By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 62nd Mt. SAC Relays Presented by Nike are scheduled for Wednesday, April 13 through Saturday, April 16 at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif.

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Here are 10 storylines involving female athletes to follow at one of the nation’s most prestigious track and field competitions, which returns to the Mt. SAC campus for the first time since 2015:

Editor’s note: The following storylines do not include any of the events as part of the USATF Golden Games schedule, Saturday, April 16, which will be covered in a separate preview.

Back where it all started

Since the last time Vashti Cunningham competed at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in 2015, she has won 10 U.S. national titles in the high jump, along with World Indoor gold and silver medals, as well as a World Outdoor bronze medal.

But her first national high school record occurred as a senior at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas at the Mt. SAC Relays at the old venue, clearing 6 feet, 4.50 inches (1.94m) to secure her second straight title in the high school competition.

Since then, the 24-year-old Cunningham has won four more Mt. SAC Relays crowns in the women’s invitational elite high jump competition, winning at Cerritos College in 2016 and at El Camino College from 2017-19.

Despite the event being halted for the past two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cunningham brings the longest active winning streak of any athlete competing at the Mt. SAC Relays, seeking a seventh straight high jump title Saturday.

Canadian standout Debbie Brill won seven women’s high jump titles overall from 1970-85 at the Mt. SAC Relays, a mark Cunningham could match with another victory in her outdoor season opener.

Cunningham is scheduled to compete against friend and Nevada Gazelles training partner Jelena Rowe, along with fellow Americans Rachel McCoy and Amina Smith, in addition to collegiate standouts Tyra Gittens of Texas, Lucy Corbett of Montana State, Sidney Sapp of Texas Tech, Lillian Lowe of Arizona and Cierra Tidwell-Allphin of Brigham Young.

The World Championship standard to compete in July at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore is 6-5 (1.96m), a mark Cunningham has only cleared once in any of her previous six victories, coming with a 6-5.50 (1.97m) effort in 2019 at El Camino College.

Waiting 15 years for another sub-15 performance

Shalane Flanagan set meet and stadium records in the women’s invitational elite 5,000 meters by clocking 14 minutes, 44.80 seconds in 2007, which still remains the lone sub-15 performance by a female athlete in meet history.

Several competitors have the potential to end that drought Friday, in addition to challenging Flanagan’s record.

British record holder and ASICS athlete Eilish McColgan is entered at 14:28.55, along with Nike Bowerman Track Club competitor Karissa Schweizer, the second-fastest female athlete in American history at 14:26.34.

Adding depth to the field is American Emily Infeld with a personal-best 14:54.09, along with Mexican record holder Laura Galvan at 15:00.16, Hansons-Brooks ODP athlete Natosha Rogers at 15:04.95 and another British standout expected to race with the addition of Jessica Judd, a HOKA competitor with a lifetime-best 15:06.02.

PUMA Elite athlete Taylor Werner and Roots Running Project professional Maggie Montoya are also looking to challenge the 15-minute barrier, along with Alabama All-American Mercy Chelangat.

There hasn’t been a female athlete who has run sub-15:10 at the Mt. SAC Relays since 2010, and that mark is the qualifying standard for any women’s competitor to represent their country at the World Championships.

Davis primed to delight California crowd again

Tara Davis won the women’s invitational long jump in 2018 at the Mt. SAC Relays at El Camino College, but the former Agoura High standout and collegiate record holder has never competed at Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

Davis, a former Texas standout, is scheduled to headline the women’s invitational elite long jump Saturday, looking to challenge the 2012 meet and stadium records of 23-4.50 (7.12m) achieved by Brittney Reese.

Along with fellow American professional athletes Jasmine Todd, Rhesa Foster and Samiyah Samuels, Davis will also compete against familiar rivals from college in Texas Tech teammates Ruth Usoro and Monae’ Nichols, along with NCAA Division 2 athletes Marie-Jeanne Ourega from Academy of Art, along with Hannah Meek of UC-Colorado Springs.

Davis, who last jumped indoors Feb. 11 at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas, placed sixth at the Olympic final in Tokyo in August.

She achieved the collegiate outdoor record last year with a 23-5.25 (7.14m) performance at the 93rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

No female competitor has surpassed the 7-meter mark since Reese’s record-setting performance and only one athlete has produced a 22-foot effort since, with Canada’s Christabel Nettey jumping 22-11 (6.98m) to prevail in 2015.

The World Championship standard is 22-4.50 (6.82m).

Fast 1,500 should allow several to flourish

Eilish McColgan is also scheduled to compete Saturday in the women’s invitational elite 1,500 meters, but there are still plenty of athletes capable of challenging the meet record even if the British standout doesn’t decide to double following Friday’s effort in the 5,000.

