Weekend Recap- Conference Championship Weekend

(Sydney McLaughlin-Kentucky)

This season continues to be a season of record breaking. This is perhaps the most talented group of collegiate runners ever assembled. This past weekend was conference championship weekend. As expected the first stop on the championship tour led to many record breaking performances and a few disappointments. The team race took a major shift on both men and women’s side for the NCAA Championships. In this recap below is a brief breakdown of what took place. 

The event that took a major shift this past weekend was perhaps the 400-meter dash, both men and women. We finally saw two true freshmen duel it out in a much-anticipated match up at the SEC Indoor Championships. Kentucky’s Sydney McLaughlin versus Georgia’s Lynna Irby. Both have led the event this indoor season nationally and many were wondering who would win. McLaughlin led early and never let up dominating the first 200 while Irby trailed. With Irby charging late McLaughlin’s tactic clearly proved to be best winning in a time of 50.52. Her time is a new World Junior Record, defeating the old record held by Sanya Richards-Ross. Irby was no slouch with a time of 50.62. She would rebound to come back and win the 200 in a national leading time of 22.66.

On the men’s side we saw Akeem Bloomfield dominate the SEC to win in a time of 45.22. His time is still top 10 all-time in the collegiate ranks. However, it is perhaps USC at the MPSF Conference Championship that caught the attention of everyone. The USC men had three men go under 46 seconds in one race. Rai Benjamin, Zach Shinnick and Ricky Morgan. What is perhaps more impressive is that the group stated does not include the number one ranked Michael Norman. The USC Trojans will likely send four men to a meet all running under 46 seconds indoors. Although we do not want to jump ahead of ourselves but that statistic is mind-boggling and perhaps confirms a potential world record by the group and a possible sub 2:59 performance outdoors.

In the short sprints LSU’s Mikiah Brisco continues to dominate. After winning the 100-meter dash at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last season Brisco has performed consistently at a high level. She again tied her NCAA lead at the SEC Championships in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.10. Although Brisco is a top tier hurdler it has become her performance in the sprints that has garnered her much attention. The LSU Tigers have not had a NCAA Champion at 60 meters since Kelly Ann-Baptiste in 2008, Brisco looks to break the trend.

In the short sprints on the men’s side Nick Gray of Ohio State tied the NCAA lead in the 200-meter dash at the Big Ten Indoor Championship. Gray who has been steadily climbing up the rankings won in a big way clocking in at 20.45. The time proves that he was as expected at the beginning of the season to be a serious threat to win the NCAA title. Gray is the highest ranked sprinter for Ohio State since Andrew Pierce in 2000.

Virginia Tech has become pretty adept to developing great 800-meter runners, for the past few years it was Hannah Green. Now on the men’s side it is Nick Gourley. The talented senior is the latest Virginia Tech Hokie to win the 800-meter run at the ACC Indoor Championships. His winning time of 1:47.04 vaulted him to the number two ranking in the NCAA. Last season he won the 1,500 outdoors but for this indoor season he has only competed in the 800. With his speed at a high level we may see him step back up to the 1,500 to compete for the NCAA title in that event.

Agnes Abu has become the latest middle-distance standout from Middle Tennessee State which has proven to have a pretty solid distance program. Abu is strong in both the 800 and 1,500 meter runs. This past weekend at the Boston University Last Chance Qualifier she clocked in at 2:02.30 and tied the number one time in the NCAA. Although she did not compete at a conference title she did carry the load for her team the previous weekend winning the Conference USA title in the 800 and runner-up in the 1,500.

We have a new triple jump king in the NCAA. With KeAndre Bates of Florida struggling to get back to his form of 2017 Scotty Newsome of TCU has gained his. Newsome leaped to 54 feet 6 ¾ inches to win the triple jump at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. His mark moves into the number one position in the NCAA.

The SEC had an amazing jumps competition in every event, the pole vault, high jump, long jump and triple jump. Two performances stand out to me and that is Logan Boss of Mississippi State in the high jump and Olivia Gruver of Kentucky in the Pole Vault. Both went up against top ranked competition and persevered in a championship setting. Boss has a winning jump of 6 feet 3 ¼ inches and Gruver in 15 feet 3 ¾ inches. Both are ranked number one in the nation with Gruver earning her number one ranking this past weekend and Boss just a ¼ inch shy of her top jump.

The throwing events also had an epic weekend as well. Josh Davis of NC State began as the season’s top weight thrower and had his number one position challenged against Michigan’s Joseph Ellis who would eventually dethrone him and take his number one ranking. This past weekend at the ACC Championship Davis reclaimed his number one ranking with a throw of 78 feet 2 ¼ inches. His mark is now 8^th all-time.

