Big 12 Conference Championship Preview

(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 4^th 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 2^nd in the conference last year and 3^rd 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 14^th 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 8^th 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 8^th 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 4^th 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 4^th 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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

ACC Indoor Championship Preview

(Miami Defending Women's Champion)

Conference Championship Weekend Preview 1

Power 5 Conferences: ACC

The ACC has been one of the top tier conferences in the NCAA this season. They have the makings of a complete conference, great sprint programs, great distance programs, great throwing programs and jumping programs. Notice I say programs as in plural. There are more than one of the programs in this conference that are solid in each discipline. The conference is full of quality and many of the athletes competing this weekend will be competing at nationals.

SPRINTS 

Women

Since Coach Marvin Gibson joined the Clemson coaching staff as its sprints coach the Clemson Tigers have continued their successful run of producing top tier sprinters. This season is no different. The Lady Tigers have a total of three athletes in the top four and a total of five athletes in the top eight. Junior Torie Robinson leads the way in the 60 meter dash with a time of 7.27. Her time ranks her 10^th in the nation and a legit candidate for first time All-American honors.

In the 200 and 400 is where Miami will challenge the Lady Tigers for sprint supremacy. The Miami Hurricanes have the luxury of having Shakima Wimbley. Wimbley has dominated this conference in the long sprints winning both events multiple times at the conference meet. She is the defending champion in both events. In the 400 she is ranked number in the NCAA with a time of 51.28. In the 200 her time of 23.19 ranks her 12^th.

As of right now she could qualify to compete in both events at the national championship. I believe she focus on her best event the 400. Wimbley is nearly two seconds ahead of her closest competition her own teammate Brittny Ellis. In the 200 she will have to contend with Sabria Hadley a senior from Clemson who is looking to add some championship hardware to her trophy case.

SPRINTS 

Men

In the 60 meter dash Florida State continues to be the king on the mountain of short sprinters. Sophomore Darryl Haraway is the latest sprinting prodigy from the Seminoles. Haraway has a season’s best of 6.59 which currently leave him tied for 3^rd in the nation. Myles Valentine of Miami seems to be the only threat to Haraway.

In the 200 Quashawn Cunningham of North Carolina St is the conference’s top performer with a mark of 21.12. Cordelll Lamb of Clemson is a close 2^nd with a time of 21.19. Haraway of Florida State has not ran the 200 that much this indoor season but with a time of 6.59 in the 60 meter dash you cannot count him out.

In the 400 Clemson looks to make it a one-two punch with conference leader Jeffrey Green and senior Michael Cheeks. Green’s top time of 46.49 is currently ranked 17^th in the country. He’ll need to improve and get into the top 16 if he would like to compete at the National Championship. Green is also the only athlete to run under 47 seconds in the conference this season along with being the defending conference champion.

HURDLES

Senior Ebony Morrison of Miami leads the women’s side of this event. Her time of 8.13 slightly edges out Peta-Gay Williams of Florida State. Williams leads a strong contingent of hurdlers for Florida State, they have a total of three in the top eight. Morrison’s time currently ranks her 12^th in the nation and in good position to qualify the National Championship.

On the men’s side senior Freddie Crittenden III is the top leader in the conference with a time of 7.67. He also happens to be the defending champion and All-American. He is currently ranked 5^th in the nation. He has a full step on his closes competitor Kirk Lewis of Clemson. He will attempt to add valuable team points to Syracuse and lead a strong group of Syracuse hurdlers. Syracuse currently has three in the top of the conference.

DISTANCE

Men

The 800 is another event home to a defending champion. Robert Heppenstall of Wake Forest claimed the 800 conference title last indoor season and currently leads the way this season with a time of 1:47.63. The talented sophomore is currently ranked 11^th in the country and will look to defend his title against great competition. His main challenger should be senior Drew Piazza from Virginia Tech who is ranked 2^nd with a time of 1:47.87 good enough for 15^th in the country.

In the mile, 3,000 and 5,000 meter races it is possible for distance star Justyn Knight of Syracuse to sweep all three. He is the defending champion for both the 3,000 and 5,000 meter races and is ranked number in the conference currently for the 3,000. The mile has defending champion Henry Wynne of Virginia that will challenge him along with conference leader Adam Palamar his teammate from Syracuse. The 5,000 is not an event he has ran yet this season but since he is the defending champion and should not be overlooked.

