AUSTIN, Texas and SAN MARCOS, Texas. – Senior Caroline Jordan won the Texas Relays 10,000-meter as the Purdue track & field team opened a three-day weekend in Texas at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, and the Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas, on Thursday.
Jordan's Texas Relays title is the Boilermakers' first at the prestigious national meet since 2017 and the ninth in program history in any event. Fellow senior Caleb Williams was the runner-up in the 3,000m steeplechase as he entered the school top-10 list in the event. Jordan and Williams had two of Purdue's five top-five finishes at the Texas Relays on Thursday.
Under the lights at a windy and cool Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium, Jordan won the 10,000m in 35:57.66. She won by a convincing 35.13 seconds and was in the lead pack early in the race before leaving every other runner behind her. It's Jordan's first collegiate victory in any event, in cross country or indoor and outdoor track & field.
Jordan joins a star-studded list of Boilermakers to win an event at the Texas Relays. The Old Gold and Black's last Relays champion was Savannah Carson, Obokhare Ikpefan and the women's 4x400 relay in 2017. Carson won the women's long jump and Ikpefan won the men's 400m hurdles invitational. Both are the school record-holders in their respective events, and the 4x400 champs also have their name etched throughout the school top-10 lists in several events. Jordan is the first distance runner to win the Texas Relays since Sally Smith – who later broke the school record in the 1,500m – was victorious in both the women's 1,500m and 3,000m in 1988.
Williams was second in the 3,000m steeplechase in 8:56.79. The time ranks No. 7 in program history and is the first top-10 time in the event since Brody Smith set the record (8:43.77) in 2021. Williams and Smith have the only two top-10 marks since 2015. On Thursday night, Williams was one of two runners to break nine minutes, and he secured a top-three finish by nearly six seconds.
In the last race of the evening, junior Nathan Walker was third in the 10,000m in 30:17.47. In his first collegiate track & field 10,000m, Walker was less than five seconds behind the runner-up but almost 14 seconds ahead of the fourth-place finisher.
Junior Joel Gomez got the evening on the track started for the Boilermakers when he was fourth in the 1,500m B event. As he made his outdoor collegiate debut, he crossed the finish line in 3:52.10. Graduate student Meredith Bloss also ran the 10,000m, and she was fifth in 37:02.81.
Meanwhile in San Marcos at the Bobcat Invite on Thursday afternoon, a trio of pole vaulters posted top-four finishes with personal-best marks.
On a sun-filled day, freshman Melissa Riegle tied for second place in the women's pole vault. She cleared a personal-best 3.88 meters to take runner-up in the B event.
In the men's pole vault B section, juniors Danny Affleck and Grant Gogel tied for fourth place with clearances of 4.87m. Affleck's mark was a PR, as was senior Logan Sandlin's, as he cleared 4.72m.
The Texas Relays and Bobcat Invitational continue on Friday, March 29, and conclude on Saturday, March 30. Fans unable to cheer the Boilermakers on in person can follow along with live results (Texas | Bobcat) and the meet schedules (Texas | Bobcat). The Texas Relays will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network and ESPN+. Additional updates from the Lone Star State can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
On Friday at the Texas Relays, running events open the day at 10:35 a.m. ET / 9:35 a.m. CT, followed by field events at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT. The Boilermakers' last event should conclude at 7:25 p.m. ET / 6:25 p.m. CT. The meet wraps up on Saturday, with the squad's first field event and finals on the track at 2:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. CT and the last final finishing at approximately 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT.
Meanwhile at the Bobcat Invitational, Friday will see field events starting at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT and running events going from 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT until 10:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 p.m. CT. Saturday's finale begins with field events at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT and Purdue's running events at 3:35 p.m. ET / 2:35 p.m. CT. The weekend will finish at about 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT.
Purdue's travel roster to the Lone Star State features 43 athletes. 27 men and 16 women. The Boilermakers have 31 entries at the Texas Relays and 23 at the Bobcat Invite.
