Ducks’ distance dominance highlighted by collegiate-record DMR performance, which is third-fastest all-time mark on any indoor track in the world

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Editor’s Note: We’ll never know. Over this weekend, where the tracks are empty at The Armory in New York, the Convention Center in Albuquerque, N.M., the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala., and JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C., athletes were prepared to go off. To see months of work pay off. To peak. Of the many things lost this weekend in the U.S., in the track and field world there were lost opportunities to shine and to make history as a result of the cancellation of several championship events. But we can’t forget the season that abruptly ended Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.

Here are the 10 best NCAA Division 1 men’s performances, along with the top efforts of the year in Division 2 and Division 3, from the ill-fated 2020 indoor season for college track and field.

1. Oregon distance medley relay – Razorback Invitational, Jan. 31

There is something special about Oregon’s connection to indoor DMR records.

The first two legs of the all-time world indoor best in the relay achieved in 2015 by a U.S. all-star team at the Armory Track Invitational were run by former Ducks Matthew Centrowitz and Mike Berry.

The fastest men’s DMR ever produced on an oversized track in 2010 was by an Oregon Track Club quartet that included Oregon graduate Matt Scherer.

So, it was only fitting that James West, Jacob Miller, Charlie Hunter and Cooper Teare finally helped Oregon secure the collegiate indoor record, clocking 9:24.52 at the Randal Tyson Track in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Ducks eclipsed the 2008 collegiate standard of 9:25.97 established by Texas, giving Oregon both collegiate men’s and women’s indoor DMR records.

West created a significant gap on the rest of the field with a 2:53.53 opening 1,200-meter leg and from there, it was just Oregon racing the clock and its place in history.

Teare anchored the final 1,600 in 3:55.45, helping the Ducks rank No. 2 all-time in the world on a standard 200-meter banked track – trailing only the 2015 effort of 9:19.93 by the American quartet that also included Erik Sowinski and Pat Casey – and third overall, regardless of surface. Nick Symmonds, Tyler Mulder, Will Leer and Scherer ran 9:21.77 at the 2010 Husky Classic on the oversized Dempsey track.

2. Chris Nilsen, South Dakota, pole vault – Nebraska Tune-Up, Feb. 21

For an athlete who had already captured three NCAA Division 1 pole vault titles, the only thing missing from Nilsen’s resume was a collegiate record.

Despite getting minimal sleep the night before and feeling ill the morning of the competition, the Coyotes senior cleared 19-5.50 (5.93m) on his second attempt to not only eclipse the collegiate indoor record of 19-5 (5.92m) achieved last year by LSU’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, but elevate to No. 4 in the world this year.

Nilsen cleared 19-6.25 (5.95m) to prevail against Duplantis in June at the Division 1 outdoor final in Austin, Texas after the Swedish talent, now the current world record holder at 20-3.25 (6.18m), won the NCAA indoor title last year over the South Dakota standout.

Nilsen and Duplantis, the collegiate outdoor record holder at 19-8.25 (6.00m), are the only two vaulters in NCAA history to clear at least 19-5 both indoors and outdoors. Nilsen matched the No. 4 indoor performer in American history and equaled No. 16 the all-time indoor vaulter in the world.

3. James West, Oregon, 1,500 meters – Boston University Last Chance Meet, Feb. 27

With their place in collegiate history already secure with the distance medley relay record, the Ducks had a chance to shine individually in their final regular-season meet and they took full advantage.

With American professionals Josh Thompson, Brannon Kidder and Abraham Alvarado establishing a fast pace, West remained strong throughout and finished fourth in 3:36.93.

Thompson won in a world-leading 3:34.77, but West eclipsed the collegiate indoor record of 3:37.01 set in 2017 by 17-time NCAA champion Edward Cheserek en route to a 3:52.01 mile on the same Boston University track.

Cheserek still holds the collegiate mile record from that performance, but West’s 1,500 effort elevated him to No. 10 in the world this year.

