NCAA Championship Preview (Men)

(4-PEAT?)

Can the Gators win it all again?

The best in Division 1 Collegiate Track and Field will be on hand this weekend at the University of Arkansas for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship. This year is another exciting affair with plenty of up and coming stars. The team battle on both men and women's side is more competitive than it has been. On the men's side the host seem to clearly be the favorites with a total of 19 entrants. However Florida brings a lot of young fire power and will remind everyone why they are three time defending champions.


60 Meter Dash- This race has for the past few years seem to always involve Florida State. This year is no different except its headlined by a newcomer in freshman phenom Marvin Bracy. Bracy had a terrific high school career and it is now translating over to the college level. D'Angelo Cherry however ran a 6.49 to claim the US indoor title, but the time will unfortunately not count. However it will stand out and Cherry is a strong contender to claim the title.

200 Meter Dash- Aaron Ernest of LSU has dominated this event all year. After a rough indoor season as a freshman last year Ernest entered this season with a more determined running style. His NCAA leading time of 20.53 may only be beaten by him at this meet.

400 Meter Dash- Deon Lendore of Texas A&M reminded everyone at the SEC Championships why he is the guy to beat. Running a blazing 45.15 in the preliminaries served noticed to all what his intentions were. Hugh Graham of Florida is a close 2nd with a time of 45.67 but will have to run a personal best to defeat Lendore and claim the title.

800 Meter Dash- This event only truly became interesting after Last Chance Weekend were Arkansas had two athletes clock 1:46 performances. Leoman Mohmoh of Arkansas had one of the performances earning a nation leading time of 1:46.07. His time is one of the fastest ran every indoors for a collegiate athlete. What will he do for an encore remains to be seen. Oregon's Elijah Greer is a true dark horse to claim the title in this event.

Mile- What a great year it has been for the mile. There are three athletes under 3:55 mark all lead by Tulsa senior and defending champion Chris O'Hare. O'Hare ran a collegiate record at the Millrose Games with a time of 3:52.98. It will be tough beating a performance like that but O'Hare will be pushed by fellow senior Ryan Hill of NC State and junior Lawi Lalang of Arizona.

3,000- While Lalang may not be the top guy in the mile he is however in the 3k. Lalang is the defending champion in this event and is an easy favorite. Lalang has almost 5 seconds on the next competitor in Henry Lelei of Texas A&M. Lalang truly should have no problem defending his title.

5,000- Kennedy Kithuka of Texas Tech is another great long distance talent out of Texas Tech. Similar to that of Sally Kipyego, Kithuka is well ahead of his competition and should dominate the race from start to finish. Kithuka's 13:26.65 ran at the Tyson Invitational is 11 seconds better than Diego Estrada of Northern Arizona who is ranked number 2.

60 Meter Hurdles- Eddie Lovett of Florida has been hot all season long. He emerged the favorite with a time of 7.54 ran at the SEC Championship to defeat Caleb Cross of Arkansas. Spencer Adams of Clemson held the top time for majority of the season. This will be the first time all season all three will be in a race together. I think Lovett has much more speed than the two and has slight advantage over Adams and Cross. However Adams is a elite performer at Championship meets and Cross was able to defeat Lovett early on in the season.

High Jump- What growth we have seen in this event of the recent years, the competition in this event continues to get more and more challenging. Two Olympians and defending champions will headline the event this year. Erik Kynard of Kansas State and Derek Drouin of Indiana. Kynard leads the nation with a mark of 7'7.75, Drouin is 2nd with 7'7.25. Drouin the former champion will look to avenge himself and claim the title over defending champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Erik Kynard.

Long Jump- Marquis Dendy of Florida is the next great Gator jumper. Dendy leaped to a mark of 27'1. Dendy's mark was a personal best and of the best indoor performances ever by a collegian, certainly one of the best in a while. Damar Forbes of LSU is no slouch with a season best of 26'5.75, however he will need a personal best to surpass Dendy who may still not be done setting personal bests himself.

Pole Vault- A field with a lot of quality performers this season. There are 10 athletes who have surpassed 18 feet. Senior Jack Whitt of Oral Roberts leads the nation with his mark of 18'4.75. Four other athletes tie for second with a mark of 18'4.50. This event has no true favorite and could won by anyone in the field.

Shot Put- Jordan Clarke of Arizona State looks to rep his school proud. Arizona State a strong throwing school is looking to see another champion and may have found one in the senior. Clarke has held the top mark this season since early January. His throw of 67'6.75 is still two feet more than his closes competitor.

Triple Jump- This event has huge team implications. Both Florida and Arkansas are relying on their jumpers to provide valuable points to compete for the national crown. For the Florida Gators defending champion Omar Craddock and Marquis Dendy for the Arkansas Razorbacks Tarik Batchelor. Batchelor has been the top performer all season long and proved it by defeating Craddock at the SEC Indoor Championship. Craddock still has a better personal best and should still be the favorite to win it.

Weight Throw- This event belongs to Alexander Ziegler of Virginia Tech and that is the end. Ziegler has a personal best of 77'8.75 and has more than 3 feet on his next competitor.

Heptathlon- This event is wide open. Jeremy Taiwo of Washington is the top performer so far this season with 6,156 points. Only two other athletes have gone over 6,000 points. Japeth Cato of Wisconsin with 6,090 and Kevin Lazas of Arkansas with 6,042. This should be a great competition and will be huge in the team battle for Arkansas.

4x400 Relay- Those who watched the 4x400 relay at the SEC Championships were treated to a real race with Texas A&M claiming the victory clocking in at 3:04.18 one of the fastest times ever ran by a college. Florida who owns the Indoor NCAA record is a close 2nd with a time of 3:04.31. However Florida did not run with their A team while Texas A&M did. This event has a lot intrigue and will be great to watch.

Distance Medley Relay- This event has never been more competitive and seems to gain more popularity as the year goes on. This race will be a rematch of the Alex Wilson Last Chance Invitational ran last weekend. All 12 qualifiers competed last week to attempt to qualify. Penn State leads the way with a time of 9:26.60 and are the heavy favorites to win the crown.


Team Battle: My heart is certainly with the Gators but my head tells me Arkansas, however plenty of things can happen in the two spectacle. My pick.................The Gators will defend their title for a 4th straight.