Double Champion?
Here in our final preview we will take a look at the field athletes, multi-event athletes and relay races. The beauty of the NCAA Championship in Eugene, Oregon is the knowledge that the fan base has about every event. Field athletes who are often left out the discussion will get their day in the sun here. The field events will get round the clock coverage on ESPN 3, so the competition will be all live. We also have a brief relay preview and team title spot in this preview as well.
Women’s Preview
Long Jump
Tara Davis of Texas has a had a long road to this point. She
missed the 2019 season due transfer rules from Georgia that kept her out the
entire season. Then 2020 happened and she was unable to compete outdoors due to
Covid. This celebrated athlete from high school remained steadfast and at the
2021 Indoor Championship she broke the NCAA record. She followed that by breaking
Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s NCAA Outdoor record and remains the world leader with a
mark of 23 feet 5 ¼ inches (7.14m).
This has been a banner year for the long jump with so many
athletes capable of jumping 22 feet. The biggest challenger to Davis is
heptathlete Tyra Gittens of Texas A&M. Gittens has proven to be an
exceptional jumper and currently has a personal best of 22 feet 10 inches
(6.96m). That mark any other year would make her the NCAA leader. Gittens was
the top qualifier after regionals completed but you cannot ignore the jumps
made by Davis.
Pick: Tara Davis Texas
Triple Jump
Ruth Osoro of Texas Tech has had one of the great outdoor
seasons for a triple jumper. She is on the all-time top ten list and is close
to potentially breaking Keturah Orji’s NCAA record. She has been at the top of
the performance list all season and easily qualified fifth overall. The top qualifier
came from Ruta Lasmane of Florida State. Another big name that qualified is
Jasmine Moore of Georgia. Moore is the only other athlete in the field that has
jumper 47 feet this season with Usoro. Georgia has been quite potent with their
jumpers over recent years and Moore would look to continue that trend.
Pick: Ruth Usoro Texas Tech
High Jump
The high jump is another event that Gittens of Texas A&M
has been noteworthy for. She has hit marks of 6 feet 4 inches twice during this
season, although both were during the heptathlon. This is perhaps her best individual
event. Freshman Rachel Glenn of South Carolina has however been able to beat
Gittens. She claimed the SEC title with her number two ranked jump of 6 feet 3 ¼
inches (1.91m). Although she is a freshman, she has often this season not performed
like it. Keep an eye out for Abigail O’Donaghue of LSU as well.
Pick: Rachel Glenn South Carolina
Pole Vault
Post regionals there was stunning news. Top ranked 1 vaulter
Nastassja Campbell of Arkansas failed to qualify. Campbell was meant to be the
latest in a line championship level vaulters produced by Arkansas. The
Razorbacks are in a team title hunt and this was blow to those chances. LSU who
is also in a team title hunt has the number two ranked Lisa Gunnarson.
Gunnarson did qualify and has one less challenger to be worried about. Lauren
Martinez of Arkansas and Kayla Smith of Georgia will still serve as formidable
adversaries.
Pick: Lisa Gunnarson LSU
Shot Put
Adelaide Acquilla of Ohio State claimed the national title
this past indoor season. She is also the top ranked athlete of the outdoor
season. With her national leading mark of 62 feet 8 ¾ inches (19.12m), she has
a solid lead over the entire field. Ohio State has produced some great all-Americans
and NCAA champions and Acquilla looks to continue her winning ways. Conference
foe Khayla Dawson of Indiana and defending champion Samantha Noennig now of
Arizona will look to challenge her. Noennig has not surpassed 60 feet this
outdoor season and has already lost to Acquilla early during the indoor season.
She still however knows what it takes to win a national title.
Pick: Adelaide Acquilla Ohio State
Discus
Arizona State is none for championship throwers and their
latest star is Jorinde Van Klinken. Van Klinken is the top entry in the Discus
throw and also has the national leading mark of 211 feet 5 inches (64.44m). Although
she is entered in the shot put, this event is clearly her best. Laulauga
Tausaga of Iowa held the lead nationally until the post season started, then
Van Klinken has been on a tear. Every meet she throws further and further. I think
that will continue at the NCAA Championships regardless of weather.
