SEC Indoor Preview (Men)

(Arkansas-2013 Indoor SEC/NCAA Champions)

The SEC is always the most talked about conference in the country. The most talked about topic in regards to the conference is the speed. The same is said about the track programs, the sprinters are world class. However the sprinters are the only fast athletes on the track there are also world class distance runners who seem to amaze on the international scene year in and year out. This year maybe one of the best yet.


SPRINTS

As usual we will start off talking about the sprinters. In the SEC making it to the conference final is just as challenging as in the NCAA Championship. This conference lost two studs in Isaiah Young of Ole Miss and Ameer Webb of Texas A&M. However the returning and entering talent is un-matched anywhere in the country.

In the 60 meter dash we have the returning champion Markesh Woodson of Missouri. Woodson a talented freshman last season blazed a star studded field to clock in at 6.60. He faces a strong field of qualified competitors. From Florida Hugh Graham and Antwan Wright, Texas A&M Prezel Hardy and LSU Aaron Ernest. The challenge many of his competitors will have to face is being able to compete with Woodson's fast start. Woodson too will have to make adjustments this season with a new coach in Carjay Lyles.

Ernest of LSU is the returning champion in the 200 meter dash and had a stellar season which also resulted in All-American honors. Ernest blazed the track last indoor season to the time of 20.53. Now a junior Ernest looks to build on SEC success to possibly claiming the national title. Dedric Dukes of Florida and Hardy of Texas A&M will look to challenge him for the title.

The 400 is perhaps the deepest event on the track. Returning are two athletes who competed at the World Championships this past summer in Russia. Defending champion Deon Lendore of Texas A&M by way of Trinidad and Tobago and Arman Hall of Florida competing for Team USA. Both athletes have gone under 45 seconds outdoors. Joining Hall is teammates Najee Glass and Hugh Graham. With Lendore will be Aldrich Bailey to help make this the deepest event in the conference.

The hurdles returns both NCAA Champions from last season. Eddie Lovett from Florida was the indoor champion in the 60 meter hurdles while Wayne Davis of Texas A&M is the outdoor defending champion in the 110 hurdles. Lovett has the better start with Davis the better finish. Davis can rest confidently in knowing that he can defeat Lovett. Expect for Lovett to defend his title and improve on his outdoor finish as well.


DISTANCE

Arkansas, Arkansas and yes more Arkansas. That is what distance has been about in this conference. It is difficult for other programs to compare when you have the winningest track and field program in your conference primarily due to the distance program. This season is no exception with a bevy of talented returnees.They will still find challenge from conference foe Florida.

In the 800 Florida returns two impressive performers. Defending champion Sean Obinwa and Ryan Schnulle. Joining them will be the nation's top 800 runner from high school last season Andres Arroyo and Alabama High School Champion Donnie Lee. The Gators have put together quite a mid-distance group and will be looking to advance all four to the finals in the 800. Charles Gethren of Georgia and Thomas Squella of Arkansas are also threats to claim the title in the event.

In the men's mile Arkansas seems to be the team with the most talent. Arkansas returns 2 All-SEC performers in the event. Patrick Rono and Kemoy Campbell. Arkansas also has enough talent and depth to add to both Rono and Campbell. However both will have to contend with defending champion Matt Hillenbrand of Kentucky.

In the 3,000 and 5,000 it looks to be more of Arkansas. Henry Lelei of Texas A&M was a dominant figue in the conference last season winning both events at the Indoor Championships. Stanley Kebeni of Arkansas steps into that role this season as the top returnee in both events after finishing 2nd to Lelei at the last indoor championships. Kebeni will be joined by teammates Campbell and Solomon Haile.



FIELD EVENTS

In the field events, yes there is more Arkansas here as well. In the High Jump top returnee Anthony May is expected to earn big points not just in the high jump but in the triple jump as well. Teammate Noah Kettleson is also a returning All-SEC high jumper and will look to help May complete a 1-2 punch.

In the Pole Vault Arkansas has the benefit of having the defending champion on their side in Andrew Irwin. Irwin had a stellar season in 2013 and looks to translate that same success over to 2014. Jake Blaneship of Tennessee looks to represent that proud Tennessee tradition which has produced so many great pole vaulters.

The Long Jump and triple jump has historically been solid for Arkansas. There have been many NCAA Champions to come out of this great program. This year they will have to thwart off Florida's ace in Marquis Dendy the defending champion in the long jump and top returnee in the triple jump. Even if Arkansas is not able to take Dendy off the top spot. Arkansas still has quite a group of athletes able to score big points, Jarrion Lawson, Raymond Higgs and May.

