2023 NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 6

Number 1 Team? 

(Texas Tech)

What a weekend! The conference championship weekend certainly did not disappoint. There were 13 new number one performances and some surprises regarding certain teams. I felt that the men in the Big 12 had a lot to say this past weekend, specifically Texas Tech. In this post we will recap the new number one marks, discuss potential team rankings heading into the NCAA Indoor Championships and discuss the crazy 4x4 final at the SEC Championship meet.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

Julien Alfred of Texas did the unthinkable at Texas Tech this past weekend. She dominated the Big 12 field with a new NCAA record time of 6.97 in the 60-meter dash. She becomes the first woman in NCAA history to break 7 seconds in the 60-meter dash. Alfred is a powerfully built sprinter and it shows in the start of her race which is so devastating. She followed up her NCAA record mark with the number two performance all time in the 200 winning in a time of 22.26. The only thing left for Alfred to do is to do win the NCAA Indoor title.

In the 400 the NCAA record was broken twice in one day. Rhasidat Adeleke of Texas broke the record at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 50.33. Literally a couple of hours later Florida junior Talitha Diggs broke not only the NCAA record but also the American record by winning the SEC Championship with a time of 50.15. Talitha comes from Olympic pedigree but is building her only impressive legacy at Florida. Could we possibly see Diggs go sub 50 indoors?

Men

Terrence Jones of Texas Tech set the NCAA ablaze early last season with a sub 6.5 performance in early January. Only for him to suffer an injury and for us to not see what he could’ve done at the end of the season. Fast forward to this season he debuts at the Big 12 Championship and stuns everyone by running a 6.46 in the 60-meter dash in the prelims. He almost broke the NCAA record in the preliminary rounds, just incredible. In the finals he clocked 6.48 but celebrating before he crossed the finish line. Micah Williams of Oregon has held the top mark the entire year but Jones took it in one weekend and may have moved Williams out of the favorite spot.

In the 200 Texas Tech got their second number one mark of the weekend with Courtney Lindsey claiming the conference title in a time of 20.13. Lindsey was number one early last season as well but was injured also. Lindsey could potentially go faster and challenge the NCAA record but his time highlights what an impressive weekend the Red Raiders had.

Elija Goodwin of Georgia has had quite the collegiate career. He was impaled by a Javelin early in his career and almost lost his life. He has since rebounded and become one of the best 400 runners in NCAA history. At the SEC Championship he became the first sub 45 second runner of the year with a winning time of 44.75. Goodwin may have been overshadowed throughout his collegiate career but now it is his time to shine. A time of that caliber indicates that the preseason hype around him was certainly warranted.

The 60 hurdles was another opportunity for Texas Tech to highlight their impressive group of sprinters. Caleb Dean certainly has the speed to be a great hurdler, he only needed a great hurdle mark to prove it. His winning time of 7.52 moved him to the top of the rankings. With a personal best of 6.59 in the 60, I am willing to bet that he could potentially run faster in the 60 hurdles. Perhaps low 6.4’s maybe high 6.3. Dean is certainly a speedy hurdler and he is capable of doing so much more. We will have to wait and see what happens at the Indoor Championship.

DISTANCE

There was no new number one distance mark this weekend but I want to highlight the incredible performances of Washington’s elite 8 men’s mile group. They have a total of eight men who can run a sub 4 minute mile. Which although it has lost its luster still impressive. The depth they have is enough to really do some damage at the Indoor Championships. They have the number 2-6 performers in the nation on one team. I do not think I have ever seen such an impressive group of runners. My hope is that that they all have something special for us at the Indoor Championships.

Another highlight to call out is Katelyn Touhy of NC State continues to be special. Although there was no Parker Valby this past weekend, and we have no clue what means for the future, Touhy continues to shine bright. She is ranked number one in the mile, 3k and 5k I hope she chooses to double at the Indoor Championship because she is certainly capable of winning any race she lines up in.

JUMPS

Women

Jasmine Moore of Florida continues her reign at the top jumper in the NCAA. She leaped to a new number one mark in the long jump with a mark of 22 feet 8 inches (6.91m). Moore now leads the NCAA in both the long jump and triple jump which should not be a surprise since she is the defending champion in both. Moore performs her best at Championship meets so it will be exciting see what she does at the Indoor Championships.

