By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 63rd Mt. SAC Relays are scheduled for Wednesday, April 12 through Saturday, April 15 at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif.

63RD MT. SAC RELAYS LIVE WEBCAST INFO

Here are 10 storylines involving female college and professional athletes to follow at one of the nation’s most prestigious track and field competitions:

Cunningham hoping to reach elite eight

Vashti Cunningham matched the success of Debbie Brill from 1970-85 with her seventh career high jump victory at the Mt. SAC Relays last year, clearing 6-5 (1.96m).

But the 25-year-old Cunningham, representing Nike and Red Bull, might be facing her most significant challenge in all of her appearances at the event when she squares off Saturday in the invitational elite high jump against reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor and outdoor champion, along with Commonwealth Games gold medalist Lamara Distin of Texas A&M.

Distin, a 23-year-old standout representing Jamaica, finished ninth at last year’s World Athletics Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., and Cunningham was unable to qualify for the final, tying for 18th overall.

Distin boasts personal-best clearances of 6-5.50 (1.97m) both indoors and outdoors. Cunningham has cleared 6-7.50 (2.02m) outdoors and 6-6.75 (2.01m) indoors, but her best performance at the Mt. SAC Relays is 6-5.50 in 2019, when the meet was held at El Camino College.

Cunningham secured high school victories at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in 2014-15, but then prevailed at Cerritos College in 2016 and El Camino College from 2017-19, before returning to the renovated venue in Walnut to triumph again last year.

Georgia All-American Elena Kulichenko, representing Cyprus, is also scheduled to compete, along with BYU All-American Cierra Tidwell, former LSU standout Abby O’Donoghue, 2019 Division 1 indoor champion Zarriea Willis and ASICS professional athlete Jelena Rowe.

There have been only a pair of 2-meter clearances in meet and stadium history, with Tisha Waller clearing 6-6.75 in 1999 and Chaunte Lowe equaling the performance in 2006.

Experience versus youth in sprint showdowns

Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, 34, continued to demonstrate she isn’t slowing down at all in her career, running a lifetime-best 10.72 in the 100-meter dash last year and placing seventh in the World Athletics Championships final.

Ta Lou is entered Saturday in the invitational elite 100 and 200, and will have the opportunities to square off against American professional competitor Destiny Smith-Barnett of Double Pillar Athletics, Canadian professional athlete Khamica Bingham, along with collegiate standouts Caisja Chandler and Samirah Moody of USC, freshmen Autumn Wilson and Kaila Jackson from Georgia, Oregon’s Jadyn Mays and Houston’s Cecilia Tamayo-Garza.

Chandler ran a wind-legal 10.99 to win the Trojan Invitational on April 8 at USC, with Wilson clocking a wind-legal 22.56 on April 7 at the Spec Towns and Torrin Lawrence Invitational in Athens, both entering Saturday’s races as the collegiate leaders.

Ta Lou only competed once during the indoor season in Germany in January.

Merlene Ottey of Jamaica still holds the meet record of 10.87 seconds in the 100 from 1987, with American athlete Sha’Carri Richardson producing the all-time stadium mark of 10.74 in 2021.

Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry won the invitational elite section last year in a wind-aided 10.77.

Gabby Thomas, a New Balance professional and American standout, produced the meet and stadium records in the 200 last year by clocking 22.02. Ta Lou finished fourth in 22.64.

Middle-distance matchup adds international flavor

Raevyn Rogers became the first female collegiate athlete to produce a sub-2 performance in the invitational elite 800 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays, running an NCAA record 1:59.10 to edge former Ducks standout Laura Roesler (1:59.54) at El Camino College.

Although Athing Mu ran 1:57.73 in 2021 to eclipse Rogers’ collegiate all-time mark at the Michael Johnson Classic at Baylor, there has not been another sub-2 effort by an NCAA athlete since then at the meet, but that has the potential to change Saturday.

Stanford teammates Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker, who took the top two spots in the Division 1 indoor 800 final March 11 in New Mexico, are scheduled to compete in a race that is also expected to include China’s ChunYu Wang, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics and boasts a personal-best 1:57.00 effort.

Whittaker and Willis both achieved sub-2 performances in high school and were also medalists at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Colombia. Willis prevailed by a 1:59.93 to 2:00.05 margin in the NCAA indoor championship race.

They have the potential to join the group of five female collegiate athletes – Suzy Favor Hamilton of Wisconsin, Alysia Montano of Cal, Katie Erdman of Michigan, Mu and Rogers – who have produced sub-2 efforts during the regular season.

Virginia Tech’s Lindsey Butler, the 2021 Division 1 indoor 800 champion, is also part of the field, along with Utah’s Josefine Eriksen and American professional athletes Kendra Chambers and Sammy Watson.

Rogers lowered her meet record to 1:58.77 last year, with Scotland’s Jemma Reekie producing a stadium all-time mark of 1:58.27 in 2021.

