2023 NCAA Indoor Championship Recap

49.48!!! 

(Britton Wilson-Arkansas)

What a fantastic weekend of track and field. Outside of the NCAA Championships for all three divisions that took place, there was also a pair of High School national championships this weekend as well. In this post I will recap what turned out to be an incredible Division 1 Indoor Championships.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

60/200 Meter Dash- Julien Alfred of Texas had perhaps the greatest indoor season of college sprinting in NCAA history, or at least since Dawn Sowell of LSU. Alfred has been a consistent 60-meter threat since her sophomore year at Texas. She has been close to winning but not capable of claiming the title. She garnered her first NCAA title in the 100 meters last outdoor season. In the 60-meter final she blasted out of the blocks to a dominant win with a time of 6.94. Her time is a new NCAA record and tied for the second fastest in world history. Take that into consideration with just how fast she could be this outdoor season. Sha'Carri Richardson's NCAA record is notice. 

She followed that up with a time of 22.01 in the 200-meter dash. Her time here is also a NCAA record and one of the fastest in world history. The time is also better than any 200 that Alfred has run outdoors. It seems that having Alfred consistently compete on the 4x400 relay building up that speed endurance has certainly paid off.

400 Meter Dash- Talitha Diggs of Florida entered the meet as the favorite to win it all, especially since she clocked 50.15 at the SEC Indoor Championships and broke the American record. Britton Wilson of Arkansas apparently thought little of that. Wilson who has been apart of Arkansas super star 400-meter core and a world class 400 hurdler has been very busy this indoor season. Including a runner-up performance at SEC Indoors in the 800.

Wilson clearly used that training to make the case for a strong 400-meter performance. Her winning time of 49.48 set the indoor American record and she became the first woman to run under 50 seconds indoors in NCAA history. Her time is not only the fastest indoors but outdoors as well. While we have only focused on Femke Bol and Sydney McClaughlin-Levrone it is time we give attention to Wilson as a threat in the 400 hurdles as well as the 400.

60 Meter Hurdles- Entering the meet Masai Russel of Kentucky was certainly the favorite. She broke the NCAA record earlier in the season and beat the top challenger to her at the SEC Championships in Ackera Nugent of Arkansas. Nugent clearly put that loss in the past and refocused herself. In the semi-final round Nugent clocked a NCAA record time of 7.72. She came back in the final to outduel Russel 7.73 to 7.75. The fastest NCAA hurdle race in history and I expect for them to compete as equally hard outdoors.

Men

60 Meter Dash- Favour Ashe of Auburn ran the fastest semi-final time but was seen limping and grabbing his leg. It was smart of his coach, Leroy Burrell to pull him out. Prior to the meet Terrence Jones of Texas Tech had become a co-favorite to win the event. Jones first indoor race was the prelims of the Big 12 championships where he ran a time of 6.46 almost breaking the NCAA record. He came to the NCAA finals with confidence and a clear mission. He was not first out of the blocks, but he was first out of his driving fast lifting himself to victory the last 30 meters to a time of 6.46, equaling his personal best.

200 Meter Dash- Entering the meet Courtney Lindsey of Texas Tech was the favorite after having set the new NCAA lead at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 20.13. Lindsey got a terrible lane draw, lane 3 in the semifinals and did not make it to the finals. The 2021 NCAA Indoor Champion who had been left out of the title discussion reminded everyone why they should not forget him.

Senior Matthew Boling of Georgia has had quite the career, but no moment has been more impressive than the performance from this past weekend. Boling was placed in lane 6 of the first section of the final and blasted around the track to the time of 20.12. He is amongst the fastest in NCAA history and it is his second NCAA title. He will head to the outdoor season with a head of steam and newfound respect.

400 Meter Dash- Georgia had themselves a weekend. Not only did they get a sprint victory from Matthew Boling but Elija Goodwin added to their hardware account as well. The super senior got clipped at the line in the semi-finals and missed the preferred lane draw in the finals being placed in lane 6. He did not let that deter him and he made for the break first in the final and never let up. Goodwin held off Baylor senior Matthew Moorer to match his personal best time with 44.75.

60 Meter Hurdles- This was perhaps the most wide-open race of the meet. There was no true favorite and anyone who made the finals had a chance to win. Case in point of out lane 7 Giano Roberts of Clemson claimed victory with a time of 7.55. Roberts finished 6^th in the semi-finals but was clearly fully capable and did not let his lane draw distract him.

DISTANCE

Women

800 Meter- Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker of Stanford is Stanford’s powerful 1-2 freshman punch. They came into the meet ranked 1 and 3 with Willis as the lead. Whittaker ran the top time in the semifinals in a tough heat. Their coach JJ Clark is no stranger to the 800 and has produced some phenomenal national champions and all-Americans. Willis and Whittaker seem to be next in line and they did not disappoint finishing 1-2 in the finals and Willis again going under 2 minutes to set a NCAA record with a time of 1:59.93. Whittaker’s runner up time of was 2:00.05, just missing a sub 2-minute performance.

Mile- The number one performer of the year in the distance event Katelyn Touhy decided to compete in the 3k and 5k instead of running the mile leaving the field open. Senior Lauren Gregory of Arkansas was being relied upon for team points. In the final 100 meters of the race Gregory made her move and surpassed race leader at the time Olivia Howell of Illinois. In the final 50 meters however, Howell made her move and superior kick, and time was the winning factor. Howell claimed the title with a time of 4:34.

3,000 Meter/5,000 Meter (3k/5k)-Katelyn Touhy of NC State begin her championship meet with a win on Friday night in the 5k. She was chased in that race by two talented Alabama runners in Hilda Olemomoi and Mercy Chelangat. Touhy outlasted them to win with a time of 16:09.65.  She would end her 2023 indoor campaign with another victory. The super sophomore who set the NCAA record in the 3k earlier in the season made it look so easy. She ran a strong race and never looked to truly be in jeopardy of losing. No personal best in the final just a winning time of 9:10.07.

Touhy to me has just simply been the class of the field since she arrived at NC State as a freshman. Kudos to her and the coaching staff for producing such a talented athlete who is not afraid of the tough distance double at a national championship.

