By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 56th NCAA Division 1 men’s indoor track and field finals and 38th edition of the women’s championship meet are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.

MEN'S ENTRIES | WOMEN'S ENTRIES

Here are 10 storylines to follow as the meet returns to Arkansas for the first time since 2015:

Mu takes aim at another all-time mark

Texas A&M freshman Athing Mu has been competing in NCAA Division 1 track for less than two months and has already achieved collegiate indoor records in the 600 meters (1:25.80), 800 meters (1:58.40) and contributing to the 4x400 relay all-time indoor mark of 3:26.27 on Feb. 13 at the Tyson Invitational.

Mu, who has already split 50.02 on the relay, will now pursue both collegiate and American indoor records in the 400 meters, which were established in 2018 at Texas A&M by USC standout Kendall Ellis, who clocked 50.34 at the Division 1 indoor final.

The World U-20 indoor record of 50.36 was also set at the 2018 championship meet by Kentucky freshman Sydney McLaughlin during her one year of collegiate competition, before turning professional and signing with New Balance.

Mu ran 50.52 on Feb. 6 at the Charlie Thomas Invitational, second in the world this year behind only the 50.21 effort achieved Feb. 13 by Bahamian star Shaunae Miller-Uibo at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y.

Only three female athletes in history have eclipsed the 50-second mark in the indoor 400, none since 2006.

Mu is also expected to compete again for Texas A&M on the 4x400 relay, which the Aggies didn’t contest Feb. 27 at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships. Only three countries – Russia (3:23.37), United States (3:23.85) and Poland (3:26.09) – have run faster indoors than Texas A&M, which is also expected to run Jania Martin, Syaira Richardson and Charokee Young against lineups from Arkansas, Kentucky and USC. 

Several more collegiate records under siege

Athing Mu is one of five athletes entering the championship meet having already achieved individual collegiate records during the indoor season, along with Baylor pole vaulter KC Lightfoot at 19-8.25 (6.00m), Arizona State shot putter Turner Washington at 71-8.25 (21.85m), Sam Tanner of Washington in the 1,500 meters at 3:34.72 and Cooper Teare of Oregon in the mile at 3:50.39.

In addition to the Texas A&M women’s 4x400 relay, the Oregon men also smashed the absolute collegiate distance medley relay record, as well as the all-time world indoor mark Jan. 29 at the Razorback Invitational by clocking 9:19.42.

But there are several athletes in pursuit of collegiate indoor records during the three-day meet, beginning Thursday with Tyra Gittens of Texas A&M and Anna Hall of Georgia in the women’s pentathlon.

Gittens is the No. 3 competitor in collegiate indoor history with 4,612 points and Hall is fourth all-time at 4,590 points, both chasing the 2016 record of 4,703 achieved by four-time NCAA pentathlon winner Kendell Williams of Georgia.

Texas Tech senior Ruth Usoro has a pair of collegiate indoor records in her sights, along with becoming the best combination horizontal jumper in NCAA history.

Usoro is scheduled to participate Friday in the long jump, having produced a mark of 22-4.50 (6.82m) at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. She is attempting to surpass the record of 22-8 (6.91m) shared by Whitney Gipson of Texas Christian and Elva Goulbourne of Auburn.

Usoro is also looking to eclipse the 2018 standard of 47-8 (14.53m) in the triple jump held by Georgia’s Keturah Orji, following her 47-1.50 (14.36m) performance Feb. 27 to win the Big 12 title.

The women’s distance medley relay record could also be challenged Friday, with Arkansas and Brigham Young both capable of lowering the 2017 mark of 10:48.77 produced by Oregon.

The finals Saturday have the potential to see record-setting performances in the sprints, hurdles and possibly a pair of distance events.

Kentucky junior Abby Steiner put a legitimate scare in the women’s 200 record with her 22.41 effort Feb. 26 in the SEC prelims. Steiner is looking to take down the 2018 standard of 22.38 established by Harvard’s Gabby Thomas.

