2022 NCAA Outdoor Recap 1

 10.82!

(Celera Barnes USC, Jada Baylark Arkansas)

What a weekend we just had. Although the outdoor season started at the beginning of March it feels as if the season officially kicked into high gear this past weekend. The Texas Relays are always a highlight of the weekend and after seeing in person for the first time I must share with you that it was an incredible atmosphere. In this recap I am going to focus on the biggest performances of the weekend not just the number one marks.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

We treated to a great race between Celera Barnes of US and Jada Baylark of Arkansas. Both ran impressive races early on in the preliminary rounds and it was clear that we would be in for a treat. Barnes is developing quite nicely under new women’s sprint coach Carmelita Jeter. In the prelims Barnes notched a best of 11.07. It was her closely contested race in the final against Baylark that caused the noise from the crowd.

Barnes blasted out of the blocks first but Baylark was literally with her every step of the race. At the immediate finish of the race no one in the stadium knew he won. Looking at the video screen we saw that Barnes nipped Baylark at the line with a time of 10.82 to 10.83. Although the time was a little over the wind legal limit it was certainly and indication of things to come for both athletes.

Alia Armstrong LSU certainly did not have the finish to her indoor season that she wanted after false starting at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The Texas Relays was an opportunity for her to redeem herself. Armstrong blasted to a time of 12.33 to win the 100-meter hurdles. Although her time was wind-aided it certainly was an indication of the type of season Armstrong was going to have.

Britton Wilson of Arkansas is having a great season. After an indoor season where she ran a personal best 400 time of 50.88. The hurdler debuted her outdoor season with a time of 54.37 to claim the Texas Relays 400-meter hurdles title. The time is a strong personal best and a new Texas Relays record. Her time broke the record that had stood since 2003. This was a great early season performance and indication that her transfer from Tennessee to Texas was a smart decision. Wilson will improve upon her time later this season and it looks like we may have found our next 400 hurdle star.

Men

Benjamin Azamati of West Texas A&M again finds himself the talk of the world in the short sprints. The Ghanian sprinter fears no one and could care less about the Division 1 competition. He broke the NCAA Division II record and the Texas Relays Record in the preliminary rounds clocking in a blazing time of 9.90 to be the top overall seed in the men's 100. He was absent in the men's final but made quite the mark. 

Away from the Texas Relays and at the FSU relays was Matthew Boling attempting to get back on track after a rough end to his indoor season. Boling was favored to win two individual events at the Indoor Championships and found himself disqualified in an event he was the defending champion in, the 200, and failing to crack 26 feet in the long jump. He began his outdoor season heading in the right direction. Boling logged the fastest wind-legal 100-meter time of the weekend with 10.03. Boling is looking to redeem himself and this was a great sign.

Nathaniel Ezekiel may only be a freshman from Nigeria, but he had an excellent debut in the 400-meter hurdles at the Texas Relays. He surpassed all the big names in that race to come away victorious with a time of 49.14. That is a great time even more impressive it was done by a freshman. It has been a while since Baylor had a championship level 400 hurdler, perhaps since former NFL Quarterback Robert Griffin III. Ezekiel will continue to face high level competition and it will be interesting to see how he develops throughout the season.

DISTANCE

Women

The distance version of the Texas Relays has to be the Raleigh Relays at NC State. NC State has obviously become one of the best distance programs in the country. Although it is early in the season for major distance athletes to compete some did and gave us some impressive performances.

First let us acknowledge the strong outdoor debut by Katelyn Tuohy of NC State. Tuohy had a strong but disappointing end to her indoor season. The talented sophomore finished second in not one but two events at the NCAA Indoor Championship, in the mile and 3k. She started her outdoor season with a win competing in the 1,500 on her home track. She clocked a national leading time of 4:12.58. She defeated a very large field on her way to a strong early victory.

At that same meet Lydia Olivere of Villanova had a strong outdoor debut as well. She stepped into the 3,000-meter steeplechase, her signature event, and came away victorious. The junior clocked a winning time of 10:01.65. Olivere is a big piece into the Villanova distance machine which has produced so many All-Americans. She certainly has ran faster and will look to continue to be a part of the discussion for this event later on in the season.

Men

In the 800 Jonathan Jones of Texas continues to have a strong season after moving up from the 400. The senior competed against a strong field that included several of teammates at the Texas Relays. He also finally competed against Texas Tech’s senior Mohad Zahafi. Jones came away victorious dipping under 1:46 again with a winning time of 1:45.83 to Zahafi’s 1:46.02. It will be interesting to see how the rest of Jones’ season folds. Will he continue with the 800 or return back to the 400.

The steeplechase had another star performer this weekend it is Matthew Wilkinson of Minnesota. Wilkinson is an NCAA Champion, at a Division III school in Carleton. Now a transfer to Minnesota he is getting his Gopher career of to a great start. The junior clocked a winning time at the Raleigh Relays of 8:39.70. A strong beginning to his career as it is a personal best.

JUMPS

Women

The jumps were on fire this past weekend. Especially the long jump. Tyra Gittens who now competes for Texas did not have the end to her indoor season that she would like. She has yet to compete in a multi-event competition either Pentathlon or Heptathlon but she has been focused on the jumps since transferring from Texas A&M.

The senior took on NCAA Indoor Champion Jasmine Moore and came away the winner. On her new home track she leaped to a mark of 22 feet 4 ½ inches (6.82m). There were five athletes in total at the Texas Relays that jumped over 22 feet including two from Florida. This is just an indication of how great this event should be this year.

Lisa Gunnarson of LSU is a defending NCAA champion and was unsuccessful in winning the Indoor title but began the outdoor season with a huge personal best and a number one ranking. The senior leaped to a mark of 15 feet 3 inches (4.65m) to claim the top collegiate Pole Vault mark. She is currently the only collegian over 15 feet this outdoor season and the second 15-foot jumper since the indoor season.

The high jump was another strong jumps highlight at the Texas Relays. Lamara Distin of Texas A&M had quite the performance. The junior has been the top high jumper in the collegiate ranks all year long and she stamped her level of superiority with the performance this past weekend. Distin jumped a new Texas Relays record mark of 6 feet 5 inches (1.96m). Her mark is also a Jamaican national record and gives her over a two-foot lead against her fellow collegians.

