Recap 7- Conference Championship Weekend

(Florida- 2018 Men and Women SEC Champions)

Championship season is here and the first leg of championship season did not disappoint. This past weekend was major conference championship weekend. As with this season’s theme we have new collegiate records, world junior records and all-time top performances. What a weekend we had, in this recap I will try to highlight all the major performances that took place this past weekend that are now number one ranked performances.

SPRINTS

In the men’s sprints Kendal Williams of Georgia announced his glorious return by clocking the fastest wind-legal time of the year. Williams a high school prodigy who transferred from Florida State and had to sit out a year proves that he still has that burst. Williams won the SEC 100-meter dash with a time of 9.99. He joins the collegiate sub-10 club and garners the number one ranking. With Eli Hall of Houston slowly coming back from injury Williams time proves he can win the National title.

Michael Norman of USC is rounding into form quite nicely. Norman blazed the track at Stanford University. Norman dominated both the 200 and 400 at the Pac-12 conference championship. Norman won the 400 in a time of 44.40. He won the race by nearly two seconds. His time was the number one time in the NCAA for a moment. He followed that up with a dominating 200-meter performance with a time of 19.84. His time was over the wind allowable limit. Norman is gearing for a memorable post season run.

Nathon Allen of Auburn by way of Jamaica is the runner who took Michael Norman’s number one ranking in the 400. Allen rounded the oval in a time of 44.28 to win the SEC title. Allen known for his devastating anchor legs has the skill and ability to defeat Norman. Allen was pushed by Nathan Strother of Tennessee who clocked in at 44.34 but he always rises to the occasion. Those three are the big guns competing for a national title in the 400.

On the women’s side Aleia Hobbs continued her domination in the 100. She won the 100 at the SEC Championships with the third fastest collegiate time in history, clocking in at 10.92. Hobbs a senior missed out on winning the NCAA title last season even though she had the fastest clocking in the country. This season she has been more consistent and has constantly been under 11 seconds whether wind-legal or not. Her winning time at the SEC Championship was in fact wind-legal.  

True freshman Lynna Irby of Georgia did not attempt the SEC double and only competed in the 200-meter dash. It was a wise decision as the true freshman clocked in at 22.25. Her time is the fastest in the NCAA surpassing Gabby Thomas of Harvard. It remains to be seen if Irby will contest the 400 at all later this championship season but it seems that focusing on the 200 at least for now proved to be very smart.

Kendall Ellis of USC has round into form just at the right time. Ellis whose early season showing in the 400 at the Mt. Sac Relays left many disappointed and sractiching their heads. After breaking the NCAA record indoors Ellis had a lackluster performance. This past weekend Ellis proved that was just a fluke as she won the 400 at the Pac-12 Championships with a time of 49.99. She is the first woman under 50 seconds in the world this year and her time garners her the number two time in NCAA history. With more time left in the season she could potential take the outdoor record from Courtney Okolo as well.

DISTANCE

In the 800 Isaiah Harris of Penn State improved upon his ranking. Harris won the Big Ten title in a time of 1:45.31 to further cement his status as the number two runner in the 800. Michael Saruni of UTEP is still far ahead of the competition but Harris’ time proved he will be one of the few hoping to keep up with Saruni.

Amon Kemboi of Campbell won the 1,500 at the Big South Conference Championship with a time of 3:39.72. Kemboi had the only top ten performance in the 1,500 this past weekend. Kemboi is now ranked number nine of the NCAA. He also completed the conference double by winning the 5,000. Kemboi is one of two athletes who are currently ranked in the top ten in both the 1,500 and 5,000. Kemboi may attempt to double being ranked in the top ten in both shows that he has the skill set to certainly attempt it.

Obsa Ali of Minnesota was the highlight of the 3,000-meter steeplechase this past weekend. Ali won the Big Ten Championship with a time of 8:44.77 which was good enough for tenth in the country. What is perhaps more notable is that he is the only athlete from one of the power five conferences to currently rank in the top ten in the steeplechase. There is still the regional championships to see the list shake up but for now Ali is the lone ranger.

