STANFORD, Calif. – The 2023 track and field year was the best in Stanford history in one respect.
For the first time, Stanford's men and women each earned podium (top four) team finishes at the NCAA championships in the same year. The Stanford men were third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and the women were fourth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Never before had the men and women each finished among the top-four in the same year.
Also consider that Stanford's five individual NCAA titles, including indoor and outdoor, was second in school history, behind only the 2000 squad that won six titles and featured the Cardinal's NCAA-winning outdoor men's squad.
The five individual titles came from the women indoors in the distance medley relay and by freshman Roisin Willis in the 800 meters, and from the men outdoors with Ky Robinson's sweep of the 5,000 and 10,000 and by Udodi Onwuzurike in the 200.
Stanford's third place, under fourth-year Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field/Cross Country J.J. Clark, was the men's team's highest finish since 2000. It was accomplished with only five athletes. And all the scoring was done by three of them – Robinson, Onwuzurike, and distance runner Charles Hicks. The last time any men's team finished on the NCAA outdoor podium with three or fewer scorers was 1997 by UCLA. The women's team's fourth-place NCAA indoor finish was its best at that meet since 2006.
Robinson, a junior, was named among 10 semifinalists for The Bowerman, collegiate track and field's highest individual award. The Australian was the first to win both the 5,000 and 10,000 at NCAA's outdoors since Edward "King Ches" Cheserek of Oregon in 2016.
The Stanford freshmen women were spectacular. Alyssa Jones broke the American under-20 record in the long jump, and the Pac-12 record, while finishing second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Willis was named the West Region Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. And Juliette Whittaker anchored the DMR team to the NCAA title, won the Pac-12 800 title, and was named Pac-12 Women's Freshman of the Year.
Stanford athletes broke or tied school records 31 times over the indoor and outdoor seasons. The indoor season featured 22 such performances and the outdoors nine. Among them were some of the finest marks in collegiate history.
Onwuzurike's 19.76 on June 7 in the NCAA semifinals was the third-fastest 200 in collegiate history, a Pac-12 record, and the second-fastest in the world this year. His 9.92 in the Pac-12 Championships semifinals placed him No. 9 on the all-time collegiate performers' list in the 100. And his 20.17 at the NCAA indoor semifinals was the seventh-fastest in collegiate history.
Only a sophomore and with the World Championships for Nigeria still ahead this summer, Onwuzurike has broken or tied Stanford school records 18 times. He holds school records in the indoor 60 and 200, and the outdoor 100, 200, and 4x100 relay.
Stanford's first track and field meet of the 2022-23 academic year came on December 3, 2022, at the indoor Colyear-Danville Opener in Boston when Robinson won the 5,000 in 13:11.53 – the third-fastest indoor time in collegiate history. It also broke the Stanford absolute (indoors and outdoors) record and provided a glimpse of what Robinson would accomplish in 2023.
The NCAA Indoor women's 800 was also spectacular for Stanford, with Willis winning in 1:59.93 and Whittaker second in 2:00.05 in the second- and fourth-fastest fastest times in history.
The indoor season also featured Robinson leading four Cardinal to sub-4-minute miles at the UW Indoor Preview. Cole Sprout, Thomas Boyden, and John Lester followed suit.
With both Stanford teams finishing among the top four – the men were third and women fourth – at the Pac-12 Championships for the first time since 2018, the Cardinal won four individual titles. Whittaker and Jones won the 800 and long jump, respectively, for the women, and Onwuzurike won the 200 and Kevin Yang the triple jump for the men.
It all added up to a spectacular 2023 for Stanford track and field.
NCAA distance medley relay champs: Juliette Whittaker, Roisin Willis, Melissa Tanaka, Maya Valmon. Photo by David Hicks.
* * *
Season Honors and Achievements
Combined teams
129th season of Stanford track and field.
Nine different first-team All-Americans.
16 different All-Americans overall.
32nd consecutive season with at least one NCAA outdoor top-five individual finish.