Men

Like the women this was a great weekend for jumpers. Indoor champion Vernon Turner of Oklahoma continued his winning ways with a strong victory at the Texas Relays in the men’s high jump. His winning jump was 7 feet 6 ½ inches (2.3m). Turner was a bit under the radar this past indoor season before hitting his championship stride at the NCAA Indoor Championship. This mark at this point in the same against a stellar field that included Earnie Sears of USC will do wonders for his confidence moving forward.

Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton was the shocking winner of the men’s Pole Vault at the NCAA Indoor championships a few weeks ago. He added to his victory count this past weekend by again defeating Zach Bradford of Kansas. His winning mark of 18 feet 10 ¼ inches (5.75m) is not quite 19 feet but it was enough for him to secure the victory at the Texas Relays. He will be a fun story to watch.

THROWS

Women

The most eye-opening mark of the throws this weekend on the women’s side came from the state of Texas but not at the Texas Relays. Senior Alyssa Wilson of Texas State claimed the number one ranking in the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 234 feet 1 inch (71.36m). Her mark surpassed the top performance of NCAA Indoor Champion weight thrower Shey Taiwo of Ole Miss. Perhaps what is more eye popping is that she drove to the Texas Relays in the same weekend and claimed the title there as well. That is noteworthy, two meet victories in one weekend.

Men

On the men’s side Adrian Piperi of Texas began the outdoor season with a bang. The senior has been consistently over 70 feet in the Shot Put since February of this past indoor season. Although he has thrown further, he began his outdoor campaign winning on his home field with a winning throw of 70 feet 8 inches (21.54m). Beginning your outdoor season with a 70-foot throw is a strong sign of how well your season should go.

MULTI'S

In the women’s Heptathlon Anna Hall of Florida again became the talk of the meet. She began her outdoor season by dominating the field at the Texas Relays scoring a total of 6,412 points. That point total is significant because she now becomes the fourth best collegiate athlete in NCAA history. She passed Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Also keep in mind, this is the first meet of the outdoor season. She is two weeks removed from an Indoor title. She is going to certainly climb up that list especially when she returns to the level of a high jumper that she has been previously.

In the men’s decathlon All-American senior Leo Neugebauer of Texas represented his school well on his home track. Scoring a whopping 8,131 points, Neugebauer remains the only athlete in the NCAA this season over 8,000 points. Although early in the season his performance certainly stands out. This should be an exciting event this outdoor season and his name will certainly be in te mix.

RELAYS

The relays were quite hot this weekend, seeing a lot of the top marks in person was fun. On the women’s side Texas showed how strong and potent they are in the sprints. They claimed number one rankings in the 4x100 relay with a 42.42 preliminary time and 42.88 finals time. They also ran the second fastest time in NCAA history in the 4x200 relay with a time of 1:29.03. In the 4x4 relay they nearly broke the NCAA record with a time of 3:22.94. All three marks are Texas Relays records.

On the men’s side a slightly injured Florida team proved their strength in the sprints is still at a high level. The men’s 4x100 relay team clocked a time of 38.47 to claim the number one ranking and they also claimed the number one ranking in the 4x400 with a time of 3:02.20 that included a 46.9 anchor leg from Fahnbulleh. Had they had Champion Allison who is out with an injury we may have had a new Texas Relays record. Once healthy Florida will be hard to beat.

TEAM RANKINGS

I think it is way too early to rank the teams, no one has remotely put their full team on display. Some programs will not be at full strength until early April. However, I do want to discuss them. The women’s rankings seem fair based of this weekend’s performance. Indoor Champions Florida did not have the weekend they wanted. A DNF in both the 4x1 and 4x4 relay did not show they had the relay strength to compete on a championship level yet. With the Florida Relays being this weekend expect for them to change that. Texas however certainly validated their number one ranking and impress upon the country just how strong they will be come championship season.

On the men’s side not including North Carolina A&T anywhere in the rankings makes absolutely no sense to me. They are a strong sprint team that will do better outdoors than indoors. How disappointing it was to see that list. I do believe that Texas men have a strong team, and they should be considered a number one threat but 2 on down I could dispute.

2022 NCAA Indoor Championship Recap

(NCAA Champions- Florida Women, Texas Men)

Well, we have come to the end of the indoor season. It was interesting to say the least. I do not want to spend a large part of the post on what we saw or lack thereof on Saturday, but it must addressed. It is clear that Track and Field does not get the same respect that other revenue generating sports do. This championship meet should have been on television not a streaming app. The technical issues and the poor officiating are the big stories from this weekend, and they should not be. The athletes competed hard all season long and deserved to be rewarded with a great meet. All in all, there were quite a few shocking performances and upsets. Out of the 34 races I predicted, I got 14 correct. There were 7 for both men and women. In this post we will look at the biggest stories from this weekend.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

The women’s meet was competitive and there were some shocking performances to say the least. The 60-meter dash began in the preliminary round with a bang. Meet favorite Julien Alfred broke the NCAA record with a time of 7.04. She looked in great shape and ready to repeat in the finals. Well, that did not happen, Melissa Jefferson who represents Coastal Carolina came through in the last 30 meters to surge ahead of the field to win in 7.09. Abby Steiner of Kentucky finished 2^nd with a time of 7.10. Alfred would finish with a time of 7.15 in 5^th place.

Steiner would redeem herself in the 200-meter dash winning with a time of 22.16. Her time gives her the top three times run in NCAA history. Steiner had an impressive meet winning the 200 and finishing second in the 60.

My prediction in the 400 came to fruition. Talitha Diggs was the preseason favorite and proved why. She claimed the national title from the “slow” heat winning with a time of 50.98. She was the only athlete to rub 51 this past weekend and although it was considered the slow heat it produced the top two times in the meet with Kennedy Simon finishing second with a tie of 51.46.

In the 60-meter hurdles I fully expected for Alia Armstrong of LSU to redeem herself after a rough outing in the event at the SEC Championships. Unfortunately, she would false start and disqualify herself, a common story at the NCAA Championship. Grace Stark stepped up and simply ran a dominant race. Stark tied the NCAA record set by Brianna Rollins of Clemson with her mark of 7.78. Her 10 points here were a big part of Florida’s phenomenal weekend.

