STANFORD, Calif. – Performances by Vanessa Fraser and a crew of sprinters highlighted Stanford's day at the third Cardinal Classic track and field meet on Saturday at Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Fraser won the women's invitational 1,500 meters in 4:10.63, one of 11 meet records broken Saturday, in the third-fastest time by a collegian this year. Fraser, a graduate student in management science and engineering, jumped into Stanford's all-time top-10 at No. 4, leapfrogging greats such as Regina Jacobs, Lauren Fleshman, and Arianna Lambie.
However, as a collective unit, none for Stanford performed better than its group of 400-meter runners. Stanford won both the men's and women's 4x400 relays in times among the top 10 in school history and swept the first five places of the women's 400 with each under 54 seconds. In comparison, before this weekend, only one school in the country (Ohio State) had five under 54 for the season.
The 400 entourage was led by Olivia Baker in 53.03 and followed by Gaby Gayles (53.18), Missy Mongiovi (53.42), Ashlan Best (53.96), and Carolyn Wilson (53.98). Baker, Gayles, and Mongiovi each ran Stanford all-time top-10 times. Best had the No. 4 freshmen time ever at Stanford and freshman Wilson already has a faster time has her at No. 10 on Stanford's all-time performers' list.
The relay splits were even more impressive in running 3:32.70 – No. 7 all-time at Stanford and a meet record. Gayles led off at 53.8, followed by Baker in 52.5, Mongiovi in 53.3, and anchored by Wilson in 52.9. The Cardinal beat runner-up Colorado by more than eight seconds.
"This team has really pushed me," Gayles said. "They've really helped me push myself. I'm so excited about the rest of the season."
Gabriel Navarro takes the handoff from Isaiah Brandt-Sims for the third leg of the 4x400 relay. Photo by John P. Lozano/Stanford Athletics.
The Stanford men were second to Iowa State, 3:07.57 to 3:08.28 in a race that was even on the final exchange. Frank Kurtz got Stanford off in 47.3, with Isaiah Brandt-Sims splitting 46.8, Gabriel Navarro in 47.0, and Julian Body in 46.9. It was the ninth-fastest ever at Stanford.
The same foursome ran the fourth-fastest 4x100 in school history and the fastest since 2004. The order was Kurtz, Navarro, Brandt-Sims, and Body. The time: 40.04.
Stanford also won the women's 4x100. The team of Michaela Crunkleton Wilson, Best, Mongiovi, and Gayles ran 45.51.
For Fraser, the 1,500 has been used as a training tool for the 5,000. She has reached the NCAA Outdoor Championships twice at that distance. In this case, it became a confidence builder in preparation for her 5,000 at the Payton Jordan Invitational on May 3. Her previous best was 4:15.90.
"The 15 always has been something that's come along a little bit slower for me because I don't really have natural speed," Fraser said. "Something I've been learning is that the more strength you get, the more speed you get. As I become stronger, I am getting quicker and I don't need to do anything crazy to get that speed except keep working on my 5K strength. The 15 just magically comes together, and it's really exciting."
Teammates Christina Aragon and Elise Cranny set up Fraser with a good pace. Aragon led for much of the early section and Cranny took over through 1,200. Fraser, who sometimes trains when Aragon and Cranny when she needs some good speed work, tried to visualize the race as a training session. She used the same strategy – get on to their backs and let them pull her.
Though Fraser had a gap on the field on the backstretch of the final lap, Michigan's Jamie Morrissey was closing in by the time they reached the straightaway. Fraser, however, found another gear and pushed through it, refusing to let the Michigan runner have a chance.
"It's definitely hard when you're the one in the front and you don't have anyone to chase down," Fraser said. "I just told myself, 'She's right on your back, you have to keep pushing.' I didn't want to lose."
In the men's 3,000 steeplechase, Steven Fahy likely got the time he needed to get him into the NCAA West Prelims. Fahy won in a meet record 8:48.79 in what should be his only steeple until the Pac-12 Championships, May 12-13 at Stanford, where he will be a strong contender.
The pace was a bit slow and Fahy was getting antsy. Sensing this, Chris Miltenberg, Stanford's Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field, yelled, "Trust yourself!"
What did that mean?
"When you want to go, commit to it," Fahy said ."And keeping building every hundred."
Fahy, a junior in eligibility, did so, pushing with about three laps left and took control of the race for a commanding victory. Fahy has maintained the momentum of his strongest season yet. He earned his first All-America honors last fall, placing 17th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships and following with a ninth place in the 5,000 at the NCAA Indoor Championships last month.
"I definitely have gotten into a pretty good rhythm and gotten some momentum," Fahy said. "But more than anything, mentally I've gotten a lot better over the years. Even those days when I'm not feeling great, I've gotten better at pulling together a solid effort."
In the women's pole vault, Kaitlyn Merritt strengthened her hold on the No. 2 spot all-time at Stanford -- behind only reigning Olympic and World champion Katerina Stefanidi – by clearing 13-10 ½ (4.23m). Merritt and Cal's Lauren Martinez now share the meet record at that height, but Martinez got the victory on a countback. Merritt missed once at winning height while Martinez was perfect through that height.
Saturday's Stanford winners included Brandt-Sims in the 100 (10.45) and Lena Giger in the women's shot put, at 55-10 ¼ (17.02m).
Vanessa Fraser takes charge on the backstretch of the final lap. Photo by David Kiefer.
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Cardinal Classic
At Cobb Track and Angell Field
Saturday results
Winners and all Stanford competitors
Men
100 – 1, Isaiah Brandt-Sims (Stanford) 10.45, meet record; 3, Gabriel Navarro (Stanford) 10.56; 5, Terrence Alexander (Stanford) 10.91, PB.
