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Preview - 10 Women's Storylines to Follow at NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships

Published by
DyeStat.com   Mar 9th 2022, 3:16pm
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By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 39th edition of the NCAA Division 1 womens indoor track and field championships are scheduled for March 11-12 at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.

WOMEN'S ENTRIES | DYESTAT DISCUSSIONS

Here are 10 female storylines to follow at the event, as the meet is held for the third time at the venue, following 2016 and 2019.

Steiner ready to take on the world

Already the reigning NCAA Division 1 champion, collegiate indoor record holder and all-time American performer in the women’s 200 meters at 22.09 seconds, only one target remains for Kentucky star Abby Steiner in her pursuit of global dominance.

Merlene Ottey of Jamaica ran 21.87 in France in 1993, with only Russia’s Irina Privalova coming remotely close to approaching the historic standard in 1994 and 1995 with a trio of performances under 22.20, including a 22.10 effort – also in Lievin – that stood as the second-fastest in history until Steiner’s exceptional race Feb. 26 at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas.

It was a fitting performance for Steiner to produce during a memorable final competition held at the Gilliam Indoor facility at Texas A&M.

In addition to trying to become the fifth female athlete in NCAA indoor history to defend her 200 title, including the first since LSU’s Kimberlyn Duncan won three in a row from 2011-13, Steiner is trying to eclipse the 22-second barrier and potentially challenge the world record.

Adding more intrigue is the presence of U.S. Olympian Anavia Battle from Ohio State, who ran 22.39 on Feb. 26 at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, the fastest 200 performance on an oversized track in collegiate indoor history. Battle ranks third all-time in the NCAA on any indoor surface.

There has never been an indoor 200-meter race in the world to produce a pair of female athletes running sub-22.40, and there could be three individuals, with LSU’s Favour Ofili – a Nigerian competitor who boasts an indoor-best 22.46 – also in the field.

No American female athlete currently holds an individual world record in any track event, although the U.S. does boast three women’s relay all-time marks.

Racing for global relay supremacy

Following the memorable 4x400-meter relay final at the SEC Indoor Championships involving Arkansas, Texas A&M and Kentucky, the potential for a world all-time best in the final event of the women’s schedule Saturday increased significantly.

Arkansas smashed the collegiate indoor record by more than two seconds, highlighted by a 49.83-second anchor split from Britton Wilson, to clock 3:24.09 for the fourth-fastest effort in global indoor history.

Texas A&M followed at 3:25.43, with Kentucky running 3:25.89, both among the top 10 all-time world indoor efforts. It marked the first time three women’s teams ran under 3:26 in the same 4x400 race.

The Razorbacks, who had Rosey Effiong, Jayla Hollis and Shafiqua Maloney also contribute to their remarkable effort, would not be eligible for the world record ratification since all four athletes do not compete for the same country internationally. Maloney represents Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with the other three competing for the U.S.

But it doesn’t change the motivation for Arkansas to challenge the 2006 performance of 3:23.37 achieved by Russia, especially after Wilson achieved the second-fastest indoor split in history, trailing only the 49.54 effort achieved last year by Texas A&M star Athing Mu.

Texas A&M would also not be eligible for a world record since Charokee Young competes for Jamaica, with Laila Owens, Tierra Robinson-Jones and Syaira Richardson all representing the U.S.

Kentucky also would not be considered for a world record, since Megan Moss is from the Bahamas and Abby Steiner, Karimah Davis and Alexis Holmes are all Americans.

Young split 50.07 for the fifth-fastest leg in history, with Holmes anchoring Kentucky in 50.35, which ranks No. 17 all-time among indoor 4x400 performances.

Texas has the potential to compete with the elite trio, especially with Kennedy Simon having split 50.55 this year, but the Longhorns have yet to run sub-3:28 this season.

Distance depth on display

For the first time in collegiate women’s indoor history, four athletes from the same program will compete in the 5,000-meter final Friday, with New Mexico producing the impressive quartet of Adva Cohen, Gracelyn Larkin, Emma Heckel and Amelia Mazza-Downie, all members of their cross country lineup that took third overall Nov. 20 at the Division 1 Championships at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla.