West had the fastest time among British athletes during the indoor season until adidas professional Chris O’Hare ran 3:36.40 the following day in another 1,500 race at Boston University.

4. Tyler Day, Northern Arizona, 5,000 meters – John Thomas Terrier Classic, Jan. 24

Perhaps it was only fitting that following the partnership of Lumberjacks coach Mike Smith and Galen Rupp in preparation for the U.S. Olympic Trials - Marathon, Day was able to surpass the former Oregon star among some of the all-time great NCAA distance runners in the 25-lap event.

Although Nike professional and Kenyan talent Paul Tanui prevailed at Boston University in 13:15.72, Day took second in 13:16.95, elevating to No. 8 in the world this year and eclipsing the American collegiate indoor record of 13:18.12 set by Rupp in 2009.

Only the 2012 performances of former Arizona All-Americans Lawi Lalang (13:08.28) and Stephen Sambu (13:13.74) – when they placed second and third behind Nike professional Bernard Lagat (13:07.15) at the NYRR Millrose Games – remained ahead of Day in collegiate indoor history.

Day improved to the No. 12 indoor performer in American history and No. 45 all-time in the world.

5. Jacory Patterson, Virginia Tech, 300 meters – Virginia Tech Invitational, Jan. 17

There is nothing like the comforts of home, especially when it comes to Patterson racing in the 300.

The sophomore has only contested the event twice in college, but that’s all he has needed to set the NCAA indoor record of 32.28 seconds.

After clocking 32.49 last year as a freshman to trail only the 2010 mark of 32.32 achieved by former Georgia standout Torrin Lawrence, Patterson not only broke the record, but produced the fastest time in the world this year.

Patterson’s performance helped him improve to the No. 6 indoor 300 athlete in American history and 11th all-time in the world.

Only five individuals in the history of the event have run under 32 seconds, all Americans, including the world all-time best of 31.87 achieved in 2017 by adidas professional Noah Lyles.

Although limited in his 300 opportunities, those targets will provide additional motivation for Patterson in the future.

6. Notre Dame distance medley relay – Alex Wilson Invitational, Feb. 22

The reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor champions turned in another thrilling performance, relying yet again on a spectacular 1,600-meter anchor leg from Yared Nuguse to run 9:25.80, the fastest collegiate indoor performance ever produced on an oversized track.

Dylan Jacobs, Edward Cheatham and Samuel Voelz were also back from last year’s championship quartet for Notre Dame, which held off Wisconsin in 9:25.84.

Although Oregon had already run the NCAA indoor record of 9:24.52 earlier in the season on a standard 200-meter banked track in Arkansas, both Notre Dame and Wisconsin achieved the two fastest collegiate DMR marks on an oversized track.

Notre Dame’s time was good for No. 2 in collegiate history and No. 5 all-time in the world, regardless of indoor surface.

7. Wisconsin distance medley relay – Alex Wilson Invitational, Feb. 22

Similar to the women’s 5,000-meter race Dec. 7 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University, this is the only men’s competition of the year responsible for two performances in the top 10.

With their runner-up effort of 9:25.84, just behind Notre Dame’s winning mark of 9:25.80, Jackson Sharp, Colin Enz, Hudson Kugel and Oliver Hoare lowered the Badgers’ program record of 9:26.24 set last year at the same event despite Hoare being the only returning member of the quartet.

It was a memorable year in the men’s DMR, as Oregon, Notre Dame and Wisconsin all ran faster, regardless of track size, than the previous collegiate indoor record of 9:25.97 that Texas had held since 2008.

Wisconsin’s mark ranks No. 6 all-time in the world among indoor DMR performances, regardless of surface.

8. Gleb Dudarev, Kansas, weight throw – Jayhawk Classic, Jan. 23

Only four athletes in collegiate indoor history had entered the season having reached 80 feet in the indoor weight throw and they’ve all gone on to achieve greater success with the 35-pound implement as professionals.