Men

800 Meter- An event with some controversy, would it be a major track and field championship without one, no not really. Navasky Anderson of Mississippi State ran a gutsy race by leading the last three laps to initially claim the NCAA title with a time of 1:45.90. Anderson was disqualified for flagrantly impending Yuzuf Bizimana of Texas. In the final 100 meters Anderson began to noticeably struggle within the final 50 meters who pushed out to the lane 3 impending Bizimana from passing him. Is this a good race strategy or impending. I honestly believe it is impending, you should not resort to poor tactics to win your race.

Mile- A Washington runner won. I guess no one was shocked by that statement. However, let us not ignore that incredible performance by the Huskies to have four men score in the NCAA final. Luke Houser was not even the top ranked Husky heading into the final, but he found a way to victory outlasting his teammates and the rest of the field with a time of 4:03.33. Pre meet favorite Anass Essayi of South Carolina would finish third.

3,000 Meter (3k)- Dylan Jacobs of Tennessee had already won the 5k Friday night and was looking to complete the distance double similar to that of Katelyn Touhy. However, in the 3k things did not go as planned. Fouad Messaoudi of Oklahoma State begin his weekend with a Friday night win by anchoring a strong DMR victory for the Cowboys. Messaoudi has been primarily a great miler but stepping up to the 3,000 was likely for him to lead off a strong DMR to victory on Friday and win the 3,000 on Saturday and the strategy worked.

The strategy worked in the 3,000 as he claimed victory their as well. Messaoudi may simply have the best kick in the entire NCAA as it was key to his NCAA title winning performance. Messaoudi’s winning time was 7:48.10. Jacobs finished the race in 6^th place. Messaoudi had great mile performances throughout the indoor season, and I am curious to see what he does this outdoor season. His kick will bode well for his future.

5,000 Meter (5k)- Dylan Jacobs did claim an individual title for Tennessee winning the 5,000-meter run with a time of 13:37.59. Jacobs transferred from Notre Dame during the offseason and picked up where he left off performing at a high level and winning national titles. This was an especially impressive win with such a strong field that included Drew Bosley and Nico Young of Northern Arizona. Bosley and Young led for a majority of the race and the last three laps’ Jacobs took over and never let up. I hope they all run again outdoors at nationals as this was an exciting race to watch unfold.

JUMPS

Women

Long Jump/Triple Jump- While Julien Alfred of Texas may have had the greatest sprinting college season in history, Jasmine Moore or Florida had the greatest jumping season in NCAA history. Entering the meet as a defending champion in both events Moore had all eyes on her. Right from the beginning she began the championships with a bang. On her first jump in the long jump, she set an NCAA record with a leap of 23 feet 0 ¾ inches (7.03m). She only attempted two more jumps and had an early end to her Friday night. She becomes the NCAA athlete over 23 feet indoors and joins a rare group of 23-foot college jumpers in general.

In the Triple Jump on Saturday, she was even more impressive. She broke the collegiate record in the triple jump a total of 3 times. She debuted with a new collegiate record in her first attempt, broke the record again on her second attempt and broke the record one more time and set a American record on her fifth attempt. Her mark of 49 feet 7 ¼ inches (15.12m) is the best mark ever by an American woman indoors or out.  I think it is totally conceivable that we will see Moore jump 50 feet outdoors!

High Jump- It was par for the course here. Another championship meet, another victory for Lamara Distin of Texas A&M. The senior capped of her senior indoor season with a winning jump of 6 feet 3 ¼ inches (1.91 meters). Distin has now won 3 NCAA titles, and back-to-back indoors.

Pole Vault- It was another Arkansas National Championship win Friday night in the pole vault. Amanda Fassold outdueled Olivia Lueking of Oklahoma to claim the title with a mark of 14 feet 7 ¼ inches (4.45m) due to fewer misses. No 15-foot jump yet but keep an eye out for Fassold during the outdoor season.

Men

Long Jump- What a competition this was. Four athletes surpassed 27 feet indoors on Friday night. The top jumper of them all was Carey McLeod of Arkansas. McLeod leaped to a mark of 27 feet 6 ¾ inches (8.40m) on his last jump. Cameron Crump of Mississippi State who won the SEC title took the lead on his fourth attempt. It was not his day but second place with a mark of 27 feet 6 ½ inches (8.39m) is nothing to look down upon. I am sure the fireworks will continue outdoors.

Triple Jump- Arkansas continued their impressive week with superstar true freshman Jaydon Hibbert breaking the World Junior record and the NCAA Indoor record. He only needed one attempt to leap to 57 feet 6 ½ inches (17.54m). No one was in his realm for the rest of the meet. The second-best mark was 55 feet. That is how far ahead Hibbert, a freshman was of the field. Hibbert will be one to watch.

High Jump- Defending champion Vernon Turner of Oklahoma suffered a setback to defending his title. Romaine Beckford of South Florida was the surprise winner with a mark of 7 feet 4 ¼ inches (2.24m). Turner bowed out at 7 feet 3 inches (2.21m). Although below his personal best, Beckford was ready and consistently met the challenge to win the title.

Pole Vault- The pole vault did not disappoint. Defending champion Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton dueled with Zach Bradford now of Texas Tech to the very end and it was certainly exciting. Guttormsen went on to defend his title with a new NCAA record mark of 19 feet 8 ¼ inches (6.00m). Bradford was second in 19 feet 4 ¾ inches (5.91m). Bradford gave a valiant effort but there is a reason why Guttormsen is the defending champion. 6 meter is 6 meters!

THROWS

Women

Shot Put- Adelaide Aquilla was granted an additional year through Covid and she certainly picked up where she left off, leading the Ohio State throws core. Aquilla needed a personal best throw of 63 feet 3 ¼ inches (19.28m). Aquilla continues to be a championship level performer shining when it is most important. Aquilla took the lead with her final throw to surpass Axelina Johansson of Nebraska.

Weight Throw- For the past few years, especially since Connie Price-Smith took over as head of Ole Miss, the Rebels continue to produce incredible weight throwers. Having won the event multiple time since her arrival. This year the tradition continued with senior Jalani Davis with a winning throw of 80 feet 5 inches (24.51m). Davis remained the only thrower all season to surpass 80 feet this season.