Pick: Jorinde Van Klinken Arizona State
Hammer Throw
Camryn Rogers of California is another defending champion that
has returned. Rogers has had quite the career representing her native Canada,
including U-20 world titles. Rogers has a best of 239 feet 9 inches (73.09m).
She has a 10 foot lead over her closest competitor and is clearly in great
position to defend her title. Alyssa Wilson of UCLA will likely be her closest
competitor.
Pick: Camryn Rogers California
Javelin Throw
Georgia is known for their success in the field events thanks
to their head coach Petros Kyprianou. He is leaving at the end of this season which
will likely trigger a mass exodus for athletes to either follow him or join new
programs. In the present he has one of the best Javelin throwers in history
with Marie-Therese Obst. Obst began the season with a bang joining the top-10
all time list at the beginning of the outdoor season. She has a personal best
of 201 feet 4 inches (61.37m). She is currently the only athlete in the field
with a throw beyond 200 feet. Kylee Carter of Auburn will be her challenger and
is currently the top qualifier. Obst defeated Carter at the SEC Championships
and I expect for that to be much of the same at the NCAA Championships.
Pick: Marie-Therese Obst
Heptathlon
This event is Tyra Gittens to lose. She has been spectacular
all year with record breaking High Jumps and all time great long jump marks.
She has been a solid thrower, hurdler and sprinter for Texas A&M. It will take
focus and consistent high quality effort for her to claim the title which she
is most certainly capable of with her national lead of 6,418 points. She has
over a 200 point lead of the closest competitor Anna Hall of Georgia. Hall has
been the toughest competitor throughout the season against Gittens and with
Kyrpianou as her coach expect for her to dial up a notch.
Pick: Tyra Gittens Texas A&M.
Men’s Preview
Long Jump/High Jump
JuVaughn Harrison of LSU is a big part of their team title
hopes. This is perhaps the most loaded team LSU has ever brought to the
national championships. They are vying for individual titles in so many events
and will rely on Harrison to due what he did indoors, sweep the long jump and
high jump.
Harrison got his first taste of how challenging this will be
at the SEC Championships. He claimed the High Jump title but the long jump was
a tough nut to crack, he finished second. Carey McLeod of Tennessee will pose
as one of his biggest threats. Harrison still leads the NCAA with a mark of 27
feet 8 ¾ inches (8.45m) and it will take that type of effort or better for him
to win there. Keep an eye on 2nd ranked Steffin McCarter out of
Texas as well.
In the high jump Darryl Sullivan also out of Tennessee will
challenge him there as well. It took a personal best jump at the SEC
Championships for him to claim victory proving just how difficult this double
will be.
High Jump Pick- JuVaughn Harrison LSU
Long Jump Pick- Steffin McCarter Texas
Triple Jump
Senior Jordan Scott of USC is one of two athletes in this
field with an NCAA title. He claimed the 2019 NCAA Indoor title and was runner
up outdoors. He missed his opportunity to defend himself in 2020 and ran out of
eligibility. He transferred to USC for the 2021 outdoor season and is currently
ranked third overall and is the second-best qualifier in the field. Emmanuel Ihemeje
of Oregon burst on the scene as a freshman this past indoor season stunning the
field to claim the NCAA title for Oregon. He will be on his home track and is
currently the top qualifier in the field. O’Brien Wasome of Texas is the number
one ranked overall athlete and has developed quite well under Edrick Floreal his
coach, who is a previous NCAA Champion in this event. Expect for him to be
ready.
Pick: O’Brien Wasome Texas
Pole Vault
The news during the post season is that KC Lightfoot who set
the event on fire during the indoor season has already turned pro to prepare
for the Olympics this summer. Kansas Zach Bradford who remained number one
majority of the outdoor season suddenly became the new favorite. You also
cannot count out his teammate Hussain Al Hizam, he claimed the NCAA title indoors
in 2018. I think the battle will likely come down to them and Al Hizam has
already won a post season battle by claiming the Big 12 title.