Although he had six throws this season that surpassed 78 feet, Dudarev finally hit the elite level with his second-round effort of exactly 80 feet (24.38m) at the Kansas-Anschutz Field House to elevate to No. 5 in the world this year.

Dudarev joined collegiate indoor record holder Michael Lihrman of Wisconsin as the only individuals with at least six throws beyond 78 feet in the same year.

The senior improved to the No. 5 collegiate indoor performer in history and equal to No. 17 all-time in the world.

9. Darryl Sullivan, Tennessee, high jump – Virginia Tech Invitational, Jan. 17

Following a runner-up finish at last year’s NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships, Sullivan struggled during the spring outdoor season and didn’t advance to the championship meet in Austin, Texas.

But it didn’t take the senior long to regain his comfort level indoors, achieving a world-leading mark of 7-7.75 (2.33m) on his second attempt at Virginia Tech. It took a third-attempt clearance at 7-5.25 (2.27m) to set the stage for Sullivan’s career-best effort.

Sullivan became only the second jumper in collegiate indoor history to clear that height in January, joining Texas Tech’s Trey Culver in 2018.

It also equaled the highest clearance in Southeastern Conference history, matching the 2007 mark of Auburn’s Donald Thomas.

Sullivan equaled the No. 4 all-time collegiate indoor clearance, tying Texas’ Andra Manson and Mark Boswell, Kansas State’s Erik Kynard Jr. and Oklahoma’s Vernon Turner, along with Culver and Thomas.

Sullivan also equaled the No. 12 jumper in American indoor history.

10. Charlie Hunter, Oregon, mile – Boston University Last Chance Meet, Feb. 28

It was an exceptional year for the Ducks in several distance events, with this race by Hunter and teammate Cooper Teare the final piece to the powerful puzzle.

Hunter clocked 3:55.41 and Teare was right behind in 3:55.50, the two fastest times in the world this year, ahead of the winner of the Wanamaker Mile at the 113th NYRR Millrose Games at The Armory in New York, as well as other elite races held throughout the season at Boston University.

Hunter elevated to the No. 12 performer in collegiate indoor history, with Teare ranking 14th.

Hunter and Teare were among six Oregon distance runners to qualify for an individual event at nationals, trailing only Northern Arizona with seven athletes.

Division 2: Rajindra Campbell, Missouri Southern, shot put – Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Championships, March 1

The Jamaican standout is always one to watch in the ring because he uses a left-handed release. But Campbell joined another elite group this season by becoming only the fourth Division 2 athlete in history to eclipse the 20-meter mark in the indoor shot put.

The senior surpassed his personal best by more than two feet with a third-round mark of 65-10.25 (20.07m) at the Robert W. Plaster Center at Pittsburg State in Kansas.

Campbell matched Christopher Reed of Minnesota State in 2014 as the No. 3 indoor performer in Division 2 history, trailing only University of Findlay standouts Eldred Henry (2019) and Derrick Vicars (2013).

Campbell also ranked No. 10 among all collegiate throwers, regardless of division, and No. 49 overall in the world this year, including the top Jamaican performer.

Division 3: Dylan Cooper, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, heptathlon – Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, Feb. 28-29

The reign as Division 3 record holder for Will Daniels of Central College didn’t last long, with Cooper equaling the all-time indoor heptathlon mark of 5,441 points at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Kolf Sports Center.

Daniels, who achieved the record last year, transferred to Iowa this season and twice accumulated more than 5,600 points, creating a window of opportunity for Cooper to make history during his final collegiate indoor season.

Cooper scored 4,216 points in his first collegiate indoor heptathlon in 2016, but finally surpassed 5,000 points in 2018 and moved into the Division 3 all-time top 10 with 5,325 points in his first heptathlon of the season Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the Warren Bowlus Indoor Open.

Cooper won three events during the two-day schedule at the WIAC Championships, capped by a victory in the 1,000 meters in 2:47.41 that allowed him to equal Daniels’ record.

Cooper also ranks No. 8 all-time in Division 3 in the outdoor decathlon with 7,251 points.