Kerr eclipses Maree’s 1981 record, Ribich lowers 1987 mark set by Cheruiyot in historic race at Azusa Pacific; Houlihan prevails in women’s 1,500

By Landon Negri for DyeStat

On a day chock full of personal bests, University of New Mexico junior Josh Kerr had the best of all.

Kerr set a new collegiate record Friday night with a rousing run in the 1,500 meters, finishing strong in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Azusa Pacific University and winning in 3 minutes, 35.01 seconds.

That mark broke a record that stood for more than 36 years.

Villanova’s Sydney Maree ran 3:35.30 on June 6, 1981, at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships.

Kerr soaked in every second of it afterward, gesturing to the crowd and crossing the track to hug his parents.

“It just had to be the right day, right conditions and right crowd,” Kerr said. “We definitely got that out here at Azusa Pacific.”

In fact, a look at the updated Division 1 performance list Friday night revealed the top 12 spots all stemming from the 1,500 at Azusa.

Kerr stayed near the front for the entire race, surging to a modest lead at the end. Running in a stacked field that included himself, the top two 1,500 NCAA times this year – Oregon’s Sam Prakel and Mick Stanovsek – and Syracuse senior Justyn Knight, Kerr still felt like the race was in his control.

“I think it was a quality field,” he said, “and I just kind of had to race them and (was) still looking at the time.”

Knight, the reigning Division 1 cross country champion and indoor 5,000 winner, ran 3:36.07, which would have hogged spotlight in any other race. And he couldn’t have been happier for Kerr.

“Josh is a great kid,” Knight said. “He’s a phenomenal runner, and more importantly, he’s a great person, so I’m really happy that he was able to accomplish that. …

“Before the race, I told him, ‘You know, make yourself known; leave a legacy,’” Knight said. “He said, ‘Look at the crowd, look at the place; we’re going to do it.’”

Knight lowered his own personal best by more than three seconds. He closed tremendously because he had to – he spent much of the first lap in last place.

“I didn’t get out well – it was my fault,” Knight said. “I forgot what it’s like to run against a bunch of fast guys.”

Ole Miss senior Robert Domanic was third in 3:36.33, followed by Prakel in fourth (3:36.84) and Belgian Peter Callahan in fifth (3:37.11).

In sixth place was Western Oregon senior David Ribich, whose time of 3:37.35 set a new NCAA Division 2 all-time mark, capping a successful weekend for Division 2 athletes. Ribich eclipsed the 1987 record of 3:38.91 held by Kip Cheruiyot of Mount St. Mary’s.

“It was an incredible field,” said Ribich, who added that his teammates helped him prepare for Friday night by playing cards for about six hours.

“It was definitely the deepest collegiate field I’ve been a part of. Looking at the entries on Wednesday, I looked and saw names like Kerr and Knight and everyone, and I thought, ‘Will I draw the fast heat or not?’

“When the heat sheets finally came out and I saw my name at the top of the heat, I knew it was really the race that if I wanted to go for the Division 2 national record, it was tonight.”

On the women’s side, there weren’t quite as many fireworks, though the top nine marks would have all been meet or stadium records.

Nike Bowerman Track Club’s Shelby Houlihan, who placed 11th in the 5,000 meters in 2016 at the Rio Olympics, won the 1,500 in 4:06.07. She outraced teammates Colleen Quigley (4:07.01) and Kate Grace (4:08.82) for the victory.

“I kind of wanted to go out there and break my PR, which was 4:03,” she said. “I wanted to run somewhere from 4-flat to 4:03 – and it looked like it just wasn’t the day.”

Oregon sophomore Jessica Hull was the top collegiate finisher, placing fourth in 4:10.46, with junior teammate Lilli Burdon sixth in 4:12.52 and Boise State junior Alexis Fuller placing seventh in 4:12.56.

Canadian Lindsey Butterworth finished fifth, lowering her personal best by more than two seconds in 4:10.95.