Pick: Hussain Al Hizam Kansas
Shot Put/Discus
Turner Washington of Arizona State has been the man all season
long, indoor, and outdoors. He shows absolutely no signs of slowing down and he
represents that throwing tradition at Arizona State incredibly well. Having
already throw the shot put over 71 feet and the disc over 217 feet he is the
number one ranked athlete in both and in perfect position to double. In the shot-put
Andrew Liskowitz of Michigan and Texas senior Adrian Piperi will challenge him
for the title. Piperi began the year as the favorite to win the title since he
is the defending champion. Washington however has been on a tear all season
long.
In the discus throw keep an eye out for two true freshmen in
Claudio Romero of Virginia and Francois Prinsloo of South Alabama. Prinsloo was
the top qualifier, and both are ranked number two and number three on the performance
list this season.
Shot Put/Discus Pick: Turner Washington Arizona State
Hammer Throw
Senior Thomas Mardal of Florida has been quite the senior season.
He claimed the indoor weight throw title and has been number one in the Hammer
Throw all season long. Florida is currently not in the team title picture, but
they have an outside shot. With Mardal it will be championship or bust. He
potentially will also be the last NCAA Champion at Florida coached by legendary
throws coach Steve Lemke. Challenging Mardal will be fellow senior Gleb Dudarev
of Kansas. Dudarev has finished 2nd at this meet in 2019 and is big meet
performer.
Pick: Thomas Mardal Florida
Javelin Throw
Mississippi State has become Javelin U. They same to produce
multiple All-Americans and NCAA Champions pretty regularly. Senior Sindri
Gudmundsson is the latest to star for the university. Gudmundsson took the
number one ranking from his teammate at the western regional with his leading
throw of 261 feet 11 inches (79.83m). His freshman teammate DJ Jonsson has a season
best of 258 feet 1 inch (78.66m). The third national qualifier is their
teammate Tyriq Horsford. It is truly impressive to see the top three qualifiers
all from the same school. Gudmundsson seems to be rounding into shape and it
remains to be seen what his two underclassmen teammates can do at the big meet.
Pick: Sindri Gudmundsson Mississippi State
Decathlon
Georgia’s decathlon reign will likely end after next season
with Kyrpianou leaving. However this season he has an athlete in the driver’s
seat to win it again, Karel Tilga. Tilga claimed the indoor NCAA title proving
his skill set over multiple events. He currently is ranked number one in the
country with 8,484 points earned during a competition in the regular season. A
name to not forget is Ayden Owens of Michigan. Owens earned All-American honors
indoors and under the tootlage of the Michigan coaching staff seems to be in
great position to again garner All-American honors, he has total on the season
of 8,238 points earned at the Big Ten Championships. Owens certainly has the
speed to beat Tilga but Tilga has superior technique in almost every event.
Pick: Karel Tilga Georgia
RELAYS
Women
4x1- LSU. The Lady Tigers have been consistent all season
long and have routinely ran under 42 seconds. USC and North Carolina A&T
will certainly challenge.
4x4- Texas A&M. USC has five qualifiers in the 400 alone,
but you cannot ignore the talent Texas A&M has. With Mu having run an NCAA
record and Cherokee Young under 51 seconds they may not have the depth that USC
has but they have greater talent.
Men
4x1- Houston. LSU and North Carolina A&T can make
impressive arguments, especially with LSU’s anchor in Terrance Laird. I still
think this race with excellent exchanges all around is Houston’s to lose.
4x4- North Carolina A&T. The NCAA record is in serious
jeopardy. They almost broke the record with a three second lead at regionals.
With the push they will get from Texas A&M I expect for them to actually do
it.
TEAM TITLES
Women- This will be a tight competition. I think USC can
squeeze it out, but I am not surprised by the LSU ranking. It is well earned,
and they have great depth and quality in a multitude of events, but so does
USC.
Men- LSU. I understand that the Oregon men will be home, but
I think LSU has a stronger team. LSU is certainly in more places to score at a
higher level and I respect the Hayward Field crowd, but I think LSU finally
gets their just rewards.
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