Kaitlyn Long of Minnesota also joined the all-time list with her winning throw at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. Long was a part of a dominant group of throwers for Minnesota which saw three girls throw over 70 feet. Long’s throw of 79 feet 11 ½ inches was the winning throw and now moves her to number six all time.

The relays this past weekend was insane. On the men’s side at the SEC Championships Florida and Texas A&M again did battle and it came down to the wire with Texas A&M prevailing against the Gators again to win in a time of 3:02.35. The irony is that Florida’s time from early in the season that beat the Aggies was still better but Florida’s change in relay order may be what did them in. The Big Ten has quite the battle and will be sending the most relays team to the National meet with five teams alone in the race joining the top 12. Ohio State was the class of the field with their winning time of 3:05.09 that help to garner their first team Big Ten Indoor title since 1993.

On the women’s side LSU was perhaps the shock of the weekend. Although we should not be shocked the Tigers did not enter the meet as one of the top teams in the conference and found a way to earn the number four ranking in the NCAA with a time of 3:30.85. The other big performance this weekend also came from the Big Ten with Purdue garnering the number two ranking with a time of 3:30.40. USC is still the class of the field in the event having the only quarter under 3:30 with their NCAA leading time of 3:27.56.

I must say what a great weekend this was, there were many great performances and disappointments. My recap is truly only a snippet of a great weekend. The National Championship meet will be quite interesting. Many pre-season favorites have not even qualified to attend the meet, Ariana Washington the defending 200-meter champion from Oregon is one of them. Expect for this meet to continue the excitement of this record breaking season.

Weekend 6 Recap

7.42!

(GRANT HOLLOWAY-FLORIDA)

Wow! That is all I could say as I reviewed the results from this past weekend Saturday night. Through watching track and field on television and live streaming I was left stunned and amazed. The record breaking streak continued again this weekend. It seems that we cannot go a week without a collegiate record falling, a national record and or a new number one. There were so many solid performances that I will not rank them in this post. This will be an old-fashioned review.

SPRINTS

I assumed after a blazing January that many of the top performances would remain set until the Championship seasons starts. I was wrong of course and should not have assumed anything. In the men’s 400-meter run Michael Norman ran his first indoor 400 with a banger of a time, of 45.00 winning the event at the Tiger Paw Invitational. The talented sophomore was the top recruit coming out of high school a few years ago and spent most of his time as a 200 runner. His time in the 400 is the fastest indoor performance ever for USC and was the fastest 400 for USC in several years. He not sits atop of the rankings and immediate favorite to claim the title.

In that same race in a different heat Akeem Bloomfield of Auburn clocked the nation’s number two time with a mark of 45.02. Bloomfield’s time is notable since it is the fastest time ever run indoors by a Jamaican making a Jamaican national record holder. Only a sophomore Bloomfield seemed very poised and relaxed his entire race. The battle between Norman and Bloomfield has huge implications for the future of the sport.

On the women’s side the highlighting sprint event was the 200-meter dash. Deanna Hill a senior at USC is one of the top returning 200-meter runners in the NCAA. With Ariana Washington struggling to regain her form from last season Hill dashed into the lead this weekend at the Tiger Paw Invitational winning the 200 with a time of 22.82. In that same race we saw two other young women go sub 23, freshman Sydney McLaughlin of Kentucky in 22.95 and Hill’s teammate Kendall Ellis in 22.99. USC had a tremendous weekend at the meet, this was perhaps one of their better highlights.

HURDLES

Grant Holloway continues to be a special performer for Florida. Every time he steps in front of the hurdles he simply seems to out due his previous performance. This past weekend at the Tiger Paw Invitational Holloway did something special in the 60-meter hurdles. Holloway lined up against defending World and Olympic Champion Omar McLeod, who is also the NCAA record holder. Against a stacked field Holloway dominated the race after a slow start and used his speed to surge past McLeod and break the NCAA record with a time of 7.42. He is currently ranked number one in the world and perhaps a step off Terrance Trammell’s record. Perhaps even more impressive is that he made ESPN's Top 10 on Sports Center. 

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Kentucky entered this season at the favorite to win the 60-meter hurdles. This past weekend she confirmed why she is still the number one athlete in the event. Her time of 7.95 to win at the Tiger Paw Invitational moved her to the number one ranking ahead of Dior Hall of USC. Quinn has the rare blend of great speed with solid technique. She also clocked in at 23.00 in the open 200-meter dash and has the potential to further lower NCAA leading time.