31 athletes competed at the NCAA West Prelims.
School records broken or tied 31 times.
No. 4 in unofficial combined Program of the Year standings.
Men's team
Third at NCAA Outdoor Championships.
32nd at NCAA Indoor Championships.
Top Pac-12 team at NCAA Outdoor Championships for second consecutive year.
Third at Pac-12 Championships.
NCAA individual outdoor champions in three events.
Two Pac-12 individual champions.
No. 7 in John McDonnell Program of the Year standings.
Extended streak of consecutive seasons with an NCAA 5,000 finalist to 14.
Unbeaten against Cal at NCAA Outdoors for 26th consecutive season (25-0-1).
School records broken or tied 17 times.
New school records in nine different events (six indoor, three outdoor).
13 additions or improvements to the outdoor top-10 list.
14 additions or improvements to the indoor top-10 list.
Women's team
Fourth at NCAA Indoor Championships.
20th at NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Fourth at Pac-12 Championships.
NCAA individual indoor champions in two events.
No. 4 in Terry Crawford Program of the Year standings.
Had an individual conference outdoor champion for the 26th consecutive season, the longest active streak in the Pac-12.
Had an NCAA outdoor 5,000 finalist for the 21st time in 22 seasons, including 13 consecutive seasons.
Two individual Pac-12 champions.
Finished ahead of Cal at NCAA Outdoors for the 15th consecutive season.
School records broken or tied 13 times.
New school records in eight different events (four indoor, four outdoor).
19 additions or improvements to the outdoor top-10 list.
23 additions or improvements to the indoor top-10 list.
Coaches
J.J. Clark
USTFCCCA West Region Women's Indoor Coach of the Year.
Ricardo Santos
USTFCCCA West Region Men's Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year.
* * *
Men
Liam Anderson
Stanford Athletics Board Spirit of Stanford Award.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Anthony Argyropoulos
Moved to No. 10 in the weight throw on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau
Moved to No. 8 in the 5,000 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 10,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Zane Bergen
Moved to No. 2 in the mile and No. 5 in the 3,000 on Stanford's all-time freshmen list.
Big Meet steeplechase winner.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Thomas Boyden
Moved to No. 4 in the mile on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Garrett Brown
Two All-America honors.
First-team indoor All-American (pole vault).
Second-team outdoor All-American (pole vault).
Moved to No. 3 in the pole vault on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Big Meet pole vault winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the pole vault.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Evan Burke
Moved to No. 7 in the 5,000 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Olufemi Cole
Broke school record in the 4x100.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 4x100.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Robert DiDonato
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 5,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Marcus Floyd
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Devin Hart
Second-team indoor All-American (5,000).
Moved to No. 6 in the 10,000 on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Moved to No. 5 in the 5,000 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
J.T. Herrscher
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Charles Hicks
Three All-America honors.
First-team outdoor All-American (5,000, 10,000).
Second-team indoor All-American (5,000).
European under-23 5,000 champion.
Moved to No. 3 in the 5,000 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Big Meet 3,000 winner.
Stanford Athletics Board Biff Hoffman Award.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 5,000 and 10,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Allan Hunter
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the long jump.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Chudi Ikpeazu
Moved to No. 6 in the discus on Stanford's all-time list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the discus.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
John Kroeger
Broke school record in the 4x100.
Moved to No. 5 in the long jump on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier in the long jump.
Big Meet 100 winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the long jump and 4x100.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
John Lester
Second-team indoor All-American (800).
Broke school record in the 800 indoors.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Sam Liokumovich
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Max Manson
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the pole vault.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Max McKhann
Second-team indoor All-American (weight throw).
Broke school record in the 35-pound weight throw.
Moved to No. 7 in the hammer on Stanford's all-time list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the hammer.
First-team T&F/XC Academic All-American.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Gabriel Navarro
Broke school record in the 4x100.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 4x100.