Depth on display in long jump clash

With the women’s long jump annually being separated into collegiate and invitational elite sections, occasionally the top talent in both fields might not always have the opportunity to square off, but that is certainly not the case at this year’s event.

Collegiate stars Alysah Hickey of Oregon, Academy of Art’s Marie-Jeanne Ourega and Minnesota State’s Makayla Jackson are expected to match up Saturday against professional athletes Deborah Acquah from Ghana, Tyra Gittens of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Americans Tiffany Flynn, Rhesa Foster and Jasmine Todd.

Gittens won the collegiate section last year with a leap of 21-11.50 (6.69m) and Hickey placed second at 21-8 (6.60m). Todd took third in the invitational elite section with a mark of 21-5.50 (6.54m).

Ourega, winner of multiple NCAA Division 2 titles, ranks No. 4 in division outdoor history at 21-7.25 (6.58m), with Jackson – also a national champion – No. 9 all-time in the division at 21-3.50 (6.49m).

Acquah, Flynn, Gittens, Hickey and Todd have all surpassed 22 feet with wind-legal performances, and Foster produced a wind-aided effort in July in Chula Vista.

The meet and stadium records of 23-4.50 (7.12m) achieved by Brittney Reese have stood since 2012.

Mile champion Howell looks forward to 1,500 challenge

Illinois junior Olivia Howell, the NCAA Division 1 Indoor mile champion, will compete in the 1,500 meters for the first time this season Friday in the invitational elite section, where five Stanford athletes are also scheduled to race, including All-Americans Juliette Whittaker and Melissa Tanaka.

Howell has been a two-time Division 1 outdoor finalist in the 1,500 and boasts a personal-best effort 4:09.71 from 2021.

Howell, also entered Saturday in the invitational elite 800, clocked a lifetime-best 2:02.72 performance April 8 at the Fighting Illini Challenge.

New Balance professional athlete Brenda Martinez set the 1,500 meet record of 4:04.86 in 2013, with fellow American competitor Elle Purrier-St. Pierre producing the all-time stadium mark in 2021 by clocking 3:58.36.

Elise Cranny of Nike Bowerman Track Club ran 4:08.07 to win the elite invitational 1,500 last year.

No collegiate female athlete has ever run sub-4:10 in the 1,500 in meet history.

Familiar faces returning to fast places

Kendall Ellis and Shae Anderson have both secured 400-meter victories in their careers at the Mt. SAC Relays, along with each athlete producing sub-52 performances, albeit at El Camino College during construction at Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

Ellis, an NCAA Division 1 champion at USC and an Olympic and World Championships gold medalist in the 4x400, headlines Saturday’s invitational elite 400, a field that also includes former UCLA All-American Shae Anderson, in addition to Texas A&M teammates and All-Americans Jermaisha Arnold and Tierra Robinson-Jones.

Arnold ran a collegiate-leading 50.71 and Robinson-Jones clocked 50.90 on April 1 at the Pepsi Florida Relays.

Jan’Taijah Jones of USC, Vanderbilt’s Taiya Shelby and Michigan’s Ziyah Holman are also scheduled to compete, along with French athlete Shana Grebo and American professional competitor Na’Asha Robinson.

Texas A&M and USC could also have a rematch Saturday in the invitational elite 4x400-meter relay following their showdown April 8 at the Trojan Invitational.

The Aggies prevailed by a 3:26.58 to 3:26.96 margin, but both programs are expected to race against American all-star teams that could potentially include Ellis.

Renewing acquaintances under a different spotlight

Utah’s Emily Venters and Utah Valley’s Everlyn Kemboi were part of a memorable 10,000-meter race March 31 at the Stanford Invitational, with both athletes elevating into the top 10 competitors in NCAA history.

Kemboi and Venters are both scheduled to compete again Friday in the invitational elite 5,000, looking to recapture the magic from Cobb Track in Palo Alto, in a field that also includes American professional athlete Dani Shanahan of McKirdy Trained and Appalachian State assistant coach Tristin Van Ord of Zap Endurance.

Venters ascended to the No. 6 all-time collegiate athlete in the 10,000 at 31:48.35, with Kemboi elevating to No. 10 at 32:03.30.

Venters boasts an indoor-best 15:20.37 in the 5,000 and ran 15:47.79 outdoors last year at Stanford.

Kemboi clocked 15:48.98 during the indoor season in Washington and is seeking her first sub-16 outdoor performance following a 16:04.18 effort last year in Oregon.

Shanahan boasts a lifetime-best 15:17.62 from 2021, with Van Ord clocking a personal-best 15:45.03 in July at Occidental College.

Karissa Schweizer of Nike Bowerman Track Club won the invitational elite 5,000 last year in 15:02.77, with collegiate competitors Abby Nichols of Colorado (15:15.95) and Alabama’s Mercy Chelangat (15:17.28) securing fifth and sixth, respectively, to become the Nos. 9 and 11 athletes in collegiate outdoor history.