DISTANCE

In the distance events there were two major number one performances this weekend. Elinor Purrier of New Hampshire had her number one ranking in the mile taken last weekend by Karissa Schweizer of Missouri. Both athletes are quite successful in both long and middle-distance races. Purrier regained her number one ranking at the Valentine Invitational at Boston University. Her new time of 4:26.55 was not only good enough to garner the number one ranking but she also every professional in the race as well.

While Justyn Knight was out dominating at the Iowa State Classic, Mike Tate of Southern Utah became the new leader in the 5,000 at the Husky Classic at the University of Washington. Knight may have thought he had the number one ranking until Tate’s time appeared across the leader board with his winning time of 13:37.33. Tate may not have the championship pedigree that Knight has but he has certainly made a name for himself this season and his new leading time puts him the driver’s seat for the title.

JUMPS

The men’s high jump is having a great year. This may perhaps be the deepest field we have seen in a long time. Talented freshman Vernon Turner of Oklahoma is the latest star to come out of the Sooner school. He tied Trey Culver’s number one ranking with a mark of 7 feet 7 ¾ inches winning the Tyson Invitational at the University of Arkansas. Turner’s jump is already tied for 4^th best all-time in the NCAA, quite an impressive performance for a freshman.

In the long jump Zach Bazile of Ohio State launched out to a mark of 26 feet 8 ¼ inches at the Music City Challenge at Vanderbilt University. The Ohio State senior was not considered a favorite to win the long jump since defending champion KeAndre Bates was thought of as a shoe in. His performance however speaks to the nation that he can challenge the champion who saw far has seen a bit off this indoor season.

THROWS

Senior Maggie Ewen of Arizona State just seems to be unstoppable this indoor season. With Raven Saunders of Ole Miss leaving the collegiate ranks there really is not anyone who can compete. The senior had a mark of 63 feet even this past weekend. Her mark is now number one in the world and third all-time in collegiate history. Ewen is a part of an outstanding throwing history at Arizona State and is the latest potential threat to win the title for the program.

Senior Janeah Stewat of Ole Miss now serves at the top ranked thrower from Ole Miss with Saunders gone. Stewart did not disappoint this past weekend at the Music City Challenge in the weight throw. Stewart’s winning mark of 79 feet 1 ¾ inches places her in the top four collegians all-time. There is still the post season and plenty of opportunity for Stewart to surpass 80 feet. Only one collegian has ever passed 80 feet in Brittany Riley who was also coached by Connie Price-Smith, Stewarts current coach.

Joseph Ellis is a part of the University of Michigan’s meat factory. It is the nick name given to the throwers who compete for the University of Michigan. Ellis is having a great indoor season in the weight throw and further cemented his status at the best this past weekend. Two weekends ago on his home field Ellis beat Josh Davis of North Carolina State at the Power Five Invitational. He still however did not have the number one ranking. This past weekend at the Music City Challenge he took the number one ranking with a mark of 76 feet 5 ½ inches. The Championship season is now here Ellis is clearly peaking at the right time.

MULTI-EVENTS

Kansas State has found their latest multi-event star. Akela Jones had a legendary season in 2016 and their newest star Nina Schultz is trying to join her in the championship ranks. Schultz claimed the number one ranking in the pentathlon with a point score of 4502. The performance moved her to number two all-time on the school list for Kansas State and proved that she is a real threat to win the event at Nationals. Her mark also makes her seventh all-time in collegiate history proving that she belongs in the same discussing as the great Akela Jones.

RELAY OF THE WEEK

It seems that all the action was the Tiger Paw Invitational at the University of Clemson. The 4x400 relay has been one of the highlights of the weekend and one of many discussions in Facebook groups. USC defeated Florida in a close race with a new NCAA record time of 3:01.98. Florida’s 4x400 Relay clocked in at 3:02.23 also bested the previous NCAA record.

NEXT WEEKEND

News maybe light next weekend for some. There will be a few conference championships next weekend but for the most part the big Conference Championship weekend is two weeks away.

Weekend 5 Recap

(KARISSA SCHWEIZER-MISSOURI)

Here we go again. I wonder if there will be a weekend where we do not see a collegiate record broken. This season’s record breaking streak continued this past weekend and the way things are going expect more in the weeks ahead. We also add to that some all-time greats, international records and new number one rankings. This was perhaps the most difficult weak in ranking the best five performances. In this post just being recognized for your performance is enough.

MEN

5.) JOSEPH ELLIS (MICHIGAN)- Joseph Ellis is a part of Michigan’s meat factory. The term used to describe their outstanding throwing group. The Wolverines are ranked high in both the shot put and weight throw with multiple throwers. Ellis this past weekend proved to perhaps be the best of the group. On his home track Ellis out-dueled the number one ranked thrower from NC State in Josh Davis. Ellis won with a throwing mark of 74 feet 6 ¼ inches. His mark still ranks him second in the nation but he beat the number one guy giving him solid confidence for the rest of the season.

