AZUSA, Calif. – Cornell senior superstar Isaac vanWestrienen can afford to sleep in a bit this morning.
 
VanWestrienen made more history on the track just before the clock struck midnight with a scintillating showing in the men's 10,000-meter run at Thursday's Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific University.
 
VanWestrienen finished the race in a blistering 28:52.66. It's the fastest time in NCAA Division III this season and the No. 8-quickest mark ever recorded by a Division III athlete.
 
VanWestrienen won his heat in a stacked 26-man field comprised of competitors from all levels. Cornell's five-time track & field all-American shattered his own school record by a whopping 23 seconds.
 
VanWestrienen crossed the finish a full three seconds ahead of runner-up Braden Struhs (28:55.97) from Division II Colorado School of Mines. Daniel Chavez of Division I Illinois-Chicago placed third (28:56.51).
 
The historic run comes less than three weeks after vanWestrienen recorded the No. 6-fastest 5000-meter mark on the Division III all-time list (13:53.13). He's now among three Division III athletes ranked in the Top 10 all-time in both the 5000 and 10000.
 
In other action Thursday, a select group of Cornell runners performed well at the UW-La Crosse Esten Challenge in Lacrosse, Wis.
 
Senior Ava Claussen-Tubbs placed fourth out of 53 finishers in the women's 1500. She ran a personal-best 4:37.78, which ranks in the Top 50 nationally.
 
Junior Jake Bach set a PR in the men's 1500, crossing third out of 49 finishers in 3:55.62. Chase Lauman of Division I Northern Iowa won the race in 3:54.30.
 
Lidia Dahlman took 14th out of 56 in the women's 10000. She was clocked in a personal-best 37:57.49. Milar Little was 44th (40:24.50) and Zoe Peesel 46th (40:44.88).
 
Ethyn Chesnut placed 50th in the men's 10000 (33:59.58).
 
Coming up – Cornell competes Saturday at the Culver-Stockton Wildcat Invitational in Canton, Mo. The meet begins at 9 a.m.