Men

Vernon Turner of Oklahoma is another returning champion and it looks like he is rounding into shape quite nicely. The senior leaped a to another Big 12 title mark of 7 feet 5 ¾ inches (2.28m). Turner’s name has been mentioned multiple times on this blog and continues to be at the top or near the list. I am curious to what else the senior has in store for us.

Cameron Crump of Mississippi State won the long jump upsetting defending champion Wayne Pinnock now of Arkansas. Crump leaped to a winning mark of 27 feet 6 ½ inches (8.39m). Crump’s mark is certainly impressive, nearly hitting 28 feet indoors. At the Indoor Championships expect for Pinnock to be prepared to defend his title with an equally impressive performance.

True freshman Jaydon Hibbert of Arkansas is apart of Jamaica’s young core of extremely talented jumpers. A country known for their speed has recently produced some incredible jumpers. Hibbert claimed the SEC title with a mark of 56 feet 1 ¼ inches (17.10m). Hibbert is having a great freshman season and has vaulted himself to the top of the rankings and is the favorite heading into the championship meet.

THROWS

Jalani Davis of Ole Miss continues their impressive streak of great weight throwers. Davis improved upon her number one mark by winning the SEC title with a throw of 80 feet 9 ¾ inches (24.63m). Davis is the defending SEC Champion and a disappointing Indoor Championship last season. This year I believe she will rebound and continue that impressive streak of champions at Ole Miss coached by Connie Price-Smith.

MULTI’S

Jadin O’Brien put Notre Dame on the map in the women’s pentathlon winning the ACC Championship with a mark of 4,377 points. The super sophomore finished in the top three in all five events winning two (shot put and 800). O’Brien’s individual marks are strong and will make her a great contender at the Indoor Championships.

4x4 Relay Debacle

The SEC Championships either indoor or out prove often to be the top meet throughout the year. The competition is heavy and world class along with several teams being built for national titles. Points are at a premium and often I find that at this meet coaches will push there athletes a lot. The 4x4 looked as if every runner was already exhausted. Seeing Jacory Patterson run the first leg of Florida’s 4x4 and pull up after an impressive weekend was disappointing. The physical battle in the women’s 4x4 was not enjoyable either and I think Arkansas proved all season to have the depth that other teams did not have. I am hoping for no major scratches at the Indoor Championships but I thought Texas Tech was wise to not run their 4x400 relay since they had asked so much of the guys during the meet. The lack of rest shows up in a meet like this.

TEAM RANKINGS

The team title picture cleared up some. On the men’s Arkansas proved their depth, Florida showed why they are one of the premier 400-meter development programs in the country. Texas Tech put the entire nation on notice where their incredible sprint depth.

On the women’s side Arkansas, Florida and Texas are looking to clash for the team title. Both have high scoring potential in several different events. Every race will matter at the Championship meet.

The declaration list will come out tonight and we should have a better picture of what the team title race will look like.

NEXT

My next post will be an NCAA Indoor Preview. That should appear early next week either Monday or Tuesday.

NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 5

 27-2!

(Jeremiah Davis-Florida State)

Last weekend is perhaps the last regular season weekend we see new number one performances. With conference Championship weekend coming at the end of February it is likely many top tier programs will be holding their athletes back to prepare for the post season. Regarding this weekend, we were treated to 11 new number one marks and times. Two of those times were NCAA records. In this post we will recap the weekend by and look ahead to the post season.  

Sprints/Hurdles

Women

Favour Ofili of LSU was the preseason favorite to win the 200 and so far this season she has done everything needed to cement that status. This past weekend at the Tyson Invitational the junior clocked a time of 22.36 to win. She is now the number two performer all time behind Abby Steiner. Ofili already has a sub 22 performance under her belt all she needs is a national title and it looks like she will get it.