Men

Shot Put- Jordan Geist of Arizona has been the man this entire season. Even though defending champion Turner Washington of Arizona State was in the field, Geist has been solid all year long with incredible marks. His winning mark was 69 feet 4 ¾ inches (21.15m). Washington had a season’s best of 67 feet 11 ¾ inches (20.72m) to finish 3^rd. I think outdoors between these two will produce even more great marks, especially at the Pac-12 Championships.

Weight Throw- Isaiah Rogers has not competed since 2019. Originally, he was an All-ACC performer for Virginia Tech and transferred to Kennesaw State. Rogers stepped up on the biggest stage and solidified his number one ranking and taking down defending champion Bobby Colantonio of Alabama. His winner throw of 79 feet 6 inches was made on his 6^th attempt.

MULTI’S

Pentathlon (Women)- Jadin O’Brien vaulted to the number one ranking after winning the ACC title with a total of 4,377 points. With Anna Hall moving on to the professional ranks she stepped up to fill the championship void. O’Brien took an old-fashioned approach of simply performing at a high consistent level. She did not win any events she was however in the top 10 in all five events and was in the top five three times with two runners up performances in the shot put and the 800. It will be interesting to see how her performance translates to outdoors.

Heptathlon (Men)- Kyle Garland set an NCAA record early in the season and has been the number one guy all season long. He did nothing to disprove that fact, scoring a total of a whopping 6,639 points nearly breaking a world record. Garland reset the NCAA record as well as meet record. The superstar claimed three of the seven event titles winning the long jump, shot put and high jump. He finished in the top five in the other four events. A well-played strategy and performance.

RELAYS

Women

DMR- No surprise here with the athletes competing in more than one event in some cases the times did not match what we had seen on DMR weekend. However, with that being said there was a great battle for the crown with Stanford outdueling Arkansas with a time of 10:56.34. The Cardinals dominated for majority of the race but thanks to a strong 4:31 anchor from Arkansas senior Lauren Gregory she made it a race.

4x400- Not as much chaos as we saw conference championship weekend. Arkansas really flexed their 400-meter muscle here with a NCAA record time of 3:21.75! Yes, you are reading that correctly. That time also surpasses the NCAA outdoor record as well. Britton Wilson anchored a 49.2 split to add to her legacy. I think outdoors we will be looking at the first collegiate team to run sub 3:20 in NCAA history.

MEN

DMR- Oklahoma State broke the NCAA record with a 9:16 performance on DMR weekend stunning everyone. Like the women no NCAA record time by a dominant comfortable win for the Cowboys with a time of 9:28.77. They were the only sub 9:30 team of the meet and leg every leg of the race. A truly remarkable performance and a testament to their program’s development.

4x400- I saw a comment on social media that I totally agreed with, it seemed that the women were poised and ready for the 4x400 and had plenty of energy while the men in general seemed tired. Going into the meet there were three sub 3:02 teams, three. No one would meet that mark. Arkansas claimed victory thanks to a 44.1 split from Christopher Bailey to lead to a time of 3:02.09, winning by a full second. Hopefully outdoors athletes will give themselves the opportunity to reset and rest to produce a stellar final race.

TEAM TITLE

Women/Men

Arkansas was dominant the entire weekend. They qualified a ton of athletes and those athletes that qualified showed up and showed out. If the athlete was in the field, they were a strong shot to win it. Capping off their seasons by collectively winning the 4x400 title shows just how well coached and developed their program is. They are the Alabama of track and field as they historically have always found a way to win.

2023 NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 6

Number 1 Team? 

(Texas Tech)

What a weekend! The conference championship weekend certainly did not disappoint. There were 13 new number one performances and some surprises regarding certain teams. I felt that the men in the Big 12 had a lot to say this past weekend, specifically Texas Tech. In this post we will recap the new number one marks, discuss potential team rankings heading into the NCAA Indoor Championships and discuss the crazy 4x4 final at the SEC Championship meet.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

Julien Alfred of Texas did the unthinkable at Texas Tech this past weekend. She dominated the Big 12 field with a new NCAA record time of 6.97 in the 60-meter dash. She becomes the first woman in NCAA history to break 7 seconds in the 60-meter dash. Alfred is a powerfully built sprinter and it shows in the start of her race which is so devastating. She followed up her NCAA record mark with the number two performance all time in the 200 winning in a time of 22.26. The only thing left for Alfred to do is to do win the NCAA Indoor title.

In the 400 the NCAA record was broken twice in one day. Rhasidat Adeleke of Texas broke the record at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 50.33. Literally a couple of hours later Florida junior Talitha Diggs broke not only the NCAA record but also the American record by winning the SEC Championship with a time of 50.15. Talitha comes from Olympic pedigree but is building her only impressive legacy at Florida. Could we possibly see Diggs go sub 50 indoors?

Men

Terrence Jones of Texas Tech set the NCAA ablaze early last season with a sub 6.5 performance in early January. Only for him to suffer an injury and for us to not see what he could’ve done at the end of the season. Fast forward to this season he debuts at the Big 12 Championship and stuns everyone by running a 6.46 in the 60-meter dash in the prelims. He almost broke the NCAA record in the preliminary rounds, just incredible. In the finals he clocked 6.48 but celebrating before he crossed the finish line. Micah Williams of Oregon has held the top mark the entire year but Jones took it in one weekend and may have moved Williams out of the favorite spot.

In the 200 Texas Tech got their second number one mark of the weekend with Courtney Lindsey claiming the conference title in a time of 20.13. Lindsey was number one early last season as well but was injured also. Lindsey could potentially go faster and challenge the NCAA record but his time highlights what an impressive weekend the Red Raiders had.

Elija Goodwin of Georgia has had quite the collegiate career. He was impaled by a Javelin early in his career and almost lost his life. He has since rebounded and become one of the best 400 runners in NCAA history. At the SEC Championship he became the first sub 45 second runner of the year with a winning time of 44.75. Goodwin may have been overshadowed throughout his collegiate career but now it is his time to shine. A time of that caliber indicates that the preseason hype around him was certainly warranted.

The 60 hurdles was another opportunity for Texas Tech to highlight their impressive group of sprinters. Caleb Dean certainly has the speed to be a great hurdler, he only needed a great hurdle mark to prove it. His winning time of 7.52 moved him to the top of the rankings. With a personal best of 6.59 in the 60, I am willing to bet that he could potentially run faster in the 60 hurdles. Perhaps low 6.4’s maybe high 6.3. Dean is certainly a speedy hurdler and he is capable of doing so much more. We will have to wait and see what happens at the Indoor Championship.

