Collegiate Track & Field Weekend Review: February 7, 2011

* KIRANI JAMES SETS THE TRACK ABLAZE, AGAIN: A week after setting the collegiate-leading time at 200 meters (20.58), Alabama sophomore Kirani James again posted an impressive performance – this time in the 400 meters. Saturday, the defending outdoor 400-meter national champ posted a 45.47 all-conditions world-leading time at the Meyo Invitational. Technically the time is the fastest in the world so far in 2011, but will not be considered an official world-leading time because it was achieved on the oversized track at Notre Dame’s Loftus Center. Alabama’s sprinters are likely going to compete at the Texas A&M Challenge this upcoming weekend.

* DIVISION II’S SPENCE RUNS EARLY-SEASON WORLD LEADER: Shippensburg junior Neely Spence won the women’s 5000 at the New Balance Invitational in a world-leading time of 16:01.05. It was the second-straight year in which Spence topped a heavy-Division I field to take the top spot at the New Balance meet. Spence was the individual champion at the 2010 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships.

* MCMILLIAN REACHES ALL-TIME TOP FIVE: Nebraska senior Chaunte McMillan won the women’s pentathlon at this weekend’s Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational with a school-record score of 4,378 points. The performance also made McMillian fifth on the all-time collegiate performers list. The only ones better than McMillan in the event all-time are Brianne Theisen (4,507 – 2011), Jacquelyn Johnson (4,496 – 2008), Austra Skujyte (4,439 – 2002), and Hyleas Fountain (4,417 – 2004).

* DEMPS DOWNS RETURN RUMORS WITH GOOD OPENER: Florida sophomore Jeff Demps opened his 2011 campaign and put to rest any rumors of his non-return to the track by winning the 60-meter dash at this weekend’s Virginia Tech Elite meet with a 6.57 clocking. The Gator football star is the NCAA’s defending champion in the 60 meters indoors and the 100 meters outdoors. His 6.57 has only been bettered this year by Oklahoma’s Mookie Salaam (6.55).

* SOUTH CAROLINA’S BROOKINS TAKES BACK COLLEGIATE LEAD: South Carolina senior LaKya Brookins reclaimed her collegiate-leading status in the women’s 60 meters with a 7.18 run in winning the event at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational.

"I was feeling it," Brookins said. "I was trying to get there. I’ve been working hard all year. The time shocked me. I didn’t think I would run that this soon, but I’m not complaining. Hopefully come SEC’s and NCAA’s I’ll do better and show everyone that I can do this and I’m ready."

Brookins was the 2009 NCAA Indoor Champion in the 60-meter dash.

* BYU WOMEN, LSU MEN WIN NEW BALANCE MEET: A bevy of talented teams competed this weekend at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the Armory in New York City. BYU’s women came out on top, posting 90½ points to nearest-challenger LSU’s 85 and third-place Texas A&M (80). The Cougars scored in many events and was the winners of the 4×800 relay.

“We are thrilled that we can represent BYU back in the east against some of the top schools in the country,” BYU head coach Patrick Shane said. “This is a meet that favors a team with depth and balance and we are really excited to come out on top.” 

On the men’s side, LSU won their fourth-ever, and first since 2006, team title at the New Balance meet. The Tigers scored 97 points to Texas A&M’s 80 for top billing.

Week’s Best Marks

(week ending February 6, 2011)

FRESH FACES: Week’s Best Marks from Freshmen

(week ending February 6, 2011)

^ Athlete/relay has a better mark this season
* NCAA Division II Institution
** NCAA Division III Institution
~ NAIA Institution
# Junior College
A – Performance occurred at altitude
(ov) – Performance occurred on an oversized track; not-eligible for WL/CLs
WL – World-leading mark
CL – Collegiate-leading mark
uno-CL – Unofficial collegiate-leading mark (marks that will not be considered for NCAA qualification)
ac-WL/ac-CL – All-conditions world/collegiate leader
D2L – NCAA Division II-leading mark
Exh – exhibition performance (not eligible for NCAA qualification)
CWB – Current Week’s Best all-around mark
FRL – National collegiate freshman-leading mark

Active Collegiate Winning Streaks

(known winning streaks)
Report streaks to [email protected]

ALL ROUNDS

5: Mookie Salaam, Oklahoma

INDOOR RACES

9: Torrin Lawrence, Georgia (last loss: 5/17/09, SEC Indoor Championships [DNF])
Win streak in races finished: (12) does not include DNF at 2009 SEC Indoor (has yet not lost a collegiate race in which he finished)

INDOOR FINALS

3: Robby Andrews, Virginia

INDOOR RACES

5: Robby Andrews, Virginia

4: Sam Chelanga, Liberty

OVERALL

7: Texas A&M (last loss: 2010 Penn Relays)

OVERALL RACES (all rounds)

8: Texas A&M

INDOOR FINALS

7: Texas A&M (last loss: 2/13/10, second to Texas Tech)
4: Boise State

OVERALL

10: Derek Drouin, Indiana (last loss: 2/13/10, Tyson Invitational, 6th place)
All competitions: (12) includes wins in summer 2010 (including Canadian national championships)

INDOOR

7: Scott Roth, Washington
(last collegiate loss: 3/14/08, NCAA Indoor Championships [10th place])
All competitions: (8) won two meets in 2009 while redshirting (last loss: 1/31/09, UW Invitational)

4: Eetu Viitala, Boise State (4-0 in 2011)

OVERALL

6: Christian Taylor, Florida (last collegiate loss: 6/13/09, NCAA Championships [3rd place])
Taylor was second at the USATF Championships in 2010
4: Chrys Jones, Centre (last loss: 3/20/10 Rhodes Open)
Jones has won 12 of the last 13 competitions, beginning with the 2009 indoor season

INDOOR

6: Christian Taylor, Florida (lass loss: 2/14/09, Tyson Invitational [5th place])
6: Chrys Jones, Centre (last loss: 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships)

INDOOR

8: Kurt Roberts, Ashland  (last loss: 2/13/10, Akron Invitational)
4: Luke Pinkleman, Nebraska

7: Walter Henning, LSU (last loss: 3/14/09, NCAA Indoor Championships [4th place])

OVERALL

10: Neely Spence, Shippensburg (has not lost as a collegian)

INDOOR

6: Neely Spence, Shippensburg (has not lost as a collegian)

FINALS

6: Indira Spence, Adams State

ALL ROUNDS

11: Indira Spence, Adams State

ALL FINALS

4: Amber Kaufman, Hawaii

4: Ti’Anca Mock, Oklahoma (last loss: 1/7/11, Arkansas Invite)

INDOOR

6: Kim Williams, Florida State
(last loss: 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships, 2nd place to Erica McLain)

4: Faith Sherrill, Indiana (last indoor loss: 2010 NCAA Indoor)
4: Christin Bridge, St. Francis (Pa.) (last indoor loss: 3/6/10, ECAC Indoor)

6: Mele Vaisima, Boise State (last loss: 2/12/10, Boise Team Invite)
5: Amanda Phelps, Navy (last loss: 3/7/10, ECAC Indoor)
5: Felisha Johnson, Indiana State (last loss: 3/5/10, Alex Wilson)

3: Brianne Theisen, Oregon (last loss: 3/13/09, NCAA Indoor Championships, 3rd place)