2025-26 Track Roster

Daniel Messer

  • Class Sophomore
  • Hometown Clayton, Calif.
  • High School Clayton Valley

Biography

ALL-TIME TOP 10
#4 - 3000m Steeplechase (9:15.54)

2025-26
Cross Country – Patriot League Academic Honor Roll... Did not compete.

Indoor Track – Ran PRs at every meet in his sophomore indoor season… Opened his season with a 3k PR of 8:35.96 at the Nittany Lion Challenge (1/17), placing third… Ran a 31-second 5k PR of 14:57.80 at the George Mason Patriot Games (1/30)… Lowered his 3k PR to 8:27.29 to place 13th at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational (2/13)… Ran a mile PR of 4:17.99 at the George Mason Father Diamond Invitational (2/20), placing second… Placed ninth in the 3k in a PR of 8:18.36 and 14th in the 5k in a PR of 14:45.16 at the Patriot League Championships (2/28-3/1).

Outdoor Track – Ran a 30-second 3k steeplechase PR and third all-time mark of 9:15.54 to win the Richmond Fred Hardy Invitational (3/20)… Placed eighth at the George Mason Dalton Ebanks Invitational in 9:35.37… Did not compete the remainder of the season.

2024-25
Cross Country – Opened his season at the Spider Alumni Open (8/31), where he placed 34th in 19:10.8 for 6k… Ran 19:18.6 to place 29th at the Lafayette Invitational (9/6)... Went up to the 8k, placing 115th at the Roy Griak Invitational (9/20) with a time of 26:56… Ran a personal best of 25:49.0 at the ECU Pirate Invitational (10/4) to place 103rd… Placed 87th at the IC4A Championships (10/18) with a time of 26:00.4… Lowered his personal best to 25:26.0 at the Patriot League Championships (11/2) to place 52nd… Closed out his first collegiate season with a 32:37.8 10k at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional (11/15)... Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

Indoor Track – Ran a 3k PR of 8:48.24 to open his season at the NYC Gotham Cup (1/17)… Ran 8:55.95 for 3k at the Patriot Games (2/1)… Ran a 5k PR of 15:28.23 at the Liberty Open (2/8)… Ran a mile PR of 4:18.06 at the Father Diamond Invitational (2/21)… Placed 28th in the 3k at the Patriot League Championships (3/2) with a time of 8:53.77.

Outdoor Track — Debuted in the steeple to open his season at the Richmond Fred Hardy Invitational (3/21), running a time of 9:46.37… Lowered his steeple PR to 9:46.32 at the George Mason Dalton Ebanks Invitational (4/5)… Ran a 9:59.41 steeple at the Virginia Challenge (4/18)… Contributed to the ninth place 4x800 relay and placed ninth in the steeplechase in 9:49.92 at the Patriot League Championships (5/2)… Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

High School: A four time letter winner in Cross Country and Track, competing for Clayton Valley Charter … PR’s – 15:16 (3 mile), 15:36 (5K) … Earned first-team All-Conference in cross country as a sophomore, junior, and senior … Earned All-Section honors for cross country senior year (2023) … A two-time All-Conference honoree in track and field and a first-team all-league, all district, and all section in the 4x800m relay … Was a state finalist in the 4x800m relay, placing seventh.
 
Personal: Parents are Jacqueline and Andrew … A four-time member of the Academic Honor Roll, and an honoree to the President's List … Is ‘a cut above’ at bowling, mini golf, and ping pong … Is studying CLEG (Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics & Government).
 
Why I Chose American: “AU had a great team atmosphere and culture. Everyone supported each other and the coaches were also very supportive. The coaches really want the best for their athletes and seem to have good communication with each of them. The school location was also a big factor, along with the academics AU has to offer.”

Historical Player Information

  • 2024-25Freshman

  • 2025-26Sophomore