Ayyildiz Breaks Collegiate Record in the Mile

Saturday, February 15

Boston, MA

All Day

University of Oregon

David Hemery Valentine Invitational

Silan Ayyildiz, wMile CR board with team at BU (Feb. 15)

02/15/25 | Track and Field

The Ducks combined for 12 top-10 program performances and five wins Saturday.

EUGENE, Ore. – Highlighted by a collegiate record by junior Silan Ayyildiz, the Oregon track and field team closed out a busy weekend with 12 top-10 program marks and five wins Saturday. Ayyildiz broke the NCAA record in the indoor mile at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston.

The Ducks were also competing at the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., and the Jarvis Scott Invite in Lubbock, Texas.

In a field featuring pros and top collegians, Ayyildiz made the most of the opportunity with her time of 4:23.46 to supplant the previous NCAA standard of 4:24.26 set by Katelyn Tuohy in 2023. Ayyildiz also bettered her own Turkiye national record with Saturday's performance. She came into the race with a best of 4:27.84 from two weeks ago at the Razorback Invitational.

With the standout effort, Ayyildiz tallies her second school record of the season having set the 3,000 record (8:46.33) on the BU track in early December.

Ayyildiz was one of three Ducks in the Saturday's mile field to register top-10 UO marks, coupled with the times posted by Mia Barnett and Julia Nielsen. Barnett ran 4:28.77 to become the third fastest in program history, knocking nearly five seconds off her previous best. Nielsen, back from running at the BC Eagle Elite meet on Friday, posted a time of 4:32.40 to take over the No. 9 spot on the Ducks' list.

The Men of Oregon secured a trio of top-10 performers of their own during sections of the 800 meters at the Tyson Invitational. Matthew Erickson moved from fifth to fourth in UO history with his 1:46.89 in the top section of the invitational 800. Two new names were added to the all-time list with the outings from James Harding in 1:47.39 and Koitatoi Kidali in 1:47.67, the seventh- and ninth-fastest performers in Oregon history.

Harding's time doubles as a national indoor record for his native New Zealand, replacing the time of 1:47.59 run by James Preston at last year's World Indoor Championships.

The Ducks added a trio of sprint wins in New Mexico, headlined by Aaliyah McCormick crossing the line in 7.98 to win the 60-meter hurdles. It was her first time under eight seconds after carrying a prior best of 8.01 which she'd run four times. McCormick is just the second UO women to dip below eight seconds in the event, joining school-record holder Sasha Wallace (7.87).

Jadyn Mays won the 60 meters at the Don Kirby Invitational for a third-consecutive year. She ran a 7.18 in the prelims and matched that time in the final to come away with first place. For the sake of national qualifying, the straight-away sprints will be adjusted by .02 due to altitude.

Freshman Amirah Shaheed (7.43) won the unseeded section of the 60 meters.

In the women's pole vault, Emily Fitzsimmons became just the fourth Oregon woman to clear 14 feet indoors—and the first since 2010—with her 4.36m/14-3.5 effort at the Don Kirby meet. She finished in fifth place overall and third among collegians. Fitzsimmons began the day with an indoor best of 4.15 meters from the Razorback Invitational. She now ranks No. 2 on the program's indoor list.

Less than 24 hours removed from running 2:01.50 at the BC Eagle Elite, Wilma Nielsen doubled back for an indoor best of 2:01.27 Saturday morning at the BU Valentine Invitational. The outing also moves her past Laura Roesler (2:01.32) for the No. 2 spot on the UO all-time list. Nielsen was third, closing hard to finish just behind winner Michaela Rose of LSU and Sophia Gorriaran of Harvard.

In the Ducks' final event of the weekend, newcomer Juliet Cherubet ran her way onto the 5K top-10 list. She finished third in her section and sixth among collegians with a time of 15:31.01, good for second in program history. The race marked the first indoor 5,000 of her career. She has an overall PB of 15:25.41 from last year's NCAA Championships in Eugene where she was fifth for Texas Tech.

