Weekly Recap

1:59.10! NCAA RECORD

(Raevyn Rogers- Oregon)

Hot! That’s what this weekend was, another weekend in 2017 and we have two new national records. That seems to be the theme for this season. At the beginning of the season I indicated that this season has potential to be special and it is already shaping up to be that way. With us now pass the middle of April the quality of the performances are sure to increase. In this recap we will look at the top five performances from each gender. 

WOMEN

5. Yanis David (Florida-Triple Jump) This young French athlete is one of the many talented jumpers at the University of Florida or as they call themselves “Jumps U”. David has had to sit in the shadow of American triple jump star Keturah Orji. David has gotten things off to a great start this season with personal bests in the long jump earned early in the season. This past weekend at the TCU Invitational David broke out a new national lead in the triple jump with a mark of 45-8. She has almost a full foot on the closest competitor and put Orji on noticed that she is ready to compete.

4. Nikki Hiltz (Arkansas-1,500) Arkansas just seems to birth them. Another year another distance star for the Arkansas Razorbacks, championships is clearly what they do. Hiltz garnered the number one ranking in the event this past weekend with a time of 4:12.71 at the Bryan Clay Invite. Hiltz ran against quality competition finishing with the top time in Division 1 and second overall in the race. Although it is still April Hiltz has proven with that time she might be the one to beat.

3. Rushelle Burton (Texas- 100 Hurdles) It should come as no surprise that Texas has a bevy of hurdle talent. They are coached by Olympic Medalist Tonja Buford-Bailey. Bailey has made sure that the Longhorns remain a national threat ever since her arrival in Austin. Burton however is a freshman from Jamaica with rare talent and is currently proving that with every meet. After an All-American indoor season Burton has quickly found herself amongst the elite of college. This past weekend she vaulted to the number one time in the nation clocking in at 12.65 to win the Texas Invitational.  Although her time is slightly wind-aided she proves that she is ready to compete for the national crown.

2. Deajah Stevens (Oregon- 100 and 200 Dash) Stevens came in this season as one of two Olympic sprinters returning to Oregon. Stevens however made the team individually in the 200 meter dash. She is known for her long stride and closing speed which has made her a great 200 meter runner. However this season she has steadily proven her capability in the 100 meters as well. Stevens dominated the sprints at the Mt. Sac Relays this past weekend winning the 100 in 11.00 and the 200 in 22.31. Both performances rank her number in the NCAA and in the top 5 in the world period. Stevens has certainly proven that she is ready to take over as the new Oregon sprint queen.

1. Raevyn Rogers (Oregon- 800) Rogers has been the queen of the 800 since she arrived as a freshman at Oregon. Now a junior that talented star has continued her success and finally did what thought she would have done last season. Rogers broke the NCAA record this past weekend in the 800 clocking at 1:59.10 breaking Wisconsin’s Suzy Favor Hamilton record. The record has stood for 27 years and many have come close but none have been able to overcome the record until now. Rogers is a huge piece to Oregon’s dominance on the track and will continue to raise the bar in this event. Could we potentially see a 1:58 performance in the future?

MEN

5. Mostafa Hassan (Colorado St-Shot Put) Against strong competition at the Mt. Sac Relays Hassan proved to be the strongest of the all. The men’s shot put is tough event of the west coast with so many talented throwing programs. Hassan who is noticeable at a smaller school proved to be unwavering in his success this season. Hassan thrown for 69’11 in the shot put, nearly hitting 70 feet with his best throw. Hassan has an Indoor national title to his credit and is clearly in the right position to add an outdoor crown.

4. Joshua Kerr (New Mexico-1,500) Here is another talented athlete not fooled by the big name programs. Perhaps his story is not so uncommon since there is usually top tier talent in the distance events at small schools all the time. However Kerr is a youngster who is on the rise. The talented sophomore defeated NCAA Indoor mile record holder Edward Chesrek of Oregon at the NCAA Indoor Championships. His time and his mid season number one ranking should now no longer come as a shock. At the Bryan Clay Invite against a quality field that includes professionals Kerr proved to be the best clocking in at 3:35.99. It has become clear that Kerr is the next middle star in college.

3. Christopher Belcher (North Carolina A&T- 100) It’s that damn wind. It is perhaps the only negative about Outdoor track and field when it comes to the short sprints. It has fooled many of us who watch so earnestly as it has hindered top times either by aiding them or hurting them with such things as a head wind. Regardless of the wind Belcher’s time in the 100 is quite special. Belcher scorched his home track clocking in at 9.99 to win the event. The race included a few professional and current amateur hopefuls who would like to be professionals. The wind reading was 3.5, 1.5 over the legal limit. Belcher becomes on the second athlete this season to have ran under 10 seconds and although wind-aided he has made things very interesting.

2. Charles Brown (Texas Tech- Long Jump) Brown clearly was not moved by the sight Indoor Long Jump Champion Keandre Bates of Florida. Brown competed this past weekend at the TCU Horned Frog Invitational against Bates and his Florida freshman teammate star Grant Holloway. Brown soared past both of them to the number one ranking with his jump of 27-1. He is currently the only athlete in the NCAA with a mark over 27 feet and has made some early noise this season. Bates however a championship performer will not be fazed by Brown’s mid-season success. If these two meet again at the national meet do not be surprised by a different outcome, but for now let us be impressed by the great performance Mr. Brown provided us.

1. NcincililiTiti (South Carolina- 200) It has been quite a while since the South Carolina Gamecocks have had a sprinter capable of competing for the national title. Titi looks to restore that glory that Curtis Frye’s teams were known for years ago. This past weekend Titi rocketed to a time of 20.14 at the Gamecock Invitational. On his brand new home track Titi graced the field with his great performance. Titi still has to close the gap between himself at Christian Coleman of Tennessee but his time has made the nation awar

e that he is here.

RELAY's OF THE WEEK

Women: Oregon 4x100 Relay clocked in at 42.12 to set the NCAA record again this season. LSU’s 4x100 relay was second in the that race with a time of 42.14 good enough for number two all time and also the first time the record has been broken at LSU since the late 1980’s!

Men: LSU 4x100 Relay clocked in at 38.57 to hold off Houston who finished second in that same race at the Mt Sac Relays with a time of 38.59. LSU has proven to live up to the hype this season and will be a tough team to beat for the rest of the season.