Men

Tarsis Orogot of Alabama by way of Uganda is having a great sophomore season. At the Don Kirby Invite he claimed the 200 meter title by winning it with a time of 20.20. His time ranks his 7^th all-time in NCAA history. What makes that mark standout is not the all-time ranking but the fact that the mark is his best time ever. Orogot is young and with a time like that it is clear he is gearing up for a big season post-season and a great outdoor season. Keep an eye out for him, I doubt this will be the last we hear of him.

In the hurdles is perhaps one of the biggest stories of the weekend. Cordell Pinch of Division 2 Pittsburgh State claimed the nation’s fastest time winning the 60 hurdles on his home track with a time of 7.50. His mark is the new Division 2 national record and the number one ranking among all collegians. Pinch was a division 1 athlete competing for Kansas but has found a new home at Pittsburgh State.

Distance

Women

Roisin Willis of Stanford was a highly touted recruit and was expected to make major noise her freshman year. I do not think we expected this though. Willis competed at the Badgers Windy City Invite and claimed the 800 meter title with a time of 1:59.95. Willis is second all-time behind only Athing Mu. She has been a record breaker for a long time so this certainly will not be the last time.

Katelyn Touhy has been perhaps the most dominant distance runner in the NCAA in quite some time. After this weekend she now has the top time in the mile, 3k and 5k. What will she do, remains to be seen. At the Millrose Games this past weekend Touhy hopped into the 3,000-meter run and clocked a NCAA record with a time of 8:35.20 to finish third overall. Competing against the professionals clearly brought out the best in the talented sophomore.

Men

Sam Austin of Florida made his name known in a big way. At the Tyson Invitational he defeated a strong field to claim the 800 meter title with a time of 1:46.06. Without any conversions he has the top time in the nation. This was not on anyone’s radar this season, we know he has talent but clearly the coaching staff at Florida has been developing him well. His time is special, and I look forward to seeing what more he’ll do later on this season.

At Boston University they put on a show in the men’s mile. So many heats of the mile was geared to setting a record for the most sub 4 minute miles in a single competition. The previous record was 27, they smashed that at Boston with a total of 52 sub 4 minute miles. The most stunning came from sophomore Anass Essayi of South Carolina. Essayi was the lone Carolinian in the field and competed in the toughest heat, the first one. In his heat were some top tier professionals and he beat all of them except one. He finished in a close second with a time of 3:50.46. His time is number two all-time and puts his squarely in the driver’s seat for the men’s mile.

JUMPS

Women

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M continues to rearrange the record books. At the Tiger Paw Invite at Clemson University the senior leaped to a winning mark of 6 feet 5 ½ inches (1.97m). She is now tied for number three all-time. Distin has been a consistently high performer since her arrival at Texas A&M. I do not expect for that slow down, I expect for to continue to chase the indoor record as well as the outdoor record.

In the long jump Florida junior Jasmine Moore had the NCAA lead for a moment. Out west at the Don Kirby Invite Alysah Hickey of Oregon leaped to a new national led and the meet win with a mark of 22 feet 3 ½ inches (6.79m). Since Coach Robert Johnson left the program, I wondered if Oregon would be able to keep their jumpers performing at a high level, and here is the proof.

Men

Jeremiah Davis of Florida State is having a spectacular year. The junior leaped to a new personal best this weekend at the Don Kirby Invitational. His mark of 27 feet 2 inches further cements his stranglehold of the top long jump mark in the country. What perhaps makes the mark even more impressive is that was on his first and only jump. He jumped once and passed on every other opportunity. It leaves me wondering what else could he do?

Throws

Women

Jorinde Van Klinken has been mentioned on this blog many times before and hear she is again. Van Klinken is no stranger to a number one ranking but a NCAA record to match that number one ranking. Well that is new, Van Klinken was dominant at the Don Kirby Invitational launching a throw of 64 feet 2 ½ inches (19.57m) to claim the shot put title. Van Klinken’s transfer to Oregon has clearly been going well and perhaps she will improve on her new NCAA record later this season.

TEAM TITLE PICTURE

The team battle is starting to clear up. We recognize how strong Arkansas is with their impressive 400-meter depth. Arkansas has five athletes in the top 10 nationally. They have so many quality 400 runners they can run two relays at nationals and both will score. They have a great group of hurdlers, vaulters and of course distance runners. This team will be hard to beat.