New Mexico had three finalists in both the 3,000 and 5,000 in 2019 at the last Division 1 indoor championship meet at the CrossPlex, but the Lobos placed their focus on the 5,000 this season, beginning with their performances Dec. 4 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University, a race that produced eight national qualifiers scheduled to race in Birmingham.

Not to be overshadowed, reigning NCAA cross country champions North Carolina State is only the second women’s program to produce four entries in the 3,000 final, joining Arkansas from 2000 and last year.

Katelyn Tuohy, Samantha Bush, Kelsey Chmiel and Allie Hays achieved the feat for North Carolina State, one of only two schools with multiple representatives in the 3,000 final, joining Oregon State with Kaylee Mitchell and Grace Fetherstonhaugh.

Chmiel and Hays are also entered in the 5,000 for North Carolina State.

Courtney Wayment of Brigham Young, the reigning 3,000 champion, is scheduled to defend her title, along with competing in the 5,000 and potentially the distance medley relay for the Cougars.

Hurdling highlights expected

The collegiate women’s 60-meter hurdles record has stood since 2013, with Clemson’s Brianna McNeal running 7.78 seconds.

But there are as many as four athletes with the aspirations of not only winning a Division 1 indoor title, but also challenging the all-time mark, led by LSU’s Alia Armstrong, North Carolina A&T’s Paula Salmon and Florida’s Grace Stark.

Armstrong is the No. 2 all-time collegiate competitor at 7.81, with Salmon ranked No. 3 at 7.83 and Stark equal to No. 5 at 7.86.

And that trio doesn’t even include the reigning NCAA champion Ackera Nugent of Baylor, who has run 7.90 this season after prevailing last year in 7.92.

Nugent is attempting to become the third female athlete in Division 1 indoor history to secure back-to-back titles, joining Tiffany (Ofili) Porter of Michigan in 2008-09 and Ginnie Powell of USC in 2005-06.

Florida and North Carolina A&T have never captured women’s 60 hurdles national titles, with the last LSU female athlete to win being Lolo Jones in 2003.

Armstrong secured a victory Feb. 11 at the Tyson Invitational against Stark, who rebounded to secure the SEC title Feb. 26 at Texas A&M, a race in which the LSU standout endured a cramp before she reached the first hurdle and decided not to continue.

Salmon also produced her lifetime-best effort Feb. 11 at the Tiger Paw Invitational at Clemson.

There have only been two races on American soil and five in global history with multiple competitors running sub-7.80, the last one coming at the 2018 World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England.

The previous occasions domestically were at the 2016 and 2018 USATF Indoor Championships. 

Ruling the runway

Florida’s Jasmine Moore is a U.S. Olympian and a collegiate indoor record holder, but is still seeking her first career NCAA title in either the long jump or triple jump.

Moore has the potential to double her pleasure at the CrossPlex, looking to become the fifth female competitor in Division 1 indoor history to sweep both championships, joining Cal’s Sheila Hudson (1990), Pitt’s Trecia Smith (1998), Auburn’s Elva Goulbourne (2003) and Kansas’ Andrea Geubelle (2013).

Moore won SEC titles in both events, including an indoor-best 22-1.75 (6.75m) in the long jump that took over the top entry mark entering Friday’s final. She produced the collegiate all-time indoor performance Jan. 29 with her 47-9 (14.55m) performance at the Bob Pollock Invitational at Clemson.

Florida has produced multiple indoor triple jump champions, with Leah Kirklin securing back-to-back titles in 1991-92, followed by Ciarra Brewer in 2015 and Yanis David in 2019.

But the Gators have never crowned a women’s indoor long jump champion, with Claire Bryant finishing second to collegiate indoor record holder Tara Davis of Texas last season.

Moore faces a deep group of challengers in both events, including Bryant in the long jump and teammate Natricia Hooper in the triple jump.

Texas Tech has Monae Nichols and Ruth Usoro in the long jump, with Oregon’s Alysah Hickey, Texas A&M’s Deborah Acquah and Texas’ Tyra Gittens also in contention.

Usoro, the defending indoor triple jump champion, will be joined by teammate Ruta Lasmane in the event, with the field also including Ackelia Smith of Texas, Charisma Taylor of Tennessee and Acquah.