Both 60-meter dash records could also be on borrowed time, as Oregon freshman Micah Williams, who ran 6.49 on Feb. 27 at the Air Force Academy for the fastest time ever achieved by a teenager, is attempting to surpass the 6.45 all-time mark shared by Tennessee’s Christian Coleman and BYU’s Leonard Myles-Mills.

USC senior Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry has run 7.14, but has the potential to mount a threat to the 7.07 record shared by Oregon’s Hannah Cunliffe and LSU’s Aleia Hobbs.

Texas senior Chanel Brissett is not only seeking a second career title in the 60-meter hurdles, but also has the ability to tackle the 2013 record of 7.78 belonging to Clemson’s Brianna McNeal.

LSU’s Terrance Laird ran a world-leading 20.28 in the men’s 200 to capture the SEC title Feb. 27, but has an even bigger goal to eclipse the 20.02 performance of Houston’s Elijah Hall from 2018.

Two athletes in both the men’s 800 and mile could be in record pursuit, with Oregon’s Charlie Hunter and Texas Tech’s Takieddine Hedeilli both eyeing the 1989 all-time mark of 1:44.84 established by Virginia’s Paul Ereng.

It will be a Pac-12 showdown in the men’s mile, with Oregon’s Cole Hocker and Tanner not only battling for a championship, but possibly producing a new all-time mark after Teare achieved the record with his 3:50.39 effort Feb. 13 at the Tyson Invitational. Tanner achieved his 1,500 record the same day, but at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Staten Island, N.Y.

Different school, same title

Samantha Noennig won the women’s shot put championship for Arizona State and Chanel Brissett captured the women’s 60-meter hurdles crown representing USC in 2019 at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.

Since then, Noennig has taken her talents to Arizona and Brissett transferred to Texas, but both athletes remain the favorites to win titles again Saturday.

In the history of the Division 1 indoor championship meet, three female athletes have won titles in the same event for multiple schools.

Raven Saunders was the last individual to achieve the unique double in the shot put, securing the championship for Southern Illinois in 2015 and Ole Miss in 2017.

Natoya Goule won the 800 for LSU in 2013 and Clemson in 2015, with Amy Linnen capturing the pole vault crown in 2002 for Arizona and again in 2005 for Kansas.

Texas has never produced a champion in the women’s 60-meter hurdles and Noennig is looking to become the fourth female athlete from Arizona to secure the shot put crown, following Meg Ritchie (1983), Carla Garrett (1989) and Julie Labonte (2011).

Oregon has designs on dominant distance showcase

When Oregon had Edward Cheserek win the mile and Eric Jenkins double in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, along with winning the distance medley relay in 2015, the Ducks accumulated 70 of their 74 points in the distance events alone.

The Ducks might not approach that outstanding output again this weekend, but Oregon has the potential to become the first men’s team in Division 1 indoor history to sweep the 800, mile and 3,000 titles in the same championship meet, along with capturing the DMR after achieving the world all-time indoor mark and collegiate record Jan. 29 by clocking 9:19.42 on the same track at the Razorback Invitational.

Oregon has Charlie Hunter as the top qualifier in the 800, Cole Hocker as the fastest entry in the mile and Cooper Teare leading all competitors in the 3,000.

Hunter will have to hold off Texas Tech’s Takieddine Hedeilli in the 800, with Hocker facing a strong challenge from Washington’s Sam Tanner in the mile. Teare and Hocker are the top two seeds in the 3,000.

Arkansas, Oregon and UTEP are the only schools in men’s indoor history to win at least three titles in the distance events in the same year, with the Ducks the last to achieve the feat in 2016, as Cheserek won the 3,000 and 5,000, along with anchoring the DMR to victory. 

Arkansas, BYU women have long-term plans

In addition to being two of the elite cross country programs in the country, following their exceptional showdown at the 2019 championship meet at the LaVern Gibson course in Terre Haute, Ind., Arkansas and Brigham Young have great aspirations in the distance events at the indoor finals, both showcasing exceptional depth again.