Men

The 60-meter dash was a story for all the wrong reasons. The lived feed crashed, and the officials did not call a great race along with the two big false starts in the prelims. In the preliminary races both top seeds Micah Williams of Oregon and Terrence Jones of Texas Tech false started stunning everyone. In the finals the race was supposed to be called back but due to all the noise a few of the athletes did not hear the call back and ran their race completely. They had to run all over again. Davonte Burnett of USC did not complain he won both races, 6.52 and then finally 6.50. Hopefully we can get a better officiated meet coming this outdoor season.

The 200 was supposed to be Matthew Boling’s race to win. Perhaps running the 60-meter dash, the 200, long and the 4x400 relay was perhaps to much for the talented sprinter. He was favored to win at least two events and came away empty. In the 200 he was disqualified after running in the lane of his competitor Javonte Harding of North Carolina A&T for two steps. Harding led the race the entire way running a blistering first turn and never letting up. He certainly learned his lesson from his first race and clocked in at 20.46. Harding was a big part of North Carolina A&T’s runner up team trophy.

In the 400 Harding’s teammate and Olympian Randolph Ross left no doubt he was the best runner on the track. His time is of 44.62 surpasses Michael Johnson’s best time of 44.63. Although we did not get to see Ross versus Champ Allison of Florida, the outdoor season will present a new opportunity. Ross was a runaway winner with no one within sight of challenging. Ross will again likely dip under 44 seconds and is a big part of America’s future in 400-meter sprinting.

Senior Trey Cunningham of Florida State was another convincing and dominant run. He has been virtually unbeatable all season long and has just simply been solid. Cunningham was not able to break Grant Holloway’s record of 7.35 but he did become second all-time with 7.38. Cunningham was simply flawless over the hurdles and never seemed to be bothered by the chaos around him.

DISTANCE

Women

In the 800 we expected a battle between Shafiqua Maloney of Arkansas and Lindsay Butler of Virginia Tech. It was more of the Lindsay Butler show than we expected. Butler expertly navigated through the race and was able to come away with the victory. She was in the top three through 600 meters and the last 200 meters she outkicked the field. Her time was 2:01.37, a facility record.

The mile was chaotic as usual. Emily Mackay of Binghamton had been the top miler all season long. She was a heavy favorite to win entering this meet. Mackay did not make it out of the preliminaries finishing fifth in her heat getting beat at the line to the final qualifying spot. My predicted champion Julia Heymach made it to the finals but only placed seventh. It was Colorado’s Micaela Degenero that came away with the victory. The senior ran a personal best to qualify to the finals and then ran a personal best again to win in the finals with a time of 4:33.92.

Oklahoma State has had quite the distance program over the years producing several NCAA Champions. Taylor Roe just became the latest to win for the Cowgirls claiming the 3,000-meter run title. The junior sat comfortably towards the back of the pack. She slowly crept up and around 2,000 meters began to get into position. Just before she reached 2,400 meters she took over as the lead and never relinquished it winning in a time of 8:58.95, she was one of three athletes to win under 9 minutes.

The 5,000-meter favorite Courtney Wayment of BYU certainly lived up to the hype. She has been the top runner in the 5k since the very start of the Indoor season and capped off the indoor season with a title in the event. The junior ran a time of 15:30.17 outdueling Mercy Chalengat of Alabama. Wayment had several moments in the race where she ran the faster split, but it was not until the 600 meters that she clearly took over the lead. Chalengat did most of the heavy lifting and it resulted in a third-place finish.

Men

Brandon Miller of Texas A&M certainly was the 800-meter king all season long. After an impressive freshman season where we watched a freshman run a 1:44 800 outdoors he found a way to add a key title to his trophy case. He outlasted the field winning with a time of 1:47.19. He took over halfway through and never let up. It was not another 1:45 performance but it was still great nonetheless, I for one look forward to seeing what he can do outdoors.  

I expected Mario Garcia Romo of Ole Miss to win this race and he delivered. The junior ran a smart tactical race and out leaned senior Morgan Beadlescomb of Michigan State for the title in a time of 4:07.54. Although not an impressive time it is no shock that the race was more strategic after having some strong qualifying times, including six qualifiers running a sub 4 minutes.

Abdihamid Nur of Northern Arizona was the king of the meet. He was the only male athlete in the entire meet to complete a double. The super sophomore began the meet by winning the 5,000-meter run Friday night. For a good majority of the 5k, favorite Wesley Kiptoo led the race with a blistering pace. It seemed to between him and Adrian Wildschutt of Florida State. Nur was comfortably towards the front but not leading. Just before it hit 4,000 meters Nur made his move to lead and made sure to close the door on anyone catching him. He ran a personal best and meet record to hold off true freshman Ky Robinson on Stanford with his winning time of 13:19.01. His time breaks the meet record held by Wesley Kiptoo who clearly out of gas towards the end of the race finished in 12^th.

He returned Saturday to continue his great weekend by claiming the title in the men’s 3k. He outdueled Amon Kemboi of Arkansas by becoming the only athlete in the field to dip under 8 minutes with his time of 7:59.88 to Kemboi’s 8:00.21. Favorite and NCAA record holder Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame finished 9^th overall in this race.

RELAYS

Women

The times were not the same as at the SEC Championships, but the intensity was certainly there. Arkansas anchor Britton Wilson got the baton in second behind Kentucky. She ran a 50.6 anchor leg to outduel Kentucky with a time of 3:27.23.

On Friday night Arkansas claimed their first relay title rebounding from a disappointing defeat at the hands of Ole Miss at the SEC Championship. They ran a season best 10:51.37 to Stanford’s 10:53.37.

Men

In the men’s DMR Texas anchor Yaseen Abdalla was able to hold off Notre Dame’s Yared Nuguse to win with a time of 9:25.20 to 9:25.77 courtesy of his 3:55 anchor. It is the first DMR title for the Texas Longhorns and the lone victory for the team this past weekend.

The 4x400 relay was still solid but Florida was without their top gun Champ Allison who was DNF in the 400 final. Texas A&M would run a season best time of 3:04.16 to claim the NCAA title over Texas who finished in 2^nd.