Usoro has the potential to become the first back-to-back triple jump winner since Georgia’s Keturah Orji won three in a row from 2016-18.

Nelson tries to spin another record

The last female competitor to win consecutive Division 1 indoor 60-meter titles was Jamaican standout Remona Burchell of Alabama in 2014-15.

Another rising Jamaican sprinter, Kemba Nelson of Oregon, has the potential to produce a double play of her own, in addition to lowering her own collegiate indoor record.

Nelson clocked 7.05 seconds to triumph last year in Arkansas, becoming the third Oregon female athlete to win the NCAA title in the event, joining English Gardner in 2012 and Hannah Cunliffe in 2017.

Although Nelson is tied with Oregon teammate Jadyn Mays as the fifth-fastest qualifier this season at 7.15, she is the only athlete in the field ever to run under 7.10 in her career.

Texas’ Julien Alfred has clocked 7.10, LSU’s Alia Armstrong has run 7.11, with Florida’s Grace Stark and Kentucky’s Abby Steiner both producing 7.12 performances this year.

Armstrong and Stark are seeking the 60 hurdles and 60 dash double, with Steiner pursuing championships in the 60 and 200.

LSU’s Muna Lee also won back-to-back crowns in 2003-04, with South Carolina’s Lakya Brookins prevailing in 2009 and again in 2011.

Nelson also has the potential to become the only collegiate female sprinter with multiple sub-7.10 performances. Oregon is also seeking a second straight sweep of the 60 titles, along with Micah Williams in the men’s final.

Poland’s Ewa Swoboda is the world leader this year at 6.99, with former Colorado State standout Marybeth Sant-Price producing the top U.S. mark at 7.04.

Aquilla aspires to extend shot put title streak 

Ohio State senior Adelaide Aquilla, a U.S. Olympian, is looking to maintain her dominance against collegiate competitors by capturing her third overall NCAA shot put title and second in a row indoors after her victory last year in Arkansas.

Aquilla has the potential to become the fifth female athlete in Division 1 indoor history to secure back-to-back shot put championships, following Rice’s Regina Cavanaugh (1984-86), UCLA’s Tracie Millett (1990-91), North Carolina’s Laura Gerraughty (2003-04) and Florida’s Mariam Kevkhishvili (2008-10).

Aquilla opened her season with a pair of 19-meter performances, the only individual in the field to surpass that barrier this year, and boasts the top collegiate mark at 62-7.75 (19.09m).

Samantha Noennig of Arizona, the 2019 champion at the CrossPlex, is in the field, along with Jorinde van Klinken of Arizona State, a Dutch standout who produced the top collegiate all-time mark in the discus throw in May of 230-4 (70.22m), although it is not considered an NCAA record because it occurred at the USATF Throws Fest in Tucson.

Aquilla will have the opportunity to compete against former Ohio State teammate Divine Oladipo, now representing Vanderbilt, where former Buckeye throws coach Ashley Kovacs is also working as associate head coach for the Commodores.

Raven Saunders of Ole Miss in 2017, Tia Brooks-Wannemacher of Oklahoma in 2013 and Gerraughty in 2004 are the only individuals to produce a 19-meter effort at the Division 1 indoor final.

Conference strength showcased in DMR

Although reigning women’s distance medley relay champion Brigham Young is representing the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the remaining 11 entries in Friday’s final are connected to three conferences, demonstrating a new level of depth in the event this season.

Arkansas, which produced the third-fastest performance in collegiate indoor history Jan. 28 at the Razorback Invitational by clocking 10.51.63, leads three SEC entries, along with Ole Miss and Kentucky.

The Atlantic Coast Conference, led by Virginia Tech at 10:53.75, boasts four programs, including Virginia, Notre Dame and North Carolina State.

And the Pac-12 Conference, which already had Washington among the collegiate leaders entering the final weekend of the regular season, added Oregon, Oregon State and Stanford to complete the NCAA field.

Arkansas won back-to-back DMR titles in 2014-15, looking to not only triumph again, but possibly challenge the collegiate indoor record of 10:48.77 set in 2017 by Oregon.

The Ducks won titles in 2018-19, the latter at the CrossPlex, holding off BYU, which finally secured a championship last year in Arkansas behind an outstanding anchor leg from Courtney Wayment that resulted in the host Razorbacks finishing second.

