Weekend Recap 4

(Oregon Track and Field)

This past weekend was a weekend to remember. There were two collegiate records broken, a new group of number 1 ranked runners and the team battle just got a lot clearer. The final weekend in January usually never disappoints and this weekend did not. It is the middle of the regular season and the post season is just 3 weeks away. The recap was challenging this week. I attempted to put together the best three performances of each sex which was difficult due to the great performances this weekend. If there was a performance that you think was better you may be right there were so many and it was difficult to put just three.

WOMEN

3. Tessa Barnett (Penn State)- Super Sophomore Tessa Barnett put on quite the show in front of her home crowd at the PSU National. This past weekend she outran a quality field in the women’s 3,000. Her winning time of 9:07.22 moves her past preseason favorite Erin Finn of Michigan and also moves her into the number 1 ranking in the nation.

2. Kendall Williams (Georgia)- The senior is looking to add more gold to case of championship hardware. The winningest athlete in the pentathlon began her season with a bang. Williams scored a total of 4.476 points to claim the event title at the Razorback Invitational against All-American competition. She scored almost 200 more points that her closest competitor and solidified herself as still the best to do it.

1. Oregon Sprinters (Oregon)- The Oregon sprinters and hurdlers made this extremely difficult but I decided to simply include all of them at the top of the list. Hannah Cunliffe in the 60 meter dash, Deajah Stevens in the 200 meter dash and Sasha Wallace in the 60 meter hurdles all claimed the number 1 ranking in one weekend for the Ducks. To add to the shock of that news trust me when I say that wasn’t the most exciting thing that happened to them this weekend.

Cunliffe dominated the field to clock in at 7.13 almost meeting her personal best set a year ago. Stevens proved that she learned a lot running for Team USA winning the 200 meter dash with of 22.65. Wallace set an Armory Collegiate record with a stunning time of 7.91. Each one strengthened their hold on the number 1 ranking and put a little distance between them and their competitors.

MEN

3. KEANDRE BATES (FLORIDA)- Bates is continuing that great success of multi-jumpers that Florida seems to always have. The talented junior is rounding into shape quite nicely. Bates has a top four mark in the long jump and against the best competition has yet to lose. In the triple jump this past weekend Bates tied for the number one mark with a leap of 54-8. This matches Clive Pullen’s top mark and he did on his Pullen’s own track no less at the Razorback Invitational. Bates will have plenty of time to spar with Pullen later including two post season meets.

2. Adam Palamar (SYRACUSE)- Syracuse is a program with a lot of quality milers. Palamar is the latest talent to stand out for the program. Palamar claimed the number 1 ranking with his winning time of 3:57.39 at the Boston John Thomas Terrier Invitational. He did that in a field against three Michigan Wolverines who all went under 4 minutes for the mile. Palamar also beat his star teammate Justyn Knight. Palamar adds a possible 1-2 punch for the Syracuse Orangemen at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

1. Christian Coleman (Tennessee)- Coleman is on the top of the list yet again. Coleman is having another stellar indoor season and is proving to be perhaps the most complete sprinter in the NCAA. Coleman clocked in at 20.49 out of Lane 4 to win the Razorback Invitational and reclaim the number 1 ranking in the 200 meter dash. Coleman now owns the top time in both the 60 meter and 200 meter dash. It has been a long time since another Tennessee athlete was this dominant, the last great volunteer to do so was Rubin Williams and before him Justin Gatlin. Coleman will look to join that elite company by adding more Gold to his trophy case.

RELAYS OF THE WEEK:

WOMEN: Remember when I told you earlier that having three number 1 rankings wasn’t the most exciting thing that happen to the Oregon women this weekend, I wasn’t kidding. The Oregon Ducks dominated the field at the Columbia East-West Challenge in New York. Against a decent field the Lady Ducks shattered the NCAA record with a time of 10:48.77. They were never really pushed since they won the race by almost 20 seconds. It is proof that this group is quite special.

MEN: Texas A&M might be the king of the 4x400 relays Indoors. They broke their own NCAA record this past weekend with a time of 3:02.52. Not too long ago a time of that caliber would have won them an Outdoor NCAA title and they have done it Indoors. It remains to be seen if any of the other top relay programs such as LSU, Florida and or Arkansas will have enough to eventually challenge the Aggies. LSU and Florida have perhaps the greatest room for improvement since they are dealing with injuries.