In the throwing events only one champion returns, Stephen Saenz of Auburn in the men's shot put. Saenz who competes for Mexico is also an NCAA All-American from last season. He has double duty fighting off to great returnees from Georgia in Caleb Whitener and Nick Vena. Saenz also a returnee in the weight throw looks to claim the title over top returnee Elias Hakansson of Alabama.

In the multi-event competition Georgia brings a full house load of talent. They return three of the top 4 heptathletes from last season including defending champion Garrett Scantling. Teammates Maicel Ubo and Devon Williams look to help make it a 1-2-3 sweep this time around. They will have to fight off Arkansas top man in Nathanel Franks. Scantling finished at the top in nearly every event last indoor season and will to do much of the same to claim the title this time around.


TEAM BATTLE

Florida returns a very potent team which is the reason for their number 2 ranking. However Arkansas was ranked number 1 for a reason. This season they have may not have as much sprint power but they have serious depth in every other area and will still field two great relays. I believe Arkansas will claim the SEC Indoor title.

Weekend Review Top 5

This past weekend was the first big weekend of the collegiate Indoor Track and Field season. Many students have returned to school and athletes have had time to practice and prepare. There were plenty of outstanding and notable performances. In this post we will look at the top five performances of the weekend.


5. Victoria Voronko (Eastern Michigan)

This past friday at Bowen Fieldhouse Victoria Voronko had two stellar performances in the 800 and 1,600. Both races Voronko was more than superior to her competition. In the mile (although converted to flat surface) she won her race by more than 15 seconds. Her time of 4:44.31 currently ranks early number 1 in the women's mile. Her 800 time will convert to 2:11.26 ranking her 9th early this indoor season. Voronko is the next in line to carry the torch of great Eastern Michigan distance runners.

(Victoria Voronko)

4. Corey McGee (Florida)

Corey McGee has had an excellent career at the University of Florida. McGee has earned multiple All-American honors and SEC titles. She did well enough last outdoor season to make team USA in the women's 1,500 competing at the World Championships in Russia. She got started early this season competing in the women's 800 at the UAB invitational. McGee dominated her race winning my more than three seconds with a time of 2:07.47. Her time places her number 1 in the country in the event. The 800 not her specialty however this does show McGee has great foot speed and as the runner up last outdoor season maybe the front runner to win the mile this indoor season.

(Corey McGee)

3. Leshon Collins (Houston)

Collins has unfortunately had to wait in the shadows at the University of Houston behind a talented freshman in Cameron Burrell. Collins clearly made the decision to let his performance speak for itself. Collins has gotten off to a rocket start this season clocking in at 6.60 this past weekend at the Houston Indoor Opener. His performance was especially notable since it was against an entire field of professional world class sprinters such as Olympic Relay Gold Medalist Trell Kimmons and former Houston sprinter Ivory Williams. Although it is early in the season Collins with his short stature and powerful legs is easy threat to claim the 60 meter title at the Indoor Championships

(Leshon Collins)

2. Demoye Bogle (Ohio State)

Senior Demoye Bogle has been a household name in the Big Ten and nationally in the hurdles specifically the 60 meter hurdles. Bogle a native of Jamaica has shown to have serious sprint speed and has used that to his advantage competing in the Big Ten against other hurdlers. A nationally recognized hurdler since his sophomore year Bogle continues to impress. At the Ohio State Buckeye Classic Bogle got things started early this season with an impressive 7.65. That time places him number 1 in the nation and until about mid-season he main remain there. He will have an opportunity against the defending indoor champion in Eddie Lovett of Florida at the Rod McCrary invitational in Kentucky.

(Demoye Bogle)

1. Florida Men's 4x400 Relay

The old saying used to be there are few guarantees in life, death, taxes and Baylor in the 4x400 relay. That has since changed. Since the retiring of Clyde Hart as the full time head coach at Baylor there has been a slight drop off in 400 meter talent more specifically the 4x400 relay. Florida has stepped to the fore front. Struggling for many years sitting in Baylor's rear-view, Mike Holloway now has a very strong core of 400 runners. The Gators have remained ranked in the top 5 every year since 2008. This year is no different. The Gators scorched the track at the UAB invitational clocking in at 3:06.11 a new meet record. Perhaps the most impressive stat is the team was without 200 meter specialist Dedric Dukes. The NCAA record which Arkansas broke last indoor season previously held by the Gators is perhaps still in danger this season.

(Arman Hall and Najee Glass of Florida's 4x400)

Big 12 Indoor Preview Men

(Texas Longhorns-Defending Champions)

Just like the women this conference is loaded with All-American talent and national champions. There have been a few changes to the conference, namely new coaches but the expectations are still high.


