Distance Medley Relay Team Breaks Big Ten Record at Notre Dame

Saturday, February 16

South Bend, Ind.

11:00 AM

Michigan

Alex Wilson Invitational

From left: Alice Hill, Chloe Foster, Aurora Rynda, Hannah Meier

Distance Medley Relay Team Breaks Big Ten Record at Notre Dame

2/16/2019 3:12:00 PM | Women's Track & Field

By: Kyle Terwillegar

Site: South Bend, Ind. (Loftus Sports Center)
Event: Notre Dame Alex Wilson Invitational
U-M Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., Feb. 22-23 -- host Big Ten Indoor Championships (U-M Indoor Track Building)

• Complete Results (PDF)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's track and field quartet of Alice Hill, Chloe Foster, Aurora Rynda and Hannah Meier ran the fastest distance medley relay in the history of the Big Ten Conference to put an exclamation point on the Wolverines' regular season on Saturday (Feb. 16) at the Notre Dame Alex Wilson Invitational.

The Wolverines clocked a nation-leading 10:54.47 to reclaim from Indiana the all-time Big Ten record in the event, while at the same time defeating the Hoosiers -- with three returners from its record-breaking 2018 squad -- by more than three seconds. Indiana clocked 10:57.76.

Michigan's former school record of 10:56.46 from its 2013 national champion team stood as the conference's fastest time until the Hoosiers ran 10:54.86 a year ago. Both records were eclipsed by the Wolverines on Saturday as they ran just the 15th sub-10:55 performance in collegiate history and the only one in the country this year.

The performance by the Wolverines on Saturday virtually guarantees the program its 16th NCAA Indoor Championships appearance in the past 17 years in the event, and puts the Wolverines in the driver's seat to win what would be an NCAA-record fifth distance medley relay national title.

Hill got the Wolverines off to a strong start in the opening 1,200-meter leg, clocking a split of 3:21.2. An outdoor steeplechase specialist who also has range down to 800 meters for the Wolverines indoors, Hill established herself at the front of the race early and did not lose any ground throughout her time on the track.

With 200 meters to go in her leg, Hill and Haley Harris of Indiana pulled away from the field to set up what would be a two-team duel between the Wolverines and Hoosiers for much of the remainder of the race. Hill handed off to Foster -- both sophomores who graduated from Ann Arbor high schools -- with about 3:21.2 elapsed on the clock.

Foster, who has come into her own as the No. 5 woman in school history for 400 meters this season, turned in a blistering 52.8 split for her 400-meter leg. She stayed right in tow with Indiana's Natalie Price -- ranked No. 44 nationally -- for the duration of her leg.

Her split was nearly two seconds faster than her career-best time of 54.50, and in the same neighborhood as the 52.84 school record for the distance by teammate Jade Harrison two years ago.

With 4:14 on the clock, Foster handed off to the true-freshman phenom Rynda for her 800-meter leg. Just as with Foster on the leg prior, this was a one-on-one affair between Rynda and Indiana's Kelsey Harris, who entered the day as the No. 11 woman in the country for 800 meters.

Rynda drafted off Harris for about 700 meters before going wide around her off the final turn and powering home to build up a lead of about a second as she handed off to Meier for the anchor 1600-meter leg. At the end of her leg, Rynda had clocked a 2:04.1 split -- two seconds faster than her Michigan personal record.

Much of the final 1,600 meters were a battle between Meier -- who last week ran 4:34.66 in the mile -- and Indiana All-American Katherine Receveur. Meier initially opened up a five-meter gap on Receveur, which was all but closed by the time just over 600 meters remained.

With a quarter mile left, Meier and Receveur were joined by NCAA Outdoor 10,000-meter champion Sharon Lokedi of Kansas. The three took the bell one right after the other to signal 300 meters to go with Meier in the lead, and they would stay close to one another for another 100 meters.

Down to just 200 meters remaining, Meier started to turn on the jets. Coming into the final turn, she had started to gap both Receveur and Lokedi, and the gap would turn into a chasm by the time they hit the final homestretch. Nearly all of Michigan's three-second winning margin over the Hoosiers was generated in the final 100 meters by Meier's closing kick.

Bolstered by her furious finish, Meier ultimately ran 4:36.4 over the race's final 1,600 meters.

Though this exact squad may not line up for the upcoming Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor (Feb. 22-23), the next step for the Wolverine DMR will be to defend its conference title from a year ago and continue a recent run of success in the event that includes 14 titles in the past 17 seasons.

Drawing on the record-setting excitement of the distance medley relay, other individual Wolverines ran to victories and/or career-best performances.

Audrey Belf led a Wolverine 1-2-3 finish in the mile as she was joined by runner-up Camille Davre and Jena Metwalli with sub-4:50 efforts. Belf edged out Davre and Metwalli for the win as the three were separated by less than half a second, with times of 4:48.09, 4:48.33 and 4:48.47, respectively. The showings for the latter two were career bests.

Rachel Coleman and Sydney Badger were both faster than five minutes in sixth and 12th, respectively. Badger went sub-five for the first time this season, extending Michigan's nation-leading total of sub-five milers to 16.

Meg Darmofal slashed nearly two seconds off her 800-meter personal record to cross the line in 2:08.58 for eighth overall. She is the fifth Wolverine to go faster than 2:10 this season.

Michaiah Thomas led the way in the sprints as she took the victory in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.66, with Lauren Rodriguez runner-up in 8.83 and Sydney McGinley fourth in 8.97.

Akili Echols logged a pair of top-six finishes, placing fourth in the 60-meter final in 7.80 and sixth at 200 meters in a career-best 25.40.

Shot putter Erin Connor, the lone field event competitor for the Wolverines on the day, finished fifth with a new career-best toss of 14.21m (46-7.5). It was one of three throws that surpassed her pre-meet personal record for the event.

With the regular season now having reached its conclusion, the Wolverines turn their full attention to the Big Ten Indoor Championships, which they will host Friday and Saturday (Feb. 22-23) at the U-M Indoor Track Building.

Collegiate Career-Best Performances

Career debuts not included

Erin Connor -- 14.21m (46-7.5) / Shot Put (I)
Meg Darmofal -- 2:08.58 / 800m (I)
Camille Davre -- 4:48.33 / Mile (I)
Akili Echols -- 25.40 / 200m (I)
Jena Metwalli -- 4:48.47 / Mile (I)
Lexi Munley -- 2:12.47 / 800m (I)
Faith Reynolds -- 2:13.02 / 800m (I)
Julia Vanitvelt -- 2:14.41 / 800m (I)