AMES, Iowa -- Stanford junior Sean McGorty broke meet and track records at the Iowa State Classic indoor track and field meet, but won’t see his name in the record books after finishing a close second in the 3,000 meters Friday.
McGorty jumped from No. 10 to a tie with Jonathon Riley for No. 2 on Stanford’s all-time indoor performers’ list with a 7:48.79 and all but ensured himself a berth at the NCAA Championships, March 11-12 in Birmingham, Alabama. The top 16 marks earn admittance to nationals and winner Justyn Knight of Syracuse and McGorty stack up at Nos. 1 and 2 in the country after their duel.
But chasing NCAA marks wasn’t the only goal for Stanford, which broke its squad into three groups, with runners competing at the ISU Classic in Ames, Iowa, jumpers and sprinters at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and throwers at the Husky Classic in Seattle.
McGorty’s was but the most obvious of the personal records broken by Cardinal distance runners. Sophomore Steven Fahy crushed his best in the 5,000 by 30 seconds. His 14:00.93 means that Stanford now has nine who have run 14:04 or faster, with seven at sub-14.
Graduate transfer Collin Leibold, a 5,000 All-American outdoors last year at Georgetown, broke his outdoor best by four seconds. His 13:50.04 got him 10th in a fast race that should produce much of the NCAA field.
Among the women, Vanessa Fraser competed hard in the 5,000 despite a fast pace from the outset before falling off at the end. Still, her 16:06.25 was a 14-second improvement over her indoor best. In the 3,000, Sophie Chase had a nine-second PR (9:23.51) and Danielle Katz ran a strong sixth (9:21.35) in her first race at that distance.
“This shows how much overall progress we’re making,” said Chris Miltenberg, Stanford’s Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field. “We didn’t come here for NCAA times or bust, it’s about developing and racing.
“Four big PR’s,” said Miltenberg about Fahy, Leibold, Chase, Katz, “show that they are very much on the right path, and if they trust that process, they will all become NCAA-level qualifiers in the future.”
McGorty’s race on Lied Recreational Center’s 300-meter flat track, was designed to be fast, with a strong field looking for NCAA passage. McGorty stayed patient from as far back as ninth place on the early laps before navigated his way through the pack.
Coming up on four laps to go, McGorty pulled onto Knight’s shoulder and, a lap later, overtook the rabbit to take the lead. McGorty continued to grind, but couldn’t shake Knight, who set the Canadian junior national 5,000 record at Stanford’s Payton Jordan Invitational last year. Side by side down the homestretch, Knight finally edged McGorty at the line, winning in a national-leading 7:48.71. Both broke the meet and track record of 7:50.05, set by Arkansas’ Michael Power in 1999.
“I’m really happy with how I was able to stay relaxed and work my way up before having a strong last 1K,” said McGorty, who also was edged at the line, on his DMR anchor at the Penn State National two weeks ago. “I need to also have more confidence in my final gears and to start using them earlier. Both times I’ve been passed, I feel like I’m gaining on them at the end.
“But it’s great to get the qualifier out of the way and I’m thrilled to get a PR.”
McGorty now trails only Chris Derrick's 7:46.81 from 2012 in Stanford indoor history, passing 2011 NCAA 3,000 champion Elliott Heath's 7:50.14 in the process.
“Sean is evolving into a complete runner,” Miltenberg said. “To be able to finish that fast over the last 1,200 and still have gears over the last 150 shows that. Very exciting sign of what is to come.”
The qualification sets up the NCAA’s nicely for McGorty, who will anchor the distance medley relay on Friday and on Saturday will run the 3,000, an event with no preliminary round. He becomes the fifth Stanford individual who likely has earned an NCAA berth, along with Olivia Baker (women’s 800 meters), Darian Brooks (men’s triple jump), Claudia Saunders (women’s 800), and Harrison Williams (men’s heptathlon). Both the men’s and women’s DMR’s also will qualify.