Arkansas has nine athletes competing in at least one distance event, with BYU boasting six. Both teams are scheduled to race the DMR as well.

Arkansas has Shafiqua Maloney and Kennedy Thomson in the 800 meters, with BYU featuring one of the favorites in Claire Seymour.

Krissy Gear, Gracie Hyde, Isabel Van Camp and Thomson are all entered in the mile for the Razorbacks, as the Cougars counter with Heather Hanson, Kate Hunter and Simone Plourde.

Although Arkansas’ Katie Izzo is the lone entry from either team in the 5,000, the 3,000 presents one of the most exciting matchups, with BYU featuring Courtney Wayment and Olivia Hoj Simister against Lauren Gregory, Logan Morris, Abby Gray and Izzo for the Razorbacks.

Izzo is one of three athletes with an opportunity to pursue the dynamic double of winning the 3,000 and 5,000, along with Auburn’s Joyce Kimeli and North Carolina State’s Elly Henes.

They are all looking to join Missouri’s Karissa Schweizer (2018), Notre Dame’s Molly Seidel (2016) and Dartmouth’s Abbey Cooper (2013-14) as female athletes in the past decade to sweep both titles.

Harrison hoping for encore of historic double

LSU senior JuVaughn Harrison became the only male athlete in NCAA Division 1 history to win the long jump and high jump titles in the same year at the 2019 outdoor championship meet in Austin, Texas.

Harrison is looking to duplicate his double by winning both events Friday, also looking to accomplish what no men’s jumper has achieved in indoor finals competition.

Harrison is tied for the American indoor lead and is equal to second in the world this year in the long jump with a leap of 27-4 (8.33m), also produced by Florida State’s Isaac Grimes, both athletes achieving the mark at Randal Tyson Track Center.

Harrison has also cleared 7-5.75 (2.28m) in the high jump, and is the top qualifier, in addition to being equal to the No. 8 competitor in the world this year.

Harrison has the potential to become the all-time best combination long jumper and high jumper in the world, a distinction currently belonging to retired German athlete Henry Lauterbach, who boasts career marks of 27-4.75 (8.35m) in the long jump and 7-6.50 (2.30m) in the high jump.

Also seeking a jumping double this weekend by sweeping the horizontal events is Tennessee junior Carey McLeod, the only Jamaican athlete to surpass both the 8-meter mark in the long jump and achieve a 17-meter performance in the triple jump.

McLeod, the top qualifier in the triple jump and No. 3 in the world this year at 56-4 (17.17m), is looking to become the eighth male athlete to sweep the long jump and triple jump in the same year.

Marquis Dendy of Florida was the last men’s competitor to achieve the impressive double in 2015, joining Indiana’s Aarik Wilson (2005), as well as former Arkansas standouts Melvin Lister (2000), Robert Howard (1997), Erick Walder (1992-94) and Mike Conley (1984-85), along with UTEP’s Bob Beamon (1968).

Texas Tech’s Ruth Usoro is looking to become the first female athlete to sweep both long jump and triple jump championships in the same year since Kansas’ Andrea Geubelle in 2013. Auburn’s Elva Goulbourne (2003), Pittsburgh’s Trecia Smith (1998) and Cal’s Sheila Hudson (1990) are the other female athletes who have captured both horizontal jumps titles in the same indoor season.

Throwing tandem takes center stage

Jasmine Mitchell and Shey Taiwo of Ole Miss will not only be battling for the women’s weight throw championship Thursday, but also looking to be joining an elite group of talented tandems in the process.

Mitchell and Taiwo are the only teammates in collegiate indoor history to both produce 23-meter throws in the same season. Mitchell edged Taiwo by a 76-3 (23.24m) to 75-7.25 (23.04m) margin Feb. 25 at the SEC indoor final.

Only three pairs of teammates have swept the top two spots in the women’s weight throw in Division 1 indoor championship history, all representing the SEC.

