Johns Hopkins’ Ella Baran runs mile all-time best at Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge and Esther Seeland of Messiah adds 800 record at The Armory, with Loras’ Kassie Parker achieving historic 3,000 mark at Meyo Invitational

By Mary Albl and Erik Boal, DyeStat

It was one of the most decorated days in NCAA Division 3 women’s distance running history Saturday at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge at The Armory in New York and the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame.

And it was only fitting that the memorable achievements were to the power of three.

Reigning cross country national champion Kassie Parker of Loras produced the fastest 3,000-meter performance on any indoor track in the division since 2005 by placing fourth at the Meyo Invitational in 9 minutes, 13.10 seconds.

And Esther Seeland of Messiah clocked the fastest 800 by a Division 3 competitor on a 200-meter banked track with her 2:05.90 effort to finish fourth at The Armory, only after Ella Baran of Johns Hopkins ran the best all-time mile by a division athlete to secure seventh in 4:40.53.

Baran also produced the best indoor 1,500 in Division 3 history with her 4:21.89 split en route to her magnificent mile.

“It was very cool to see three female national records fall in one day,” Parker said. “As I like to say, ‘girl boss,’ but (Saturday), ‘D3 girl bosses.’”

Baran doesn’t back down from big challenge 

Baran knew ultimately she would have to run her own race Saturday. And that was OK.

Competing in the women’s USA invitational mile at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge, and the only collegiate athlete in the field at The Armory, the Johns Hopkins senior stuck to her gameplan and lowered her personal best by more than 10 seconds from Jan. 21 at the NYC Gotham Cup at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island, breaking the Division 3 indoor record of 4:43.92, set 17 years ago by 14-time national champion Missy (Buttry) Rock of Wartburg.

WATCH WOMEN’S USA INVITATIONAL MILE AT DR. SANDER INVITATIONAL COLUMBIA CHALLENGE

“I had a little bit of a feeling of what the pace would look like, and I knew the women in the field are really talented and really hard working, and they have much faster PRs than I do,” Baran said. “And so keeping that in mind and kind of keeping myself humble, I went out with most of the group for the first 200 to 400 meters, and I could kind of feel the pace shifting faster and instead of trying to hang on, I kind of worked within my own limits and kept it pretty consistent throughout the race.

“And that was our goal, just to go out and put down a competitive time, no matter what that was on that day. I’m definitely very happy with the result.”

Baran said her boyfriend, who flew in to watch, and assistant coach Maura Knestout were in attendance Saturday at The Armory to watch her historic race, which was won by Alma Cortes of Mexico in 4:32.21.

“It was great,” Baran said of the racing environment. “I didn’t have too many people from the team there, but I could hear them every single lap, and I think that’s kind of the unique thing about The Armory, where the upper stands are basically hanging out over the track itself and you can really hear a lot. It was really exciting.”

Baran, who hasn’t experienced a full indoor season since 2020 – COVID-19 and a sustained sacral stress fracture in her right leg have caused delays – said breaking the mile record means a lot to her running career. She also eclipsed the fastest indoor 1,500 mark of 4:24.24 by Leslie Seymour of St. Olaf, which had stood since 1982.

“I've overcome a lot of obstacles in the last year, and also just my entire running career,” she said. “And to see all the hard work, and the setbacks and working through those pay off, it meant a lot to me. I was very grateful for the opportunity.”

Baran, who finished runner-up in the 5,000 (16:30.93) and 1,500 (4:23.28) at the Division 3 Outdoor Championships in May, is coming off a tremendous cross country season, placing ninth overall (21:03.1) and helping guide the Blue Jays to a record seventh team title.

She is scheduled to run again Friday in the 3,000 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University. Baran said the experience from Saturday is a confidence booster, as she’ll face another talented field of runners, now pursuing Parker’s all-time mark.

“I think that kind of takes a little bit of the pressure off since I raced against pros this weekend, and that was new for me,” she said. “Obviously knowing that I handled this race well, definitely makes me feel confident going into next weekend and the rest of the season.”

Two-sport star Seeland shines in 800 opener

Seeland wasn’t sure what to expect in her first 800-meter race of the indoor season.

Fresh off a fall soccer schedule where she helped Messiah College to the second round of the Division 3 Tournament, Seeland admitted she’s still getting used to racing again, having competed in the 300, 400, mile and 3,000 at meets in January in preparation for her first big opportunity of the year at The Armory.

Competing Saturday at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge in a USA Invitational 800 field with professional and Division 1 athletes, Seeland bested the record mark of 2:06.53 set by nine-time national champion Emily Richards of Ohio Northern in 2018.

WATCH WOMEN’S USA INVITATIONAL 800 AT DR. SANDER INVITATIONAL COLUMBIA CHALLENGE

Sage Hurta of On Athletics Club, the reigning Division 1 indoor mile champion during her final year competing for Colorado, secured the 800 victory in 2:02.58.