Among other Stanford highlights, sophomore Isaiah Brandt-Sims, a receiver on Stanford’s Rose Bowl-winning football team, made his collegiate indoor track debut and promptly ran 60 meters in the second-fastest time in school history. His 6.81 at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was only 0.01 off Tyrone McGraw’s 2010 school record.
Harrison Williams is among the top decathletes in the nation, but he’s making a name for himself as a pole vaulter. Williams and teammate Garrett Starkey established personal records at the same height, 17-3 ½, tying them for No. 4 on Stanford’s all-time indoor performers’ list. The height was matched by teammate Dylan Duvio, who was third on fewer misses. Starkey and Williams were sixth and seventh, respectively, in Albuquerque.
Other Stanford top-10 list additions or improvements came from Michaela Crunkleton Wilson (women’s 60, No. 9, 7.59) and Jackson Shumway (men’s 200, No. 9, 21.78) in Albuquerque and Fraser (women’s 5,000, No. 7, 16:06.25) in Ames.
In Seattle, sophomore Tristen Newman had a three-foot personal record in the 35-pound weight throw (56-11 ¼). All three meets continue Saturday.
Friday’s results
Winners and Stanford competitors
Iowa State Classic
Ames, Iowa
Men
3,000 – Justyn Knight (Syracuse) 7:48.71 (meet and track record); 2, Sean McGorty (Stanford) 7:48.79;
5,000 – 1, Thomas Curtin (Virginia Tech) 13:37.10 (track record); 10, Collin Leibold (Stanford) 13:50.04; 18, Steven Fahy (Stanford) 14:00.93; 21, Jim Rosa (Stanford) 14:05.70; 32, Sam Wharton (Stanford) 14:14.68.
Women
3,000 – 1, Alsu Bogdanova (Eastern Michigan) 9:16.91; 6, Danielle Katz (Stanford) 9:21.35; 9, Sophie Chase (Stanford) 9:23.51;
5,000 – 1, Molly Seidel (Notre Dame), 15:47.07; 6, Vanessa Fraser (Stanford) 16:06.25.
Don Kirby Elite Invitational
Albuquerque, N.M.
Men
60 (prelims) – 18, Isaiah Brandt-Sims (Stanford). 6.81.
200 – 1, Bryce Robinson (Tulsa) 20.69; 17, Jackson Shumway (Stanford) 21.78; 51, Daniel Brady (Stanford) 22.74.
60 hurdles (prelims) – Harrison Williams (Stanford), 8.22q.
High jump – 1, David Smith II (unattached) 7-1 ¾ (2.18m); 4, Dartis Willis II (Stanford) 6-11 ¾ (2.13m); 12, Jaak Uudmae (Stanford) 6-8 (2.03m).
Pole vault – 1, Cale Simmons (Yeet) 17-7 ¼ (5.37m); 3, Dylan Duvio (Stanford) 17-3 ½ (5.27m); 6, Garrett Starkey (Stanford) 17-3 ½ (5.27m); 7, Harrison Williams (Stanford) 17-3 ½ (5.27m); 10, Dan Emery (Stanford) 15-11 ¾ (4.87m); 14, Dalton Duvio (Stanford) 15-5 ¾ (4.72m).
Women
60 (prelims) – 21, Michaela Crunkleton Wilson (Stanford), 7.59.
200 – 1, Deajah Stevens (Oregon) 23.39; 17, Michaela Crunkleton Wilson (Stanford) 24.30; 23, Gaby Gayles (Stanford) 24.46.
Long jump – 1, Funmi Jimoh (Nike) 20-10 ¾ (6.37m); 15, Marisa Kwiatkowski (Stanford) 18-8 ½ (5.70m).
Husky Classic
Seattle, Wash.
Men
Weight throw – 1, Colin Dunbar (unattached) 75-2 ¾ (22.93m); 15, Tristen Newman (Stanford) 56-11 ¼ (17.35m).
