Boise State star, reigning NCAA champion sets meet record to elevate No. 8 all-time collegiate performer; Jorgensen wins 10,000

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Allie Ostrander ran the first 3,000-meter steeplechase of her collegiate career last season at the Stanford Invitational.

One year later, the Boise State redshirt sophomore not only broke the meet record, but produced the fastest time in the world Friday at the event’s 43rd edition.

Ostrander clocked 9 minutes, 38.57 seconds to lower the 2013 mark of 9:46.73 set by Alexi Pappas. She also ascended to the No. 8 performer in collegiate history, closing in on the Boise State 2015 program record of 9:37.84 set by No. 6 Marisa Howard.

In the past year, Ostrander has improved 17 seconds in the steeplechase. She won the NCAA Division 1 title in June in 9:41.31, but demonstrated in her outdoor opener that the 2016 collegiate record of 9:24.41 set by New Mexico’s Courtney Frerichs could be well within reach this season.

San Francisco’s Marie Bouchard (9:47.03), Utah’s Grayson Murphy (9:51.36) and Indiana State’s Taylor Austin (9:54.01) all elevated into the top 15 in the world this year. Murphy and Austin joined Ostrander in running a personal best, with Bouchard less than two seconds off her fastest performance.

The women’s 10,000 was equally impressive, with American triathlete Gwen Jorgensen surging in the final lap to prevail against fellow Bowerman Track Club standout Carrie Dimoff by a 31:55.68 to 31:57.85 margin, highlighting a race that produced six of the top eight times in the world.

Missouri senior Karissa Schweizer, competing in her first career 10,000, placed third in 32:00.55 to rank as the No. 8 performer in collegiate history.

New Mexico’s Alice Wright (32:15.73), Kansas’ Sharon Lokedi (32:21.19) and Syracuse’s Paige Stoner (32:23.28) all enjoyed significant personal bests to round out the top six. Jorgensen, who hadn’t raced a 10,000 since 2009, lowered her PR by more than 90 seconds.

Oregon’s Lilli Burdon held off Indiana’s Katherine Receveur in the final 200 meters to win the women’s 5,000 in 15:42.65, improving to No. 6 in the world this year, along with four of her fellow Australians.

Receveur clocked 15:43.26 and Colorado’s Kaitlyn Benner placed third in 15:47.23.

American Brianna Rollins-McNeal lowered the meet record twice in the 100 hurdles, clocking 12.62 in the final after running 12.70 in the prelims. Former USC standout Candice Davis held the record of 12.91 since 2007.

Canadian Lindsey Butterworth opened her outdoor season with a personal-best 4:13.12 in the women’s 1,500 and Olympic 400-meter hurdles gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad was victorious in the open 400 in 52.72.

Stanford shined in the women’s field events, with junior Mackenzie Little winning her third consecutive javelin title with a first-round throw of 182-8 (55.67m), edging collegiate leader Alyssa Olin of North Dakota State, who reached 176-11 (53.92m) in the fifth round.

Lena Giger took over the collegiate lead in the shot put with a second-round effort of 57-9.50 (17.61m), with Daryth Gales prevailing in the long jump with a third-round leap of 20-1 (6.12m).

Stanford almost had another victory in the women’s pole vault, with Kaitlyn Merritt and Cal’s Lauren Martinez both clearing 13-7.25 (4.15m). But Martinez secured the victory when she had one fewer attempt than Merritt at 13-3.50 (4.05m).

Great Britain’s Sophie Hitchon won the women’s hammer throw with a sixth-round mark of 234-3 (71.41m). Tennessee’s Stamatia Scarvelis was the top collegiate performer at 222-11 (67.96m) and Cal freshman Camryn Rogers, the World U20 leader, placed third at 207-3 (63.17m).

Former Arizona star Elizabeth Patterson cleared 6-0.75 (1.85m) to win the women’s high jump.

Cal State Northridge freshman De’Andreah Young won the 400 hurdles in 58.15, with former Texas A&M standout and Oregon volunteer assistant Ashton Purvis securing victory in the 100 in 11.42.