New Balance athlete Brenda Martinez still boasts the all-time meet performance of 4:04.86 from 2013, with another New Balance professional Elle Purrier St. Pierre achieving the stadium record last year by clocking 3:58.36 at the USATF Golden Games. The World Championship standard is 4:04.20.

Elise Cranny of Nike Bowerman Track Club is entered, boasting a personal-best 4:02.62, scheduled to race for the first time since elevating to the No. 2 American 10,000-meter competitor in history March 6 with her 30:14.66 effort at Sound Running’s The Ten at JSerra High in San Juan Capistrano.

Dani Jones, a New Balance athlete training in Colorado with Team Boss and featuring a lifetime-best 4:04.26, is scheduled to make her first outdoor appearance of the year after placing fifth in the 1,500 and fourth in the 3,000 at the USATF Indoor Championships at The Podium in Spokane, Wash.

Jones won the high school invitational 800 title at Hilmer Lodge Stadium competing for Desert Vista of Arizona in 2015.

Rebecca Mehra, a Palos Verdes High graduate who raced at Mt. SAC during her prep career, is also scheduled to make her outdoor season debut, with the Oiselle athlete running 4:04.90 last year.

Sisters Danielle Aragon and Christina Aragon are entered, along with fellow American Jenn Randall, Laura Galvan of Mexico, Hanna Hermansson of Sweden, Addy Townsend of Canada, Gemma Kersey of Great Britain and reigning NCAA Division 2 indoor mile champion Berenice Cleyet-Merle, a French athlete who competed for University of Indianapolis.

No female athlete has run sub-4:10 at Mt. SAC Relays since Martinez produced the meet record nine years ago.

Big obstacles could be cleared in 400 hurdles

Although the meet record in the women’s invitational elite 400-meter hurdles has stood since 2004, American Shamier Little helped highlight the USATF Golden Games at the new Hilmer Lodge Stadium last year by clocking 53.65 for the fastest performance ever achieved at the venue.

Both the meet standard of 55.18 achieved by Brenda Taylor, along with Little’s record, could be challenged Saturday, with a field including collegiate leader Britton Wilson of Arkansas and several elite professionals.

Wilson ran 54.37 on March 25 to win the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, already achieving the World Championship standard by running sub-55.40, but the freshman should have plenty of competition from 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Ashley Spencer and 2021 Panamian Olympic finalist Gianna Woodruff.

Jamaican athlete Shiann Salmon prevailed April 9 at the USATF Bermuda Games, clocking 55.35 despite running into strong headwinds. She is entered along with fellow Jamaican competitor Andrenette Knight.

Shannon Meisberger of Arizona is also entered in the field, as well as fellow American Deonca Bookman and Robyn Brown of the Philippines.

The fastest collegiate performance achieved in April is Sydney McLaughlin running 53.60 during her lone season at Kentucky in 2018.

Steeplechase showcase setting the tone

Following the conclusion of the two-day heptathlon and decathlon competitions, the first significant race on the track Thursday is the women’s invitational elite 3,000-meter steeplechase, highlighted by American Olympian Val Constien, along with Saucony standout Grayson Murphy – the reigning World Mountain Running gold medalist – and Brigham Young All-American Courtney Wayment.

Constien is coming off a personal-best 4:09.97 in the 1,500 meters April 1 at the Stanford Invitational and is scheduled to race over barriers and water jumps for the first time since placing 12th in the Tokyo final in August.

Although fellow Olympian Courtney Frerichs of Nike Bowerman Track Club produced the stadium record last year at the USATF Golden Games by running 9:27.70, the meet record of 9:39.94 by Jamaica’s Korene Hinds was set in 2007.

Constien boasts a personal-best 9:18.34, Wayment has clocked 9:23.09 and Murphy has run 9:25.37. The World Championship standard is 9:30.0.

Minnesota’s Abby Kohut-Jackson, Colorado’s Madison Boreman and Michigan’s Alice Hill, along with former New Mexico athlete Alondra Negron, add depth to the field, with several other college standouts looking to eclipse the 10-minute barrier for the first time.

A victory by Constien, Wayment or Murphy would be the first by an American female athlete in the 3,000 steeplechase at the Mt. SAC Relays since former Colorado standout Shalaya Kipp in 2013.

Plenty of speed to go around

Even with the 100-meter dash, 200 meters and 400 meters showcasing several professional sprinters Saturday at during the USATF Golden Games portion of the meet schedule, there are still many exciting matchups that are expected to occur in the collegiate and open sections occur Friday and Saturday.

The women’s collegiate 100 offers a potential rematch of the March 26 final at the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, with USC’s Celera Barnes and Arkansas’ Jada Baylark looking to square off again. Barnes prevailed by a 10.82 to 10.83 margin against Baylark at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, both running wind-aided efforts.