JUMPS

Jasmine Moore of Florida completed one of the most impressive performances this weekend in NCAA history. Moore on Friday night claimed the title in the Long Jump with a mark of 21 feet 6 ¾ inches (6.57m). It was her Saturday night performance that was so eye popping. The junior again broke her own NCAA record with a mark of 47 feet 9 ¾ inches (14.57m). She won the event by almost 2 feet, with her teammate Natricia Hooper finishing second with 45 feet 10 ¾ inches (13.99m).

In the high jump Tyra Gittens of Texas was beaten by her former teammate Lamara Distin of Texas A&M. Distin had a flawless series clearing every jump on the first try. She did not run into any challenges until reaching the championship height of 6 feet 3 ½ inches (1.92m), she was able to clear it on her final attempt to match her personal best.

In the pole vault Rachel Baxter of Virginia Tech entered the meet as the favorite and the only athlete to have gone over 15 feet this season. The senior remains the only athlete over 15 feet having won with a mark of 15 feet 1 ¾ inches, a new personal best.

Men

Tennessee had a strong Friday night in the long jump finishing 1-2. It was not favorite Carey McLeod but instead his younger teammate, freshman Wayne Pinnock who claimed the title with a leap of 26 feet (7.92m). McLeod was second with a mark of 25 feet 11 ½ inches (7.91m). It is the first 1-2 finish in the long jump for the Tennessee Vols.

In the triple jump it was the same story as last year. Chengetayi Mayapa of TCU entered the meet the favorite and with the top mark but left without the trophy after being outdueled by Emmanuel Ihemeje of Oregon. Ihemeje of Oregon claimed the NCAA title with a mark of 55 feet 2 ¾ inches (16.83m). Mayapa was third with a mark of 54 feet 2 inches (16.51m).

In the high jump my pick Roberto Vilches of Missouri ran into a buzz saw this weekend. He finished fifth while Vernon Turner of Oklahoma claimed victory with a mark of 7 feet 7 ¼ inches (2.32m). Turner’s mark is the top mark this season. This is Turner’s first NCAA title and perhaps not his last.

In the Pole Vault Zach McWhorter of BYU was the top athlete for majority of this season. However, he was not able to claim the NCAA title finishing 2^nd. Princeton’s Sondre Guttormsen claimed the event title with his mark of 18 feet 10 ¼ inches. He made several attempts at 19-foot mark but was unable to. Guttormsen is one of the top tier athletes representing Princeton which has been developing a strong track program.

THROWS

Women

Adelaide Aquilla of Ohio State was the defending champion in the women’s shot put and was the overwhelming favorite heading into this meet. She comfortably had built the best resume and had the top mark of the year. Jorinde Van Klinken of Arizona State was not phased by any of that and proved it by winning the shot put with her personal best throw of 62 feet 7 ¼ inches, a facility record. Van Klinken is the lastest thrower from Arizona State to win a national title and I am sure she will be ready to face off Aquilla who look to redeem herself outdoors.

In the weight throw senior Shey Taiwo of Ole Miss rebounded after finishing second at the SEC Championships to her teammate Jasmine Mitchell. The senior had a throw of 83 feet 10 inches, just a quarter shy of tying the NCAA record. Mitchell was not to far behind with a throw of 81 feet 10 inches. Two athletes over 80 feet should tell you just how quality the program at Ole Miss is.

Men

Turner Washington of Arizona State lived up to reputation as a championship level performer. He entered the meet third overall in the shot put and left the NCAA Champion. He launched a throw of 71 feet ½ inch. He was three inches off his NCAA record. He has now won back-to-back titles and will look to carry that success into the outdoor season.

Bobby Colantonio of Alabama made me smile helping my prediction to come true. He led the competition from his first throw, and it did not result in being his best mark. He would improve upon that mark on his final throw with a mark of 77 feet 5 ¼ inches to give him a comfortable victory.

MULTI’S

Women’s Pentathlon

Anna Hall of Florida has had quite the sensational season. After transferring from Georgia, the junior has lived up to the hype surrounding her. Hall scored a total of 4,586 points. She claimed event titles in 2 out of the five events. She had seasonal bests in the high jump and in the 60-meter hurdles to give her a comfortable lead. Look for her to put it all together this outdoor season and give us a great show in the Heptathlon.

Men’s Heptathlon

Ayden Owens of Arkansas had one of the greatest comebacks in recent memory. Entering the final event, it looked as if Kyle Garland of Georgia was going to win the title. Owens was in fourth position. Well, he scorched the track in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:31.55. His performance was not only first in the field but gave him enough points to be launched into first place with a total of 6,211 points with Garland finishing in close second with 6,200 points. Owens appears to be the more fluid runner of the two and he will likely have the advantage in the decathlon with their being more running events.

TEAM TITLE RECAP

For the women what an impressive performance by the Gators. The women earned the first NCAA title in 30 years and their first time under Mike Holloway. They scored 68 points with four individual NCAA titles and that is without a 4x400 relay. The outdoor season will come with more opportunities for the Gators to score points, so it looks good for their first outdoor ranking to be the number one team.

On the men’s side Texas throughout the year was a top five team even garnering a number one ranking at one point. They proved the ranking right winning with a total of 47 points. This is the first team title for Eldrick Floreal and will likely not be the last.

2022 NCAA Indoor Championship Preview

 

We are finally here. The 2022 NCAA Indoor Championship. This season has continued the theme we have had over the past few years of breaking NCAA historical records. The team title competition is more competitive than it has ever been, especially among women. I believe we are for a treat this weekend. In this post we will preview each event with a prediction.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

In the 60-meter dash there are three headliners, two of them are also hurdlers completing the double. Julien Alfred of Texas is the main headliner. She is currently tied for the 2^nd best time in the nation with a time of 7.12. Alfred has been a favorite to win for multiple seasons, most notably in 2020 before the Covid-19 Pandemic. Alia Armstrong of LSU rebounded at the SEC Championship in the 60 meters after a misstep in the hurdles. Her winning time was 7.11 and the new national number one. She surpassed previous co-number one Grace Stark of Florida in that race. Alfred has been the most consistent and is long overdue for a title. Also keep an eye out for NCAA record holder Kemba Nelson of Oregon who is also the defending champion. She came on at Championship time last season and could potentially do it again.

