(Oklahoma State-Men)
(Defending Conference Champions)
Conference Championship Weekend: Preview 2
Power 5 Conference: Big 12
The Big 12 is no longer 12 schools but 10. However that does
not change the fact that the Big 12 is one of the most exciting of the power 5
conferences. The Big 12 historically has been one of the best conferences producing
NCAA Champions from every discipline in the sport. This year will be no
different as there is talent on both the men’s and women’s side that could win
individual NCAA titles.
SPRINTS
Women
When you think of Big 12 sprint programs you often think of
Texas first. Beverly Kearney certainly made this a feared program with an
enormous amount of sprinters. Teahna Daniels is the next in line for the Lady
Longhorns, she is the defending NCAA Indoor Champion for the 60 meter dash. She
leads the conference this season with a time of 7.21 but has a personal best of
7.11. No one in the field is near hear range and although she did not win last
year she should win pretty convincingly this go around.
In the 200 meter dash Taylor Bennett of Baylor is the
conference leader with a time of 23.00. She had quite a freshman season last
year placing herself among the elite of the conference quickly. Teahna Daniels
who has not been known as a 200 meter runner is ranked 4th in the conference
and shouldn’t be discounted as a challenger to Bennett.
The 400 is an event that Texas became known for under
Beverly Kearney. Chris Ann Gordon is next in line to join them. She leads the
conference by almost a full second with a time of 51.71. Gordon finished 2nd
in the conference last year and 3rd overall at the NCAA Championship
meet. With a large conference lead Gordon is in perfect position to continue
the trend.
Men
The 60 meter dash has a 2015 defending champion and now
senior in Senoj Jay Givans of Texas and a talented freshman from Baylor in
Maxwell Willis. Givans claimed the event in 2015 with a time of 6.59 and was
absent from the Indoor Conference Championships in 2016. Givans will look to
reclaim his crown and keep a young freshman at bay. They both tie for the
conference lead at 6.65.
In the 200 sophomore Andrew Hudson leads the way with a
season’s best time of 20.80. His time currently ranks him 14th in
the nation. Hudson is one of three athletes to have dipped under 21 seconds
indoors. Hudson was one of the top recruits in High School and looks to have
already found his footing in the NCAA.
The 400 could be won by a Olympian who competes in the 400
hurdles. Senior Byron Robinson of Texas leads the conference with his time of
46.34. However his two closes competitors are extremely close in time including
his teammate and fellow senior Aldrich Bailey with a 46.38 and Texas Tech
senior Kyle Collins with 46.35. Bailey has the best speed out of the group
being the only athlete currently indoors under 21 seconds in the 200. Although
Robinson is the leader of the group currently I expect for Bailey to finally
win his first conference title.
HURDLES
In the women’s 60 meter hurdles it’s quite possible that
Texas women could sweep the event 1-2-3. Currently they have the top three
times in the conference and have another athlete sitting at 8th in
the conference. I hope at some point this season they decide to run a shuttle
hurdle relay and challenge for the NCAA record. Leading their group of talented
hurdlers is freshman Rushelle Burton. Burton has a season’s best time of 8.06
which currently ranks her 8th in the nation. She is followed by
fellow freshman Alexis Duncan with 8.24 and junior Ariel Jones with 8.25. Burton
has a noticeable lead on her teammates and has the best shot to represent them
on the national stage.
On the men’s side after having spent a season off due to
injury Texas junior Spencer Dunkerley-Offor has returned to championship form.
He currently leads the way with a time of 7.78. Offor still has had some ups
and downs this season but after a year off you expect it. His time of 7.78
shows that she still possess the same talent that got him to Texas.
ODD EVENT (600 YARDS)
This event is not an event on the national stage, it’s also
not a part of most conference championships. However there a few with the Big
12 being one of them that considers this to be a scored event. This event is
used by some coaches to develop the endurance of 400 hurdlers and 400 runners
and the speed for 800 runners. On the
women’s side Whitney Adams of Kansas leads the way while on the men’s side Jaymes
Dennison of Iowa State leads.
DISTANCE
Women
Freshman Aaliyah Miller of Baylor looks to continue Baylor’s
recent success of great 800 meter runners. Miller leads the conference with a
time of 2:02.89. Her teammate and fellow freshman Alison Andrews-Paul is
currently ranked 4th in the conference and leads a nice 1-2 punch
for the Baylor Bears. Sophomore Jasmine Staebler of Iowa State will be in front
of her home crowd and with a time of 2:03.08 is close enough to Miller where
she could pull out the victory.
The 1,000 meter race is another odd race that is not competitive
on the national stage but is at the Big 12 conference. This event is just
another distance event to give the distance powers more opportunities to score
points. Senior Kaela Edwards of Oklahoma State leads the way here with a season’s
best of 2:40.79.