DISTANCE

There was no new number one distance mark this weekend but I want to highlight the incredible performances of Washington’s elite 8 men’s mile group. They have a total of eight men who can run a sub 4 minute mile. Which although it has lost its luster still impressive. The depth they have is enough to really do some damage at the Indoor Championships. They have the number 2-6 performers in the nation on one team. I do not think I have ever seen such an impressive group of runners. My hope is that that they all have something special for us at the Indoor Championships.

Another highlight to call out is Katelyn Touhy of NC State continues to be special. Although there was no Parker Valby this past weekend, and we have no clue what means for the future, Touhy continues to shine bright. She is ranked number one in the mile, 3k and 5k I hope she chooses to double at the Indoor Championship because she is certainly capable of winning any race she lines up in.

JUMPS

Women

Jasmine Moore of Florida continues her reign at the top jumper in the NCAA. She leaped to a new number one mark in the long jump with a mark of 22 feet 8 inches (6.91m). Moore now leads the NCAA in both the long jump and triple jump which should not be a surprise since she is the defending champion in both. Moore performs her best at Championship meets so it will be exciting see what she does at the Indoor Championships.

Men

Vernon Turner of Oklahoma is another returning champion and it looks like he is rounding into shape quite nicely. The senior leaped a to another Big 12 title mark of 7 feet 5 ¾ inches (2.28m). Turner’s name has been mentioned multiple times on this blog and continues to be at the top or near the list. I am curious to what else the senior has in store for us.

Cameron Crump of Mississippi State won the long jump upsetting defending champion Wayne Pinnock now of Arkansas. Crump leaped to a winning mark of 27 feet 6 ½ inches (8.39m). Crump’s mark is certainly impressive, nearly hitting 28 feet indoors. At the Indoor Championships expect for Pinnock to be prepared to defend his title with an equally impressive performance.

True freshman Jaydon Hibbert of Arkansas is apart of Jamaica’s young core of extremely talented jumpers. A country known for their speed has recently produced some incredible jumpers. Hibbert claimed the SEC title with a mark of 56 feet 1 ¼ inches (17.10m). Hibbert is having a great freshman season and has vaulted himself to the top of the rankings and is the favorite heading into the championship meet.

THROWS

Jalani Davis of Ole Miss continues their impressive streak of great weight throwers. Davis improved upon her number one mark by winning the SEC title with a throw of 80 feet 9 ¾ inches (24.63m). Davis is the defending SEC Champion and a disappointing Indoor Championship last season. This year I believe she will rebound and continue that impressive streak of champions at Ole Miss coached by Connie Price-Smith.

MULTI’S

Jadin O’Brien put Notre Dame on the map in the women’s pentathlon winning the ACC Championship with a mark of 4,377 points. The super sophomore finished in the top three in all five events winning two (shot put and 800). O’Brien’s individual marks are strong and will make her a great contender at the Indoor Championships.

4x4 Relay Debacle

The SEC Championships either indoor or out prove often to be the top meet throughout the year. The competition is heavy and world class along with several teams being built for national titles. Points are at a premium and often I find that at this meet coaches will push there athletes a lot. The 4x4 looked as if every runner was already exhausted. Seeing Jacory Patterson run the first leg of Florida’s 4x4 and pull up after an impressive weekend was disappointing. The physical battle in the women’s 4x4 was not enjoyable either and I think Arkansas proved all season to have the depth that other teams did not have. I am hoping for no major scratches at the Indoor Championships but I thought Texas Tech was wise to not run their 4x400 relay since they had asked so much of the guys during the meet. The lack of rest shows up in a meet like this.

TEAM RANKINGS

The team title picture cleared up some. On the men’s Arkansas proved their depth, Florida showed why they are one of the premier 400-meter development programs in the country. Texas Tech put the entire nation on notice where their incredible sprint depth.

On the women’s side Arkansas, Florida and Texas are looking to clash for the team title. Both have high scoring potential in several different events. Every race will matter at the Championship meet.

The declaration list will come out tonight and we should have a better picture of what the team title race will look like.

NEXT

My next post will be an NCAA Indoor Preview. That should appear early next week either Monday or Tuesday.

NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 5

 27-2!

(Jeremiah Davis-Florida State)

Last weekend is perhaps the last regular season weekend we see new number one performances. With conference Championship weekend coming at the end of February it is likely many top tier programs will be holding their athletes back to prepare for the post season. Regarding this weekend, we were treated to 11 new number one marks and times. Two of those times were NCAA records. In this post we will recap the weekend by and look ahead to the post season.  

Sprints/Hurdles

Women

Favour Ofili of LSU was the preseason favorite to win the 200 and so far this season she has done everything needed to cement that status. This past weekend at the Tyson Invitational the junior clocked a time of 22.36 to win. She is now the number two performer all time behind Abby Steiner. Ofili already has a sub 22 performance under her belt all she needs is a national title and it looks like she will get it.

Men

Tarsis Orogot of Alabama by way of Uganda is having a great sophomore season. At the Don Kirby Invite he claimed the 200 meter title by winning it with a time of 20.20. His time ranks his 7^th all-time in NCAA history. What makes that mark standout is not the all-time ranking but the fact that the mark is his best time ever. Orogot is young and with a time like that it is clear he is gearing up for a big season post-season and a great outdoor season. Keep an eye out for him, I doubt this will be the last we hear of him.

In the hurdles is perhaps one of the biggest stories of the weekend. Cordell Pinch of Division 2 Pittsburgh State claimed the nation’s fastest time winning the 60 hurdles on his home track with a time of 7.50. His mark is the new Division 2 national record and the number one ranking among all collegians. Pinch was a division 1 athlete competing for Kansas but has found a new home at Pittsburgh State.

Distance

Women

Roisin Willis of Stanford was a highly touted recruit and was expected to make major noise her freshman year. I do not think we expected this though. Willis competed at the Badgers Windy City Invite and claimed the 800 meter title with a time of 1:59.95. Willis is second all-time behind only Athing Mu. She has been a record breaker for a long time so this certainly will not be the last time.

