Publication Date: Wednesday Mar 15, 2000

STANFORD ROUNDUP: Cardinal run to world record at the NCAAs

There was a world record, an individual national champion, school records and other excellent performances by Stanford at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships last weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.

The only thing missing, perhaps, was a national team title.

The Stanford men, however, accomplished just about everything else as they recorded their third straight runnerup finish to Arkansas during the two-day meet in the Randal Tyson Track Center.

The host Razorbacks won their 16th indoor crown in the past 17 years, includding five straight, by scoring 69 1/2 points. Stanford, which had athletes competing in only five events, still totalled 52 points to finish ahead of third-place Southern Methodist (38). The only other Pac-10 school in the top 10 was Arizona State in 10th.

"I don't think I could have asked for more from our athletes," Stanford head coach Vin Lananna said of his men's team. "They came and performed. We got 52 points from seven athletes. They dug down and gave a great meet."

The best individual event for the Cardinal men was the mile, where junior Gabe Jennings won the national title with a 3:59.46 clocking and senior Michael Stember was second in 4:00.75.

As impressive as there performances were in that event, Jennings and Stember joined with sophomore Evan Kelty and junior Jonathon Riley to break the world record in the distance medley relay.

That same foursome, which had set an American record on this same track with a 9:30.19 time last month, shattered that with a 9:28.83 performance that surpassed the previous world mark of 9:29.54 set by Washington State in 1998.

Jennings ran his opening 1,200-meter leg in 2:52.00, the fastest opening leg in history. Kelty sped to a 48.04 time in his 400 leg, Stember ran 1:48.03 for 800 meters and Riley anchored in 4:00.02 for 1,600 meters.

While the Stanford women's distance medley relay didn't produce a world record, the squad did shatter the school record while winning the national title in 11:01.56, an NCAA meet record and the No. 3 time in history.

The previous school record was 11:18.00 set earlier this season, while the old meet mark of 11:08.54 was set by Georgetown in 1997. Stanford's foursome consisted of Sally Glynn (1200), Jayna Smith (400), Lindsay Hyatt (800) and Lauren Fleshman (1600).

"The DMR wins were very, very special," Lananna said. "No matter what happens in these athletes' lives or careers, winning that will be a defining moment for them. It all came together for them here, and that's what this sport is all about."

Hyatt, just a freshman, broke her own indoor school record in the 800 with a 2:05.95 time in the prelims, then came back to finish seventh in 2:06.87. Smith also broke her own school record in the 400 with a 53.59 clocking during the prelims. Smith, however, did not advance to the finals.

Fleshman and fellow freshman Erin Sullivan, meanwhile, finished sixth (9:20.62) and 12th (9:31.31), respectively, in the 3,000 meters to help the Cardinal women finish 11th overall in team race with 15 points--the squad's best showing at the NCAA indoor meet since 1992.

Stanford senior Toby Stevenson, meanwhile, capped his final indoor season with a second-place finish in the men's pole vault. His clearance of 18-4 1/2 not only broke his own school record of 18-2 1/2 from this season, but the mark qualified Stevenson for the U.S. Olympic trials this summer in Sacramento.

Senior Brent Hauser produced a chunk of points with a second place of 13:54.27 in the 5,000 before finishing sixth in the 3,000 in 8:04.42. Jennings was seventh in the 3,000 (8:04.96) with Riley ninth (8:06.45) and senior Jason Balkman 14th (8:13.90). Balkman also finished sixth in the 5,000 in 14:06.04 to add to his team's point total.

Diving

The Stanford women's swimming team received a big boost toward its title hopes for this week's NCAA championships from the Cardinal diving squad at the Zone E Championships last weekend in Federal Way, Wash.

Three divers--juniors Erin Sones and Kim Powers plus freshman McKenze Murphy--all qualified for the NCAA meet with outstanding efforts.

Sones capped the weekend meet by winning the women's platform on Saturday night with 481.40 points. Powers was third (444.65) and Murphy fifth (420.90).

On the three-meter springboard, Murphy was second, Sones third and Powers sixth. On the one-meter board, Murphy (fourth) led Sones (8th) and Powers (13th).

The Stanford trio was among a group of eight that qualified for NCAAs, based on their best finishes in the three diving events. The top three on the one- and three-meter boards automatically qualified, as did the top two on the platform.

The NCAA meet begins Thursday and concludes Saturday in Indianapolis, site of the 2000 U.S. Olympc swim trials.

Fencing

The Stanford men's fencing team captured the NCAA Western Regional Championship last weekend in Pasadena, finishing first in the foil and sabre with a second in the epee.

The Cardinal swept the foil competition with Alex Wood going undefeated to lead the way. Felix Reichling was second with a 13-1 mark while Nick Furrow grabbed third.

In the sabre, Robert Owens went 14-0 to lead a one-two finish by Stanford. Dave LaValle (13-1) was second. In the epee, Eric tribbett was second, Graham Allen third and Tom Hunt sixth.

Stanford will host the NCAA championships for both men and women March 23-26 in Maples Pavilion.

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