Edwards will also look to defend her conference title in the
women’s mile. She has more than a 10 second lead on the field with her time of
4:28.75. Her time also ranks her number 1 in the nation and in line for another
special season. Edwards has the distinction of being the defending NCAA Indoor
Mile Champion and looks to be in prime position to defend her crown.
The 3,000 and 5,000 meter races may likely crown new
champions. Both defending champions have not currently competed in their respective
events this season. Seniors Maggie Montoya of Baylor who leads the 3,000 with a
time of 9.12:89 and Sandie Raines of Texas who leads the 5,000 with 16:07.74
will look to take their place on top of the podium.
Men
Senior Strymar Livingston of Kansas had a decorated career
as a high school kid in New York. He broke at the time the 500 and 600 meter
indoor records and had a successful career running the 400 and 800. Now at
Kansas Livingston looks to continue his winning ways. The senior leads the
conference by almost a full second with her season best time of 1:47.95. He was
runner up last indoor season in the 600 yards rest and was runner up in the 800
at the outdoor conference championships. With this being his senior year it’s
now or never in regards to finally winning a title.
The 1,000 is currently lead by junior Lukas Koch of Kansas
State with a time of 2:23.52. The defending champion in the event senior Joshua
Thompson of Oklahoma State is currently ranked fourth with 2:25.22. With Oklahoma
State relying heavily on their distance athletes expect for Thompson to defend
his crown and garner the 10 team points. Thompson also happens to be the
defending champion in the men’s mile as well. Just like Kaela Edwards he is
hoping to claim both events. His time in the mile of 3:56.89 leads the
conference and is 4th in the nation.
The 3,000 will be a fun race to watch. Defending champion
Senior Craig Nowak of Oklahoma State sits fourth in conference with a time of
8:05.87. His main competition will come from fellow senior and in-state rival
Dylan Blankenbaker of Oklahoma who leads with a time of 7:59.67. Blakenbaker is
the athlete in the field under 8 minutes and will likely be more than motivated
enough to fight off the defending champion.
The 5,000 will likely crown a new champion. The defending
champion has been absent from the indoor season. Miguel Bautista of Texas Tech will
look to join Blakenbaker and break up the distance party that Oklahoma State
would like to have. He leads the conference with a time of 13:58.17 and is the
only athlete in the field under 14 minutes and is more than 10 seconds ahead of
his closes competitor.
FIELD EVENTS
Women
Defending Champions: Viershanie Latham, Texas Tech-Triple Jump
Latham is currently the only field athlete on the women’s
side who is a defending champion. Latham will have a very difficult time
defending her title. She is currently ranked 3rd in conference with
a mark of 43-9. The top ranked athlete in the event is Shardia Lawrence of
Kansas State with a mark of 45-1.50. It will be difficult for Latham to make up
the distance between her mark and Lawrence’s mark but it is certainly possible.
Conference Leaders: Senior Baileh Simms, Oklahoma (Long Jump
20-10); Kally Long, Texas (Pole Vault 14-6); Senior Kimberly Williamson Kansas
State (High Jump 6-1.50); Jessica Woodard, Oklahoma (Shot Put 57-4.25); Senior
Janee Kassanvaoid Kansas State (Weight Throw 70-1.75)
Nina Schultz a freshman from Kansas State is another
conference leader in the women’s heptathlon with a total of 4,271 points and is
the other athlete in the event over 4,000 points. Schultz has big shoes to fill
after the graduation of Akela Jones. Jones was an all-world athlete capable of
winning national titles in multiple individual field events. Schultz is headed
in the right direction already leading the conference as a freshman.
Men
Defending Champions: Christoff Bryan, Kansas State-High Jump;
Hayden McClain, Oklahoma-Triple Jump; Brady Grunder Kansas State-Weight Throw; Thomas Cheval
Oklahoma-Heptathlon
Of all the great returning champions senior McClain of
Oklahoma is currently the only athlete that currently leads the conference. His
mark of 54’4 in the triple jump currently ranks him as 3rd in the
country. McClain has more than a foot on his closes competitor and in great
position to defend his title.
In the heptathlon defending champion Cheval of Oklahoma has
not competed in the event all season, however he has competed in multiple
individual events. If he does compete he will be hard to defeat.
Conference Leaders:
Senior Jake Albright, Kansas (Pole Vault 18-2); Jacob Fincham-Dukes,
Oklahoma State (Long Jump 25-9.50); Nicolai Ceban, Kansas (Shot Put 65-1.50);
Trey Culver, Texas Tech (High Jump 7-3.75); Gleb Dudarev, Kansas (Weight Throw
76-11)
RELAYS
-Current Leaders-
Women
4x400: Baylor 3:32.09
Distance Medley: Oklahoma State 11:08.05
Men
4x400: Texas 3:04.95
Distance Medley: 9:28.83
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