Collegiate record onslaught continues
Moore, Alfred, and Nugent post best-ever college marks on first day of NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday
An historically great season comprised of a slew of collegiate records got even better during the first day of the women’s competition in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday.
Facing top-notch competition in the first-rate facilities at the Albuquerque Convention Center — at an elevation of nearly 5,000 feet that aids performances in the sprints, hurdles, and jumps — Jasmine Moore of the University of Florida, Julien Alfred of Texas, and Ackera Nugent of Arkansas set collegiate records in women’s long jump, 60-meter dash, and 60 hurdles, respectively, during a span of less than an hour.
Moore, a junior who was instrumental in Florida winning the team title last year, started the record binge a little bit after 4 p.m. local — Mountain — time when she spanned 7.03 meters (23 feet 0¾ inch) on her first attempt of the women’s long jump to top the previous collegiate record of 6.93 (22-9) set by Tara Davis of Texas in 2021.
It was the farthest indoor mark in the world this year for Moore, who had moved to second on the all-time collegiate list with a jump of 6.91 (22-8) in the Southeastern Conference Championships two weeks earlier. The 7.03 effort also moved her into a tie for 12th on the all-time world performer list, and into a tie for third on all-time U.S. list.
Next up was Alfred, who had already lowered the collegiate record three times during the season, including twice in meets at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Running in the first of two semifinals, the senior from St. Lucia got off to a good — but not great, by her standards — start before quickly powering away from the field. Although she appeared to step off the accelerator in the last two strides of the race, her time of 6.96 seconds trimmed a hundredth of second off the 6.97 collegiate best she had set in the final of the Big 12 Conference meet 13 days earlier.
It also moved her into a four-way tie for fifth on the all-time world performer list and within four hundredths of a second of the world record of 6.92 that Irina Privalova of Russia first set in 1993 and tied two years later.
Then it was Nugent’s turn.
The sophomore transfer from Baylor had run a then-personal best of 7.81 to finish second to Kentucky senior Masai Russell (7.77) in the final of the SEC meet. But she crushed her 13-day old personal best by nearly a tenth of a second with a 7.72 clocking in the first semifinal that bettered the collegiate record of 7.75 which Russell had set in January.
Nugent’s time was the fastest in the world this year and moved her into a tie for fifth on the all-time performer list. It also trimmed two hundredths of a second off the Jamaican record of 7.74 set by Michelle Freeman in 1998.
Today’s final should be a doozy as Russell won the second semifinal in 7.78, the fourth fastest time in collegiate history.
It was interesting to note that Moore, Alfred, and Nugent are members of squads that could very well be battling for the team title on the second — and final — day of the meet this afternoon.
Texas, last year’s runner-up, was projected to slug it out with defending champion Florida for the title once again this year. But Arkansas appears to have a legitimate shot at contending for the championship after everything that transpired on Friday.
The Razorbacks trailed first-place Florida, 21-18, in the team standings after receiving 10 points for junior Amanda Fassold’s victory in the pole vault (4.45/14-7¼) and eight points for a runner-up finish to Stanford in the distance medley relay.
Stanford, with freshman Juliette Whittaker running the 1,600-meter anchor leg in the distance medley relay, ran 10 minutes 56.34 seconds to the 10:56.61 clocking for an  Arkansas team that was anchored by senior Lauren Gregory, who had turned in the top qualifying time in the mile at 4:39.46.
In addition to Gregory and Nugent, Arkansas will have three competitors in the final of the 400, including juniors Britton Wilson and Amber Anning, who had the first and fourth fastest qualifying times of 50.69 (personal best) and 51.42, respectively. The Razorbacks are also seeded first in the 1,600 relay with a best of 3:26.40, followed by Texas (3:26.73) and Florida (3:27.58).
Florida will be looking for big points today from Moore and sophomore Talitha Diggs in its quest for a second consecutive title.
Moore is heavily favored to win her second consecutive title in the triple jump and Diggs is the defending champion in the 400 and coming off an American — and collegiate — record performance of 50.15 in the SEC Championships.
However, the 400 is one of the most talent-laden fields of the women’s meet as it includes Wilson and Anning, as well as sophomore Rhasidat Adeleke of Texas, who set an Irish record of 50.33 in winning the Big 12 Conference title.
Florida did take a hit on Friday when senior Imogen Barrett was eliminated in the semifinals of the 800 after placing fourth in that event in the NCAA outdoor meet last June.
Alfred will need to have a big day for Texas to win the title. She is the prohibitive favorite in the 60, and she and LSU junior Favour Ofili are expected to battle for the 200 crown.
Ofili, second last year, ran an African and Nigerian record of 22.11 in her semifinal on Friday to move to second on the all-time collegiate list behind the 22.09 effort that Abby Steiner of Kentucky produced in the SEC meet last year.
Alfred, who won her 200 semifinal in 22.38, is also expected to run a leg in the 1,600 relay for Texas, as will Diggs for Florida.
Freshman Ackelia Smith and senior Valery Tobias are other key performers for Texas.
Smith leaped a personal best of 6.88 (22-7) to place second in the long jump on Friday and she is the No. 3 entry in the triple jump today.
Tobias was the No. 2 qualifier in the 800 on Friday when she placed second in her semifinal in a personal best of 2:02.05, but she might need to run faster than that today just to place among the top four finishers.
Oregon, led by senior Jorinde van Klinken, the collegiate record-holder in the shot put, could also contend for a top three finish in the team standings as the Ducks have one or two finalists in five events.
In addition to the long jump, pole vault, and distance medley relay, three other finals were contested on Friday.
Sophomore Katelyn Tuohy of North Carolina State won the women’s 5,000 meters in 16:09.65 while turning back the Alabama duo of sophomore Hilda Olemomoi (16:11.08) and Mercy Chelangat (16:11.63) in second and third place.
Tuohy, who led her team to a 1-4-8 finish in the 5,000, will be heavily favored to win the 3,000 today as the NCAA cross country champion set a collegiate record of 8:35.20 in the event when she placed third in the Millrose Games on Feb. 11.
Sophomore Jadin O’Brien of Notre Dame won the heptathlon with a personal best of 4,512 points. She was followed by USC junior Allie Jones, who totaled a personal best of 4,440 points in second place, and Oklahoma sophomore Pippi Lotta Enok, who scored a personal best of 4,400 points in third.
O’Brien had marks of 8.32 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles, 1.72 meters (5-7¾) in the high jump, 13.85 (45-5¼) in the shot put, 6.09 (19-11¾) in the long jump, and 2:13.40 in the 800 meters.
Senior Jalani Davis led Mississippi to a 1-3 finish in the women’s 20-pound weight throw with a winning effort of 24.51 (80-5).
Sophomore Shelby Frank of Minnesota placed second at 23.42 (76-10), followed by Davis’ senior teammate Jasmine Mitchell at 23.14 (75-11).
The women’s meet will begin at 1 p.m., Mountain time, this afternoon, with the high jump. That will be followed by the triple jump at 3:45 and the shot put at 4.
The first track event, the mile, will start at 4.
The meet will be broadcast and streamed on ESPN+.