Women

Hanna Green has been a household name in the women’s 800 ever since she defeated Natoya Goule of Clemson a few years back. Green has been routinely at the top of the conference and the NCAA. As the defending champion yet again Green should simply look to improve upon her time of 2:01.91 that currently ranks her fourth in the nation. She is currently a full three seconds ahead of her closest competitor Ersula Farrow of Clemson and her teammate Rachel Pocratsky.

In the mile Grace Barnett of Clemson is the conference leader with a time of 4:33.40. Her time currently has her ranked 6^th in the country. There is no defending champion in the event giving Barnett a much easier path to victory.

Molly Siedel of Notre Dame is the defending champion in the women’s 3,000 and 5,000 meter races. However the talented senior from Notre Dame is still recovering from some very painful injuries and has ran sparingly this indoor season. The conference leaders in the 3,000 which is Rachel Koon of North Carolina St and Erika Kemp also of North Carolina St are in great position to take the crown in their respective events.

FIELD EVENTS

Men

Defending Champions: Damar Robinson of Louisville in the men’s high jump, Nate Richartz of Notre Dame in the men’s Pole Vault , Filip Mihaljevic of Virginia in the men’s shot put and Robert Rohner of Duke in the hepathlon.

Nate Richartz of Notre Dame is perhaps the most vulnerable of the group. Richartz is currently ranked third in his event in conference. The two athletes ahead are both from Virginia Tech with Deaking Volz leading the way with a mark of 18-6 ¾ which currently ranks him number two in the nation.  

Another potential vulnerable athlete would be Rohner of Duke. He has not competed in the heptathlon this season but has competed separately in various individual events.  He cannot be counted out especially since his performance from last season is still better than the current conference leader Jack Lint of Virginia.

In the weight throw Jordan Young is the conference leader with his mark of 75’2. He is one of only two athletes in the field with a mark over 70 feet and the senior is ranked 4^th in the nation.

The Long jump will have a new champion as well with Clemson’s Chris McBride leading the way. McBride is the only athlete in the field with a mark over 25 feet with his season’s best of 25-6 ¾.

Women

Defending Champions:  Bria Matthews of Georgia Tech in the women’s long and triple jump, Emmonie Henderson of Louisville in the women’s shot put and Dolly Nyemah of Louisville in the women’s weight throw.

Bria Matthews is perhaps the most vulnerable defending champion. Matthews has not competed at all this indoor season and will likely not be competing at the conference championship. Jogaile Petrokaite of Florida State leads the women’s long jump and senior Iana Amsterdam of Clemson leads the women’s triple jump.

Madison Heath look of Duke looks to continue their tradition of great Pole Vaulters. The talented junior is currently the only woman in the field with a mark of 14 feet. Her mark ranks her 9^th in the country. She will lead a group of four athletes currently ranked in the top 8 in the conference.

Nicole Green of North Carolina and Eleonora Omoregie of Florida State look to officially break their stalemate. The two are currently tied for the top spot in the women’s high jump with a mark of 6-0.75. They are the only two in the field over 6 feet and are tied for 6^th in the country.

The pentathlon will crown a new champion and senior Melissa-Maree Farrington of Florida State will look to claim the crown. The senior is currently ranked 1^st in the conference with a total of 4,056 points. She is the only athlete in the field with over 4,000 points.

RELAYS

Men

4x400 Relay: Clemson with a time of 3:07.15 is the conference leader.

Distance Medley:  Virginia Tech with a time of 9:31.15 is the conference leader.

Women

4x400 Relay: Miami with a time of 3:31.88 is the conference leader. They are also ranked 5^th in the nation.

Distance Medley: Virginia Tech with a time of 11:12.17 is the conference leader. 

Weekly Recap

7.07!

(Hannah Cunliffe-Oregon)

(New 60 Meter NCAA Record!)

Disclaimer: First I’d like to apologize for my absence last week. I was dealing with a cold and now I am fine.

This past weekend was the mega weekend before the post season starts. There were quite a few big meets at Arkansas, Clemson, New Mexico, Iowa State and at the Spire Institute. Based off the performances this past weekend the team race got a lot more clear along with finding out were some major athletes are health wise. In this recap I focus on the top three performances of each sex from this past weekend.

