2022 NCAA DI Men’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 4
NEW ORLEANS – The biggest weekend of the regular season (so far) meant big changes to the newest edition of the NCAA Division I Men’s Indoor Track & Field National Rating Index, which was released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Remember that this ranking system only uses marks from the current season, so it’s a comprehensive, objective look at the 2022 indoor campaign.
Only two of the top-10 teams remained in place from Week 3 and two teams from outside of the top-10 jumped seven or more spots to take up residence among the nation’s best programs.
NCAA Division I — Men's Indoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
North Carolina A&T
North Carolina A&T
2
Georgia
Georgia
3
Texas
Texas
4
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
5
Arkansas
Arkansas
All TFRI Reports
North Carolina A&T jumped back into the driver’s seat following several incredible efforts at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational this past weekend. The Aggies added or improved three national top-5 marks, including an increased national lead in the 400 from Randolph Ross Jr., who went 44.83 to clock the first sub-45 second two lapper in the world this year. Leonard Mustari had a meet to remember as he matched the all-time world best in the 60-meter hurdles of 7.55. North Carolina A&T was also buoyed by Rahseem Brown who is ranked No. 5 in the 60H at 7.65.
Georgia turned a strong weekend into the No. 2 ranking in Week 4. Elija Godwin provided the Bulldogs with a spark with two national top-6 efforts: the No. 2 mark in the 400 of 45.38, which he ran in a runner-up effort to Ross this past weekend; and the No. 6 mark in the 200 of 20.60. You can’t forget about Matthew Boling, either, who continues to lead the nation in both the 200 (20.27) and the long jump (8.25m/27-0¾) midway through the last full month of the season.
Texas dropped two spots to No. 3 to no fault of its own. The Longhorns have six national top-10 marks to their credit, including the second-best, 800-meter run of the season from Jonathan Jones at 1:46.93. Jones is also ranked 11th nationally in the 400 at 46.10 and led off the 10th-ranked 4×400 relay, which got the baton around in 3:05.21 just over a month ago.
Texas Tech fell one spot to No. 4, but saw the rise of Moad Zahafi in the 800 meters. Zahafi clocked a national-leading mark of 1:46.29 at the Texas Tech Shootout. That’s the Red Raiders’ second chart-topping effort this season, as Terrence Jones is perched atop the 60 at 6.45.
Arkansas soared seven spots from No. 12 to No. 5 between Week 3 and Week 4. The Razorbacks added or improved four national top-10 marks to their ledger this past weekend, which included three top-5 efforts: Kieran Taylor in the 800 (No. 3, 1:47.12); the 4×400 relay team, thanks to its third-ranked 3:03.18 effort; and the now third-ranked John Baker in the long jump (8.01m/26-3½). One other mark that stood out was Phillip Lemonious’ top-10 mark in the 60H of 7.69.
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in Week 4: No. 6 Iowa (up two spots), No. 7 Oregon (up 11 spots), No. 8 Kentucky (down two spots), No. 9 Florida and No. 10 Tennessee.
Mark your calendars for March 11-12, because that’s when the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships will take place at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