Udodi Onwuzurike
NCAA outdoor champion, 200 meters.
Three All-America honors.
First-team outdoor All-American (100, 200).
First-team indoor All-American (200).
Pac-12 champion, 200 meters.
Pac-12 Men's Track Athlete of the Year.
Stanford Athletics Board Block 'S' Outstanding Sophomore.
Broke school records in the 100, 200, 4x100 outdoors.
Broke school records in the 60, 200 indoors.
Broke Pac-12 record in the 200.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 100, 200, and 4x100.
Second-team T&F/XC Academic All-American.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Ky Robinson
USTFCCCA Men's Outdoor Track National Athlete of the Year.
USTFCCCA Men's Outdoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
NCAA outdoor champion, 5,000 meters.
NCAA outdoor champion, 10,000 meters.
Four All-America honors.
First-team outdoor All-American (5,000, 10,000).
First-team indoor All-American (5,000).
Second-team indoor All-American (3,000).
West Region Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Bowerman award semifinalist.
Stanford Athletics Board Block 'S' Outstanding Junior.
Broke school records in the indoor 3,000 and 5,000.
Moved to No. 4 in the 5,000 on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Moved to No. 2 in the mile on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Big Meet 800 and 1,500 winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 5,000 and 10,000.
First-team T&F/XC Academic All-American.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Callum Sherry
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Gavin Sherry
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Dorien Simon
Moved to No. 10 in the 200 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Cole Sprout
Moved to No. 3 in the mile on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 10,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
James Stevens
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Nolan Topper
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Kevin Yang
Pac-12 champion, triple jump.
Moved to No. 7 in the triple jump on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Moved to No. 10 in the triple jump on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Big Meet triple jump winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the triple jump.
First-team T&F/XC Academic All-American.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Miles Zoltak
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Women
Brandy Atuatasi
Big Meet shot put and discus winner.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Grace Connolly
Moved to No. 8 in the 10,000 on Stanford's all-time list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 5,000 and 10,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Audrey DaDamio
Moved to No. 10 in the 10,000 on Stanford's all-time list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 10,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Ellie Deligianni
Moved to No. 5 in the 800 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 800.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Zofia Dudek
Second-team indoor All-American, 5,000 meters.
Moved to No. 3 in the 5,000 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Broke Polish record in the indoor 5,000.
Broke Polish under-23 record in the outdoor 5,000.
Big Meet 3,000 winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 5,000.
First-team T&F/XC Academic All-American.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Julia Flynn
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Lily Flynn
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Morgan Foster
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Imogen Gardiner
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Nicola Hogg
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Taylor James
NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier in the 800.
Big Meet 4x400 winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 800.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Lucy Jenks
Second-team outdoor All-American (5,000 meters).
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in 5,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Alyssa Jones
U.S. under-20 long jump champion.
Three All-America honors.
First-team outdoor All-American (long jump).
First-team indoor All-American (long jump.)
Second-team outdoor All-American (4x100 relay).
Pac-12 champion, long jump.
Broke American under-20 outdoor record in the long jump.
Broke Pac-12 record in the long jump.
Broke school records in the indoor and outdoor long jump, and outdoor 4x100.
Moved to No. 2 in the high jump on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Moved to No. 5 in the 200 and No. 3 in the high jump on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Broke Stanford freshmen record in the long jump and tied it in the high jump.
Moved to No. 4 in the 60 and the 200 on Stanford's all-time freshmen list.
Pac-12 Women's Field Athlete of the Week (April 3).
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the high jump, long jump, and 4x100.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Kelly Kern
Moved to No. 9 in the pole vault on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Lianne Kistler
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Elise Miller
Moved to No. 4 in the pentathlon on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Megan Olomu
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Ava Parekh
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Camille Peisner
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Madison Romain
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Alexa Rossum
Three All-America honors.
Second-team outdoor All-American (4x100, 4x400).
Second-team indoor All-American, 4x400 relay.
Broke school record in the 4x100 relay.