SPRINTS

(Trayvon Bromell-Baylor)

This conference had the best 100 meter sprinter in the country last season in Charles Silmon of TCU. Silmon is now competing professionally with Adidas after graduating. With the lost of Silmon the conference still holds quite a few big names. No name possibly bigger than freshman sensation Trayvon Bromell of Baylor. Bromell was the nation's top sprinter last season in high school earning the Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Brommell also went under 10 seconds last season, wind-aided but still the fastest under any condition and should be a serious threat in the 60 meter dash. Silmon's former teammate Raymond Bozman's had a rough freshman season compared to the standards he set in high school. He however still returns as the top threat to claim the indoor title along with Carlos Rodriguez of Kansas State.

In the long sprints (200 and 400 meter dash) Baylor has remained dominant for so many years. Senior Blake Heriot looks to continue that success at Baylor. Heriot a can't miss prospect coming out of high school spent his freshman season at the University of Florida. After an average freshman year he transferred to Baylor and has been a fixture in the program ever since. Heriot claimed the 200 meter title last indoor season with a time of 20.77. He however was not able to complete the double in the 400 after being passed up by returning defending champion Nick Efkamp of Iowa State. Heriot clearly has more speed but has been lacking the endurance that makes a great 400 runner. Expect in his senior season Heriot to get it right.

The hurdles have long been dominated by Texas Tech in the Big 12. It seems every year they have a trio of great hurdlers. Last season however was different, the Red Raiders only had one Tramaine Maloney of Barbados. Maloney is started to making a name for himself after his All-Conference freshman season. While the Red Raiders re-build their hurdle core Ryan Sander of Iowa State is primed to take full advantage as the top returning 60 meter hurdler. Michael Stigler of Kansas will also be a threat in the event, Stigler is the defending 400 meter hurdle champion from this past outdoor season.


DISTANCE

What a great conference the Big 12 has been to male distance runners. There are so many programs that are year end and year out ranked in the top 10 in cross country. Out of the great success during the cross country season are athletes who perform on the international stage for Championship hardware. This season is no different.

Last season Kennedy Kithuka of Texas Tech finished one of the most dominant careers in conference history. Kithuka went onto win the NCAA Indoor title in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 13:25.38 a new school record. For perennial distance power Oklahoma State Kirubel Errassu leads this group. Errassu claimed the 5,000 meter title at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship and a top returning 3,000 meter runner from last season. Errasu is a distance runner that is capable claiming titles in the mile, 3,000 and 5,000 meter races. Expect to hear his name a lot this year along with his teammate Thomas Farrell in regards to challenging Kithuka.

A great challenger to Errassu and Kithuka is Ryan Dohner of Texas. Dohner a top returning 5,000 and 10,000 meter runner will definitely be a great challenge Errasu and will be counted on to score big points for title hopeful Texas.


FIELD EVENTS

(Ryan Crouser-Texas)

It's champions galore in the field events, as in 5 returning Indoor Champions. Alex Bishop of Kansas leads the way for a very strong group of field athletes as the defending pole vault champion. He will be joined by his teammate Corey Brown. Jharyl Bowry of Kansas State also leads a squad with a great group of field athletes. Bowry is the defending champion in the long jump and his teammate Zack Riley is the top returning high jumper from last season.  Felix Obi of Baylor had perhaps the best freshman season of all field athletes in the conference and was named to the All-Rookie team. Obi is one of the many returning All-Americans. Obi will also look to challenge Bowry in the long jump to complete the double.

In the throwing events Texas has remained at the top in the Shot Put for quite sometime thanks Hayden Baillo. Baillo now gone leaves the responsibility up to Will Spence and Ryan Crouser. Crouser claimed the title last outdoor season over Baillo with a dominating performance, winning by more than 8 feet. He continued that success to the national meet claiming the NCAA Outdoor title as well. Top returnee from last indoor season Kole Weldon of Texas Tech will also be in the mix for the crown as well. In the weight throw another Texas thrower is expected to earn big points in Clint Harris. Harris is the 2nd ranked returnee in the event from last season. Harris will be joined by teammate Spence as well. Both will have there hands full with defending champion Nick Miller of Oklahoma State who won by 5 feet last indoor season.

Another NCAA Champion for the Texas Longhorns was true freshman Johannes Mock. Mock claimed the men's decathlon last outdoor season with a total of 8,267 points. Mock had a well rounded performance. He is also the defending Big 12 Indoor Champion in the pentathlon and looks to continue his success.



