Mu improves on own American Under-20 all-time mark, ascends to No. 4 in World Under-20 history with 49.68 performance that eclipses 49.71 mark from Okolo in 2016; Terry advances in three events for USC, including wind-legal 10.89 in 100 that lifts her to No. 4 collegiate competitor, Oregon's Williams runs 10.00

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Athing Mu, 18, will be one of the showcase athletes in June at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., for both the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships and U.S. Olympic Trials.

But the Texas A&M freshman star, who will turn 19 the day before the collegiate championship meet begins, wanted to provide one more memorable moment this season on her home track at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas, and that opportunity came at the NCAA West Regional.

After nearly missing the collegiate record in the 400 meters May 15 at the Southeastern Conference Championships, Mu took full advantage of improved conditions Saturday to run 49.68 seconds, eclipsing the 2016 record of 49.71 achieved by former Texas standout Courtney Okolo.

Mu, who ran 49.84 at the SEC championship meet, also improved on her own American Under-20 record. She had surpassed the 2004 standard of 49.89 achieved by Sanya Richards-Ross with her performance at the conference final.

Mu now ranks No. 4 all-time among World Under-20 competitors, in addition to elevating to 16th overall in American history.

She has achieved five collegiate records in less than five months competing for the Aggies, including the indoor 600 (1:25.80), 800 (1:58.40) and 4x400 (3:26.27) all-time marks, along with the outdoor 400 and 800 (1:57.73).

Mu led an incredibly deep group of qualifiers to the Division 1 championship meet June 9-12, with Texas’ Stacey Ann Williams ascending to the No. 11 all-time collegiate competitor at 50.34, followed by five USC athletes, as two-time indoor 400 champion Kaelin Roberts (50.82) was joined by Bailey Lear (51.21), Kyra Constantine (51.33), Nicole Yeargin (51.54) and Kimberly Harris (51.84) were all among the 12 individuals to advance to race in Oregon.

Texas A&M, the defending 4x400 national champions, also led all qualifiers in 3:25.84, followed by USC in 3:26.37. Minnesota was the last group to qualify at 3:34.36.

Mu wasn’t the only athlete moving up the all-time ranks Saturday, as USC’s Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry ran a wind-legal 10.89 in the 100-meter dash to ascend to the No. 4 competitor in collegiate history. Oregon’s Kemba Nelson, the reigning indoor 60-meter champion, clocked 10.98 and teammate Jasmin Reed earned the final qualifier by clocking 11.41.

Terry also prevailed in the 200 in 22.54, with USC teammates Angie Annelus – back-to-back champion in 2018 and 2019 – and Lanae-Tava Thomas both clocking 23.06 to qualify. Oklahoma’s Kennedy Blackmon was the final athlete to advance at 23.13.

Terry anchored the USC 4x100, the 2019 champions, to the top qualifying mark of 42.88, followed by Oregon in 42.94. Texas A&M came through in the clutch at home by earning the last qualifying spot in 44.65.

Stanford’s Julia Heymach achieved an impressive double by producing the top qualifying marks in both the 1,500 and 5,000. Heymach achieved the facility record by running 4:09.89, eclipsing the 4:15.28 performance by Florida’s Gabrielle Wilkinson at the SEC finals, with Arkansas’ Krissy Gear advancing in 4:10.09.

Heymach returned to clock 15:55.72 in the 5,000, as Stanford teammate Ella Donaghu also qualified in both events in 4:13.54 and 15:59.22.

Whittni Orton-Morgan also achieved the 1,500 and 5,000 double, leading three Brigham Young athletes to advance in the 1,500. Orton-Morgan ran 4:10.18 and 15:58.32, with teammate Anna Camp-Bennett doubling in the 800 (2:04.79) and 1,500 (4:13.38), in addition to Kate Hunter qualifying in 4:14.41.

Colorado’s Sage Hurta, the indoor mile champion, ran 4:12.01 to advance and Washington’s Madison Heisterman was the final qualifier in the 1,500 in 4:14.62.

Boise State’s Clare O’Brien, already a 10,000 qualifier, secured the last spot in the 5,000 in 16:05.53.

BYU’s Courtney Wayment, a two-time indoor champion, was the top qualifier in the 3,000 steeplechase at 9:42.02, with two-time Division 1 runner-up Charlotte Prouse of New Mexico clocking 9:44.99.

Nebraska’s Judi Jones earned the final berth to compete at nationals in 9:56.13.

Baylor junior Aaliyah Miller, the reigning indoor champion, produced a facility record in the 800 by clocking 2:02.13, lowering the 2:02.94 mark achieved by Georgia’s Amber Tanner at the SEC finals.

Oklahoma State had a trio of qualifiers, with Kaytlyn Larson (2:04.56), Stephanie Moss (2:05.06) and Sivan Auerbach (2:05.49) advancing. Auerbach, a freshman, earned the final individual berth to qualify.

Baylor freshman Ackera Nugent, the defending indoor 60-meter hurdles champion, led all qualifiers in the 100 hurdles in 12.76, in addition to advancing in the 100-meter dash in 11.15.

