2022 NCAA Indoor Preview Part 1

 
(Randolph Ross- North Carolina A&T)

Welcome back collegiate track and field fans. As we began the collegiate indoor season it seems that our hope to return to normal for the 2022 year has ended. A new variant is wreaking havoc on the American Health system and new parameters are being put in placed to curtail the disappointing trend. This could mean another year of law fan turnout at our major events due to Covid. However, it is still a happy time because the season is upon us. Although there is the usual December meets the indoor season really kicks off in January. In this post we will preview the 2022 indoor season in the three major areas, sprints/hurdles, distance, and field events. In this first preview we will be discussing the sprints/hurdles. 

SPRINTS/HURDLES

WOMEN

The 60-meter dash was quite the spectacle last indoor season. We treated to a new NCAA record with a time of 7.05 by Kemba Nelson of Oregon by way of Jamaica. Oregon in recent years have been quite impressive with their performance in this event, with multiple national champions. Nelson is the latest to carry the torch and is poised to repeat. Challenging her will be Joella Lloyd of Tennessee who claimed the SEC Indoor title.

In the 200 the defending champion Abby Steiner of Kentucky is returning. She set NCAA Indoor record with her time of 22.38. She was not herself this past outdoor season after sustaining an injury. After having set a new NCAA record in the 300 at the beginning of December Steiner is looking to defend her title and get back on track. Her challenger will be Favour Ofili of LSU. LSU has such an incredible history of sprinters and Ofili is the next in line. After competing at the Olympics as a freshman for Nigeria, Ofili is poised for a big 2022 season.

The 400 was incredible last season, both indoors and outdoors thanks to Athing Mu. Mu has moved on and now Talitha Diggs of Florida moves to the front. Being the daughter of the great Joetta Clark Diggs and niece of Hazel Clark and Jearl Miles Clark, she has the genetics for success. Diggs ran a time of 51.14 to win the SEC Indoor title last season. Now a sophomore I believe she is clearly ready for the next step. Her biggest challenge will likely come from Stacey Ann Williams of Texas. Williams had an indoor best last season of 51.60 and a outdoor best of 50.34. Diggs has already shown to be an excellent big meet performer and Williams is still coming around to that point, but with a time of 50.34 you certainly cannot ignore her.

In the 60-meter hurdles Ackera Nugent of Baylor by way of Jamaica burst onto the scene last year. Breaking world junior records. The extremely quick Nugent has superior speed against every hurdler she will compete against. With another year of technical training and speed training not only will she defend her NCAA title that she won as a freshman, but she will also likely challenge the NCAA record. 7.91 as a freshman is an extremely impressive personal mark. She will be challenged by Daszay Freeman of Arkansas also by way of Jamaica.

MEN

Micah Williams of Oregon was an extremely sought-after recruit and lived up to the hype as a freshman last season by winning the NCAA title with a time of 6.49. He remained at the top during the outdoor season but was surpassed by Terrance Laird of LSU. Now as a sophomore he will use his advantage of a strong burst coupled with Championship experience to defend his title and challenge the NCAA 60-meter record. Rikkoi Brathwaite of Indiana is back and will be his toughest challenger.

In the 200 Matthew Boling of Georgia was sensational last indoor season. He avenged his loss at the SEC Indoor Championships by winning the Indoor title in a time of 20.19. He was not able to carry that success to the outdoor season. With the change in coaches to Caryl Smith-Gilbert formerly of USC expect for her form to be tight and his performance to be more consistent. His biggest competitor will be the Outdoor defending champion. Joseph Fahnbulleh of Florida. Fahnbulleh is known for his strong late kick which was present at the NCAA Championship which he won in a time of 19.92 after coming off the turn behind. Fahnbulleh competed at the Olympics and will take his experience and use that to directly confront Boling.

Just like the 200, the 400 will have a returning indoor champion and outdoor champion. The returning indoor champion is Noah Williams of LSU. Williams had an indoor personal best of 44.71 surprising the field when he won. Randolph Ross of North Carolina A&T was the expected winner. He would avenge his defeat outdoors with a time of 43.85. Ross is the first returning athlete to have ran under 44 seconds. Ross also ran for Team USA in the Olympics. Although Williams is the defending champion it is hard to ignore 43.85.

The 60 hurdles will have a new NCAA Champion. Jamal Britt of Iowa is the top returnee with a personal best of 7.52. However, Philip Lemonious of Arkansas by way of Jamaica had an incredible freshman season finishing third in the outdoor 110 high hurdles. Britt proved to have the superior technique last indoor season. Lemonious is at one of the best programs in the country, his technique will certainly be improved.