The action on the women’s side was much more eventful. In the 1,500 Rachel Pocratsky of Virginia Tech became our new leader in the event after winning the ACC Championships with a time of 4:10.03. Her performance was quite impressive she defeated a solid field and still won by more than four seconds. This is the first time since late March that we have a new leader in the but her time and performance was so impressive we must take note. Pocratsky now enters the fray as a potential contender for the title.

Paige Stone of Syracuse improved upon her NCAA ranking all the while garnering the top time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase of the weekend. Stone won the ACC title with a time of 9:50.42 a new personal best and now moves her to the number three in the NCAA. She attempted to double at the ACC Championship by also competing in the 5,000. She finished third and perhaps will only focus on the steeplechase for the remainder of the season.

Ednah Kurgat of New Mexico was a part of a powerful one two punch at the Mountain West Championship in the 10,000. Kurgat won the conference title with a time of 32:31.55. Her teammate Weini Kelati was second with a time of 32:41.92. Kurgat had the top performance in the event over the weekend and now New Mexico has three runners in the top in the country in the event.

HURDLES

Grant Holloway continues to impress. Every time his name is mentioned in a recap he has climbed higher on the all-time list, has a new number one performance, and or a NCAA record. At the SEC Championships Holloway clocked the second fastest time in NCAA history in the 110 hurdles with a time of 13.15. His performance was the fastest time by a collegian since 19.79. It remains to be seen if he can break Renaldo Nehemiah’s record of 13.00. His record is one of the longest standing records in NCAA history, Holloway is the closest athlete we will get to breaking it.

In the 400 hurdles Rai Benjamin truly dominated the competition at the Pac-12 championships. He was the only sub 50 second athlete in the field and won the race by almost two seconds with a time of 48.46. He did not press it during the final 50 meters of that race proving that a faster time would soon be coming. Benjamin who can compete in a myriad of events is truly becoming a solid 400-meter hurdler.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Kentucky has been the leader all year long. Her speed and competitiveness was certainly going to lead her to a performance that she had this weekend. The super junior clocked a world leading time of 12.40 to win and dominate the SEC Championship. Her time is also the second fastest time in collegiate history and cemented her status as the headline favorite. The NCAA record is 12.39 and after the performance Quinn gave this past weekend that record is certainly under alert.

Quinn’s true freshman teammate and Olympian Sydney McLaughlin continues to break records every time she steps on the track. She dominated the SEC Championships in the 400 hurdles with a time of 52.75. She won the race by more than three seconds. Her time is a world junior record and one of the fastest times in the event’s world history. McLaughlin has been the talk ever since her freshman year in high school and she continues to be.

JUMPS

Demarcus Simpson of Oregon refused to be ignored any longer. The talented senior stole the thunder that was created by Holloway of Florida. Although wind-aided his Pac 12 winning jump of 27 feet 4 inches moved him past Holloway in the rankings. Holloway also had a great wind-aided jump of 27 feet 3 ¾ inches.

Tahar Triki of Texas A&M proves why there might be a new NCAA champion in the event. At the SEC Championship the sophomore defeated defending champion KeAndre Bates. Triki’s performance of 55 feet 5 ¾ inches was wind legal and the new number one performance in the nation. Bates of Florida is still ranked third but has not had the same dominant year that he had as a junior. He is a big meet performer so do not count him out but keep your eye on Triki for the championship crown.

On the women’s side the Arkansas women continue to produce championship level pole vaulters. Alexis Jacobus (formerly Weeks) leaped to a new number one ranking winning the SEC title with a leap of 15 feet 3 inches. She is one of two athletes over 15 feet this outdoor season. It is the first time the number one ranking has changed since the end of March.

Senior Keturah Orji of Georgia had quite the weekend at the SEC Championships. Orji completed the double winning both the long jump and triple jump along with earning the number one rankings in both. Her long jump performance of 22 feet 4 ¼ surpasses Taliyah Brooks and she is the first to do so since late March. In her specialty the triple jump Orji set a new collegiate record (yes again) with a mark of 47 feet 11 ¾ inches. Nothing more needs to be said except Wow!