USC had Anna Cockrell (12.86), Jasmine Jones (12.98) and Mecca McGlaston (13.12) all qualify, with Arkansas also having three athletes advance – Daszay Freeman (12.92), Jayla Hollis (13.19) and Yoveinny Mota (13.21) – as Texas Christian’s Brittany Brown earned the final qualifying spot at 13.26.

Cockrell led all qualifiers in the 400 hurdles in 56.47, followed by Arizona’s Shannon Meisberger in 56.88. Washington’s Darhian Mills secured the final spot to advance in 58.20, as Cockrell’s main challenger, UCLA’s Shae Anderson, was unable to advance after clipping a hurdle and finishing in 1:02.21.

Arizona State’s Jorinde van Klinken, the Dutch standout who produced the best discus throw by a collegiate athlete competing unattached at the USATF Throws Festival on May 22 with her 230-4 (70.22m) performance, only needed a mark of 211-5 (64.44m) on her second attempt to lead all qualifiers Saturday.

Iowa’s Laulauga Tausaga, the 2019 discus champion, produced a 207-7 (63.28m) effort to advance and Minnesota’s Shelby Frank was the last athlete to advance at 179-2 (54.61m).

Deborah Acquah excelled on her home runway, as the Texas A&M standout was the top qualifier in the triple jump at 45-0.25 (13.72m). Texas Tech’s Ruth Usoro, the defending indoor champion, also advanced at 44-8.75 (13.63m), with Kansas State’s Rhianna Phipps completing the group of 12 qualifiers at 43-3.75 (13.20m).

Nine athletes cleared 5-11.50 (1.82m) in the high jump, with Washington State’s Suzy Pace earning the last spot to compete in Oregon by clearing 5-9.75 (1.77m) on her first attempt.

In the completion of the men’s track competitions that were postponed from Friday as a result of thunderstorms and lightning, Texas A&M also took advantage of its final home meet this year to lead all qualifiers in the 4x100 relay by clocking 38.93, with Houston advancing in 39.02.

Sam Houston State edged Oklahoma by a 39.674 to 39.680 margin for the final qualifying spot.

USC won the 4x400 in 3:02.85, with Texas A&M advancing in 3:03.12 and Baylor earning the last qualifier in 3:06.06.

Oregon freshman Micah Williams, the indoor 60-meter champion, clocked a wind-legal 10.00 to eclipse the facility record of 10.17 achieved by LSU’s Terrance Laird on May 14 at the SEC Championship meet.

Texas A&M’s Emmanuel Yeboah edged Baylor’s Kamden Jackson by a 10.295 to 10.298 margin for the final individual berth to race at nationals.

Houston’s Shaun Maswanganyi, second to Williams in the 100 at 10.04, led all qualifiers in the 200 at 20.19, with Texas’ Micaiah Harris clocking 20.20.

The Cougars had four athletes advance, with Jordan Booker (20.50), Travis Collins (20.58) and Christian Hamberlin (20.64) joining Maswanganyi.

Following his strong 10,000 performance Wednesday, Iowa State’s Wesley Kiptoo benefited from the extra day of recovery to run 13:42.70 and achieve a facility record in the 5,000, improving on the May 15 performance of 13:52.98 by Arkansas’ Amon Kemboi at the SEC championship meet.

Kemboi earned the final qualifying spot Saturday in 14:00.96.

Bryce Deadmon, a Texas A&M senior, led all 400 qualifiers in 44.57, as Arizona’s Maj Williams produced the final qualifying berth by running 45.76.

Texas A&M freshman Brandon Miller improved on his own facility record from the SEC championship meet May 15 by holding off USC’s Isaiah Jewett 1:45.57 to 1:45.60.

Eastern Illinois’ Adam Swanson clocked 1:49.16 to secure the final spot to advance to nationals.

Oregon demonstrated its strength in the 1,500, with Cole Hocker (3:38.29), James West (3:38.96) and Reed Brown (3:39.29) all qualifying. Drake’s Adam Fogg secured the last qualifying spot with a 3:40.61 effort.

Arkansas State’s Bennett Pascoe achieved the facility record in the 3,000 steeplechase with his 8:37.45 performance, surpassing the 8:47.18 effort produced May 14 by Alabama’s Vincent Kiprop at the SEC finals.

Santa Clara’s Zach Litoff clocked 8:42.11 to complete the group of a dozen qualifiers.

Oklahoma junior Isaiah Levingston also produced a facility record in the 400 hurdles, running a collegiate-leading 48.58, one day following a 48.86 performance at the East Regional by LSU freshman Sean Burrell.

Levingston took down the 48.89 mark achieved by Texas A&M’s Motailel Mpoke at the May 15 conference final, with Houston’s Quivell Jordan clocking 50.25 to secure the last qualifier to race in Oregon.

Iowa’s Jaylan McConico ran a wind-legal 13.41 to lead all 110 hurdles qualifiers, with Washington State’s Sam Brixey clocking 13.70 to capture the final berth for nationals.