2024 has kicked off with thrilling action in collegiate track and field. Here are some of the most exciting performances to recap the month.
Collegiate records
There were five collegiate records set in January 2024. All five make the list of the most exciting performances:
- LSU’s Michaela Rose | 600 yards in 1:16.76
- Texas’ Yusuf Bizimana | 1000 meters in 2:18.10
- Georgetown’s Tinoda Matsatsa | 1000 meters in 2:18.05
- Baylors’ Nathaniel Ezekiel | 600 yards in 1:07.44
- Northern Arizona’s Nico Young | 5000 meters in 12:57.14
MORE RECORDS: Every collegiate track and field record broken in 2024, so far
Field events
Texas Tech's Temitope Adeshina soars in the high jump
It took only two meets for the freshman Adeshina to clear the third-highest height in the high jump of any women in NCAA history, clearing 1.96 meters at the Corky Classic. Only nine women in NCAA history have ever reached that height.
Adeshina is now just .02 meters away from tying the women's indoor collegiate record
Kentucky's Keaton Daniel reaches new heights in the pole vault
Daniel landed a personal-best, nation-leading and school-record 5.80 meter pole vault at the Corky Classic. Daniel needed just two attempts to clear the height for the first time in his career.
Oregon's Jaida Ross climbs the charts in the shot put
Ross put together an impressive series of throws in the shot put at the Razorback Invitational. Ross entered the meet as one of two women that had surpassed 18 meters on the year, and improved her second-best mark to 18.40 meters on her third attempt of the day.
On Ross' second-to-last (fifth) attempt, she landed a new national lead in the shot put at 18.62 meters, but she wasn't done there. On her sixth and final attempt, Ross shot put 18.84 meters to become the No. 8 collegiate women's indoor shot putter all-time.
WATCH LIST: The 2024 Bowerman Watch List for men's and women's NCAA track and field
Track events
Oregon nears history in the DMR
The best collegiate relay performance of the month belongs to the Oregon Ducks. Oregon ran the second-fastest distance medley relay in NCAA history, finishing in 10:47.50. Individually, Klaudia Kazimierska ran 3:15.73, Ella Clayton ran 52.64, Ella Nelson ran 2:05.16 and Maddy Elmore ran 4:33.98.
ICYMI: 10 NCAA indoor track and field performances you may have missed from December
USC's William Jones runs world-leading 400 meters
No one in the NCAA has ran faster than Jones in the 400 meters this year. Furthermore, no one in the WORLD has ran faster than Southern California's William Jones in the 400 meters this year. Jones' 45.24 second finish at the Razorback Invitational made him the only sprinter to break 46 seconds this year.
Arkansas' Amber Anning closes impressive individual weekend in the 400m
When Anning ran 50.56 seconds in the 400 meters at the Razorback Invitational, she became the first woman to break 51 seconds this year in the NCAA. Her finish also gave her the fastest time in the world at the time ().
Anning's 50.56 mark moved her to No. 10 on the all-time collegiate list and to No. 3 on the Arkansas and British all-time lists. More impressively, Anning's 400-meter showing came one day after she set the British national record in the .
REIGNING CHAMPS: Top challengers for all 10 returning NCAA indoor track and field champions
LSU's Brianna Lyston blazes through the 60m
The fastest NCAA women's 60 meters time of 2024 belongs to Lyston. She ran 7.07 seconds at the Razorback Invitational to tie the LSU record set by Aleia Hobbs and rank No. 4 on the all-time collegiate-performance list.
MUST-WATCH: The top indoor track and field meets to watch in 2024
Nico Young mile at altitude
You already saw Young's name once in this article as he set the collegiate record in the 5000 meters, but he's also having the best season of any distance runner in the country. Young leads the NCAA in every indoor distance event (mile, 3000m, 5000m), but it's his performance in the mile that earns him another entry on this list.
He ran 3:57.33 in the mile at the Lumberjack Team Challenge. That time may not look impressive if taken for face value, but when converted for the NEAR-7000 FT ALTITUDE, Young's time is equivalent to 3:48.71 at sea level. Young is the first man to ever run a sub-four mile at such an altitude.
: Arkansas, Texas Tech win 2024 indoor titles | Florida, Arkansas win 2024 outdoor titles | How the outdoor championships work
💥HISTORY: Programs with the most titles | Men's champ history | Women's champ history | Bowerman history
🧠 WHAT TO KNOW: Wind and scoring explained | Greatest venues | Best uniforms | The difference between indoor and outdoor seasons
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