The 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, one of the most prestigious national meets, is hosted by the University of Texas at Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium. Texas State University's Bobcat Invite is at the Texas State Track & Field Complex, 31 miles south southwest of UT's track.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.
Jordan's Texas Relays title is the Boilermakers' first at the prestigious national meet since 2017 and the ninth in program history in any event. Fellow senior Caleb Williams was the runner-up in the 3,000m steeplechase as he entered the school top-10 list in the event. Jordan and Williams had two of Purdue's five top-five finishes at the Texas Relays on Thursday.
Under the lights at a windy and cool Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium, Jordan won the 10,000m in 35:57.66. She won by a convincing 35.13 seconds and was in the lead pack early in the race before leaving every other runner behind her. It's Jordan's first collegiate victory in any event, in cross country or indoor and outdoor track & field.
Jordan joins a star-studded list of Boilermakers to win an event at the Texas Relays. The Old Gold and Black's last Relays champion was Savannah Carson, Obokhare Ikpefan and the women's 4x400 relay in 2017. Carson won the women's long jump and Ikpefan won the men's 400m hurdles invitational. Both are the school record-holders in their respective events, and the 4x400 champs also have their name etched throughout the school top-10 lists in several events. Jordan is the first distance runner to win the Texas Relays since Sally Smith – who later broke the school record in the 1,500m – was victorious in both the women's 1,500m and 3,000m in 1988.
Williams was second in the 3,000m steeplechase in 8:56.79. The time ranks No. 7 in program history and is the first top-10 time in the event since Brody Smith set the record (8:43.77) in 2021. Williams and Smith have the only two top-10 marks since 2015. On Thursday night, Williams was one of two runners to break nine minutes, and he secured a top-three finish by nearly six seconds.
In the last race of the evening, junior Nathan Walker was third in the 10,000m in 30:17.47. In his first collegiate track & field 10,000m, Walker was less than five seconds behind the runner-up but almost 14 seconds ahead of the fourth-place finisher.
Junior Joel Gomez got the evening on the track started for the Boilermakers when he was fourth in the 1,500m B event. As he made his outdoor collegiate debut, he crossed the finish line in 3:52.10. Graduate student Meredith Bloss also ran the 10,000m, and she was fifth in 37:02.81.
Meanwhile in San Marcos at the Bobcat Invite on Thursday afternoon, a trio of pole vaulters posted top-four finishes with personal-best marks.
On a sun-filled day, freshman Melissa Riegle tied for second place in the women's pole vault. She cleared a personal-best 3.88 meters to take runner-up in the B event.
In the men's pole vault B section, juniors Danny Affleck and Grant Gogel tied for fourth place with clearances of 4.87m. Affleck's mark was a PR, as was senior Logan Sandlin's, as he cleared 4.72m.
The Texas Relays and Bobcat Invitational continue on Friday, March 29, and conclude on Saturday, March 30. Fans unable to cheer the Boilermakers on in person can follow along with live results (Texas | Bobcat) and the meet schedules (Texas | Bobcat). The Texas Relays will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network and ESPN+. Additional updates from the Lone Star State can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
On Friday at the Texas Relays, running events open the day at 10:35 a.m. ET / 9:35 a.m. CT, followed by field events at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT. The Boilermakers' last event should conclude at 7:25 p.m. ET / 6:25 p.m. CT. The meet wraps up on Saturday, with the squad's first field event and finals on the track at 2:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. CT and the last final finishing at approximately 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT.
Meanwhile at the Bobcat Invitational, Friday will see field events starting at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT and running events going from 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT until 10:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 p.m. CT. Saturday's finale begins with field events at 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT and Purdue's running events at 3:35 p.m. ET / 2:35 p.m. CT. The weekend will finish at about 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT.
Purdue's travel roster to the Lone Star State features 43 athletes. 27 men and 16 women. The Boilermakers have 31 entries at the Texas Relays and 23 at the Bobcat Invite.
The 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, one of the most prestigious national meets, is hosted by the University of Texas at Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium. Texas State University's Bobcat Invite is at the Texas State Track & Field Complex, 31 miles south southwest of UT's track.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.