Parker produces first sub-16 effort in indoor 5,000-meter race by a Division 3 female athlete, less than a week after believing she had achieved fastest 3,000 mark, only to learn previous record held by Rock was reported incorrectly

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For Kassie Parker, this NCAA Division 3 all-time mark is undisputed.

After the Loras senior and reigning Division 3 cross country national champion believed she had run the fastest 3,000-meter race on any indoor track in division history Jan. 29 at the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame, only to learn six days later that the previous record had been miscommunicated to her, Parker made sure she left nothing to chance with her 5,000 performance Feb. 11 at the Iowa State Classic.

Parker became the first Division 3 female athlete to eclipse the 16-minute barrier indoors, taking third in 15:58.58 on the oversized track in Ames to eclipse the all-time mark of 16:05.36 produced at the 2020 David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University by Ithaca standout Parley Hannan.

“Breaking 16 definitely is special to me, as being the first one to do so indoors,” Parker said. “One year ago, I would have never thought it possible.”

Parker ran 9:13.10 in the 3,000 at Notre Dame and believed she had taken down the 2005 performance achieved by Wartburg legend Missy (Buttry) Rock, who was reported by USTFCCCA to have run 9:13.13, ironically at Iowa State.

It wasn’t until further research by USTFCCCA editors, that it was discovered on Rock’s World Athletics profile that she actually ran 9:13.02 at the Iowa State Open on the same 300-meter flat track where Parker also competed.

“Considering the whole 3K record, it was a bit of a shock to me that it took 17 years to figure it out, as I found out the morning of my 5K,” Parker said. “At first, I was a bit frustrated, but then I realized it was out of my control, and something I could control that day was how I raced my 5K. I feel like it gave some extra fuel to the fire. To me, my 9:13 is still record worthy as I almost tied it, given I had it for ‘six days.’”

Only adding more intrigue to the 3,000 debate was Ella Baran of Johns Hopkins – who set the Division 3 indoor mile record Jan. 29 by running 4:40.53 at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge at The Armory in New York – following that performance by clocking 9:13.32 on Feb. 11 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University to produce the fastest time in division history on a 200-meter indoor track.

After no Division 3 female athlete had been within 10 seconds of Rock’s 3,000 performance for 17 years, both Parker and Baran were less than a second away in consecutive weekends.

Rock still holds the Division 3 outdoor 3,000 record of 9:20.72 from 2004, as well as the 5,000 all-time mark of 15:37.48 set at the 2003 Mt. SAC Relays in California.

“Seeing the D3 realm increasing is great to see,” Parker said. “Being a part of the push to increase the limits of D3 has been incredible. It’s definitely been a fast year and one to remember.”

Perhaps none more memorable than Parker’s 5,000 effort.

Before Hannan’s performance two years ago, no Division 3 women’s competitor had run under 16:20 on any indoor track.

Christy Cazzola of Wisconsin-Oshkosh had clocked 16:21.49 in 2012 on the 300-meter flat track at Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich.

But with Division 1 All-Americans Cailie Logue of Iowa State (15:46.24) and Bethany Hasz of Minnesota (15:49.62) taking the top two spots, after former Golden Gophers standout Madeline Strandemo of Oiselle Littlewing Athletics paced the first 3,000, Parker was able to gradually work her way into the top five, before making a big push in the final 1,200 meters.

“Bethany and Callie took it out from the gun as I figured they would. Honestly I felt the fatigue from the previous race setting in as I was striding up a few minutes prior to the race, not knowing how it would affect my race,” Parker said. “Having girls to run with definitely helped me, as I pushed up to the pacer and let her pull me with (her). About a mile left to go, she hopped off and I was leading the second group.

“This is when the race got hard for me. For a moment I didn’t think I was gonna break 16, but when (Minnesota’s Megan Hasz) was falling back, it gave me motivation to catch her and finish strong. Coming into the last lap was mostly motivation to finish business and be able to breathe, so I just let my legs do that work and finish strong, hoping for the sub-16 goal.”

Parker is one of 37 female college athletes to run under 16 minutes on any indoor track this season, but the only individual outside of Division 1 to achieve the feat. Brianna Robles of Adams State is the Division 2 leader this year at 16:03.76 and no NAIA competitor has run sub-17 this season.

“The goal was about 15:50,” Parker said. “But with the quick turnaround from the 3K, I was satisfied with my 15:58.”

Loras is scheduled to compete Feb. 25-26 at the American Rivers Conference Indoor Championships at Dubuque, with the Division 3 final March 11-12 at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Parker seeking her first indoor national title after securing the 10,000 crown outdoors in 2019.