Prediction: Julien Alfred Texas

In the 200-meter dash it has been Abby Steiner of Kentucky and everybody else. Steiner not only broke the NCAA record, but she also broke the American record previously held by Gwen Torrence. Her time of 22.09 is second all-time only behind the legendary Merlene Ottey of Jamaica. Anavia Battle of Ohio State is an Olympian with an outdoor personal best of 21.95 but she has been chasing Steiner all season. Her best so far is 22.39 ran at the Big 10 Championship. Battle had no competition at the Big 10 Championship but keeping up with Steiner will be difficult. Steiner has been at the top of the list since the start of the season and never relinquished it.

Prediction: Abby Steiner Kentucky

In the 400 Alexis Holmes of Kentucky was not a preseason favorite and should have been. Holmes had a eye popping performance at the SEC Championship with her NCAA leading time of 50.77. Going sub 51 indoors is impressive and difficult. Joining her in a sub 51 performance is Britton Wilson of Arkansas who transferred from Tennessee. The strong runner dramatically improved her 400-time finishing second with a time of 50.88. Talitha Diggs of Florida was the preseason favorite after an impressive Freshman season that included a SEC title and runner up finish at nationals. Holmes has been consistent throughout the season but watch for Diggs, she has 22.7 speed and the potential to go faster than her 51.25 season best.

Prediction: Talitha Diggs Florida

Alia Armstrong of LSU is ranked number one in the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles. The key to her great performances in both races is her excellent start. It’s never a surprise to see an LSU athlete at the top of any sprint or hurdle event but none have been this close to winning both the 60-meter dash and 60 meter hurdles. Armstrong’s national leading of 7.81 is only 0.02 off the NCAA record and with her 60-meter speed of 7.11 she could easily lower that time. Paula Simon of North Carolina A&T is ranked second with a time of 7.83 and Grace Stark of Florida is third with 7.86. Stark has the most impressive win on the season claiming the SEC title, but Simon and Armstrong will be ready.

Prediction: Alia Armstrong LSU

Men

The preseason 60-meter dash favorite was Micah Williams of Oregon. He is the defending champion in this event and has consistently run sub 6.5 all season. His second ranked mark of 6.48 is impressive considering he ran that race against 0 competition. Terrance Jones of Texas Tech is a true freshman who ran a 6.45 to debut his season and it was converted to 6.47 due to the altitude. He has not run much so far this season and has had some injury concerns. We will learn what he is made of this weekend.

Prediction: Micah Williams Oregon

The 200-meter title has Matthew Boling of Georgia’s name on it, since he is the defending champion. He has been number one all season and has even defeated Javonte Harding of North Carolina A&T one on one. He has been a more polished sprinter this season under the leadership of Caryl Smith-Gilbert. His time of 20.27 is still not his personal best and he is clearly looking to surpass it this weekend. Lance Lang of Kentucky was flying under the radar all season. He reminded everyone that he is still a force to be reckoned with after winning the 200 meter-dash at the SEC Championships with a time of 20.32. Boling opted to only compete in the 60-meter dash, the long jump and the 4x400 relay and never got the chance to go toe to toe with Lang. Lang has ran dominant races all season long with very little challenge.

Prediction: Lance Lang of Kentucky

The 400 got even more interesting following the completion of the SEC Championship. Florida’s Champion Allison, a transfer from Alabama won the meet in a time of 45.04. He ran a smart competitive race and won comfortably indicating there is certainly more in the tank. Randolph Ross of North Carolina A&T has been the number one 400 runner all season long and is currently the only sub 45 second runner in the field with his time of 44.83. Ross is an Olympian and has ran under 44 seconds as a career best. It is not incoceiveable for him to not only lower his time but potentially challenge Michael Norman’s record. Elijah Godwin of Georgia is the last major headliner in this event. He did indeed lose to Randolph Ross but was leading the race when he made a costly error by turning around thinking something has happened. His 45.38 is nothing to ignore and he has left us wanting more.

Prediction: Randolph Ross North Carolina A&T

In the hurdles we truly want to say it is Trey Cunningham and nobody else. However, it is the hurdles and anything can happen. Cunningham has been chasing Grant Holloway his entire collegiate career and he most certainly looks to break his NCAA record this season. Having run the second fastest time of all-time with a 7.40 it is certainly possible for him to break it. Leonard Mustari of North Carolina A&T is a freshman and the future in this event. His time of 7.55 is second in the country and he could improve upon his mark. He got his taste of championship season two weekends ago when he made a technical error and stumbled over a hurdle and was never able to get back in the race. Cunningham’s technique is superb and the only way he could potentially be beaten is by someone with better technique. Mustari has a ways to go in that department.

Prediction: Trey Cunningham

DISTANCE

Women

The Arkansas Lady Razorbacks are looking to continue the NCAA Championship winning streak. They are a deep team and will be relying on senior Shafiqua Maloney to score big points. Maloney is currently ranked number two in the nation with a time of 2:01.74. She would have also qualified for the open 400. Maloney certainly has the speed and a solid track record this entire season not having lost and 800. Lindsay Butler of Virginia Tech is their latest half mile star. Butler catapulted to the number one spot after a strong showing at the ACC Championships to win with a time of 2:01.23. Butler may not have the kick that Maloney has but she can rumble.

Prediction: Lindsay Butler Virginia Tech

The mile has been dominated majority of this season by senior Emily Mackay of Binghamton. Some where Tony Kornheiser is smiling. Mackay has a top ranked 800 time, but the mile is where she shines the best. Her national leading time of 4:30.94 came at the Valentine Invitational at Boston University while beating Julia Heymach of Stanford who ran 4:31.35 to be ranked 2^nd. Mackay is smart runner with a lot of experience. I don’t believe we will see a sub 4:30 race, more than likely it will be a tactical one. Heymach has had a light indoor season and only ran the mile one time. Her legs are fresh, and she will be in great condition to race.

Prediction: Julia Heymach Stanford

The 3,000-meter run has had a couple of lead changes to the performance list throughout the season. It finally settled on Lauren Ryan of Florida State who ran a time of 8:47.88 at the Valentine Invitational. The junior is currently the only sub 8:50 runner in the field. This is also her only individual race. Courtney Wayment of BYU is the defending champion in this event but will have a busy weekend for the BYU Cougars. Wayment leads the nation in the 5k and is second in the 3k with a time of 8:50.05. Although Wayment is the defending champion, can she produce a strong race the day after running a challenging 5k?

