• U-M at Eastern Michigan Can-Am International

ANN ARBOR -- National-caliber performances by distance runners from the University of Michigan men's track and field team highlighted the team's first road trip of the 2019 indoor season on Saturday (Jan. 26).

Jack Aho posted one of the nation's fastest times over 3,000 meters (7:57.54) and the duo of Chase Barnett and Ben Hill ran two of the fastest miles in school history -- 4:00.86 and 4:01.76, respectively -- at the Boston U. John Thomas Terrier Classic.

Meanwhile, select Michigan sprinters gained valuable competition experience at Eastern Michigan's Can-Am Classic, led by top-five finishes from hurdlers Job Mayhue and Noah Caudy in near career-best fashion, and sprinters Desmond Melson, Blake Washington and Stephen Hagen.

The full Michigan men's squad is back in action this coming Friday and Saturday (Feb. 1-2) for the Power Five Invitational in what is the third and final home meet leading up to the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor on Feb. 22-23. Michigan will welcome nationally prominent programs from not only the Big Ten, but also the ACC and Big 12.

More information on both meets can be found below.

Boston U. John Thomas Terrier Classic

Site: Boston, Mass. (Boston U. Track and Tennis Center)
Event: John Thomas Terrier Classic Invitational
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., Feb. 1-2 (Power Five Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Coming off an All-American cross country season, Jack Aho was primed for and ultimately delivered one of the fastest performances in school history for the 3,000-meter distance. The true sophomore went 7:57.54 in the 15-lap race, putting on a big surge over the final lap to bypass, among others, perennial All-American Vincent Kiprop of Alabama.

Aho went directly to the front from the beginning of the race and led all the way through about 1,500 meters. He crossed the mile mark around 4:19 in fourth place as part of a big lead pack.

By the time the 2,000-meter split came around, Aho and the chase pack of about five runners were well back of eventual winner Colin Liebold, but still closely bunched together.

Just as he did at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, Aho went out hard with the leaders and held on strong as the race wore on. He dropped back no farther in the standings than fifth, and with a lap to go he started his move forward. He moved up to fourth as the bell rang for the last lap and pushed past everyone in the chase pack.

He surged onto the home straightaway with a sub-8:00 clocking -- the 17th in school history -- in his sights, and a big finishing kick made sure he got it while holding off the All-Americans behind him.

The performance was a 19.5-second improvement over the 8:17.04 career best he owned from his true freshman campaign in 2018. It also moved him to No. 13 in school history, just behind Big Ten champion Aaron Baumgarten and ahead of NCAA champions Nate Brannen and John Scherer.

In the following races, a pair of true freshmen made impressive debuts over that same 3,000-meter distance as John Tatter clocked 8:17.62 and Will Landowne went 8:23.89. In between was Jacob Lee in 8:18.09.

Chase Barnett and Ben Hill -- both of whom have struggled with injuries over the past year -- left no doubts about their health and fitness on Saturday as they both nearly crossed the four-minute threshold in the mile.

Barnett clocked 4:00.86 for seventh overall, followed less than a second later by Hill in 4:01.76 for ninth. While the pair was unable to go sub-four, they did both break into the all-time Michigan top-15 list. Barnett moved up to No. 13 in school history, while Hill slotted in at No. 15.

Both men started out conservatively, running in ninth and 10th through nearly the entirety of the first three-quarters of the race.

Barnett made his move up right at that 1,200-meter mark, swinging wide and picking off two men to move up to seventh with a lap to go -- and only 29 seconds remaining on the countdown clock to sub-four-minutes. Barnett had joined what had become a lead group of eight men, with Hill in 10th with a lap to go a few steps behind.

Barnett briefly moved up into sixth on the backstretch, but could not keep pace with the leaders as they shifted gears around the final corner towards home. Though he pushed hard on the homestretch, he was ultimately the first man in the field over four minutes. Hill closed strong behind him for a nearly four-second career best.

In the second heat, Ryan Wilkie was the top Wolverine in 4:10.29, followed by Andrew Lorant in 4:12.75 and freshman Cole Johnson in 4:17.64.

Full Michigan results can be found at the bottom of the article.

Eastern Michigan Can-Am International

Site: Ypsilanti, Mich. (Bowen Fieldhouse)
Event: Can-Am International
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., Feb. 1-2 (Power Five Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Only select members of the Michigan sprints and throws groups were in action at Eastern Michigan on Saturday as they looked to gain more competition experience heading into the crucial month of February. The upcoming month features both the end of the regular season and the Big Ten Indoor Championships on Feb. 22-23 in Ann Arbor.

Headlining the day in Ypsilanti was the 2-3 finish by underclassman hurdlers Job Mayhue and Noah Caudy. The true freshman Mayhue clocked 8.18 to miss the win by just .07, with the sophomore Caudy just a hundredth of a second back in 8.19.

The Wolverines followed that up with a fifth-place performance from Stephen Hagen at 60 meters.

Collegiate Career-Best Performances

Career debuts not included

Jack Aho -- 7:57.54 / 3000m (I)
Chase Barnett -- 4:00.86 / Mile (I)
Ben Hill -- 4:01.76 / Mile (I)

Full Michigan Results by Event

60 Meters (at Eastern Michigan)
5. Stephen Hagen / 7.00
18. Joe McCarthy / 7.15
31. Blake Washington / 7.34
33. Desmond Melson / 7.38

400 Meters (at Eastern Michigan)
2. Desmond Melson / 49.89
4. Blake Washington / 50.39

Mile (at Boston U.)
7. Chase Barnett / 4:00.86
9. Ben Hill / 4:01.76
19. Ryan Wilkie / 4:10.29
26. Andrew Lorant / 4:12.75
51. Cole Johnson / 4:17.64

3,000 Meters (at Boston U.)
2. Jack Aho / 7:57.54
17. John Tatter / 8:17.62
18. Jacob Lee / 8:18.09
23. Will Landowne / 8:23.89

60-Meter Hurdles (at Eastern Michigan)
2. Job Mayhue / 8.18
3. Noah Caudy / 8.19
13. Sean Marshall / 8.61