Also scheduled to compete is former Oregon standout and Nike professional English Gardner, current Ducks standouts Kemba Nelson and Jadyn Mays, the Texas quartet of Rhasidat Adeleke, JuJu Alfred, Kevona Davis and Kynnedy Flannel, as well as Houston’s Cecilia Tamayo-Garcia, Iowa’s Lasarah Hargrove and reigning World Indoor 60-meter silver medalist Mikiah Brisco, a former LSU star representing HSI International.

Kyra Jefferson, also competing for HSI International, will be joined in the collegiate and open 200 by Dezerea Bryant and Lauren Rain Williams-James, along with Baylark, Mays and the Texas quartet of Adeleke, Alfred, Davis and Flannel.

The open and collegiate 400 will be highlighted by the USC trio of Kaelin Roberts, Bailey Lear and Jan’Taijah Ford, along with former teammate and All-American Kyra Constantine, now a Nike professional athlete representing Canada.

Arkansas has Rosey Effiong and Paris Peoples entered, with Michigan standout Ziyah Holman also scheduled to compete, along with UCLA All-American Shae Anderson, who is also scheduled to run the 200 and 4x400 relay.

World Championship standards for each event are 11.15 in the 100, 22.80 in the 200 and 51.35 in the 400.

Ready to launch

With the meet being moved from 2016-19 to accommodate stadium renovation, there was no javelin competition held in any of those four years at Cerritos College or El Camino College.

The event has returned to the schedule Friday, and with it will come the Mt. SAC Relays debut of four-time U.S. Olympian Kara Winger.

She will be competing in the collegiate and open section, throwing for the first time at a meet since turning 36, with her last event taking place in August in Hungary.

Winger consistently surpassed the 60-meter mark last year and still boasts a personal-best 218-8 (66.67m) from 2010, a mark that stood as the American record until last year, when it was eclipsed by Maggie Malone, who now holds the all-time U.S. performance at 221-1 (67.40m). The World Championship standard of 209-11 (64.00m) will be a challenge for any competitor to achieve, including Winger.

Joining Winger will be Stanford All-American Virginia Miller, who achieved a lifetime-best 181-3 (55.26m) on April 1 at the Stanford Invitational.

Brigham Young’s Ashton Riner has thrown 188 feet (57.31m), with UTEP’s Arianne Duarte-Morais throwing 180-10 (55.13m) and North Dakota State’s Kari Wolfe achieving a mark of 180-6 (55.02m).

Since the new javelin was designed for female competitors in 1999, American Ariana Ince boasts the best throw at the Mt. SAC Relays with her 2015 winning effort of 196-4 (59.84m).

The women’s discus throw, hammer throw and shot put are all part of the USATF Golden Games portion of the schedule Saturday, but there are also collegiate and open sections of each event throughout the meet.

Orji looking to tackle another triple jump record

Keturah Orji won the women’s invitational elite triple jump at the Mt. SAC Relays in 2018 at El Camino College, representing Georgia with a meet-record performance of 47-0.25 (14.33m).

The Mizuno professional athlete, representing Atlanta Track Club Elite, has since elevated the American record to 48-11.50 (14.92m) with her mark last year at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.

Orji, a two-time American Olympian who placed seventh at the World Indoor final March 20 in Serbia, has the potential Saturday to also surpass the stadium record of 47-11.75 (14.62m) achieved last year by Kimberly Williams of Jamaica at the USATF Golden Games.

Orji will face fellow American professionals Imani Oliver and Kiana Davis, along with Texas Tech athletes Ruth Usoro, Ruta Lasmane and Onaara Obamuwagun, as well as Texas teammates Ackelia Smith and Darja Sopova, in addition to Oregon’s Dominique Ruotolo and USC’s Temitope Ojora.

Orji is the only female competitor in meet history to produce a wind-legal 14-meter jump. The World Championship standard is 46-11.75 (14.32m).

Relishing relay opportunities

With only individual events being showcased during the USATF Golden Games portion of the schedule Saturday, the women’s invitational elite 4x100 and 4x400 relays will also be a highlight before and after the two-hour television window on CNBC.

The 4x100 will feature prelims Friday and the final Saturday, and could be highlighted by a professional lineup representing HSI International squaring off against Arkansas, USC, Oregon, Houston, UCLA and South Florida.

The meet and stadium records of 41.79, achieved in 2013 by an all-star team assembled by current USC assistant Carmelita Jeter, have remained strong for the past decade.

The final section of the 4x400 is expected to showcase Arkansas, UCLA, Houston, Iowa, Michigan, South Florida, Arizona and Colorado, with the Kersee All-Stars scheduled to race in the first section.

The meet record of 3:26.87, achieved by a Reebok all-star team, has stood since 1992.

Arkansas has already run 3:26.40 on March 26 at the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.