Prediction: Lauren Ryan Florida State

As just stated, Courtney Wayment leads the 5,000-meter race (5k). She has held the top time in the race with 15:15.46 since December, the very beginning of the indoor season. Her closest competitor is Kelsey Chmiel of NC State. Both athletes represent strong distance programs. Chmiel finished second in the same race against Wayment with her time of 15:27.36. Wayment has built a reputation of being a consistent championship level performer and will be certainly ready here.

Prediction: Courtney Wayment BYU

Men

Texas is a state none for its speed. It also should be known for its distance talent as well. The state of Texas will have at least five athletes from various universities that will be competing in the 800 with Brandon Miller of Texas A&M leading the way. Miller ran a 1:44 outdoors as a freshman and was the preseason favorite. He has done everything to further cement why he is the favorite including having the national leading time of 1:45.24. He will face strong competition from Moad Zahafi from Texas Tech who has ran 1:45.99. Jonathan Jones of Texas will move up from the 400 and race the 800, making this one tough race of 800 runners who have the speed for strong kicks.

Prediction: Brandon Miller of Texas A&M

The preseason favorite in the men’s mile was Mario Garcia Romo of Ole Miss. Romo is currently ranked second in the nation with his time of 3:53.36. He can still be considered a favorite, but he is no longer the only one. Morgan Beadlescomb of Michigan State had one of the best performances in NCAA history in the mile against a strong competitive professional field. His time of 3:52.03 is eye-popping and hard to ignore. However, at the Big Ten Championship Beadlescomb was a victim of a slow but smart and tactical race and finished 3^rd. Beadlescomb is a gamer and will certainly attempt to rebound at nationals. He is attempting the mile and 3k double which will undoubtedly be tough.

Prediction: Mario Garcia Romo Ole Miss

The 3,000-meter run (3k) will be an opportunity for Beadlescomb to show what he is made of, but he will have Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame (7:38.13), the NCAA record holder in the race. Nuguse already has NCAA titles in his trophy case and here is another opportunity to add to it. Abdihamid Nur of Northern Arizona is ranked 2^nd with his time of 7:40.66 and he is coming off an All-American cross-country season.

Prediction: Yared Nuguse Notre Dame

Adrian Wildschutt of Florida State leads the nation in the 5,000-meter run (5k), with his time of 13:09.30 run at the Valentine Invitational which proved to be a very fruitful weekend for the Seminoles. He has only run the 5,000 once this season and he most recently stepped down to the 3,000 at the ACC Championships which resulted in a 6^th place finish. His top challenger Dylan Jacobs of Notre Dame had a better weekend having defeated Wildschutt in that same race. Both Jacobs and Wildschutt only individual race will be the 5k. Keep an eye out for Wesley Kiptoo of Iowa State who is currently ranked 3^rd. Kiptoo is having a decent season but was defeated at the Big 12 Championships two weeks ago. Kiptoo is the defending champion and will be ready.

Prediction: Dylan Jacobs Notre Dame

RELAYS

Women

The 4x400 relay will be interesting. We already have a new NCAA record this season from Arkansas and they could potentially lower their time again. They will have Texas A&M, Kentucky and Texas in that same race. This race will be fun to watch and what an exciting end to what should be a great meet.

Prediction: Texas

The DMR is also Arkansas race to lose and surprisingly they lost at the SEC Championship to Ole Miss. The Rebels of Ole Miss will certainly be prepared to beat them again since they always have their team ready to compete. Arkansas still has the number time with 10:51.63 but Ole Miss will be ready. Also keep an eye out for Virginia Tech as they are ranked 2^nd with a time of 10:53.21

Prediction: Arkansas

Men

The 4x400 relay will be equally exciting on the men’s side. Georgia stunned number one ranked Florida at the SEC Championships, but Florida still has the number one time. Expect the Gators to rebound, they have three individuals in the open 400 and may make some adjustments to their order. Also keep an eye out for Iowa which has an equally strong group.

Prediction: Florida

The DMR is an opportunity for strong distance programs to show off their depth. Notre Dame who is currently ranked number two could have challenged the number one ranking at the ACC Championships had it not been for Nuguse falling in the final stretch of the race. Look for them to rebound strongly at nationals and perhaps go sub 9:20. Washington has held the number one time in the nation for a few weeks and will have plenty of fresh and strong legs ready to compete. Ole Miss always brings a strong team and will be ready to do that again this season.

Prediction: Notre Dame

JUMPS

Women

Jasmine Moore of Florida is a rare and unique talent. She is the favorite to win both the long jump and triple jump and leads the national rankings in both. Moore has already broken the NCAA record in the triple jump this season, 47 feet 9 inches (14.55m) and is the only athlete to jump over 22 feet in the long jump with 22 feet 1 ¾ inches (6.75m). In the triple jump the only athlete that has been in her stratosphere is here teammate Natricia Hooper who is ranked second with a mark of 46 feet 3 ¼ inches (14.10m).

In the long jump is a different story she will have tough competition from Alysah Hickey of Oregon and Monae Nichols of Texas Tech who both have are tied for second with a mark of 21 feet 10 ¼ inches (6.66m). In the triple jump however let us not forget Nichols’ teammate Ruth Usoro who is the defending champion in the event. This season has not gone completely the way she likely expected but she will be ready.

Long Jump/Triple Jump Prediction: Jasmine Moore  

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M is the number one ranked athlete in the country with her leap of 6 feet 3 ½ inches (1.92m). Dustin has been consistent all season long and she will need to lean on that consistency to defeat her former teammate Tyra Gittens who is now at Texas. Gittens is the defending champion in the High Jump and rounding into shape at the right time. Also in that same field will be the outdoor defending champion Rachel Glenn of South Carolina. Distin defeated Glenn a few weeks ago at the SEC Championships.