TEAM OUTLOOK

Texas returns perhaps the strongest group of athletes, many from the 2013 Indoor title group. There are a few areas that they are weak especially in the sprints and hurdles. But there is a new regime and things will change. A strong challenger will most certainly be Baylor and Oklahoma State, should be a fun meet to watch and a great season for all the athletes.

Big 12 Indoor Preview Women

The Big 12 is in it's second season of containing only 10 teams. However those 10 remaining teams are nationally recognized programs who year in and year out attempt to build their teams to earn national titles.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

(Christy Udoh-TEXAS)

The sprints in the Big 12 are always exciting. The conference is loaded with All-American talent in each sprint event. On the women's side Texas has perhaps the most loaded sprints roster since the championship teams under former head coach Beverly Kearney. New head coach Mario Santega spent the past 10 seasons at the university and clearly knows what it takes to win the Big 12 title and a national title.

Christy Udoh, Courtney Okolo and Brianna Nelson are a few of the big names returning for Texas this season. Udoh finished 2nd last indoor season in the 200 meters at the conference championship and placed 7th overall nationally earning All-American Honors. She is the top returning 200 meter runner and a senior leader for the Lady Longhorns.

In the 60 meter dash Texas received a transfer in the name of Morolake Akinosun. Akinosun followed her coach Tonja Buford-Bailey who became the Asst Head coach and director women's sprints. Akinosun like her coach spent last season in the Big 10. She claimed the Big 10 title as a freshman and her time is the top returning 60 meter performance from last season in the conference. Defending champion Tianna Valentine of Kansas is still a threat to repeat.

In the 400 meter dash Texas has perhaps the most loaded group of 400 runners ever assembled at an American university. Ashley Spencer is another Illinois transfer but she comes with a little more hardware in her trophy case. Spencer burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2012 running a 50.50 to win the world junior title nearly a month after winning the NCAA title as a freshman. What makes her story more interesting is she spent her high school career as a low hurdler. Spencer followed up her freshman campaign by defending her outdoor title with a time of 50.28. Along with Courtney Okolo (51.09), Brianna Nelson (52.18) true freshman Kendall Baisden (52.03) the 4x400 relay record set by Sanya Richards group in 2003 maybe in jeopardy. The lone challenger is defending indoor champion Diamond Dixon. This event should be fantastic to watch.

In the women's hurdles Tiffany McReynolds of Baylor and Morgan Snow of Texas lead this talented group. McReynolds has been a big name in collegiate track and field for quite some time. As a freshman she claimed the big 12 title in excellent fashion and won the Texas Relays 100 meter hurdles en route to All-American honors that same season. She has still been a threat all these years but have been slowed due to injuries. McReynolds looks to put it all together this season against a charging Morgan Snow of Baylor who claimed the outdoor title in the conference last season.



FIELD EVENTS

(Lindsay Vollmer)

This will be another banner year for the Big 12 in the field events. This conference like the sprints/hurdles has produced many All-Americans. Returning champions this season would be Shanae Briscoe in the High Jump and Kaitlin Petrillose in the Pole Vault also from Texas are headlining this talented group.

Lorraine Ugen of TCU is another talented athlete in the Big 12. Ugen is coming off an excellent outdoor season in which she earned her first national title in the women's long jump and earned a personal best jump of 22 feet 2 inches.

Another NCAA Champion returning is Lindsay Vollmer of Kansas. Vollmer won the women's heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championship after breaking records at the Big 12 conference meet en route to a title there. Vollmer also claimed the conference title indoors in the pentathlon. She looks to make up for a disappointing performance at last season NCAA Indoor Championship to another another title to her trophy case.

A new era will begin in the women's shot put. Last season Tia Brooks a 2012 Olympian, finished her final season at Oklahoma claiming both indoor and outdoor titles for both conference and national. Christina Hillman of Iowa State is the next up to represent the conference. As a sophomore she sat in the shadow of Brooks but looks to use the new beginning as an opportunity to place her stamp on the conference.



DISTANCE

There is a lot of new names in the distance events in this conference. Many All-Conference and All-American athletes have now graduated and moved to the next phase in their careers. One mainstay returning is defending 800 meter champion Nataljia Piliusina of Oklahoma State. Piliusina also stepped to a higher race in the women's 1,500 at the NCAA Outdoor meet and shocked many by claiming the NCAA title in the event. It's fair to say she is the clear headliner in the conference and may be looking for the mid-distance sweep at the conference championship.

Teammates Olicia Williams and Mariah Kelley of Baylor look to challenge Piliusina in both events for conference title. Williams a true freshman last season will also be on the national radar to compete for All-American honors. Top returnee from last outdoor season in the women's 1,500 was Sara Sutherland of Texas who claimed the Big 12 Outdoor title in the event. She will look to challenge Piliusina for the indoor crown in the women's mile.


TEAM RACE

Texas may just have too much fire power for Kansas to compete this season after losing some of their All-Americans to graduation. However they do return a very talented group of athletes in all phases of track and field and will have the aura of defending NCAA Outdoor Champions and Big 12 Indoor Champions along with them. This should be an entertaining season for the Big 12 conference.

ACC Indoor Preview

Well it's that time again. Another great Indoor Season is upon us and with it the next wave of collegiate track and field stars. One of the key conferences in producing those stars is the ACC. This conference over the years has gone from a distance conference to a well rounded conference. Great, sprinters, hurdles, distance runners, throwers and jumpers. Below you will a find a preview of what is to come from each section.

(Dentarious Locke-Florida State)

SPRINTS

Florida State as usual leads off for the men. They recently made headlines but nabbing the top three 100 meter sprinters in the country (Kendall Williams, Trentavis Friday and Mustaqeem Williams). Something that may have never been done. Before those three talented youngsters arrive there is already great talent remaining. Dentarious Locke was ranked number 2 in the country in the 60 meter dash last season and false started in the preliminary round. He is joined by another talented teammate in high jumper and 400 meter runner James Harris who claimed the outdoor title. Adding to the talented two will be footballer Ronald Darby and true freshman Michael Cherry.

On the women's side major changes have occurred. Clemson saw their top ranked coach Lawrence Johnson resign at the beginning of the season. During the off season assistance sprints/hurdles coach Tim Hall also left for a new position at the University of Kentucky. A new coach was hired in the off season, Mark Elliott formerly the assistant coach at LSU. He added another former LSU coach Marvin Gibson to lead the sprints/hurdles. Gibson has had great experience developing championship runners (Trindon Holliday, Kimberlyn Duncan, Kelly Ann Baptiste and Barrett Nugent). He arrives to coach a depleted sprints/hurdle core that saw top sprint returnee Dezera Bryant transfer to Kentucky behind coach Hall along with hurdler Kendra Harrison. However there is still plenty of fire power in the conference. Marecia Pemberton of Florida State is now the top returnee in the women's sprints along with Jordan Lavender of Virginia. This a great opportunity for a true freshman such as Ana Holland of Virginia to take over.



FIELD EVENTS

In the jumping events Florida State will return two superstars. James Harris in the high jump and defending outdoor champion Stefan Britts in the long jump. Joining the duo will be true freshman Jalen Ramsey a football recruit who has been living up to the hype. Another returning champion is triple jumper Johnathan Gardner. Gardner like Harris is a returning NCAA All-American. Isaiah Simmons was true freshman last year that claimed both indoor and outdoor conference titles. More is expected out of Simmons, hopefully in the form of All-American honors.

On the women's side Thea Lamond of Maryland leads a talented returning group. Lamond the defending champion in the pentathlon will not only look to defend her pentathlon title but she is also a top returnee in the high jump and triple jump. Her teammate Amber Melville is the defending champion in the high jump and only returnee with a performance over 6 feet. Martina Schultze of Virginia Tech is also a returning champion and the only pole vaulter over 14 feet. In the throwing events two champions return. In the shot put both indoor and outdoor champions will be competing for the title. Tremanisha Taylor of NC State and Chelsea Whalen of Florida State, Taylor indoors and Whalen outdoors.



DISTANCE

The distance events in conference are going through a change. A few returnees and some incoming stars. On the men's side Thomas Curtis of Virginia Tech and Jakub Zivec of Florida State are the lone champion returnees. Curtis defending his 5,000 meter crown and Zivec defending his 3,000 meter crown. Both are important pieces in the team factor. Florida State is considered the favorite with Virginia Tech close by.

On the women's side Lianne Farber of North Carolina and Juliet Bottorf of Duke are also defending champions looking to push their teams towards the team title. Both will have to fight off a talented group at Florida State. The Seminoles return two great athletes in Colleen Quigley and Jessica Parry along with freshman star Bridget Blake. The Seminoles will also look to build off a successful cross country season were they won the conference title and Quigley earned athlete of the year.



Looks to be an exciting Indoor season for the ACC. Florida State has reigned supreme on the men's side for quite a while can Virginia Tech knock them off? On the women's side Clemson has lost many athletes to transfers and a coaches to different positions. Things should get interesting on the women's side.