THROWS

Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State became the new national leader in the shot put after he won the Summit League Championship. His winning mark of 68 feet 9 ¼ inches. His throw was further than number two ranked Denzel Comenentia of Georiga who is a contender for the crown. Ottedahl can now add his name to that list.

Anderson Peters of Mississippi State has lead the javelin this entire outdoor season. He proved at the SEC Championship why even as a freshman he is still the best. The talented Bulldog improved upon his number one mark with a throw of 269 feet 2 inches. He now has a five-foot lead on the closest competitor and after defeating the defending champion Ioannis Kyriazis he has proven he is a true contender for the crown.

There were no new number one performances on the women’s side however Maggie Ewen further proved herself as the top thrower in the country. The senior from Arizona State complete the sweep winning the shot put, discus and hammer throw. She did the same last season and will attempt another triple crown as the NCAA Championships as well. Ewen is currently ranked number one in all three events and in great position to continue the great throwing tradition at Arizona State.

Georgia Ellwnwood of Wisconsin claimed the new number one ranking winning the Big Ten title in the heptathlon with a total of 6,173 points.

RELAYS

LSU Women continued their storied history this past weekend winning the 4x100 relay at the SEC Championships in record form. Their time of 42.05 allowed for them to be sole owners of the NCAA record in which they have held longer than anyone.

Kentucky women also garnered the number one ranking in the women’s 4x400 relay with a SEC title winning time of 3:25.99.

There are no new number one performances on the men’s side however Texas A&M defeated number one ranked Florida without Robert Grant or Mylik Kerley in the 4x400 relay. They won the SEC title in 3:01.17 which is now a national number two ranking and further proves their 400-meter depth.

Our next post will be a preview to the NCAA Regional Championships that will take place memorial day weekend. 

Weekend Recap 6

1:43.25!

(Michael Saruni-UTEP)

This past weekend was considered to be Relay Weekend. There were multiple relay carnivals going on all over the country. You had the historic Penn Relays and Drake Relays. There was also a new meet for collegians, the National Relay Championships held at the University of Arkansas. Even with all the great relay meets there was still plenty of quality individual performances along with the theme of new collegiate records. We will also in this recap discuss the noticeable friction between some collegiate teams and the historic Penn Relays. Let us first take a look at the top five performances from the weekend.

MEN

5.) JORDAN GEIST (ARIZONA)- This talented freshman continues to appear among the top performers in the men’s shot put throughout the year. He spent a period during the indoor season as the number one ranked performer and he will now carry that same success to the outdoor season. This past weekend at Desert Heat Classic at the University of Arizona he launched a throw of 66 feet 11 ½ inches to not only win the competition but earn the number one ranking in the NCAA. There is still plenty of time left in the season but Geist has proven that he is not going anywhere and plans to be in thick of the hunt for the national title.

4.) TEJASWIN SHANKAR (KANSAS ST)- Tejaswin Shankar is the latest freshman star to show in the high jump. Last weekend it was Vernon Turner of Oklahoma who I watched win the Penn Relay title. This weekend was Shankar who leaped to a mark of 7 feet 6 inches to win the Texas Tech Corky/Crofoot Shootout. His mark not only garnered him the number one ranking in the NCAA but it was against Texas Tech star jumper Trey Culver on his home field. A mark this good certainly earns him notoriety and serves notice that there is now another threat to winning the title.

3.) KENNY SELMON (NORTH CAROLINA)- The past few years North Carolina has developed quite a stable at the 400-meter hurdles. Kenny Selmon has been a constant for the program since arriving as a freshman. He is having a great senior year so far and this past weekend further cemented his status as the number one prospect by winning the Virginia Grand Prix in a time of 48.98. No one else in the country has gone under 49 seconds further proving Selmon’s status.