Prediction: Tyra Gittens Texas

It took until conference championship weekend, but we finally got our 15-foot pole vaulter in Rachel Baxter of Virginia Tech. Baxter leads the nation with her mark of 15 feet ½ inches (4.61m). Baxter has not lost once this season is clear favorite heading into nationals. Lisa Gunnarsson of LSU is the defending champion, but she has not only been beaten since then, but also has been beaten recently at the SEC Championships. Her team is in the team title hunt as always and is relying on her to score big points again.

Prediction: Rachel Baxter Virginia Tech

Men

In the long jump Matthew Boling of Georgia is the only athlete in the field with a season’s best mark over 27 feet, 27 feet 1 inch (8.25m). However, he has already been defeated as recently as two weeks ago at the SEC Championships by Carey McLeod of Tennessee. McLeod has jumped over 27 feet multiple times before and so can obviously produce that again. McLeod has been so close to winning an NCAA title, but it seems to always be just out of reach. This could be the year.

Prediction: Carey McLeod Tennessee

The triple jump is another event where McLeod is expected to perform well in. A returning all-American looking to complete the double. It will be difficult with Chengetayi Mapaya of TCU in the field. Mapaya literally experienced this same position last season. He entered the championship meet as the favorite and was shocked when then freshman from Oregon Emmanuel Ihemeje stunned the crowd with his victory. Mapaya leads the nation with his mark of 55 feet 1 ½ inches (16.80m). Do not think he has forgotten what happened last season. Ihemeje has been defeated this season but he has only competed twice the entire season and his best performance was good enough for the number two ranking.

Prediction: Emmanuel Ihemeje Oregon

In the high jump Earnie Sears entered this season as one of the favorites to win the High Jump. He has been a bit quiet this season and is currently ranked 10^th. He is however a championship ready competitor and will likely perform at his best against the best. Roberto Vilches of Missouri has been undefeated all indoor season long and has held the number one ranking of 7 feet 5 inches (2.26m) since the end of January. Tejaswin Shankar of Kansas State has been close to winning this title multiple times but has always just missed the title. Vilches has been the most consistent and has a win over Shankar already.

Prediction: Roberto Vilches Missouri

In the pole vault BYU’s Zach McWhorter has been the favorite all season long. He leads the nation with a leap of 19 feet 2 ¼ inches (5.85m). He almost qualified for the USA indoor world championship team indicating his talent. Sondre Guttormen of Princeton is the only other athlete this season to have leaped over 19 feet. He has put together quite an impressive season. Zach Bradford of Kansas is another name we have to mention here. Bradford has gone over 19 feet before but not this season. He has also been closed to winning the national title multiple times before, another athlete trying to finally add a national title to his collection.

Prediction: Zach McWhorter BYU

THROWS

Women

Adelaide Acquilla of Ohio State is the defending champion in the women’s shot put and this entire indoor season she simply proved to just be far superior to her competition. She has done everything to solidify her status as the favorite, especially with her leading mark of 62 feet 7 ¾ inches (19.09m). She is one of only two athletes this season to have gone over 60 feet. The other is Jorinde Van Klinken of Arizona State. The Sun Devils seems to always have a thrower near the top every season. Van Klinken is the latest star and has thrown 61 feet 11 ½ inches (18.88m).

Prediction: Adelaide Acquilla Ohio State

The weight throw preseason favorite was Jasmine Mitchell of Ole Miss. Then her teammate Shay Taiwo just simply took over. Her national leading mark of 82 feet 7 ¾ inches (25.19m) is the only mark over 80 feet this season. Taiwo unfortunately has been beaten and by her teammate Mitchell at the SEC Championships. Expect for Taiwo to attempt to rebound from that crushing defeat.

Prediction: Jasmine Mitchell Ole Miss

Men

Turner Washington of Arizona State is the defending champion and NCAA record holder. He however comes into the national meet ranked third. The two athletes above him are Daniel McArthur of North Carolina with a throw of 70 feet 7 inches (21.51m) and Adrian Piperi of Texas with 70 feet 4 ½ inches (21.45m). Washington is of course from that strong throwing program at Arizona State and always shows up against strong competition.

Prediction: Turner Washington Arizona State

In the weight throw I simply want to remind everyone that my alma-mater Eastern Michigan has two athletes in this field and both in the top five. With that being said, Israel Oloyede of Grand Canyon has held the number one ranking in a choke hold. His mark of 80 feet 2 ¾ inches (24.45m) has held since mid-January. He previously competed for Arizona and finished 2^nd last season. Bobby Colantonio is currently ranked second but has performed at an equally high level and has been more consistent as of late.

Prediction: Bobby Colantonio Alabama

MULTI’S

Women

Anna Hall has been living up to her reputation. The transfer from Georgia to Florid has proven to be very fruitful for her. Joining the all-time top three list with her score of 4,618 points further proves the decision to transfer was a smart one. The only event she has not met her personal best mark in, is the high jump. Expect for Florida coaches to rectify that and for Hall to improve upon her personal record. Kristine Blazevica is a true freshman from Texas and will be ready to take on Hall. Both Hall and Blazevica’s teams are competing for the national team title and 10 points here will go a long way.

Prediction: Anna Hall Florida

Men

In the men’s indoor heptathlon Ayden Owens leads the way with a total of 6,272 points. His transfer from Michigan to Arkansas was a smart one as his point total is a new national record for Puerto Rico. He also runs on their school record breaking 4x400 relay and will look to break the NCAA record. Kyle Garland of Georgia is one of the holdovers that remained after former coach Petros Kyprianou was relieved of his position. Garland has not missed a beat and is even performing at a higher level. Garland scored a total of 6,205 points at the SEC Championship to win. He has not competed in the heptathlon against Owens this season, but they have competed in the past with Garland coming out on top.

Prediction: Ayden Owens Arkansas

TEAM TITLE

Women

I think Florida has so much fire power and depth that it will be difficult for Arkansas and Texas to overcome. However, things do have to go right for Florida since they do not have a lot of room for error. Texas has the speed and Arkansas brings a well-rounded attack but, in the end, I believe Florida will win.

Men

I think this is another year for Arkansas to add the NCAA title trophy to their trophy case. The Razorbacks are bringing a lot of fire power and they end the meet with a strong 4x400 relay. Their ability to score in multiple areas will be difficult to overcome. Texas has a strong team as well as Georgia, but I do not believe they have enough to defeat Arkansas.

2022 Indoor Conference Championship Weekend Review

 22.09!