Broke school indoor record in the 4x400 relay.
Moved to No. 3 in the 60 and the 200 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Pac-12 Women's Track Athlete of the Week (March 21).
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 100, 200, and 4x100.
Tess Stapleton
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Riley Stewart
Moved to No. 10 in the steeplechase on Stanford's all-time list.
Moved to No. 2 in the mile, 4 in the 3,000 and No. 5 in the steeplechase on Stanford's all-time freshmen list.
Big Meet steeplechase winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 5,000.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Audrey Suarez
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Ellie Talius
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Melissa Tanaka
NCAA indoor champion, distance medley relay.
First-team indoor All-American (distance medley relay).
Moved to No. 6 on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Moved to No. 10 in the mile on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Broke school outdoor record in the DMR.
Broke school indoor record in the DMR.
Penn Relays DMR winner.
Big Meet 800 winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 1,500.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Samantha Thomas
Moved to No. 2 in the 400 hurdles on Stanford's all-time list.
Big Meet 400 hurdles and 4x400 winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 400 hurdles.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Anna Tovkach
Moved to No. 7 in the 800 on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 800.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Maya Valmon
NCAA indoor champion, distance medley relay.
Four All-America honors.
First-team indoor All-American (distance medley relay).
Second-team indoor All-American (4x400).
Second-team outdoor All-American (4x100, 4x400).
Broke school outdoor records in the 400, 4x100, and DMR.
Broke school indoor 400 record for 200-meter track.
Broke school indoor relay records in the 4x400 and DMR.
Penn Relays DMR winner.
Big Meet 400 and 4x400 winner.
Pac-12 Women's Track Athlete of the Week (May 2).
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 400, 4x100, and 4x400.
First-team T&F/XC Academic All-American.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Academic All-District.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Caroline Wells
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Juliette Whittaker
NCAA indoor champion, distance medley relay.
Pac-12 champion, 800 meters.
Four All-America honors.
First-team indoor All-American (800, distance medley relay).
Second-team indoor All-American (4x400).
Second-team outdoor All-American (4x400).
Pac-12 Women's Track and Field Freshman of the Year.
Stanford Athletics Board Conference Athlete of the Year.
Moved to No. 6 in the 800 on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Moved to No. 2 in the 800 and No. 3 in the mile on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Broke school outdoor record in the DMR.
Broke school indoor relay records in the 4x400 and DMR.
Broke school freshmen record in the 1,500 and the indoor mile.
Moved to No. 2 in the 800 on Stanford's all-time freshmen list.
Penn Relays DMR winner.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 1,500 and 4x400.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Roisin Willis
NCAA indoor champion, 800 meters.
NCAA indoor champion, distance medley relay.
Four All-America honors.
First-team outdoor All-American (800).
First-team indoor All-American (800, distance medley relay).
Second-team indoor All-American (4x400 relay).
USTFCCCA West Region Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Broke school indoor records in the 800, 4x400, and DMR.
Moved to No. 3 in the 800 on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Broke school outdoor record in the DMR.
Penn Relays DMR winner.
Big Meet 4x400 winner.
Stanford Athletics Board Block 'S' Outstanding Freshman.
Broke Stanford freshmen record in the 800.
Moved to No. 4 in the 400 and No. 3 in the 1,500 on Stanford's all-time freshmen list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 800 and 4x400.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Hannah Wilson
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Laurel Wong
Moved to No. 4 in the pole vault on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Moved to No. 6 in the pole vault on Stanford's all-time indoor list.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the pole vault.
USTFCCCA All-Academic.
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.
Cydney Wright
Two All-America honors.
Second-team outdoor All-American (4x100, 4x400).
Moved to No. 10 in the 200 and No. 7 in the 400 on Stanford's all-time outdoor list.
Broke school record in the 4x100 relay.
Advanced to NCAA West Prelims in the 200, 4x100, and 4x400.
Teagan Zwaanstra
Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll.