NCAA Regional Review

NCAA Outdoor Championship Preview Post 1

With regional qualifying nearly 2 weeks ago the field has been set for the athletes who will compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. There are plenty of new stars and a few returning champions. The performances this season have been an amazing and it is quite possible than an NCAA record may fall.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

As always in division 1 the sprints are expected to be highly contested. With a bevy of stellar athletes to compete this year just making it to the finals is honorable. In the men’s and women’s 100 and 200 meter dash Texas A&M looks to complete a sweep of the event. The Aggies will be relying on SEC Champions Prezel Hardy and Olivia Ekpone.

Hardy a senior at Texas A&M arrived with much fanfare as the top 100 meter sprinter in high school. He was known for his killer anchor leg at the Texas High School Championship and earning the title of World Youth Champion. He has been a little bit short on individual hardware since arriving in College Station but now he has the perfect opportunity to claim the sprinting double. In the 100 top returnee and favorite, senior Dentarious Locke of Florida State looks to prove that sub 10 second performance last season was no fluke. They both will receive strong competition from true freshman Trayvon Bromell of Baylor who lit up the NCAA circuit and shocked the world with his 9.77 wind-aided performance at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship.

(Prezel Hardy)

Olivia Ekpone also arrived at Texas A&M with notoriety. Ekpone graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt in Maryland which at the time was one of the nation’s premier high school programs. The past two seasons the junior has had two sit behind her teammates. This season she pushed through and marched her way to the top. At the SEC Outdoor Championship she completed a double winning the 100 and 200, and running one of the fastest times in NCAA history in the 200 with a time of 22.23. In the field with her will be hometown favorite Jenny Prandini of Oregon and top ranked sprinter Ramona Burchell of Alabama. Burchell has the top time in the NCAA with a time of 11.03 and claimed the NCAA indoor title in the 60 meter dash.

(Olivia Ekpone)

The 400 an ever growing event has some real international level talent. On the men’s side you have Arman Hall of Florida, Deon Lendore of Texas A&M by way of Trinidad and Tobago, Bralon Taplin of Texas A&M by way of Grenada, Brycen Spratling of Pittsburgh, Hugh Graham of Florida and Mike Berry of Oregon. All men listed have earned the title of NCAA All-American in this event in previous years. This season however Lendore has dominated the event without earning a single loss. Lendore is currently ranked among the top 5 400 runners in the world with his NCAA leading time of 44.36. His top challenger of the past season has Hall of Florida. Hall suffered an injury at the SEC championships and is trying to round himself back into shape. The task may be too tough as Lendore looks at the solid choice for the tile.

On the women’s side Texas has not skipped a beat in this event. Since former coach Beverly Kearney’s arrival she has done an amazing job of making Texas the 400 meter University of the NCAA for women sprinters. This season new women’s sprint coach is Olympic Silver Medalist in the 400 hurdles, Tonja Buford Bailey. She has possibly taken the program to new heights with the recent performances of her athletes. Bailey has three athletes capable of running 50 seconds, defending champion Ashley Spencer, Courtney Okolo and true freshman Kendall Baisden. With the talent Texas has they are certainly capable of a 1-2-3 sweep. 

(Phyllis Francis)

Senior Brianna Nelson also of Texas is no slouch either and proves the solid depth that Texas has. Oregon star Phyllis Francis seems to be the only challenger to this solid group of runners. Francis claimed the indoor title with a NCAA record of 50.46. Francis has yet to run 50 seconds this outdoor season and Okolo has almost broken the 50 second barrier with her NCAA leading time of 50.03. With all the star power in this reason it is clear to claim the title it will require a 49 second performance.

The 110 meter hurdles was once a rivalry event between Wayne Davis of Texas A&M and Eddie Lovett of Florida. Both hurdlers are obvious leaders and catalyst to the rivalry between the two programs over the past few years. Joining the conversation this season is new Pac-12 record holder Aleec Harris of USC and freshman Devon Allen of Oregon. Harris claimed the top time in the country at the Pac-12 meet with a time of 13.18. His time is one of the best in NCAA history and sky-rocketed him to the position of favorite.

(Aleec Harris)

Sharika Nelvis of Arkansas State is the big name in the women’s 100 hurdles. Nelvis claimed the NCAA Indoor title and is top returnee from last outdoor season. Nelvis a nationally ranked 100 meter sprinter is one of the many rising stars in this event. Bridgette Owens of Florida, Jasmin Stowers of LSU and Kendra Harrison of Kentucky will challenge her for the crown.

Harrison of Kentucky will also look to earn a title in the women’s 400 hurdles completing the hurdles double. Harrison is the only athlete in the field to have run 54 seconds. Janeil Bellille of Texas A&M and her teammate freshman Shamier Little will again be a strong challenge to the talented Wildcat. Little one of the nation’s best 400 runners is still learning to transition her amazing speed into great hurdling.

On the men’s side this event has not been as competitive as in years past. None of the top athletes have yet to run 48 seconds in the 400 hurdles this season. Michael Stigler of Kansas is the favorite to win as the top returnee along with Nebraska senior Miles Ukaoma. Ukaoma leads a group of four athletes in this event for the Cornhuskers and looks to continue their tradition of great hurdlers.

Relay Predictions

4x100 Relay Men: Texas A&M   4X100 Relay Women: Texas A&M

4X400 Relay Men: Florida           4x400 Relay Women: Texas

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