CEDAR CITY, Utah– When you approach the record-breaking men's 4x400-meter relay team, you are immediately greeted with a sense of humility and passion. A team that prides itself on hard work, togetherness, and perseverance has collected several impressive finishes this year, but none as remarkable as this past weekend at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
Dylan Gibson, Ashton Miller, Jaedyn Carpenter, and Nelson Douglas had the most phenomenal 4x400 meter race in program history, shattering the school record with a time of 3:07.98. With three blazing legs from Dylan Gibson (46.47), Nelson Douglas (47.32), and Ashton Miller (48.39) to begin the race, things started to become apparent after the final handoff to Jaedyn Carpenter that something special was brewing.
"I didn't realize how fast my time split was at first," Gibson said. "When Nelson came around, and the announcer said he ran a 46.9, I thought to myself that was quick. After Ashton came in strong and handed off to Jaedyn, we started to realize exactly what was happening."
In an incredible scene, Carpenter separated himself from the rest of the pack of runners and ran the fastest split of his career so far, 45.11, to shatter the record and send his team into pure joy at the finish line.
"Our team was flying in the race, and everything felt really solid for me when I got out onto that last lap," Carpenter stated. "I never got tired, and things just felt smooth. It was awesome to break a record like this and show how much work we've put in."
Not only does this represent a broken school record, but it's something that SUU head coach Eric Houle has been pushing his teams to accomplish since earning the position in 1992.
"When I arrived at SUU our teams were running a 3:30, and a 3:07 could contend for a national title," Houle said. "Now we look many years later, and we've closed the gap so drastically to get to this point. I've been here for many years and understand athletic performance across the board. For this team to achieve a feat like this, it's incredible, and it's a testimony to how resilient and dedicated these studs are on this team."
These individuals earned this long awaiting record through relentless hard work and a team-first mentality that thrives on competition and group support from top to bottom. It's a bond that has been formed through countless mentally-taxing practices and has blossomed into an unshaken brotherhood.
"It's unique here because our whole team is involved in supporting one another," Douglas said. We build each other up so much, and when we get into a competition, it's intense and fun. I honestly feel like we have five guys that could step in and perform and do great things, but that shows all the work we've put in."
Accomplishing this record has come at some cost for this group this outdoor season. Cedar City suffered from one of the most unpredictable years of weather in recent history, affecting the teams' ability to train.
Unlike several other programs in the country, the Thunderbirds cannot flock to an indoor facility to continue the practice. Despite this roadblock, these athletes showed their relentless nature and desire for success, braving the cold snow storms and torrential downpours to perfect their craft countless times throughout training this season.
"It's not a coincidence that the year we crush this school record is when we have some of the worst snow," Houle said. "This group has never hesitated to train in the cold and persevere through the weather conditions we've been dealing with. They understand the true meaning of hard work and bring so much enthusiasm to everything they do. It speaks to who they are as student-athletes and individuals."
This enthusiasm and support extend far beyond the track as all of these individuals make an asserted effort to attend SUU sporting events. They thrive on growing the Thunderbird community and maintaining an incredible culture that can be passed from one generation to another.
"Each of them shows so much humility and appreciation for this place," said Houle. "They are what this university and athletic department should inspire to be."
With this finish, the Thunderbirds rank 22nd out of 315 teams in USTFCCA West Region 4x400 rankings. This puts them in direct contention with several powerhouse programs like UCLA, TCU, and Kansas. The top 24 relay teams in the region head to NCAA Regionals, while the top 12 advance as far as the NCAA Nationals.
"We know we have the guys to do it, and we just need to continue to put things together," SUU Sprinters Coach Ryan Conan said. "I think everyone ran faster than they ever have in their career this weekend, and looking ahead to the rest of the season if they knock a couple of seconds off their time they definitely have a shot at qualifying for regionals."
This sensational group will have a chance to improve on this mark in one final regular season bout at the BYU Robison Invitational from April 19-22. Follow along on SUUTFXC on Twitter for updates on the meet or through Live Stats.
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