Katelyn Touhy has been perhaps the most dominant distance runner in the NCAA in quite some time. After this weekend she now has the top time in the mile, 3k and 5k. What will she do, remains to be seen. At the Millrose Games this past weekend Touhy hopped into the 3,000-meter run and clocked a NCAA record with a time of 8:35.20 to finish third overall. Competing against the professionals clearly brought out the best in the talented sophomore.

Men

Sam Austin of Florida made his name known in a big way. At the Tyson Invitational he defeated a strong field to claim the 800 meter title with a time of 1:46.06. Without any conversions he has the top time in the nation. This was not on anyone’s radar this season, we know he has talent but clearly the coaching staff at Florida has been developing him well. His time is special, and I look forward to seeing what more he’ll do later on this season.

At Boston University they put on a show in the men’s mile. So many heats of the mile was geared to setting a record for the most sub 4 minute miles in a single competition. The previous record was 27, they smashed that at Boston with a total of 52 sub 4 minute miles. The most stunning came from sophomore Anass Essayi of South Carolina. Essayi was the lone Carolinian in the field and competed in the toughest heat, the first one. In his heat were some top tier professionals and he beat all of them except one. He finished in a close second with a time of 3:50.46. His time is number two all-time and puts his squarely in the driver’s seat for the men’s mile.

JUMPS

Women

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M continues to rearrange the record books. At the Tiger Paw Invite at Clemson University the senior leaped to a winning mark of 6 feet 5 ½ inches (1.97m). She is now tied for number three all-time. Distin has been a consistently high performer since her arrival at Texas A&M. I do not expect for that slow down, I expect for to continue to chase the indoor record as well as the outdoor record.

In the long jump Florida junior Jasmine Moore had the NCAA lead for a moment. Out west at the Don Kirby Invite Alysah Hickey of Oregon leaped to a new national led and the meet win with a mark of 22 feet 3 ½ inches (6.79m). Since Coach Robert Johnson left the program, I wondered if Oregon would be able to keep their jumpers performing at a high level, and here is the proof.

Men

Jeremiah Davis of Florida State is having a spectacular year. The junior leaped to a new personal best this weekend at the Don Kirby Invitational. His mark of 27 feet 2 inches further cements his stranglehold of the top long jump mark in the country. What perhaps makes the mark even more impressive is that was on his first and only jump. He jumped once and passed on every other opportunity. It leaves me wondering what else could he do?

Throws

Women

Jorinde Van Klinken has been mentioned on this blog many times before and hear she is again. Van Klinken is no stranger to a number one ranking but a NCAA record to match that number one ranking. Well that is new, Van Klinken was dominant at the Don Kirby Invitational launching a throw of 64 feet 2 ½ inches (19.57m) to claim the shot put title. Van Klinken’s transfer to Oregon has clearly been going well and perhaps she will improve on her new NCAA record later this season.

TEAM TITLE PICTURE

The team battle is starting to clear up. We recognize how strong Arkansas is with their impressive 400-meter depth. Arkansas has five athletes in the top 10 nationally. They have so many quality 400 runners they can run two relays at nationals and both will score. They have a great group of hurdlers, vaulters and of course distance runners. This team will be hard to beat.

On the men’s side Washington similarly presents strong depth but, in their case, it is the mile. The Huskies have four in the top 10 nationally. Florida proved this weekend that their team will be formidable and so has Alabama and USC. The men’s team title picture is less clear but you cannot ignore the strength of Washington.

NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 4

 7.00!

(Julien Alfred-Texas)

Our first weekend of February brought us another set of NCAA records broken. As I have stated that has been our theme. I thought we would have a quiet start to February since there will be two heavily televised meets this coming weekend in the Tyson Invitational and the Millrose Games. However, that was not the case as we had a total of 10 new number one marks including two NCAA records. This recap we will go over the new number one marks and look forward to the weekend coming up. Also keep in mind that moving forward I will not include an altitude adjusted mark instead allowing for the time and or mark the athlete earned to stand.

Sprints/Hurdles

Women

Julien Alfred of Texas is having a fantastic start to her senior year. She has had an incredible career and garnered an NCAA title in the 100 last outdoor season. All that is missing is the indoor 60 meter title and she is leaving little doubt that she is ready to obtain that now. Alfred broke her own NCAA record set two weeks ago by winning the 60-meter dash at the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational in a time of 7.00. Her start was terrific and her drive phase to sprint was textbook. I thought earlier this season that she might be capable of sub 7 and now I am sure of it.

Alfred’s teammate Rhasidat Adeleke has been an incredible all-around talent. Adeleke is currently number one in the NCAA in the 200 (without the adjustment to her altitude time) with 22.52 and now can add the 400. She claimed the second title for Texas at New Mexico with a time of 50.45. An incredible time so early and a new Irish National Record. That is her second Irish National record of the year. They both give Texas an incredible 1-2 punch.

Men

Omotade Ojora of USC reclaimed his number one ranking competing at New Mexico. Without the altitude adjustment the senior clocked a fast 60-meter hurdle time of 7.58. USC has produced some strong hurdlers under the coaching of Olympic Champion Joanna Hayes. Ojora will likely lower his time again and remain the favorite.

Jumps

Women

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M leads the number one High Jump program in the country. This past weekend she added to her NCAA lead with a mark of 6 feet 4 ¼ inches (1.94m). Distin has nearly matched her outdoor personal best set last season this indoor season. We are truly watching one of the best jumpers in NCAA history.

It was only a matter of time before an Arkansas Pole Vaulter found their way on this list. Amanda Fassold is the latest number one ranked athlete for the Razorbacks. She leaped to a mark of 14 feet 10 ¾ inches (4.54m) nearly garnering the 15 foot mark. Fassold is having a solid start to her season and if we have learned anything it’s that it will take a 15-foot mark to win the NCAA title.

Men

Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton continues his reign at the top of the NCAA list. At New Mexico he leaped to a winning mark of 19 feet 4 ¼ inches (5.90m). Guttormsen is edging closer to that national record and with his recent trajectory it is only a matter of time before he surpasses it.

Jaydon Hibbert is a true freshman at Arkansas by way of Jamaica. The talented superstar began his indoor season with a bang. Leaping to a mark of of 54 feet 10 ¾ inches (16.73m). I said at the beginning of the season with the defending champion moving on that a new leader would have to emerge. I guess the freshman said it might as well be him.