WOMEN

HANNAH CUNLIFFE (OREGON)- This talented sprinter is picking up right where she left off. Cunliffe broke the NCAA record in the women’s 60 meter dash at the Don Kirby Invite in New Mexico. Her time of 7.07 surpassed the previously held record of 7.08. She followed that up with a new national number 1 time in the 200 meter dash with a mark of 22.60. Cunliffe will look to add to the legacy of great female sprinters from Oregon

JAZMINE FREY (TEXAS A&M)- Breaking a national record seemed to be the theme this past weekend. Frey adds another national record to the ever expanding records at Texas A&M. Frey competed at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational in the women’s 800. Frey scorched the track with a winning time of 2:00.69. Not only is that her best indoors but that betters her outdoor best by three 3 seconds. The old record of 2:007.5 set by Nicole Cook of Tennessee was one of the longest running NCAA records. Frey just a sophomore has plenty of time to improve upon it.

ERIN FINN (MICHIGAN)- The long distance star had a break out race this season. Finn has been amongst the best distance runners in the country for quite some time. This past weekend at the Spire Institute Finn laid her claim to the number 1 mark in the women’s 5,000 against a great field. Her time of 15:34.36 was almost 30 seconds ahead of the runner up and garners a three-second lead between her and the number 2 ranked competitor in the nation.


MEN

FRED KERLY (TEXAS A&M)- Kerley competed at the Tiger Paw Invitational this past weekend at Clemson. Kerly launched a time of 45.02 in the men’s 400 dash almost breaking another school and national record. Kerly joins the all-time list for Texas A&M and was extremely close to going under 45 seconds indoors. Kerly already set a national record early in the season running the first leg on the men’s 4x400 relay. With the post-season right around the corner expect to hear and see his name a lot more.

EDWARD CHESEREK (OREGON)- It’s never surprising to see this name on my list. Cheserek is a mainstay to it every season. The senior has been a little more quite this year after being humbled at the Cross Country Championships. This past weekend at the Husky Classic at the University of Washington Cheserek ran a great race against some top tier competition in the men’s 5,000. Cheserek clocked in at 13:32.59 almost 2 seconds more than the runner up. His performance is even more impressive noting that the field had four of the top five performances in the country all season in that event.

GRANT HOLLOWAY (FLORIDA)- This freshman has been on my list multiple times this season and hear he is again. The talented freshman has been quite impressive all season as a hurdler and jumper. The talented superstar hopped in the men’s 60 meter hurdles to again assert his dominance against a stellar field. Holloway did just that clocking at 7.58. His time cemented his number 1 status and placed him amongst the greatest freshman ever.

Relay of the Week: Texas A&M Women 4x400 relay. Their time of 3:29.74 is the first by a team under 3:30 this season.

This weekend don't expect major action. This is a training week for most programs. The conference championships are coming.

Weekend Recap 4

(Oregon Track and Field)

This past weekend was a weekend to remember. There were two collegiate records broken, a new group of number 1 ranked runners and the team battle just got a lot clearer. The final weekend in January usually never disappoints and this weekend did not. It is the middle of the regular season and the post season is just 3 weeks away. The recap was challenging this week. I attempted to put together the best three performances of each sex which was difficult due to the great performances this weekend. If there was a performance that you think was better you may be right there were so many and it was difficult to put just three.

WOMEN

3. Tessa Barnett (Penn State)- Super Sophomore Tessa Barnett put on quite the show in front of her home crowd at the PSU National. This past weekend she outran a quality field in the women’s 3,000. Her winning time of 9:07.22 moves her past preseason favorite Erin Finn of Michigan and also moves her into the number 1 ranking in the nation.

2. Kendall Williams (Georgia)- The senior is looking to add more gold to case of championship hardware. The winningest athlete in the pentathlon began her season with a bang. Williams scored a total of 4.476 points to claim the event title at the Razorback Invitational against All-American competition. She scored almost 200 more points that her closest competitor and solidified herself as still the best to do it.

1. Oregon Sprinters (Oregon)- The Oregon sprinters and hurdlers made this extremely difficult but I decided to simply include all of them at the top of the list. Hannah Cunliffe in the 60 meter dash, Deajah Stevens in the 200 meter dash and Sasha Wallace in the 60 meter hurdles all claimed the number 1 ranking in one weekend for the Ducks. To add to the shock of that news trust me when I say that wasn’t the most exciting thing that happened to them this weekend.

