Ducks become third program to win five titles in single year

Oregon joins LSU, Villanova with historic haul, including 4xmile and distance medley relays for men and another sprint trifecta with 4x100, 4x400 and 1,600 sprint medley relays by women at Penn Relays

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By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Oregon might have had one collegiate record eclipsed by the narrowest of margins and another one equaled during its annual trip to Philadelphia to compete at the 123rd Penn Relays.

But the Ducks demonstrated Saturday at Franklin Field that they are setting their sights on another impressive all-time NCAA mark following their performance in the Championship of America women's 4x400-meter relay.

Elexis Guster, Raevyn Rogers, Makenzie Dunmore and Deajah Stevens challenged the world-leading mark of 3 minutes, 24.36 seconds produced by the U.S. national team April 23 at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas and nearly took down Oregon's 2012 program record of 3:24.54, securing meet and stadium records by clocking 3:24.72.

Oregon now boasts the third- and fifth-fastest efforts in NCAA Division 1 history, with its focus on Texas' 2004 record of 3:23.75.

"We feel like we can all go faster and we're really looking at this record and we really want to break it," said Stevens, who has also run on the Ducks' collegiate records in the 4x100 and 4x200, in addition to its 3:39.05 performance Friday in the 1,600 sprint medley relay, which stood as the all-time collegiate best for less than 10 minutes until Texas A&M ran 3:39.04 at the SEC Relays at LSU.

"We're just keeping it in our sights and we're not going to put any pressure on ourselves. We're just going to keep working hard and it should come. That time just gives us more motivation to run faster next time."

LSU, which ran 42.14 in a narrow setback against Oregon in its lone head-to-head 4x100 showdown April 15 at the Mt. SAC Relays, matched the Ducks' collegiate record Saturday by clocking 42.12 at the SEC Relays. Oregon, with 100-meter hurdles winner Alaysha Johnson (12.88) competing Friday with Ariana Washington, Dunmore and Stevens on the 4x100 instead of Hannah Cunliffe, repeated as champion in 42.35.

"Nothing is ever given to you. LSU is putting up a fight in the 4x100 and Texas A&M in the 4x400 and it's great," said Stevens, who contributed to Oregon's wins in the 4x100, 4x400 and 1,600 sprint medley relay after only running on the first two last year.

"Competition is always great. We love healthy competition, but it just means we're all going to run faster, not just Oregon, but them too. It makes me happy to see that as well. I feel like they're all great athletes and I can't wait to get to nationals and duke it out."

Oregon joined LSU and Villanova as the only programs to win five titles in a single year at Penn Relays, following its Championship of America victory in the men's distance medley relay Friday with Blake Haney, Sam Prakel and Mick Stanovsek returning to the track to join Tim Gorman to win the 4xmile relay in 16:21.81. LSU still holds the all-time record with six victories in 2008.

"I'm just proud of these three guys. It's a wonderful day to be a Duck," Stanovsek said. "It was both stressful and comforting knowing I had these three guys to run with, but this is a dream. A year ago, if someone asked me if I was going to come home with two wheels, I would have said, 'You're dreaming,' so this is just a wonderful feeling."

Prakel was awarded the male collegiate relay performer of the meet with his anchor legs on both victorious efforts, which helped Oregon win each relay for the fourth time in eight years.

"Coming into the meet, I knew I had a lot of confidence in my strength, but taking the indoor season off, I wasn't quite there with my speed," Prakel said. "In the end, I still felt good enough that I had that kick even though it's still coming along. I was put in perfect position and I was just happy (Indiana's Joe Murphy) paced me for the first 1,200 meters."

Neil Gourley, Vincent Ciattei, Drew Piazza and Patrick Joseph made history for Virginia Tech by winning the program's first Championship of America men's 4x800 relay in 7:13.75, equaling the No. 8 mark in meet history.

Randall Ceneus, Teray Smith, Akeem Bloomfield and Nathon Allen won the first men's 4x400 title for Auburn since 1991 by clocking 3:05.19 to hold off Penn State in 3:05.69.

Precious Holmes, Tyler Brockington, Aalayah Sanders and Maiya Dendy won South Carolina's first women's 4x200 relay championship since 2007 by clocking 1:33.79.

After not finishing the men's 4x100 relay and watching Jamaica's G.C. Foster celebrate back-to-back victories in 38.94, Houston rebounded to win its first 4x200 championships since 1980. Amere Lattin, Mario Burke, Jacarias Martin and Eli Hall-Thompson clocked 1:21.17 to prevent G.C. Foster (1:21.55) from the sweep following Friday's 1,600 sprint medley title for the Jamaicans in 3:16.15.

Hall-Thompson was honored as collegiate male individual athlete of the meet, clocking a wind-aided 10.00 to win the 100-meter dash to go along with his relay anchor.