Presidents' Day weekend figured to be a big one for Stanford track and field with the indoor season in high gear and two meets offering a final big stab at quality marks in the regular season.
With the Cardinal competing in the Husky Classic in Seattle on Friday and Saturday, and the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Thursday and Friday, the air cleared with one school record and a freshman record. In addition, there were 11 additions to Stanford's all-time top-10 indoor performers' lists and three additions to school all-time top-five freshman absolute lists.
"Strong performances all across the board," said J.J. Clark, Stanford's first-year Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field. "By far, my best team effort as director of track and field here."
On Friday, Ashlan Best smashed the Stanford indoor 400 record, running 53.02 on the 200-meter banked track at the Albuquerque Convention Center. She placed second to UCLA's Shae Anderson, who ran 52.07.
In Stanford indoor history, Best beat the 53.35 run by Kristina Williams on an oversized track at the Husky Classic in 2015 and tied by Olivia Baker at the Don Kirby meet in 2018. Best had a previous indoor best of 53.69, run in Seattle earlier this season. Best already is No. 4 in Stanford's outdoor top 10 at 52.86.
In the men's 60 in Albuquerque, Dorien Simon broke his own Stanford freshmen record. Simon ran a preliminary heat on Friday in 6.81, breaking his 6.85 mark
Two weeks after Ella Donaghu's school indoor mile record for a 200-meter track, junior Julia Heymach ran faster, clocking 4:33.37 on Saturday on the 307-meter track at University of Washington's Dempsey Indoor facility. Heymach jumped to No. 2 all-time on Stanford's indoor list, trailing only Elise Cranny, who ran a 4:31.29 on the same track, at the 2018 MPSF Championships.
Donaghu continued her torrid season, placing third in a top-quality field in the invitational 3,000 on Friday. Her 8:54.72 was the fastest at that distance since PattiSue Plumer ran 8:53.1 indoors in 1983.
In the men's 3,000, Alex Ostberg ran a personal beat 7:49.01 to place eighth in a strong field to make him No. 5 in Stanford indoor history.
In the 5,000, Michael Vernau ran 13:59.89 to become the sixth on the current Cardinal team to have broken the 14-minute barrier. In this race on Friday at the Husky Classic, teammate Alek Parsons ran 13:59.16 and freshman Devin Hart ran 14:00.39.
Two more big performances came in the women's mile at the Husky Classic as All-America Christina Aragon proved she is returning to form from injuries the past two years by running 4:37.30 – a nine-second improvement from two weeks ago. Also, Jordan Oakes ran 4:38.99, crushing her personal best of 4:47.96 from 2016.
Heading toward the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on Feb. 28-29 – the final weekend of NCAA Championships qualifying – Stanford has five individuals in seven events and two relay teams in position to reach NCAA's by being in the nation's top 16 for individuals and top 12 for relays.
For the women, they are: Best (No. 16, 400), Donaghu (No. 4, 3,000; No. 6, mile), Heymach (No. 5, mile; No. 9, 800), Jessica Lawson (No. 8, 3,000; No. 14, mile), and the distance medley relay team of Donaghu, Best, Heymach, and Lawson (No. 2).
For the men, they are: Ostberg (No. 9, 3,000), and the DMR team of Brandon McGorty, Miles Zoltak, Matt Rizzo, and DJ Principe (No. 12).
The NCAA Championships are March 13-14 in Albuquerque.
"I'm excited about the next two meets," Clark said.
* * *
Don Kirby Invitational
At Albuquerque Convention Center
(200-meter track)
Stanford results
Thursday
Men
200 – 18, Karson Lippert 21.79; 31, Dorien Simon 22.06; 36, Marcus Floyd 22.16.
400 -- Unseeded: 17, Nick Comly 49.17; 33, Paulson Adebo 51.44 (PB).
Long jump – Marcus Floyd, F.
Weight throw – 9, Max McKhann 61-1 ¼ (18.62m).
Women
200 – 2, Ashlan Best 23.62 (No. 3 Stanford AT); 72, Mary Gillett 25.61.