2.) KEANDRE BATES (FLORIDA)- KeAndre Bates has had an up and down senior season. He entered the season as favorite to win the long jump and triple jump. However, after finishing without a national title in either event indoors expectations on him have dwindled. This past weekend at the National Relay Championships he garnered his first number one ranking of the outdoor season by winning the triple jump with a mark of 54 feet 9 ¼ inches. As we approach championship season this was a strong performance by Bates and could be the confidence booster he needed for a strong finish to his Florida career.

1.) MICHAEL SARUNI (UTEP)- Ever since that explosive 800-meter time early in the indoor season Saruni’s name has become synonymous with the 800. At the Desert Heat Classic Saruni smashed the 800-meter collegiate record with a time of 1:43.25 to win the event and cement his status as number one in the NCAA rankings. His time also places him number one in the world along with a clear distance between him and number two. He is in position to be the next great Kenyan runner and one of four ranked in the top five in the world. He will be 23 this June and in prime position to potentially lower that time again.

WOMEN

5.) JASMINE CAMACHO-QUINN (KENTUCKY)- Quinn’s talent and position at the University of Kentucky cannot be understated. She runs both relays, the high hurdles along with the open 200 and is currently ranked nationally in all four. She already has a NCAA title to her credit from her freshman season and now as a junior proved this weekend she is ready to take the title back. Although slightly wind-aided Quinn clocked in at 12.53 to win the National Relay Championships. She has yet to lose this outdoor season and whenever there is a challenge she has consistently risen to the challenge. She is ranked number one in the nation and I do not expect that to change.

4.) KARISSA SCHWEIZER (MISSOURI)- Schweizer has been the queen of distance running for quite a while. This season however she seems to have stamped her name permanently at number one. She is ranked number one in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs. This past weekend at the Drake Relays is when she garnered the number one ranking in the 5,000 with a time of 15:23.51. It remains to be seen if she will try the difficult double of the two longest races in distance running on a track but she has made a strong case to at least attempt.

3.) ASHLEY HENDERSON (SAN DIEGO ST)- Henderson has been no stranger to the collegiate ranks as she has been a formidable sprinter since her freshman season. Henderson nearly broke the 200-meter collegiate record this indoor season. Her time proved there was plenty of speed in those legs and she was ready to use it. At the Desert Heat Classic, she clocked in at 10.98 to win the race. Her time is the fastest wind-legal time in the country and in the world. This season is shaping up to be the fastest in NCAA history and has the potential to have a field were six athletes maybe under 11 seconds in the final. You can expect Henderson to be a part of that mix.

2.) MAGGIE EWEN (ARIZONA STATE)- Normally what Ewen did this weekend would garner the number ranking on my list, but there is a explanation as to why she is not number one later. Let us focus on the greatness that she has given us now. This multi-talented thrower broke another collegiate record this past weekend at the Desert Heat Classic. Her winning mark of 63 feet 10 ¼ inches broke the old record held by Raven Saunders in 2016. Ewen has been the star of the throws all year long and with this latest record she will continue that trend.

1.) SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN (KENTUCKY)- Similar that too Grant Holloway, McLaughlin seems to be mentioned on this blog practically every week. This week she finally debuted in her signature event which when she arrived at Kentucky there was consideration that she would not compete in the event at all this year. However, her coach Eldrick Floreal felt it was time for her to compete. She did not disappoint and debuted as fourth all time in the 400 hurdles with her mark of 53.60. Her time immediately placed her in the number one ranking and she has almost a two second lead on the country. We’ve known about her talent for years. Expect for that time to fall even more later on this season.

HOT RELAYS

LSU Women 4x100 Relay reclaimed the number one ranking with a time of 42.49. LSU is also ranked number one for the first time in quite a while under Dennis Shaver.

Arkansas men 4x100 relay clocked a time of 38.59 to garner the number one ranking in the NCAA. They did that while beating a pretty solid Florida team that had trouble with the baton exchanges. Arkansas rounding into shape rather nicely and will as expected be a threat at the NCAA Championship.

Thoughts: This weekend is the final weekend of the regular season. Some conference haves already had their championships and more will have them this weekend. As we head into championship season expect for the quality of the performances to go up as well.