Cunliffe dominated the field to clock in at 7.13 almost meeting her personal best set a year ago. Stevens proved that she learned a lot running for Team USA winning the 200 meter dash with of 22.65. Wallace set an Armory Collegiate record with a stunning time of 7.91. Each one strengthened their hold on the number 1 ranking and put a little distance between them and their competitors.

MEN

3. KEANDRE BATES (FLORIDA)- Bates is continuing that great success of multi-jumpers that Florida seems to always have. The talented junior is rounding into shape quite nicely. Bates has a top four mark in the long jump and against the best competition has yet to lose. In the triple jump this past weekend Bates tied for the number one mark with a leap of 54-8. This matches Clive Pullen’s top mark and he did on his Pullen’s own track no less at the Razorback Invitational. Bates will have plenty of time to spar with Pullen later including two post season meets.

2. Adam Palamar (SYRACUSE)- Syracuse is a program with a lot of quality milers. Palamar is the latest talent to stand out for the program. Palamar claimed the number 1 ranking with his winning time of 3:57.39 at the Boston John Thomas Terrier Invitational. He did that in a field against three Michigan Wolverines who all went under 4 minutes for the mile. Palamar also beat his star teammate Justyn Knight. Palamar adds a possible 1-2 punch for the Syracuse Orangemen at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

1. Christian Coleman (Tennessee)- Coleman is on the top of the list yet again. Coleman is having another stellar indoor season and is proving to be perhaps the most complete sprinter in the NCAA. Coleman clocked in at 20.49 out of Lane 4 to win the Razorback Invitational and reclaim the number 1 ranking in the 200 meter dash. Coleman now owns the top time in both the 60 meter and 200 meter dash. It has been a long time since another Tennessee athlete was this dominant, the last great volunteer to do so was Rubin Williams and before him Justin Gatlin. Coleman will look to join that elite company by adding more Gold to his trophy case.

RELAYS OF THE WEEK:

WOMEN: Remember when I told you earlier that having three number 1 rankings wasn’t the most exciting thing that happen to the Oregon women this weekend, I wasn’t kidding. The Oregon Ducks dominated the field at the Columbia East-West Challenge in New York. Against a decent field the Lady Ducks shattered the NCAA record with a time of 10:48.77. They were never really pushed since they won the race by almost 20 seconds. It is proof that this group is quite special.

MEN: Texas A&M might be the king of the 4x400 relays Indoors. They broke their own NCAA record this past weekend with a time of 3:02.52. Not too long ago a time of that caliber would have won them an Outdoor NCAA title and they have done it Indoors. It remains to be seen if any of the other top relay programs such as LSU, Florida and or Arkansas will have enough to eventually challenge the Aggies. LSU and Florida have perhaps the greatest room for improvement since they are dealing with injuries. 

Weekend Recap 3

(Keturah Orji-Georgia)

We have now reached Week 3 of the 2017 Indoor season. As expected we have plenty of new number 1’s and a change in the team competition. With it still being early in the season there a still a few headliners who have yet to run their main event this season. However with a list of high quality meets being held this weekend expect for many of them to make their debuts. While we wait for week 4 let us recap week 3 with the top marks from the weekend.

6. SHAKIMA WIMBLEY (MIAMI)-  Senior Wimbley is one of the early season favorites to compete for the NCAA title in the women’s 400 meters. Wimbley has proven to have impressive long speed but has not had enough endurance to thwart her competitors in recent years. She opened this past weekend at the Rod McCravy Memorial in Lexington, Kentucky with a great time. Against an impressive field Wimbley crossed the finish line in a NCAA leading time of 51.28. A great start to what should be an exciting season.

5. JOHNNIE JACKSON (LSU)- Jackson is one the top returning seniors on a talented LSU men’s team. Jackson has been a reliable thrower for the Tigers most notably outdoors. This past weekend at the Auburn Invitational he proved he could be reliable indoors as well with a 7 foot personal best in the weight throw. Jackson’s national leading mark of 77-3 vaulted him into the spotlight as a legit candidate for the individual title.

4. GRANT HOLLOWAY (FLORIDA)- Let’s just get used to seeing his name here every weekend. The talented freshman again earned another number 1 ranking for the season. Holloway leaped out to 26-5 in the men’s long jump to claim the number 1 spot over his teammate KeAndre Bates. Holloway now has two events where he is the clear number 1. With that being his first jump of the season it’s quite possible that he may jump 27 feet later in the season.

