Check out how Walt Murphy broke it down.
Walt Murphy wrote:
345-College Men’s Distance Medley Champ. 2:25pm
It’s only fitting that the “Signature Event” of the Relays (to some) is loaded this year. Princeton(AA) only returns Michael Williams(1:51.4) from last year’s winning team, but the Tigers, with Peter Callahan on the anchor, were winners at this year’s NCAA Indoor Championships.
The Tigers could face strong challenges from, among others, Indiana(B), Penn State(C), and Oregon(D). Should Princeon win, it would be the 3rd school that Tigers assistant Jason Vigilante has coached to a Penn Relays title. (Texas, and Virginia were the other two).
Expected to run for Columbia(A), which was 5th here last year, is John Gregorek, whose father of the same name helped end Villanova’s 16-year winning streak in the Distance Medley as his come-from-behind anchor leg gave Georgetown. the win in 1982.
Here are the lineups and splits (where available)that contending teams used when they ran theri best indoor times (along with possible alternates)
Princeton(AA, 9:33.01/NCAA)
Michael Williams
2:56.7
Austin Hollimon
46.3
Russell Dinkins
1:48.9
Peter Callahan
4:01.1
(Mile PR-3:58.76)
Penn State(AC, 9:34.00/ 2nd @ NCAA)
Brannon Kidder
2:55.2
Brandon Bennett-Green
46.5
Z’a’Von Watkins
1:49.5
Robby Creese
4:02.8
(Mile PR-3:57.11)
Casimir Loxsom,
1:45.28(‘11), 1:46.98(‘13)
Indiana(AB, 9:33.42)
PRs
Zachary Mayhew
4:00.85(mile
Chris Vaughn
47.88
Jordan Gornall
1:51.35
Andy Bayer
3:57.75(mile/’11)/4:00.20i/’13)
Oregon(AD, 9:35.06) PRs
Boru Guyota
1:47.52i, 3:47.47
Mike Berry
44.75(‘12), 45.64i(‘13)
Elijah Greer
1:45.06(‘11), 1:46.73i(‘13)
Jeramy Elkaim
3:59.18i(mile)
Villanova(AF, 9:35.46/NCAA))
Jordan Williamsz
2:55.7
Samuel Ellison
46.9
Christ FitzSimons
1:50.0
Sam McEntee
4:02.83) (Mile PR-3:57.86, 3:36 1500)
Columbia(AE)
PRs
John Gregorek
3:44.65(1500)
Connor Claflin
49..98, 1:48.72
Harry McFann
49.42, 1:48.14, 2:27.48(1000)
Daniel Everett
4:00.67(mile)
Other Key Anchors
Stanford(AG) Tyler Stitzman 3:58.85
Texas A&M(AH) Henry Lelei 4:00.41
Georgetown(AI) Andrew Springer 4:01.17
North Carolina(AJ) Isaac Presson 4:00.79
1) I'm ruling out Princeton. Rumor is that Callahan is hurt.
2) PSU - Creese got spanked at Mt. Sac last week. He did get the job done on the 4 x 800 last year though.
3) Indiana - will Bayer get it close enough? With penn being outdoors, it normal ends up being a jog fest on teh anchor which benefits them. He's hard to rule out.
4) Oregon- I assume they anchor Mac Fleet. He killed Kemoy Campbell and Elkaim last week.
http://www.tfrrs.org/results/29696_1893607.html?athlete_hnd=3733690I think they are the team to beat. Well deserved if the injury prone guy Mac Fleet gets the big win.
5) Nova - who historically has owned Penn Relays - would be the HEAVY favorite if Williamsz and Fitz would just approach the form they showed before college. Williamsz ran 3:36 last year.
Oregon FTW. I mean Oregon has a world class 400, a world class 800 and a damn good anchor. What's not to like?