On the men’s side Washington similarly presents strong depth but, in their case, it is the mile. The Huskies have four in the top 10 nationally. Florida proved this weekend that their team will be formidable and so has Alabama and USC. The men’s team title picture is less clear but you cannot ignore the strength of Washington.

NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 4

 7.00!

(Julien Alfred-Texas)

Our first weekend of February brought us another set of NCAA records broken. As I have stated that has been our theme. I thought we would have a quiet start to February since there will be two heavily televised meets this coming weekend in the Tyson Invitational and the Millrose Games. However, that was not the case as we had a total of 10 new number one marks including two NCAA records. This recap we will go over the new number one marks and look forward to the weekend coming up. Also keep in mind that moving forward I will not include an altitude adjusted mark instead allowing for the time and or mark the athlete earned to stand.

Sprints/Hurdles

Women

Julien Alfred of Texas is having a fantastic start to her senior year. She has had an incredible career and garnered an NCAA title in the 100 last outdoor season. All that is missing is the indoor 60 meter title and she is leaving little doubt that she is ready to obtain that now. Alfred broke her own NCAA record set two weeks ago by winning the 60-meter dash at the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational in a time of 7.00. Her start was terrific and her drive phase to sprint was textbook. I thought earlier this season that she might be capable of sub 7 and now I am sure of it.

Alfred’s teammate Rhasidat Adeleke has been an incredible all-around talent. Adeleke is currently number one in the NCAA in the 200 (without the adjustment to her altitude time) with 22.52 and now can add the 400. She claimed the second title for Texas at New Mexico with a time of 50.45. An incredible time so early and a new Irish National Record. That is her second Irish National record of the year. They both give Texas an incredible 1-2 punch.

Men

Omotade Ojora of USC reclaimed his number one ranking competing at New Mexico. Without the altitude adjustment the senior clocked a fast 60-meter hurdle time of 7.58. USC has produced some strong hurdlers under the coaching of Olympic Champion Joanna Hayes. Ojora will likely lower his time again and remain the favorite.

Jumps

Women

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M leads the number one High Jump program in the country. This past weekend she added to her NCAA lead with a mark of 6 feet 4 ¼ inches (1.94m). Distin has nearly matched her outdoor personal best set last season this indoor season. We are truly watching one of the best jumpers in NCAA history.

It was only a matter of time before an Arkansas Pole Vaulter found their way on this list. Amanda Fassold is the latest number one ranked athlete for the Razorbacks. She leaped to a mark of 14 feet 10 ¾ inches (4.54m) nearly garnering the 15 foot mark. Fassold is having a solid start to her season and if we have learned anything it’s that it will take a 15-foot mark to win the NCAA title.

Men

Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton continues his reign at the top of the NCAA list. At New Mexico he leaped to a winning mark of 19 feet 4 ¼ inches (5.90m). Guttormsen is edging closer to that national record and with his recent trajectory it is only a matter of time before he surpasses it.

Jaydon Hibbert is a true freshman at Arkansas by way of Jamaica. The talented superstar began his indoor season with a bang. Leaping to a mark of of 54 feet 10 ¾ inches (16.73m). I said at the beginning of the season with the defending champion moving on that a new leader would have to emerge. I guess the freshman said it might as well be him.

Throws

Axelina Johansson of Nebraska is a new name on the leaderboard for the women’s shot put. Johansson had a strong mark on her home field with a winning throw of 63 feet 4 inches (19.30m). Johansson is just a sophomore, but she has three foot lead on both the former and defending champion. Things are certainly heating up in the shot put, I look forward to seeing what the top indoor mark will be.

Relays

On the women’s side the new number one mark is via the Washington Huskies Distance Medley Relay Team. Washington smashed Oregon’s old NCAA record mark with a time of 10.46.62. Although they had a rabbit in the race it still does not take away from their amazing performance. Washington coaching staff was originally from Oregon, and we are seeing some of those same results now at Washington.

On the men’s side it was Arkansas incredible 4x4 mark. The group clocked in a time of 3:01.09 with Christopher Bailey having a 44.3 split. They currently rank 2^nd all time. What a year for Arkansas in the 400.