4.) MAR’YEA HARRIS (IOWA)- Going under 46 seconds has not happened frequently this season. This past weekend at the Meyo Invitational Mar’Yea Harris a junior at Iowa became the third guy this season to accomplish the feat. He claimed the event title in 45.95 seconds to move him into the number three position in the nation. With conference championships happening in a few weeks expect for more to join this list and Harris to lower his standard. He remains one of the few contenders for the title.

3.) JUSTYN KNIGHT (SYRACUSE)- I guess we should be used to seeing his name on the list now that his season is in full swing. Knight competed at the Millrose Games against all professional athletes. He finished second overall but his time ranks him number one in the NCAA. His time of 7:45.86 gives him almost a seven second lead on his closest competitor. Knight has not officially declared that this will be an event he would compete at NCAA Indoor Nationals but with his recent performance let us hope.

2.) JOSH KERR (NEW MEXICO)- The defending champion in the mile gave everyone reason to believe again. Kerr joined Knight by competing at the Millrose Games against a professional field and he too finished second in his race but claimed the number one ranking in the NCAA. Kerr ran sub four minutes with a time of 3:54.72 a personal record. If there was any doubt who was the number one, he removed it.

1.) DIVINE ODUDURU (TEXAS TECH)- Devine Oduduru is a rare gem that Texas Tech has found. The talented freshman has lit the NCAA on fire this season and this past weekend continued his hot streak. He clocked in a winning time in the 200-meter dash with 20.18. That performances mark him number three in world history. Unfortunately, it was at altitude and has been adjusted to 20.25. His time regardless is a new indoor national record for Nigeria. Oduduru is now ranked number one in the NCAA and has been the latest sprint sensation.

WOMEN

5.) OLIVIA GRUVER (KENTUCKY)- Olivia Gruver further cemented her status as the number one pole vaulter in the NCAA. Her winning mark in front of a home crowd was 15 feet 3 inches. She is one of two athletes over 15 feet and has taken the shine away from the usual Arkansas dynasty. Gruver will compete against the Arkansas athletes’ multiple times later this season including the SEC Championships and likely nationals. Gruver has been the most consistent performer this season and that should continue.

4.) SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN (KENTUCKY)- I have been waiting to mention this name all season. This stud freshman is an Olympian and came into college with plenty of fanfare. On her home track at the Rod McCravy Memorial she reminded everyone why she is worth the hype. McLaughlin dominated the field winning by almost two seconds with a time of 51.44. Her time is the top time in the NCAA ahead of fellow freshman Lynna Irby. This is McLaughlin’s first open 400 of the season and she is also battling some injuries. With the post season on the horizon expect for that time to come down.

3.) JANEAH STEWART (OLE MISS)- Ole Miss has really become throws university. Raven Saunders has been largely absent from the indoor season but her teammate Janeah Stewart has been very much present. Stewart overtook the number one ranking this past weekend with a throw of 78 feet 2 ¼ inches. Her mark places her among the all-time greats, she is currently ranked 4^th all-time in the collegiate history. She is also ranked third in the US this season. Stewart is in great position to not only defend her SEC title put perhaps claim the NCAA title as well.

2.) MIKIAH BRISCO (LSU)- Mikiah Brisco is not new to be on this list. After all that she has accomplished it should be a surprise that she is still joining all-time lists. Brisco won the 100-meter dash last outdoor season with a time of 10.96. She was still placed behind her teammate Aleia Hobbs who had a faster performance last season. Brisco however set the record straight by breaking the school record in the 60-meter dash and running the second fastest time in NCAA history. Brisco clocked in at 7.08 to defeat a quality field full of her teammates. Her time was adjusted because of the altitude to 7.10. That is still a school record and among the fastest times in NCAA history.

1.) KARISSA SCHWEIZER (MISSOURI)- I feel this is going to be a theme with Karissa Schweizer this season. Every time she is mentioned she is ranked number one. Her performance this past weekend was perhaps even more special than that. Schweizer broke the NCAA record in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:41.60. She was pushed against a quality field at the Millrose Games finishing 4^th. The collegiate record however will have to serve as a nice participation trophy. Schweizer is in prime position to double since she currently leads the NCAA in three distance events, the 1,500, the 3,000 and the 5,000. It is unlikely that she will compete in all three but she is certainly capable of winning two of those events.

RELAY OF THE WEEK: STANFORD WOMEN DMR- At the Power Five Invitational at the University of Michigan four of the top five times were performed. Stanford came out on top and became the first team under 11 minutes on the season. Their time of 10:58.93 gives them almost a two second lead on Oregon.