Weekend 4 Recap

(Lynna Irby-Georgia)

Well the record breaking theme continued this past weekend. It seems that we cannot go a weekend without either a collegiate record, national record or all-time performance happening. That is the type of season it has been for Division 1 Indoor Track and Field. I hope this keeps going, it has made for an exciting season. Let us recap what was an amazing weekend full of top performances.

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5.) KEANDRE BATES (FLORIDA)- Keandre Bates was a little rusty at the beginning of the season but has easily found his form and round into great shape. This past weekend he reminded everyone why he was the favorite to potentially sweep the horizontal jumps this season. He finished 2^nd at the Razorback Invitational in the long jump to his teammate Grant Holloway with a leap of 25 feet 10-¼ inches to move into the number three position in the country. He garnered the top ranking in the country by winning the triple jump with a leap of 54-1. Bates is in great position to pull of the double.

4.) DILLON MAGGARD (UTAH STATE)- Dillon Maggard made a name for himself this weekend at the University of Washington Invitational. This meet has been a distance carnival of sorts and Maggard must have been the main attraction. Maggard clocked in at 7:52.99 in the 3,000 to win the event and claim the number one ranking. Maggard has competed at many national competitions but has yet to do well enough to score. With his recent performance in the 3,000 expect for that to change during the post season.

3.) JORDAN GEIST (ARIZONA)- Jordan Geist was a highly recruited high school senior last year. The talented standout has already proven that they hype was real with his early season performances but this past weekend sealed it. Geist took the number one ranking in the Shot Put with a throw of 70 feet 4-½ inches. He has almost five inches more on the rest of the NCAA and is in prime position to claim the title as a freshman. Expect to hear more from Geist throughout the indoor season.

2.) OGI IGBOKWE (ARKANSAS)- Ogi Igbokwe wowed his home crowd at the Razorback Invitational with his performance against top competition. Igbokwe became on the second man in the NCAA to dip under 46 seconds in the 400-meter dash with his time of 45.72. His time is number one in the NCAA and is the second fastest in the world. Although it is still January we are only a few weeks away from the SEC Championships were Igbokwe is sure to star and further improve upon his NCAA leading time.

1.) MICHAEL SARUNI (UTEP)- Michael Saruni already impressed us early in the season when he ran 1:45.9 in the 800. Saruni immediately became the favorite to win the event but his time was scrutinized because it was on a 300-meter track instead of a 200-meter track. Well Saruni proved that his time was no fluke this past weekend. Saruni clocked in at 1:45.19 at the Texas Tech Classic to win the event by more than three seconds. His time is also one of the fastest times in NCAA history and the fastest indoors since 1989. Even more impressive is that it is the fastest indoor collegiate time on American soil. Saruni is two full seconds on the rest of the NCAA and in great position to win the NCAA title.

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5.) JAZMINE FRAY (TEXAS A&M)- Fray broke the indoor collegiate record in the 800 last year but was unable to end either the indoor or outdoor season with any hardware. She still entered this season as the preseason favorite and this past weekend further cemented her status as the favorite to win the NCAA title. Against top competition at the Razorback Invitational Fray clocked in at 2:02.30 to win the 800-meter run. Her time ranks her number one in the NCAA and gives her almost a full second on the rest of the field.

4.) ALEXIS JACOBUS (ARKANSAS)- Another year another top tier pole vaulter from Arkansas. Arkansas is great at many events but Pole Vault may simply be their best. Jacobus this past weekend became the second vaulter this indoor season to surpass 15 feet. On her home field Jacobus claimed the Razorback Invitational with a leap of 15 feet 1 ½ inch. Although she is not the only 15-foot vaulter she did jump higher than Kentucky’s Olivia Gruver. These two will meet again in a few weeks at the SEC Indoor Championships and will give us a true glimpse of who is the favorite to win the event.

3.) KARISSA SCHWEIZER (MISSOURI)- Schweizer has had quite the impressive career at Missouri. She has been a mainstay with in the programs premier distance program. She has three NCAA titles to her credit in all three levels of track. Schweizer this past weekend at the Dr. Sanders Invitational she competed in the mile instead of her specialty the 5,000. Schweizer however may want to consider competing in the mile after her performance which saw her run a time of 4:27.54. Her time is the best in the country and puts her nearly eight seconds ahead of her closest competitor who was in the same race.

2.) ANNETTE ECHIKUNWOKE (CINCINNATI)- Annette Echikunwoke is a part of Cincinnati’s growing throws group. Ole Miss generally grabs the headlines because of their record breaking throwers but you cannot ignore Cincinnati. Echikunwoke joined the all-time greats in the weight throw at the Indiana Relays with her winning throw of 77 feet 8 ¾ inches. Her throw is the best throw in the NCAA since 2012 and gives her a three-foot lead over Jeneah Stewart of Ole Miss in the NCAA rankings.

1.) LYNNA IRBY (GEORGIA)- Lynna Irby was the highest ranked recruit coming out of high school in the 400. She has that rare blend of speed and endurance. She surprised many (especially me) by deciding to attend Georgia. With the way her season has been going she has clearly put the Bulldogs on the map. At the Razorback Invitational, this talented freshman was not afraid of anyone. She won the 200 from lane 3 in a time of 22.96, a new NCAA number one. Then she claimed the 400 in a time of 51.48 against the preseason favorite Kendall Ellis of USC. Her 400 time is also a NCAA number one. So yes, you are reading right a freshman leads the NCAA in both the 400 and 200, let that sink in.

Next Week: The season marches on next weekend as we enter February. There will be plenty of big meets including one in my home state of Michigan. It is the Power Five Invitational at the University of Michigan and there is also the Rod McCray Memorial Invitational at Kentucky. Expect a weekend of big performances.