Throws

Axelina Johansson of Nebraska is a new name on the leaderboard for the women’s shot put. Johansson had a strong mark on her home field with a winning throw of 63 feet 4 inches (19.30m). Johansson is just a sophomore, but she has three foot lead on both the former and defending champion. Things are certainly heating up in the shot put, I look forward to seeing what the top indoor mark will be.

Relays

On the women’s side the new number one mark is via the Washington Huskies Distance Medley Relay Team. Washington smashed Oregon’s old NCAA record mark with a time of 10.46.62. Although they had a rabbit in the race it still does not take away from their amazing performance. Washington coaching staff was originally from Oregon, and we are seeing some of those same results now at Washington.

On the men’s side it was Arkansas incredible 4x4 mark. The group clocked in a time of 3:01.09 with Christopher Bailey having a 44.3 split. They currently rank 2^nd all time. What a year for Arkansas in the 400.  

NCAA Indoor Recap 3

6,415! 

                                                (Kyle Garland-Georgia)

What an eventful weekend, there was a total of 21 new number one performances. The marks and times displayed this past weekend are championship level. As we close out our final weekend in January and head to February, we have moved into the second phase of the regular season and should be prepared to see more championship level performances. In this post we will look at each number one mark and discuss the latest team rankings.

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Women

Favour Ofili of LSU made her debut this past weekend and put the country back on notice. The talented Nigerian dipped under 22 seconds in the 200 last outdoor season and is the fastest returning 200 meter runner in NCAA history. She ran a dominant race at the Razorback Invitational on the campus of Arkansas with a time of 22.53.

The woman that Ofili defeated was Talitha Diggs of Florida who ran 22.65 and turned around and ran the national leading time in the 400, 51.34. Diggs is now currently ranked number one in the 400 and three in the 400. Although she was defeated by Ofili she has proven to be quite the sprinter and is the only sprinter to be ranked in the top four in all three sprint events. With that speed I expect for Diggs to fully lower her 400 mark.

Men

Micah Williams of Oregon continues on his redemption tour with a new national leading mark in the 60 meter dash, a time of 6.49. He ran against a strong field but the closest athlete him to him ran 6.65. In the 60-meter sprint, an extremely short race, this proves his level of dominance. Williams is not new to 6.4 but everyone time he does it, it proves to be more and more impressive his level of consistency.

In the 400 Christopher Bailey of Arkansas ran an overall personal best to win the Razorback Invitational. His time of 45.09 is a strong mark at this point in the season and will make him a contender this post season. We should not be surprised if he dips under 45 seconds indoors. He won his race by more than a second and he is one of only two athletes to have gone under 46 seconds.

Giano Roberts of Clemson ran a strong race on his home track. He finished second with a time of 7.66 in the race to take the national lead. The only athlete capable of beating Roberts is a current professional unattached athlete. Roberts was a part of a strong trio for Clemson last year and this year is starting to be much of the same.

Distance

Women

Michaela Rose of LSU ran a incredible 600 meter race early in the season proving her strength for the 800 would be strong. She won the Razorback Invitational 800 meter race by more than two seconds with her national leading time of 2:01.66. She is the only athlete currently under 2:02 and that is her first 800 of the season. Rose is having a great start to her 2023 campaign and I am convinced we will hear more from her in the future.

It is no surprise that Katelyn Touhy appears her again. She is already ranked number one in the nation in the 5k and now is number one in the mile. Touhy ran at the Dr. Sander Invitational and against a professional/collegiate field. Her time of 4:24.26 allowed for her to finish third overall but as the top collegian. She has almost a 7 second lead on the nation in the event and is currently the only athlete under 4:30 in the mile. It remains to be seen what she will do come championship time but one thing is for certain we will hear her name being called as a champion.

Men

Crayton Carrozza of Texas is not new to this blog. We have mentioned his name multiple times before. He just competed at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic, a big distance meet, Carrozza ran a strong final 200 meters to outkick the field and claim the title with a time of1:46.28. He won the race by over a second a vaulted to the number one spot nationally. The Longhorns have a strong depth at the 400–800-meter range and Carrozza is currently at the top of the 800 group.

The mile was certainly the highlight of the weekend. It also played a huge part in the team title rankings. Washington loaded up their home track for the UW Invite. They produced a total of 8 milers to run a sub-4-minute mile. That is not a typo, 8! That is an incredible display of depth. Leading the way was sophomore Joe Waksom with his national leading time of 3:51.9. What perhaps is even more impressive is that this was against a strong field that include some of Stanford’s best and they now have the top four times in the country. That DMR will be hard to beat.

Back at the University of Boston another number one performance was being performed by Drew Bosley of Northern Arizona. Northern Arizona has been a top tier distance power for quite some time and lately when they have been mentioned it has been due to Nico Young. Bosley is proof that they are more than a one-man wrecking crew since he is our latest NCAA record breaker. Bosley competed against a strong field and finished fifth overall along with being the top collegian. His 3,000-meter race time was 7:36.42 and it is a new NCAA indoor record. He is just a sophomore but is currently the best in the country.

In the 5,000-meter run new Tennessee athlete Dylan Jacobs took the national lead with a time of 13:11.01 to finish fourth at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic. He is the third number one mark from that meet alone. Jacobs previously competed at Notre Dame and was top tier performer for the Irish and he has seamlessly transferred to Tennessee to give them a strong boost with their distance talent. Jacobs already entered the season as a national title contender with having a NCAA title in the 10,000 last outdoor season.

JUMPS

Women

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M is still the class of the field in the women’s high jump. After setting multiple records in 2022 she has kicked off her 2023 season with a strong start. She led a strong field at the Razorback Invitational with a mark of 6 feet 2 ¾ inches (1.90m). Distin is in her senior year and clearly has shown that defending her title is certainly in her grasp.

Men

Senior Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton is the defending NCAA Champion in the men’s pole vault. He could have turned professional last season, but seeing as he is a Ivy-League student it should come as no surprise that he is remaining a student athlete. He garnered the first 19 foot mark in the pole vault this season. Winning at the HYP meet, his mark of 19 feet 2 inches (5.84m) is a clear cut number one mark. Guttormsen is in prime condition to defend his title.