Speaking of West Texas, senior Jaida Ross recorded a season's best of 18.37m/60-3.25 to win the shot put at the Jarvis Scott Invite in Lubbock, Texas. Based on measures entering the day, Ross moves into the top five on the NCAA performance list this season.

Back in Albuquerque, freshman Cassie Atkins moved up the indoor triple jump list into sole possession of sixth place with a day's best of 12.82m/42-0.75. She first entered the program's top 10 two weeks ago at the Razorback Invitational. Teammate Ryann Porter (13.24m/43-5.25) was the event runner-up.

Moriah Oliveira, another UO newcomer, ran 53.04 to add her name at No. 7 to the Ducks' top-10 list in the 400 meters. It was her season debut in the event. Ella Clayton, in a season-best 52.48, and Oliveira finished fifth and seventh, respectively, in the invitational section of the two-lap sprint.

BU Valentine Invitational (Boston, Mass.)
WOMEN
800 Meters
3. Wilma Nielsen – 2:01.27 (PB, UO #2)

Mile
5. Silan Ayyildiz – 4:23.46 (PB, CR, NR, UO #1)
12. Mia Barnett – 4:28.77 (PB, UO #3)
19. Julia Nielsen – 4:32.40 (PB, UO #9)
35. Ali Ince – 4:39.43
--. Samantha McDonnell – DNF

5,000 Meters
14. Juliet Cherubet – 15:31.01 (UO #2)
17. Anika Thompson – 15:36.58
42. Ella Thorsett – 16:10.59
--. Samantha McDonnell

Don Kirby Invitational (Albuquerque, N.M.)
MEN
60 Meters, Inv. – final
2. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 6.67 (PB)

60 Meters, Inv. – prelims
3. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 6.76q
10. Rodrick Pleasant – 6.81 (=SB)

60 Meters
4. Reggie Witherspoon III – 6.86 (SB)

60m Hurdles – prelims
36. Arthur Katahdin – 8.75

Pole Vault 'B'
3. Arthur Katahdin – 4.90m/16-0.75 (SB)
9. Aiden Carter – 4.60m/15-1 (PB)

Shot Put
23. Arthur Katahdin – 12.31m/40-4.75
26. Aiden Carter – 11.22m/36-9.75

Triple Jump
5. Safin Wills – 15.31m/50-2.75 (SB)

WOMEN
60 Meters, Inv. – final
1. Jadyn Mays – 7.18 (=SB)
7. Lily Jones – 7.33 (SB)

60 Meters, Inv. – prelims
1. Jadyn Mays – 7.18q (SB)
7. Lily Jones – 7.36q

60 Meters
1. Amirah Shaheed – 7.43
2. Brazil Neal – 7.48

400 Meters, Inv.
5. Ella Clayton – 52.48 (SB)
7. Moria Oliveira – 53.04 (UO #8)

60m Hurdles – final
1. Aaliyah McCormick – 7.98 (PB, UO #2)

60m Hurdles – prelims
1. Aaliyah McCormick – 8.15q
10. Gianna Bullock – 8.56 (SB)
--. Annaleise Taylor – DNF

4x400m Relay
4. Clayton, Oliveira, Taylor, Bullock – 3:39.42

Pole Vault
5. Emily Fitzsimmons – 4.36m/14-3.5 (PB, UO #2)
14. Isabella Nilsen – 4.06m/13-3.75

Triple Jump
2. Ryann Porter – 13.24m/43-5.24
6. Cassie Atkins – 12.82m/42-0.75 (PB, UO #6)

Jarvis Scott Open (Lubbock, Texas)
MEN
Shot Put
3. Kobe Lawrence – 18.74m/61-5.75

WOMEN
Shot Put
1. Jaida Ross – 18.37m/60-3.25 (SB)

Tyson Invitational (Fayetteville, Ark.)
MEN
800 Meters, Inv.
3. Matthew Erickson – 1:46.89 (PB, UO #4)
10. James Harding – 1:47.39 (PB, UO #7)
17. Elliott Cook – 1:48.76
26. Ben Greene – 1:50.59 (SB)

800 Meters
1. Koitatoi Kidali – 1:47.67 (PB, UO #9)

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