3. JAVIANNE OLIVER (KENTUCKY)- Oliver has began the season running some impressive times in the 60 meter dash legitimatizing her status as a top tier sprinter. At the Rod McCravy Memorial she ran against pre-season favorite and defending champion Teahna Daniels of Texas. Oliver ran a stellar race winning with a time of 7.18 over Daniels 7.21. In that race Oliver completed two impressive feats; she defeated the defending champion and claimed the new number 1 in the event nationwide.

2. JEREEM RICHARDS (ALABAMA)- The talented junior cemented his spot on the list by running a national leading time in the 200 meter dash clocking in at 20.57. It’s quite impressive seeing how it would have been a time 3 mark last season and that was his season debut. Richards a junior college transfer competing for Alabama maybe the next big 200 meter sprint star.

1. KETURAH ORJI (GEORGIA)- Orji has already proven to have been the greatest female American triple jumper ever. The talented youngster finished 4th at the Rio Olympics last season and broke the American record countless times. She opened her season with a mark that any other year would have claimed the national title. Orji leaped to a mark of 45-9 ¼ to lead her closest competitor by almost 2 feet. Orji is also ranked in the top 5 in the women’s long jump and is on her way to another impressive indoor season.

RELAYS OF THE WEEK

There were two very impressive relays this past weekend. The Texas men’s Distance medley relay team was perhaps the most impressive. They won their race at the Rod McCray Memorial at the University of Kentucky winning their race by more than 10 seconds. Their time of 9:52.07 moved to the top spot in the NCAA and proved that this Longhorn group has what it takes to have a great season.

The USC women’s 4x400 relay hung on to win against an impressive field in the same meet at the University Kentucky. The Lady Trojans outlasted Baylor to claim a national leading time of 3:31.73. Their time is quite impressive for a debut. With junior Kendall Ellis on the anchor leg USC will be a threat to win it all in the event with Texas in a rebuild mode this season.

Weekend Recap 2

(Christian Coleman-Tennessee)

The MLK weekend just concluded providing us with some quality top performances and new NCAA leaders. This weekend also affirmed the status of many of last week’s great performances.  We also have a new collegiate record and a world number 1. Below is a list of the top 5 performances from this past weekend including both of those notable performances.

5. Raven Saunders (Ole Miss)- Saunders now a junior continues to perform at a high level in her signature event the Shot Put. The Olympian has already surpassed 60 feet this season and further improved her mark with a throw of 62-8. Her mark now gives her a 5 feet lead on her closes competitor for the season.

4. Emmanuel Korir (UTEP)- True freshman Emmanuel Korir continues this season trek of great freshman. Korir notched the number 1 time in the nation in the men’s 800 with a time of 1:46.50 at the Vanderbilt Commodore Invite. Korir’s time is impressive for this early in the season and also quite an impressive time indoors for a freshman. Expect to hear more about him later in the year.

3. Sasha Wallace (Oregon)- Wallace is the top returning 60 meter hurdler. Wallace finished 2nd in the event last year and is one of the few talents in the NCAA with a personal best of under 8 seconds. This past weekend Wallace had an outstanding debut winning the Washington Preview with a time of 7.96. To debut under 8 seconds is a clear sign that we can expect big things from the senior this season.

2. Kaela Edwards (Oklahoma State)- The defending Indoor Champion in the women’s mile stepped down to the women’s 1,000 meter race. The race is not sanctioned at the NCAA championships but is a great race for half milers and milers. Edwards earned her first NCAA record wining the 1,000 meter race at Nebraska’s Holiday Inn Invitational clocking in at 2:40.79. Edwards has already proven that she has the capability of winning the mile but could she step down this indoor season and try the 800. With an outdoor personal best of 2:01.97 it’s quite possible.

1. Christian Coleman (Tennessee)- Coleman is the defending NCAA Indoor Champion at 200 meters but has strong 100 meter speed. Under the tutelage of the great Tim Hall he has consistently improved his performance year after year. Coleman already the leader in the 200 meter dash from his debut from early in the season decided to open up in the 60 meter dash. Coleman rocketed to a time of 6.54, his time vaulted him to not only the number 1 spot in the nation but also the top spot in the world. Coleman hasn’t taken the title away from favorite Cameron Burrell but expect for him to be in the discussion with Burrell for the remainder of the year.