Jeremiah Davis of Florida State is having a strong start to his season. He took a national lead in early January and now has returned to the top. Davis took down an impressive field at the Razorback Invitational leaping to a mark of 26 feet 11 ¼ inches (8.26m). Davis nearly earned a 27 foot mark indoors. If you doubted Davis earlier in the season it is clearly time to take him serious now.

Throws

Former NCAA Champion Jorinde Van Klinken of Oregon further improved upon her number one mark. She launched a throw in the shot put of 60 feet 10 ½ inches to win the Texas Tech Open. Van Klinken is currently the only athlete in the country with a mark over 60 feet and her strong start to the season continues.

MULTI’S

Women’s Pentathlon

In the women’s pentathlon Camryn Newton-Smith of Arkansas State has taken the national lead with a score of 4,356 points after winning the Texas Tech Open. Newton-Smith’s performance is more noteworthy given the fact that she defeated an All-American is Texas sophomore Kristine Blazevica. Newton-Smith has never been mentioned her before, but she has certainly earned it with her great performance last weekend.

Men’s Heptathlon

Our preseason favorite Kyle Garland of Georgia has consistently lived up to the hype he built as a high school star. At the Texas Tech open this past weekend he scored a total of 6,415 points. It is an impressive school record and the second best mark in NCAA history. Of the seven events he scored a total of 6 personal bests! Just an incredible performance against a strong field that included Texas senior Leo Neugebauer. Garland broke the NCAA record last outdoor season so it should come as no surprise that he could potentially break the record this indoor season.

RELAYS

Women

There were some impressive relay times this weekend. In the 4x400 relay Arkansas proved their depth was too much for Florida with their national leading time of 3:26.40. In the DMR Stanford women lived up to the hype with their winning mark of 10:55.15. Its still early in the season but now that we are finished with January expect for more eye-popping times even though both times are impressive.

Men

I though after watching the Razorback Invitational that I had seen an NCAA Championship preview in the men’s 4x400 relay. There were several lead changes that came down to a strong anchor from Ryan Willie of Florida to clock in at 3:04.11 over USC 3:04.12. However Georgia actually ran the best time of the season at the Texas Tech open with a time of 3:03.74 and second overall was Alabama that ran 3:03.99 at Clemson. The best three relay times are all in the SEC and within a half second of each other. I expect for all three programs to have lowered their times before then.

The DMR time from Virginia of 9:27.8 is a nice time but without seeing what Washington is capable of I will withhold my thoughts on this race this early in the season.

TEAM RANKINGS

Washington mean have taking over the number one ranking. They certainly have proven solid depth and could sweep the mile indoors. On the women’s side Arkansas proved their depth this weekend impressing the nation on their home track.

2023 NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 2

                                     7.02!                                                                         

(Julien Alfred-Texas) 

   

  7.75!

                                                     (Masai Russell-Kentucky)

Another season, another set of NCAA records are broken. Although record breaking has been the theme here it was primarily around long-standing records that have stood since the 80’s or 90’s. There are very few of those left, but the new records are not lasting long either. In this recap we will look at two new NCAA records and the new number one performances along with the NCAA rankings that have just released.

Sprints/Hurdles

Women

Julien Alfred of Texas seems to break a record every year. She has been the most consistent in the 60-meter sprint over the years and has been a reliable source of points for the Texas Longhorns. At the MLK Invitational at New Mexico University Alfred blasted out of the blocks riding a strong start to a NCAA 60-meter record time of 7.02. That breaks her own record set last year of 7.04. It is still January and Alfred could lower that mark even more, potentially under 7 seconds. She was the favorite going into this season and I see no reason for that to change.

Alfred’s teammate Rhasidat Adeleke made up for her second-place finish in the 60 of 7.20 to run a strong 200-meter race to a world leading time of 22.52. Adeleke was a strong member of Texas’ sprint core last season running on both the 4x1 and 4x4. Running a time of 22.5 this early in the season is only a promising sign of potential things to come.

Bailey Lear of USC is the Trojans latest 400-meter star. Under Olympic Gold Medalist coach Quincy Watts, the Trojans have produced scores of All-Americans and NCAA champions and Lear is the latest. Lear dominated and led a 1-2-3 finish at the MLK Invitational at the University of New Mexico with her winning time of 52.07. Lear is so close to running under 52 seconds. It is still January, and she has a month more of the regular season expect for that time to come down.

Masai Russell of Kentucky has been on tear this season. After running a national leading of 7.88 last week she followed that up with a NCAA record time of 7.75 at the Red Raider Open at Texas Tech. The senior is apart of an impressive group at Kentucky. Her time breaks the NCAA record held by Grace Stark/Brianna Rollins. Rollins has an Olympic Gold medal to her credit and the outdoor record as well. Whatever else lies in store for us, I look forward to seeing Russell lower that record.

Men

On the men’s side there was only one new number one mark. That comes from Cameron Murray of NC State. The senior lit up the Hokie Invitational with his national leading mark of 7.67 to win the 60-meter hurdle title. Although Allen Johnson is no longer the coach at NC State, some of the talent he recruited is still there and producing at a high level. Murray competed against a strong field, but he was certainly the class of it.

Distance

Baylor Franklin of Ole Miss is the latest middle-distance standout from Ole Miss. Each year the produce a strong half miler and miler. Franklin ran a national leading time of 1:46.74 to begin his season. His teammate, Tiarnan Croken, who finished second with a time 1:47.39 ran the nation’s second-best mark. Having run a sub 1:47 so early in the season is impressive. Expect to hear his name again and do not be surprises if it is in the mile and not the 800.

Jumps

Zach Bradford formerly of Kansas and now of Texas Tech is having another strong indoor season. The senior leaped to a mark of 18 feet 9 ¼ inches (5.72m) to win the Red Raider Open. Bradford has always been highly rated, and this season is no different, I believe this is the year he breaks through the mold. I doubt this is the last time we will hear his name again.

Throws

Jordan Geist of Arizona was expected to be here at some point during the season. Geist still a top tier performer continues to represent Arizona well and became the first athlete over 70 feet this season in the shot put. At the Lumberjack challenge Geist launched a winning throw of 70 feet 5 ¾ inches (21.48m). As a former number one recruit being at this level is expected, I hope we can continue to see him at the top of the list.