Virginia Tech, with a lineup including top 800-meter entry Lindsey Butler moving to the 1,600 leg on the DMR, has never won a women’s relay title. Ole Miss, led by Italian standout Sintayehu Vissa on its anchor leg, is also seeking the program’s first Division 1 title in any women’s track event.

BYU returns only Wayment from last year’s championship quartet that ran 10:52.96, with the senior also scheduled to compete in the 3,000 and 5,000 for the Cougars.

Weight throw history could be worth the wait

Not since Florida’s dominance in 2003 and 2004 has a women’s program showcased strength in the weight throw like Ole Miss has the potential to produce in Friday’s final.

The Gators secured five of the top six spots in 2003 and four of the first six finishers in 2004, but Florida never completed a sweep of the top three, a feat Ole Miss is seeking to achieve with Shey Taiwo, Jasmine Mitchell and Jalani Davis entering the competition as the most impressive trio of teammates in collegiate indoor history.

Taiwo ranks as the No. 2 all-time collegiate indoor performer, along with No. 3 in the U.S. and the world at 82-7.50 (25.19m).

Mitchell is the No. 12 competitor in collegiate history at 77-6 (23.62m), with Davis ranked No. 21 at 75-4 (22.96m).

The Rebels’ pursuit of history won’t be without challenges, especially with DeeNia McMiller of Memphis the No. 8 all-time collegiate athlete at 79 feet (24.08m), Auburn’s Madi Malone ranked No. 14 at 76-6.25 (23.32m), Southern Illinois’ Shauniece O’Neal the No. 18 performer in history at 75-10 (23.11m), followed by Virginia Tech’s Rebecca Mammel at No. 19 with her mark of 75-8.75 (23.08m).

The field boasts seven of the top 15 female athletes in the world this year, in addition to returning weight throw All-American and collegiate hammer throw record holder Camryn Rogers of Cal at 74-7 (22.73m).

Ole Miss is also seeking its first women’s weight throw title, after Louisville’s Makenli Forrest prevailed in the sixth round last year, denying Taiwo and Mitchell the championship in Arkansas.

The collegiate record is 83-10.25 (25.56m) achieved in 2007 by Southern Illinois’ Brittany Riley, with the world all-time best mark of 83-11.75 (25.60m) produced in 2017 by fellow American Gwen Berry.

A memorable mile could produce new leading lady

Binghamton, Middle Tennessee State, Cincinnati, Portland and Portland State all boast qualifiers in the women’s mile, along with entries from elite programs Stanford, Washington, Colorado, Ole Miss, Virginia, Washington, Illinois and Indiana, all seeking their moment in the spotlight in Saturday’s championship race.

With plenty of All-Americans entered in the 3,000 and 5,000, the mile final has the potential to produce a new collegiate star, looking to follow last year’s champion Sage Hurta of Colorado, now a professional athlete with On Athletics Club, or perhaps 2018 winner Elle Purrier St. Pierre of New Hampshire, now representing New Balance.

Emily Mackay of Binghamton is not only the first qualifier in any women’s track event in program history, she is also a legitimate contender to capture the championship after running 4:30.94 on Feb. 11 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University.

Mackay elevated to the No. 21 competitor on all indoor surfaces in Division 1 history, but she should be challenged by Stanford’s Julia Heymach, a top 30 all-time NCAA performer with her personal-best 4:31.35 from the same race in Boston.

Portland State’s Katie Camarena, Eusila Chepkemei of Middle Tennessee State, Laura Pellicoro of Portland, Virginia’s Mia Barnett and Cincinnati’s Ellie Leather could also factor into the title chase, along with Ole Miss standout Sintayehu Vissa, who won the SEC title Feb. 26 and is one of the strongest closers in the field.

Along with Heymach, the Pac-12 is well represented by Washington’s Anna Gibson and Madison Heisterman, Colorado’s Madison Boreman, Micaela DeGenero and Rachel McArthur, along with Oregon’s Aneta Konieczek.

Illinois’ Olivia Howell and Indiana’s Bailey Hertenstein will look to recapture the Big Ten magic produced by Ohio State’s Julia Rizk, who won the 2019 national mile championship at the CrossPlex.



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