RELAY OF THE WEEK

This is a new segment to our weekend recaps. Each week we will have a relay of the week. This week the relay of the week goes to the men’s 4x400 relay of Texas A&M. The foursome ran a nation leading time in front of their home crowd with a time of 3:05.41. The relay consisted of Robert Grant, Mylik Kerly, Richard Rose and Fred Kerley. They had a two second lead on runner up Baylor and have made some serious noise.

Weekend Recap 1

(Grant Holloway-Florida)

My apologies for the late post, I am dealing with a very recent death in the family that is consuming most of the free time I have.

This past weekend the indoor season began with a bang. Although many of the top runners are not running until this coming weekend there were a few big name performances that stood out this weekend. Let us go back and look at the top 5 from the weekend.

5. Tatiana Gusin (Georgia)- Gusin comes from Field Event U, namely Georgia and has continued to make impressive marks. She began her indoor season with a leap of 6-2 in the women’s high jump and to firmly plant herself as number 1 in the NCAA. After finishing 2nd at the NCAA meet last season Gusin will be looking to finally take home some Championship hardware.

4. Christian Coleman (Tennessee)- Coleman is the defending Indoor 200 meter champion and he began his season with a bang. Coleman clocked in at 20.86 in Tennessee’s dual versus Indiana to win the 200 meter dash for the Volunteers. Currently Coleman leads the NCAA and has a solid start to what should be an exciting season for him.

3. Daniel Roberts (Ashland)- It’s not often that Division 2 athletes get to shine. Roberts will be the first of a continuing trend. With plenty of high quality talent in Division 2 expect to hear more about them this season. Roberts has garnered some early season praise with his performance at the Buckeye Invitational. Roberts hit a mark of 70’5.25 in the men’s weight throw. Roberts throw is a solid mark to begin the season and puts him firmly in the driver’s seat in his division.

2. Devynne Charlton (Purdue)- It’s very hard to lead the NCAA in both the 60 meter dash and the 60 meter hurdles. However that is what Charlton of Purdue is currently doing. This past weekend Charlton had a solid outing clocking in at 7.30 in the 60 meter dash and 8.14 in the 60 hurdles. Charlton is the returning indoor performer from last season in the 60 meter hurdles and has proven to be quite the sprinter as well.

1. Grant Holloway (Florida)- This talented freshman from Florida is capable of winning practically anything. He can sprint, hurdle and jump all in the same meet and at a high level. Holloway proved that he was worth the hype this past weekend when he stunned the entire country with his mark of 7.63 in the men’s 60 meter hurdles. What’s most impressive is that is his first race at highest hurdle height. That time puts him in the top 3 of freshman hurdlers of all time in his first race. Holloway moved over the hurdles like a natural and has proven he will be an exciting watch for years to come.

He followed that up with an impressive performance in the 300 meter dash with a time of 32.80. His time ranks 2nd all time of any man under 20, it breaks a 27 year old school record and it is the number 3 time in NCAA history. Again I must remind you this was his first collegiate meet.

FIRST RANKINGS RELEASED:

So the USTFCCCA has sent out the first rankings for the season. The top 5 for men include Florida, Oregon, LSU, Arkansas and Syracuse. Three teams from the SEC which is not surprising considering the talent and penchant for winning national championships. I felt at the beginning of the season that Florida would not have enough depth or fire power to compete. Their freshman however alleviated some concerns within the first weekend. Let’s just hope their veterans can remain healthy and provide that extra fire power to keep LSU at bay.

On the women’s side it is Oregon, Arkansas, Georgia, USC and Texas. Arkansas is the defending champion but it will be hard to beat Oregon. Oregon is fully loaded with amazing talent in the sprints. It’s quite possible that the Lady Ducks could sweep the 200 and place three in the finals of the 60 meter dash amongst of myriad of events that they are ranked high for. This could potentially be a high scoring championship affair between Oregon and Arkansas. Georgia will rely on its depth in the field events. USC and Texas as usual are loaded in the sprints and will lean heavily on them for them to have a chance to compete for a team title.

Upcoming: It is a big meet weekend coming up. Expect for the next week’s review to be longer and the performances to be even better.