Providence’s Kim Smith remains the fastest NCAA athlete in the 5,000 at the Mt. SAC Relays with her 15:09.72 performance in 2004, the No. 2 mark in collegiate history.

College stars past and present seek pole position

Rachel Baxter and Olivia Gruver shared victory in the women’s invitational elite pole vault competition last year, both clearing 14-9 (4.50m).

The former NCAA champions are being joined Saturday by reigning Division 1 indoor winner Amanda Fassold of Arkansas, as well as All-Americans Marleen Mulla of South Dakota, Virginia Tech’s Kenna Stimmel and Julia Fixsen, and Washington teammates Nastassja Campbell and Sara Borton.

In addition to Virginia Tech graduate Baxter and former Kentucky and Washington standout Gruver, American professional athletes Kristen Leland, Marissa Kalsey, Sophie Gutermuth and Kortney Oates are also expected to compete.

The meet record of 15-3 (4.65m) was set in 2019 by former Baylor star Annie Rhodes-Johnigan at El Camino College.

Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2017 World champion, produced the stadium record of 15-9 (4.80m) in 2021.

Fassold and Stimmel both cleared 14-7.25 (4.45m) on April 1 at the 95th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays to finish behind Rutgers’ Chloe Timberg at 14-9 (4.50m).

The top performance by a collegiate women’s pole vaulter at Mt. SAC Relays remains 14-11 (4.55m) by Duke’s Megan Clark in 2016.

Gruver achieved the all-time collegiate outdoor mark of 15-6.25 (4.73m) at the 2019 Stanford Invitational.

Royalty in the ring

The collegiate leaders in the women’s discus throw, hammer throw and shot put are all expected to compete Saturday, and only adding more excitement to the competitions is the fact that they represent three different countries.

Dutch star Jorinde van Klinken of Oregon is already the collegiate record holder in the discus at 230-5 (70.22m), but she also has the potential to challenge the meet’s all-time performance of 227-11 (69.46m) achieved last year by American Valarie Allman.

The best throw in stadium history of 233-8 (71.22m) was produced in 1984 by another Dutch athlete Ria Stalman, but it is not recognized as the national record.

American professional athletes Laulauga Tausaga-Collins and Micaela Hazlewood are also scheduled to compete in the invitational elite discus field.

Anna Purchase of Cal, representing England, achieved a lifetime-best 239-7 (73.02m) in the hammer April 8 at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational in Berkeley to improve to the No. 5 all-time collegiate competitor.

Purchase will have another opportunity to throw in the invitational elite section with training partner, collegiate record holder and Canadian professional athlete Camryn Rogers, the reigning World Athletics Outdoor Championships silver medalist.

Rogers, who holds the collegiate all-time mark and Canadian record at 254-10 (77.67m) as a three-time NCAA Division 1 champion at Cal, opened her season at Brutus Hamilton with a 253-7 (77.30m) effort.

Brooke Andersen, the reigning World champion, achieved meet and stadium records last year with her 251-10 (76.76m) performance, with Rogers finishing second at 248-5 (75.73m). 

Oregon’s Jaida Ross, who achieved a personal-best 60-8 (18.49m) effort in the shot put April 7 to place second behind Chinese professional athlete Zhang Linru at 60-8.75 (18.51m) at the Triton Invitational at UC San Diego, is part of a deep field that includes American professional athlete Jessica Woodard, Wisconsin’s Josie Schaefer, Brazilian athlete Ana da Silva from Georgia, Hannah Hall of Miami (Florida) and van Klinken.

A distance puzzle with plenty of pieces

The last time Cailie Logue was in the same race with WuGa He, the Iowa State standout achieved a personal-best 15:36.40 in the 5,000 meters March 31 at the Stanford Invitational, a race the Chinese athlete won in 15:26.58.

The competitors are scheduled to square off again Thursday in the invitational elite section of the 10,000 meters in a field that includes a pair of NCAA Division 2 champions in Adams State’s Brianna Robles and Winona State’s Lindsay Cunningham, along with Division 3 All-American Fiona Smith of Saint Benedict.

Logue is seeking the first sub-33 performance of her career, with He pursuing her personal-best 31:46.51 from last year’s Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford.

Robles finished second in the invitational elite section last year in 32:50.06, helping her ascend to the No. 4 all-time Division 2 competitor.

Cunningham prevailed against Robles in the Division 2 indoor 5,000 final March 10 in Virginia Beach and is seeking her first sub-34 performance, as is Smith, who ranks No. 20 in Division 3 history at 34:33.37.

Katie Doucette, another Division 2 All-American from Western Colorado, is making her 10,000 debut.

Iowa State’s Dana Feyen, Montana State’s Camila Noe, Ava Nuttall of Miami (Ohio), Adelyn Ackley-Fairley from Liberty and Northwestern’s Kalea Bartolotto are also entered.