(Abby Steiner-Kentucky)

Whew! What a weekend. Every year Conference Championship weekend never disappoints. The performance list always changes, and we see many top tier athletes go head-to-head with a championship on the line. There were 11 number one performances this past weekend. In this post we will discuss the number one performances and the best races of the weekend.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

The SEC again proved why they are the best conference in the land. On the women’s side alone there were six number one performances and two NCAA records. One of those records came courtesy Abby Steiner of Kentucky. What a season the defending indoor champion is having. She again ran a sensational 200-meter dash, her winning time of 22.09 was not only a collegiate record but an American record as well. Her time is also the second fastest in world history. Only legendary Jamaican sprinter Merlene Ottey has ran faster.

Steiner’s teammate Alexis Holmes was able to prove why she was the number one quarter-miler and not Talitha Diggs of Florida. Holmes has had to sit in the shadows the past few seasons but made her presence known Saturday by proving she is certainly capable of beating the best. Holmes scorched the track to win the 400-meter race in a time of 50.77. Holmes is clearly now the favorite and all she needs to do is win the NCAA title.

In the 60-meter dash LSU’s Alia Armstrong was able to 1 for 2 in conference title hopes. She blasted out of the blocks first and had a clear lead on the field at the 40-meter mark and never let up claiming victory with a time of 7.11. Armstrong now has the fastest time in the NCAA in the 60-meter hurdles as well as the 60-meter dash. If she can put it all together in one meet, she can perform that rare double.

Men

The lone number one performance for the men in the sprints/hurdles is of course Trey Cunningham of Florida State. The super senior again drew closer to Grant Holloway’s NCAA record. Cunningham was impressive in his preliminary race dominating the field with a time of 7.40. That time will serve as the new number one performance of the season. He would go on to run 7.42 in the finals. Likely Cunningham may be able to break Holloway’s NCAA record.

Although not a number one time perhaps the best race of the season came from Champion Allison of Florida. A highly sought-after recruit from Houston, Texas Allison has shown flashes of talent with his blazing speed. For reasons unknown it never materialized into championship level performances. After transferring to Florida Mike Holloway is certainly bringing the best in him out. Allison ran a dominating race at the SEC Championships to clock in at 45.04. He is now ranked number two in the country and things will certainly get interesting between him and Randolph Ross.

DISTANCE

Women

There was one lone new number one performance in the women’s distance events. No surprise it came from the ACC. Virginia Tech has been outstanding in the last couple of years in developing 800-meter runners. Lindsey Butler is the latest star for the Hokies. She claimed the ACC title on her home track in a time of 2:01.23. Her and Maloney of Arkansas are the only two athletes to have run sub 2:02. She also ran a leg on Virginia Tech’s ACC Champion Distance Medley Relay team. The returning all-American is rounding in championship form, right on time.

Men

Brandon Miller wowed us in 2021 at the Outdoor National Championship running a 1:44 800 as a true freshman. He started this season as a clear favorite and has not disappointed this entire season. On his home track he ran a dominant race clocking in at 1:45.24. Regardless of the conditions a 1:45 performance is nothing to ignore. There is still more in the tank, could we see a 1:44 indoors. It remains to be seen from this talented young man.

We also cannot ignore the impressive double performed at the Big Ten Indoor Championship. Olin Hacker led his Wisconsin teammates on an impressive Distance team performance. Claiming victory in the 3,000 and 5,000 at the Big Ten Championship. Hacker has qualified for the Indoor Championship in the 3,000.

JUMPS

Jasmine Moore has already had an impressive season setting the NCAA record for the triple jump. She crossed over an important milestone at the SEC Indoor Championship. Moore surpassed 22 feet with a mark of 22 feet 1 ¾ inches (6.75m). She is currently the only athlete in the country to surpass 22 feet and is now ranked number one in both the long jump and triple jump. Her double was huge in the team title race for Florida at the SEC Championship where they finished second. Her performance will be counted even more at Indoor Nationals.

We finally have our first 15-foot jumper in the Pole Vault this season. I spoke openly about it happening in our last post. Senior Rachel Baxter of Virginia Tech claimed the ACC title with her leap of 15 feet 1 ½ inches (4.61m). Baxter finished fourth nationally last year and will obviously look to improve upon that mark this season.

THROWS

Women

In what was perhaps the biggest upset of the year Jasmine Mitchell of Ole Miss took down her star teammate Shey Taiwo in the weight throw. Taiwo has thrown over 80 feet multiple times this season but was unable to do so this weekend. Mitchell took the lead on her first throw and never relinquished it. Her winning mark was 76 feet 10 ½ inches (23.43m).

Men

We have a new leader in the men’s shot put. Senior Daniel McArthur of North Carolina joined the 70-foot club after winning performance at the ACC Championship. His winning mark of 70 feet 7 inches (21.51m) is the top throw on the season. Both McArthur and Adrian Piperi of Texas will look to dethrone defending champion and NCAA record holder Turner Washington of Arizona State. Washington has not thrown 70 feet all season and McArthur’s throw and progression this season has been stellar.

MULTI’s

Anna Hall of Florida left little doubt about who the best pentathlete is this indoor season. She had an all-time best performance in the women’s pentathlon at the SEC Championships and that was even with her well below personal best high jump mark. Hall was in the top three in all five events, claiming victory in two of them. Her best performance came in the last event where she ran a 2:05.33 in the 800. She scored a total of 4,618 points for a new personal record. Her mark is top five all-time.

RELAYS

The 4x400 relay was so competitive this past weekend at the SEC Championship. On the women’s side Arkansas reigned supreme defeating both Kentucky and Texas A&M in their heat to win with a time of 3:24.09. Their time is the new NCAA indoor record, and their time would be equally as impressive if it was outdoors. Britton Wilson who transferred to Arkansas ran an impressive anchor leg with a split of 49.8.

On the men’s side Georgia outdueled Florida to win the conference championship with a time of 3:02.59 to 3:02.61. Florida still has run faster on the season but did not show it this past weekend. I expect for head coach Mike Holloway to have his guys ready for the NCAA meet to perform better. Give Georgia’s coaching staff their credit, Florida has three guys in the top 10 in the country and they were still beaten by the Bulldogs.