400 – 1, Jonathan Webb (Minnesota) 46.87; 6, Frank Kurtz (Stanford) 47.56; 10, Isaac Westlund (Stanford) 48.45; 11, Lucas Ege (Stanford) 48.97, PB; 12, Daniel Brady (Stanford) 49.06, PB; 13, Dion Brandt-Sims (Stanford) 49.37, PB; 15, Colin Dolese (Stanford) 49.42.
1,500 – Invitational: 1, Joseph Murphy (Indiana) 3:42.68; 5, Tom Coyle (Stanford) 3:45.65; 8, Tai Dinger (Stanford) 3:47.08. Sec. 2: 7, Patrick Perrier (Stanford) 3:50.11; 10, Isaac Cortes (Stanford) 3:55.69.
3,000 steeplechase – 1, Steven Fahy (Stanford) 8:48.79, meet record; 7, Steven Grolle (Stanford) 9:12.43, PB.
10,000 – 1, Ben Flanagan (Michigan) 29:33.07, meet record.
110 hurdles – 1, Eric Walker (Minnesota) 14.36; 4, Jack Herkert (Stanford) 14.69, PB.
4x100 relay – 1, Stanford (Frank Kurtz, Gabriel Navarro, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, Julian Body) 40.04, meet record, No. 4 Stanford AT.
4x400 relay – 1, Iowa State 3:07.57, meet record; 2, Stanford 'A' (Frank Kurtz, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, Gabriel Navarro, Julian Body) 3:08.28, No. 9 Stanford AT; 5, Stanford 'C' 3:17.55; 6, Stanford 'D' 3:22.33.
High jump – 1, Ryan Lockard (Minnesota) 6-9 ¾ (2.08m); 2, Trevor Rex (Stanford) 6-6 (1.98m); 3, Jack Herkert (Stanford) 6-6 (1.98m).
Triple jump – 1, Tristan Meye (Cal) 49-11 ¾ (15.23m).
Shot put – 1, McKay Johnson (Cal) 63-4 ¼ (19.31m), meet record; 3, Tristen Newman (Stanford) 59-10 ½ (18.25m).
Discus – 1, McKay Johnson (Cal) 174-1 (53.07m); 3, Jake Koffman (Stanford) 167-3 (50.99m); 7, Landon Ellingson (Stanford) 152-0 (46.33m).
Women
100 – 1, Torisa Johnson (Michigan) 12.00; 5, Daryth Gayles (Stanford) 12.50.
400 – 1, Olivia Baker (Stanford) 53.03, meet record, No. 5 Stanford AT; 2, Gaby Gayles (Stanford) 53.18, PB, No. 6 Stanford AT; 3, Missy Mongiovi (Stanford) 53.42, PB, No. 9 Stanford AT; 4, Ashlan Best (Stanford) 53.96, No. 4 Stanford frosh AT; 5, Carolyn Wilson (Stanford) 53.98; 8, Michaela Crunkleton Wilson (Stanford) 56.14.
1,500 – Invitational: 1, Vanessa Fraser (Stanford) 4:10.63, PB, meet record, No. 4 Stanford AT. Sec. 2: 4, Maddy Berkson (Stanford) 4:24.71; 5, Catherine Pagano (Stanford) 4:35.76. Sec. 3: 5, Jordan Oakes (Stanford) 4:25.65, PB; 9, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 4:36.58.
3,000 steeplechase – 1, Devin Clark (Arkansas) 10:08.17.
10,000 – 1, McKenzie Yanek (Alabama) 33:58.14.
100 hurdles – 1, Fiyin Olusola (unattached) 13.82; 10, Amber Lewis (Stanford) 14.80.
4x100 relay – 1, Stanford (Michaela Crunkleton Wilson, Ashlan Best, Missy Mongiovi, Gaby Gayles) 45.51.
4x400 relay – 1, Stanford (Gaby Gayles, Olivia Baker, Missy Mongiovi, Carolyn Wilson) 3:32.70, meet record, No. 7 Stanford AT.
Triple jump – 1, Ashley Anderson (Cal) 42-0 (12.80m), meet record; 2, Marisa Kwiatkowski (Stanford) 40-11 ½ (12.48m).
Pole vault – 1, Lauren Martinez (Cal) 13-10 ½ (4.23m), meet record; 2, Kaitlyn Merritt (Stanford) 13-10 ½ (4.23m), No. 2 Stanford AT; 3, Erika Malaspina (Stanford) 12-4 ¾ (3.78m); 4, Jackie McNulty (Stanford) 12-4 ¾ (3.78m); 7, Nicole Summersett (Stanford) 12-4 ¾ (3.78m).
Shot put – 1, Lena Giger (Stanford) 55-10 ¼ (17.02m); 5, Jaimi Salone (Stanford) 44-3 ¼ (13.49m).
Discus – 1, Kendall Mader (Cal) 167-10 (51.15m); 5, Jaimi Salone (Stanford) 145-2 (44.25m).
PB = personal best
AT = all-time
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Stanford is set to host the Pac-12 Track and Field Championships on May 5-6 and May 12-13 on Cobb Track and Angell Field. The first weekend, with the multi-event athletes competing, is free to the public. Tickets ($10/adult; $5/student, youth, seniors) are required to watch May 12-13. Fans can save $5 per person by purchasing their tickets online, and in-advance. To secure your tickets for the Championships, visit gostanford.com/pac12track.