“We didn’t know exactly where I was going to be at,” Seeland said. “Coming off of last year, I had a really great year, but obviously I played soccer in the fall, so I ran a lot, but it was a little different. So far this season, I’ve done some different events to kind of get used to racing again, and we weren’t entirely sure what to expect, but knew it was going to be a fast heat.

“The goal was to go out with them the first 400 meters and try to stay steady and not go out too fast, but definitely stay connected and then after that, just how it went from there.”

Seeland, who earned her second Academic All-American honor in soccer as a defender this past fall, said the 800 indoor record was on her radar, but not the goal. Prior to Saturday, Seeland set two program records for Messiah at the Mini-Dip Invitational in the mile (4:52.25) and 300 (42.77).

“I was hoping at some point this season it would happen, again I really didn’t know where I was on the weekend in terms of the 800, especially a lot of my winter training is a little different than my spring training,” she said. “Honestly, I was really just looking forward to the chance to race (the 800) again and to compete against other good runners, and if I got (the record) I was going to be ecstatic, and if I didn't, I knew there were going to be other opportunities down the line.”

Seeland had a breakout junior season, emerging not only as one of the top Division 3 middle distance runners during the spring, but one of the best in the country overall.

Seeland, a Biomedical Engineering major, won the outdoor 800 national title in a No. 2 all-time mark of 2:02.52, just missing out on qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials. If Saturday’s time is any indication of where she’s at, this indoor schedule could be another special season.

Seeland is still chasing Richards’ fastest performance on an oversized track of 2:05.28 in 2018 as the all-time best effort in division indoor history.

“I think it does give me a bit of confidence,” Seeland said. “Just knowing that I’ve put in a lot of work, I think I’ve run a lot of miles over my offseason, so I think it’s good to be kind of affirmed with the work I have put in, but realizing there’s a lot of speed I still need to develop and get used to.”

Next up for Seeland, she’ll race Friday in the 800 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston. 

“I think seeing if we can go faster,” she said of her goal. “Really just a chance to compete and that’s what it’s all about. Go out, run with some fast girls and hope we can all push each other and run the best race we can.”

Loras star Parker rewarded for long haul

Parker still remembers running 10:43.27 to place eighth in the 3,000 during her first collegiate season at the 2018 Iowa Conference Indoor Championships.

Now, she is the second-best at the distance in division history, seriously challenging a 2005 record established by Missy (Buttry) Rock that no athlete had come within 10 seconds of since her exceptional 9:13.02 performance for Wartburg at the Ames Iowa State Open.

“Reflecting back on last year, I was struggling mentally with not having a full indoor nationals, so I knew I could definitely run incredibly faster, especially after my cross times,” Parker said. “I’ve always had such a high achievement (in mind) of being the fastest so far in history and it’s just mind blowing to me how far I’ve come in my collegiate running career. My freshman year I was running 10:40s and now I can run 9:13. It’s an incredible feeling to have this accomplishment.” 

Parker had competed in only one event since winning the Division 3 cross country title Nov. 20 by clocking 20:11.1 in the 6-kilometer final at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville. She prevailed Jan. 22 in a mile race in 4:50.29 at the Karl Schlender Invitational at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

“Leading up to this, my training had been iffy. Running outside in the cold and snow isn’t the best conditions to run fast, but I knew I was ready,” Parker said. “The mile was a good start to the season that I was ready to PR in any given race, as the mile is not my main race. Also training the last two weeks was rough as I was bouncing back from the flu.”

Parker benefited from competing in the 3,000 at the Meyo Invitational against Division 1 cross country All-Americans Bethany Hasz (9:02.34) and Abby Kohut-Jackson (9:04.07) of Minnesota, along with Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich (9:08.51). She also finished ahead of Auburn’s Joyce Kimeli (9:14.11), the reigning Division 1 indoor 5,000 champion and cross country All-American.

“Preparing for this race was definitely unusual for me,” Parker said. “I’m comfortable taking my own race and being up front and alone. This race was nerve racking as it’s been awhile for me to have girls to challenge myself, but I kept telling myself, ‘I belong in the race and to give myself the chance to run fast.’ Being able to run with All-Americans was a feeling that I can prove myself no matter if I’m alone or not in a race.” 

Parker will remain closer to home Friday, as she is scheduled to compete in the 5,000 at the Iowa State University Classic. The Division 3 record of 16:05.36 was set in 2020 by former Ithaca standout Parley Hannan.

Parker boasts an indoor best of 16:50.82 from last February at the Liz Wuertz Invitational at Wartburg, and produced a 16:45.82 effort at an outdoor event at home in April. 

“As for the rest of my indoor season, I’ll have the opportunity to race the 5K at Iowa State, hoping for competition and a big time drop there as well,” Parker said. “Then we might throw a (distance medley relay) somewhere in there and just prep for nationals.”

Although Baran, Parker and Seeland won’t all be racing at the same facility until the Division 3 Indoor finals, their performances Saturday demonstrated that the trio will continue to be on record watch every weekend during their journey to competing March 11-12 at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C., where none of the championship records from the 800 to the 5,000 will be safe.