Meier's Historic Run Closes Out Final Day at Vanderbilt

Saturday, February 9

Nashville, Tenn.

10:30 AM CT

Michigan

Music City Challenge

Hannah Meier

Meier's Historic Run Closes Out Final Day at Vanderbilt

2/9/2019 8:08:00 PM | Women's Track & Field

By: Kyle Terwillegar

Site: Nashville, Tenn. (Vanderbilt Student Rec Center)
Event: Music City Challenge (Day 2 of 2)
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 16 -- at Notre Dame Alex Wilson Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)

• Complete Results (PDF)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A historically fast mile by Hannah Meier was the centerpiece of a strong showing by the University of Michigan women's track and field team on Saturday (Feb. 9) as it closed out its last big push of the regular season at the Vanderbilt Music City Challenge.

Meier ran one of the nation's quickest miles in 4:34.66 to earn one of Michigan's two event victories on the day and to headline the 17 career-best performances that were achieved by the Wolverines -- most of which came in the distance events.

Also getting the win for the Wolverines was the 4x400 relay team of Chloe Foster, Aurora Rynda, Julia Hall and Jade Harrison, who clocked 3:40.61. Rynda and Foster also contributed two of Michigan's career-best performances with their efforts in the 800 meters.

Meier was the runaway winner in the mile competition, beating runner-up Maddie Alm to the line by nearly five seconds with only third- and fourth-place Meg Darmofal and Alice Hill the only other racers within 10 seconds of her.

It was an improvement of nearly six seconds from her pre-meet career-best 4:40.35 from earlier this season.

In Michigan history, only school record-holder -- eventual two-time Olympian and current volunteer assistant Nicole Edwards (4:33.23) -- and All-American Shannon Osika (4:34.34) have gone faster than did Meier on Saturday. She slots in directly ahead of her twin sister Haley's 4:35.69 performance from a year ago.

While Meier's time was exceptional -- it ranks No. 9 in the country among reported results -- it was by no means the only breakthrough performance in the event. Darmofal and Hill both slashed at least five seconds off their career bests to check in at 4:43.13 and 4:43.52, respectively.

Those three led a Michigan mile crew that combined for eight new personal records and nine sub-five-minute clockings.

Rynda nearly joined Meier as an event winner on the day, coming within .09 of a second of the victory at 800 meters. Rynda crossed the line in 2:06.38, just behind UTEP's Lillian Koech in 2:06.29.

The run was a collegiate career-best performance for Rynda, keeping her at No. 12 in school history and moving her to No. 2 among Michigan freshmen all-time in a tie with eventual NCAA Outdoor 1,500-meter champion Jaimie Phelan.

Another freshman posted a big personal-record run behind her, as Lauren Biggs chopped nearly a second-and-a-half off her PR with a 2:08.18 run for fifth, both in the same race as Rynda and overall.

In the previous heat, Foster shed more than a second off her career best with a 2:10.30 performance for 11th overall. She just missed becoming the first woman in school history to run sub-55.00 for 400 meters and sub 2:10 for 800 meters.

Every Wolverine woman who lined up for the fastest section of the 3,000 meters also recorded career-best performances, led by third-place Camille Davre in 9:27.41. She was joined in the top 10 by Rachel Coleman, whose 9:34.43 run was a personal record by more than 10 seconds.

The only career-best of the day from beyond the track came in the women's pole vault, where true freshman Jessica Mercier cleared 3.88m (12 feet, 8.75 inches) on her first attempt to finish seventh overall.

Select Wolverines will be in action next Saturday at the Notre Dame Alex Wilson Invitational, but most of the team will be off from competition while preparing for the Big Ten Indoor Championships in Ann Arbor on Feb. 22-23.

Collegiate Career-Best Performances

Career debuts not included

Sydney Badger -- 9:45.94 / 3000m (I)
Lauren Biggs -- 2:08.18 / 800m (I)
Rachel Coleman -- 9:34.43 / 3000m (I)
Meg Darmofal -- 4:43.13 / Mile (I)
Camille Davre -- 9:27.41 / 3000m (I)
Micaela DeGenero -- 4:47.63 / Mile (I)
Anne Forsyth -- 9:41.59 / 3000m (I)
Chloe Foster -- 2:10.30 / 800m (I)
Alice Hill -- 4:43.52 / Mile (I)
Hannah Meier -- 4:34.66 / Mile (I)
Jessica Mercier -- 3.88m (12-8.75) / Pole Vault (I)
Lexi Munley -- 4:59.03 / Mile (I)
Raquel Powers -- 4:59.44 / Mile (I)
Jenna Reid -- 57.47 / 400m (I)
Faith Reynolds -- 4:51.73 / Mile (I)
Aurora Rynda -- 2:06.38 / 800m (I)
Julia Vanitvelt -- 4:51.39 / Mile (I)

Full Michigan Results by Event
Q = Automatic qualifier into final; q = non-automatic qualifier into final

200 Meters (contested Friday)
7. Jade Harrison / 24.36

400 Meters
7. Julia Hall / 55.76
19. Jenna Reid / 57.47

800 Meters
2. Aurora Rynda / 2:06.38
5. Lauren Biggs / 2:08.18
11. Chloe Foster / 2:10.30
16. Carola Jansohn / 2:13.13
37. Haley Click / 2:20.41

Mile
1. Hannah Meier / 4:34.66
3. Meg Darmofal / 4:43.13
4. Alice Hill / 4:43.52
9. Micaela DeGenero / 4:47.63
14. Julia Vanitvelt / 4:51.39
15. Faith Reynolds / 4:51.73
22. Jena Metwalli / 4:56.80
26. Lexi Munley / 4:59.03
27. Raquel Powers / 4:59.44
39. Jacalyn Overdier / 5:07.81

3,000 Meters
3. Camille Davre / 9:27.41
7. Rachel Coleman / 9:34.43
9. Madeline Trevisan / 9:38.40
11. Anne Forsyth / 9:41.59
13. Sydney Badger / 9:45.94
25. Kayla Keane / 10:02.49