Relays

Texas Tech men’s 4x400 relay caused me to talk about relays earlier than I wanted to. Their impressive winning time of 3:04.52 at their home meet, the Red Raider open, could not go ignored. They are the new number one ranked team over Florida. With an incredible weekend slate coming up expect for that time to get lowered and not only by the Red Raiders. It looks as if it will be another fantastic year in the 4x400 relay.

Team Rankings

The Texas Women are ranked number one while the number one men’s team is Stanford. I approve of both these rankings. Texas has proven to have incredible depth in the sprints as well as the jumps. Stanford is loaded in every distance event and has a strong young sprints/hurdle core. Stanford can truly ride the wave of it’s strong distance core to a national title, I expect for the Cardinal to remain number one for a while, although I expect for Florida to make some noise this coming weekend, Stanford will be making noise as well.

2023 NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 1

 7.88!

(Masai Russell-Kentucky)

The 2023 season is now in full swing. Although the indoor season technically starts at the beginning of December the second weekend in January is the first full weekend with nationwide competition. In the post I will share with you my thoughts and opinions on the best performances of the weekend. I will not lean on or harp on anyone’s individual ranking since it is still fresh in the season.

Sprints/Hurdles

Women

Rosemary Chukwuma of Texas Tech introduced herself to division 1 with eye opening time of 7.11 in the 60-meter dash. Chukwuma had a solid 2022 season and had a personal best of 10.99. A mark of 7.11 so early in the season should indicate her impressive level of fitness and readiness for the season. 

Talitha Diggs of Florida already has an NCAA title in her trophy case having won both the indoor and outdoor 400-meter title. She began the indoor season with a bang and a time of 7.14. She followed that up with a 300-meter race time of 36.12 to win. Diggs looks to be in impressive form and ready to properly defend her title.

Masai Russell of Kentucky is dropping her name in the bucket to be considered a threat for the NCAA title in the 60-meter hurdles. Russell clocked a winning time of 7.88 on her home track at the Rod McCravy Memorial. That is a personal record for Russell and just 0.01 off the school record set by legend Kendra Harrison. 

Men

Ismael Kone was a noteworthy transfer this past off season, leaving New Orleans University to transfer to Florida State who specializes in short sprinting. Kone proved that the transfer is a perfect fit after running a time of 6.51 and setting his country’s national record along with a new school record.

Evan Miller of South Carolina has the pleasure of being the first sub-46 400 runner of the season. His impressive early season of 45.91 is indicative of a strong off season. After spending majority of last season as a 200-meter runner primarily it should not come as a shock that he stepped up to the 400, it is the time however that stands out. A great time this early is a great sign.

Omotade Ojora of USC was not selected to represent his country Great Britain at the world championships last year even after winning the national title in the 110-meter hurdles. He has continued his focus on being the best hurdler and began his 60-meter hurdle indoor season with a time of 7.68, a solid time to start the season. The 60-meter hurdles will crown a new champion, Ojora certainly can add his name to the mix.

Distance

Women

Talented true freshman Juliette Whittaker of Stanford proved she is certainly worthy of the hype. At the UW Preview she circled the track in a time of 2:02.48 to claim the event 800-meter title. Her time is quite impressive this early in the season for any class especially a freshman. As an 800 runner under the tutelage of legendary coach JJ Clark, Whittaker is a name we should get used to hearing.

Men

Ky Robinson also of Stanford ran an impressive mile time at the UW preview this past weekend highlighting the incredible weekend the Cardinals had. Robinson claimed the race with a time of 3:55.87. His time was one of many sub 4 minute miles this weekend but a sub 3:56 in January will make anyone turn their heads especially since Stanford has four. Robinson is returning after having a strong 2022 outdoor season that ended with All-American honors, although he has primarily been a 5,000-meter runner a time this impressive in the mile should make him consider competing in the mile this indoor season.

JUMPS

Women

There were two great jumps marks on the women’s side this past weekend. The first came from Rylee Anderson of Kansas. Yes, Kansas and not Kansas State which has had quite an impressive run of jumpers. Anderson leaped to a mark of 6 feet 2 inches (1.88m). Anderson missed the podium last outdoor season and will look to finish her senior season on it.

Jasmine Moore is just simply sensational. I enjoy watching her jump as she continues to consistently improve. The talented senior from the University of Florida began her indoor campaign with a mark of 47 feet 4 ½ inches (14.44m). That mark is capable of winning NCAA titles, and she has done it so early. Could we see her produce another NCAA record, if this past weekend is any indication the answer is yes.

Men

Jeremiah Davis of Florida State was another highlight from the Seminoles strong weekend. The talented junior leaped to a mark of 26 feet 9 ¾ inches (8.17m). Davis finished last outdoor season finishing 2^nd at the NCAA championships and decides to begin this season with a personal best. Davis nearly hit 27 feet in his first meet of the season, keep an eye out for him.

Throws

Women

Jorinde Van Klinken is now at Oregon. Van Klinken is now at a new school but will likely continue her winning ways. Her early season shot put mark is 59 feet 5 inches (18.11) set at the UW Preview. Van Klinken is almost over 60 feet at the start of the season. The defending national champion certainly seems ready to defend her crown.

Jalani Davis of Ole Miss is their next throwing star. She defeated her teammate and 2022 NCAA runner up Jasmine Mitchell in the weight throw at the Commodore Challenge with a mark of 79 feet 2 inches (24.13m) nearly breaking 80 feet. Like the shot put this is an impressive mark to hit so early in the season and a positive sign of things to come.

Men

Isaiah Rogers of Kennesaw State formerly of Virginia Tech is finally back competing again and began the season with a solid mark. He launched the weight throw a total of 79 feet 11 ½ inches (24.37m). His mark will certainly gather some attention and is a welcome sight to see a talented thrower return to the top of the field.

 

Recap & Preview             

The NCAA rankings will be released on January 23 next Monday. After this coming weekend I will talk more about the performances and their rankings together. The team title picture will likely not be clear until early to mid-February, but individual marks will certainly be considered. A major meet this coming weekend is the Red Raider Open at Texas Tech. I expect for some eye-popping marks at that meet.