400 – Unseeded: 17, Mary Gillett 57.84.
High jump – 15, Valerie Przekop 5-5 ¼ (1.66m).
Pole vault – Unseeded: 12, Laurel Wong 12-8 (3.86m).
Weight throw – 16, Jaimi Salone 55-9 ½ (17.00m) (PB, No. 9 Stanford AT); Jordan Fong, F.
Friday
Men
60 – Prelims: 11, Dorien Simon 6.81 (PB, No. 3 Stanford AT, Stanford freshman record). Qualifying: 29, Marcus Floyd 7.06; 34, Paulson Adebo 7.10 (PB).
400 – 4, Julian Body 47.45 (PB, No. 8 Stanford AT); 12, Karson Lippert 48.06; Miles Zoltak 48.87.
60 hurdles – Prelims: 5, Julian Body 7.98 (PB, No. 4 Stanford AT).
4x400 relay – 3, Stanford (Julian Body, Karson Lippert, Miles Zoltak, Nick Comly) 3:13.59.
Pole vault – Seeded: 8, J.T. Herrscher 16-1 ¾ (4.92m).
Triple jump – 21, Fisayo Omilana 44-10 ¼ (13.67m); Keyshawn King, F.
Shot put – 18, Sam Liokumovich 53-5 ¾ (16.30m).
Women
400 – 2, Ashlan Best 53.02 (school record).
Pole vault – Seeded: 9, Kaitlyn Merritt 13-1 ¾ (4.01m).
Triple jump – 6, Aria Small 41-11 ½ (12.79m); 21, Ellie Talius 38-10 ¼ (11.84m); 27, Allyson Weiss 38-0 ¼ (11.59m).
Shot put – 17, Jaimi Salone 44-7 (13.59m).
* * *
Husky Classic
At Dempsey Indoor
(307-meter track)
Stanford results
Friday
Men
3,000 – 8, Alex Ostberg 7:49.01 (PB, No. 5 Stanford AT); 24, Callum Bolger 8:06.32 (PB); 25, Clayton Mendez 8:06.48; 35, Charles Hicks 8:08.81 (PB, No. 5 Stanford frosh AT); 49, Liam Anderson 8:13.06 (PB); 78, Andy Monroe 8:40.75.
5,000 – 20, Alek Parsons 13:59.16; 24, Michael Vernau 13:59.89 (PB); 25, Devin Hart 14:00.39 (PB); 36, Connor Lane 14:12.96; 42, Evan Burke 14:20.02 (PB); 56, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau 14:36.40.
Women
200 – 7, Carolyn Wilson 25.67.
3,000 – 3, Ella Donaghu 8:54.72 (PB, No. 2 Stanford AT); 7, Jessica Lawson 8:59.38 (PB, No. 6 Stanford AT); 28, Abi Archer 9:22.49 (PB); 39, Kristin Fahy 9:31.99 (PB); 45, Grace Connolly 9:34.89 (PB); 48, Rebecca Story 9:38.52 (PB); 64, Lindsey Payne 9:50.16 (PB).
Saturday
Men
800 – 6, Brandon McGorty 1:51.48.
Mile – Matt Rizzo 4:03.16 (PB, No. 4 Stanford frosh AT); DJ Principe 4:06.27; 51, Liam Conway 4:09.53 (PB).
Women
800 – 5, Carolyn Wilson 2:06.11 (No. 10 Stanford AT).
Mile – 2, Julia Heymach 4:33.37 (PB, No. 2 Stanford AT); 9, Christina Aragon 4:37.30; 12, Jordan Oakes 4:38.99 (PB); 61, Kaitlin Ryan 4:57.46.
PB = personal best.
AT = all-time.
* * *
USATF Indoor Championships
At Albuquerque Convention Center
Stanford alumni results
Friday
Men
Pole vault – 13, Garrett Starkey 18-2 ½ (5.55m).
Women
800 – First round: Ht.1 – 1, Olivia Baker 2:05.10.
3,000 – 6, Vanessa Fraser 9:01.66.
Saturday
Women
800 – 4, Olivia Baker 2:03.56.