior Erica Birk was second among collegiate athletes and fourth overall in 15:38.12.

Brigham Young’s Conner Mantz (28:18.18) and Clayton Young (28:18.50) ran the top two times in the world this year in the men’s 10,000.

Indiana junior Kyle Mau prevailed in the men’s 5,000 in 13:44.43, holding off former Portland standout and Tinman Elite athlete Jeff Thies (13:44.92). Indiana’s Ben Veatch was third in 13:45.92.

Indiana also received a victory from Daniel Michalski in the 3,000 steeplechase in 8:35.82. Providence fifth-year senior Brianna Ilarda won the women’s 3,000 steeplechase in 9:50.42.

Canadian standout Lindsey Butterworth won the women’s 1,500 in 4:13.05, with BYU junior Whittni Orton clocking 4:15.44 to take over the collegiate lead.

Arizona State senior William Paulson won the men’s 1,500 in 3:42.53.

In the high school events, Chase Gordon, Aiden Baker, Martin Smith and Matt Strangio helped Jesuit CA run a nation-leading 10:13.58 in the boys distance medley relay.

Sophie DeBenedetti, Lexy Jones, Emma Hollenbach and Isabella Fauria led St. Francis Sacramento CA to victory in the girls distance medley relay in 12:21.47, improving on their own mark, which ranked No. 3 in the state and seventh in the country.

Redwood Larkspur CA senior Liam Anderson eclipsed the 9-minute mark for the second time this year in the 3,200, clocking 8:59.77.

Healdsburg CA senior Gabrielle Peterson won the girls 3,200 in a personal-best 10:27.33, which ranks third in the state and sixth nationally.