Florida achieved the feat in consecutive years, with Candice Scott and Kim Barrett in 2004, which followed Erin Gilreath and Jukina Dickerson in 2003.

South Carolina had Dawn Ellerbe and Lisa Misipeka dominate the weight throw in back-to-back years, taking the top two places on the podium in 1996 and 1997.

Although Ole Miss graduate Janeah Stewart has won the U.S. indoor title in the weight throw, the Rebels have never crowned an NCAA champion in the event, since it was first added to the schedule in 1996.

Aggies look to reel in another HBCU relay crown

Morgan State won the first two indoor championships in the men’s 4x400 relay in 1965 and 1966, but no Historically Black College or University has achieved the feat since.

North Carolina A&T looks to end that drought, led by sophomore standout Randolph Ross and veteran anchor Trevor Stewart. The Aggies boast the second-fastest qualifying mark at 3:04.62, one of five schools to have run under 3:05 this season, along with SEC programs Tennessee (3:04.08), Kentucky (3:04.67), Georgia (3:04.72) and Alabama (3:04.90).

Although Kayla White won the women’s 200-meter title in 2019 at the CrossPlex, North Carolina A&T is still in search of its first men’s indoor national championship in any event.

Ross is also in contention to make history in the 400, qualifying with the second-fastest mark of 45.21, trailing only Ohio State junior Tyler Johnson at 45.07.

Ross could follow HBCU champion Tyrell Richard of South Carolina State, the 2019 winner in 44.82. Only nine athletes in history have run under 45 seconds indoors.

Elevated expectations for SEC in women’s high jump

Only once in Division 1 indoor championship history has a single conference swept the top three podium positions in the women’s high jump, and the SEC did one better by taking the top four places in 2017, with Georgia teammates Mady Fagan and Tatiana Gusin finishing first and second, followed by Mississippi State’s Logan Boss and Alabama’s Stacey Destin.

The SEC features similar star power again this year with Texas A&M’s Tyra Gittens the top qualifier at 6-3.25 (1.91m), followed by Georgia’s Anna Hall and LSU’s Abigail O’Donoghue both at 6-2.25 (1.89m).

No other entry has cleared higher than 6-0.50 (1.84m) this season, making Gittens, Hall and O’Donoghue the leading contenders for the title. If freshman Rachel Glenn of South Carolina, LSU’s Nyagoa Bayak or Georgia’s Shelby Tyler can surpass 6-1.25 (1.86m), then the SEC might have another quality quartet capable of duplicating similar success from four years ago.

Only twice in championship meet history have the top three finishers all cleared at least 6-2.75 (1.90m), most recently in 2017, along with 2013. That also has the potential of happening in Friday’s final.

Gittens’ performance in this event, along with the pentathlon and long jump, looms large for Texas A&M in their quest to take down host Arkansas and capture the program’s first indoor women’s team title.

Mardal looks to become newest king of the ring

Although the men’s shot put showdown involving Arizona State’s Turner Washington, Texas’ Adrian Piperi, USC’s McKay Johnson and potentially Arizona’s Jordan Geist is the most anticipated matchup in the ring Friday, the first men’s championship crowned Thursday has plenty of significance attached to it as well.

Florida senior Thomas Mardal, the Norwegian record holder, is looking to become only the fifth Division 1 male athlete to surpass the 80-foot barrier in the weight throw, following his SEC championship meet record 79-3.25 (24.16m) on Feb. 25 at Randal Tyson Track Center. Mardal ranks No. 4 in the world this year.

The Gators won four consecutive women’s weight throw national championships from 2002-05 – three by Candice Scott and one from Erin Gilreath – but Mardal is looking to become the first Florida male athlete to capture the weight throw crown.

The only men’s indoor throwing title won by the Gators remains Stipe Zunic in the shot put in 2015.

Arizona junior Israel Oloyede is the only other qualifier to surpass the 23-meter mark this year, entering the competition with a top throw of 76-0.75 (23.18m), more than three feet behind Mardal.