2020 NCAA Indoor Preview: Sprints

(Trevor Stewart- North Carolina A&T)

Welcome back. We are now in year 2020 a Olympic Year and that means we are in for an exciting season. We have developed a theme of breaking long held NCAA records. Dawn Sowell the legendary sprinter from LSU no longer holds any NCAA records and lost 100-meter school record that had stood since the late 80’s. 

This year I am splitting the preview into parts starting with sprints as to not produce a large post for you to read. This season brings a lot of newness so I will join in and create a new process. With so many stars having graduated or turning to the professional ranks this is a year for new stars. 

With two Florida Gators turning pro early in Grant Holloway and Hakim Sani Brown. Along with super star Divine Oduduru of Texas Tech also turn pro early, a new star sprint star will be born this season. Kasaun James of Florida State is the top returnee in both the 60- and 200-meter dash based on time with personal bests of 6.55 and 20.49. Along with teammate Bryand Rincher Florida State looks to return to their glory days of short sprint domination.

In the 400 Trevor Stewart of North Carolina A&T has a big target on his back. After leading the NCAA for majority of the 2019 outdoor season along with finishing in a close second, he returns as the top guy. The top threat will 400 hurdle star Quincy Hall of South Carolina. Hall is the top returnee from the indoor season with a time of 45.25. A dark horse for this race will be Johnathan Jones of Texas.

On the women’s side the defending 60-meter Indoor Champion in Twanisha Terry of USC returns. She stunned the field with her winning time of 7.14. Her teammate Anglerne Annelus defended her outdoor 200-meter title with a time of 22.16. Annelus did not have a good indoor season and will look to rebound and prove she can dominate indoors as well as out.

The 400 will have another USC defending champion returning in Kaelin Roberts. Roberts missed last outdoor season with an injury and will look to use the indoor season as a reminder to everyone of who she is. Chloe Abbot of Kentucky will be a strong challenger to Roberts reign and is the top returnee from last outdoor season.

The 4x400 relay battle will require more of the season to play out. However for the men expect for the usual cast of characters to come to the front in Texas A&M and Florida. For women, Texas A&M and USC should battle it out with Arkansas as a dark horse.

Our next post will be all about the distance runners.