2022 NCAA DI Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 9

NEW ORLEANS – All roads lead to Hayward Field!

Here is the newest edition of the NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index, as released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The only marks being used in this edition of the National TFRI are those associated with athletes who qualified for the NCAA postseason, which begins this week.

NCAA Division I — Men's Outdoor Track & Field

This Week's National Top Five

1
Texas

2
Georgia

3
Alabama

4
Florida

5
LSU

All TFRI Reports

NATIONAL TFRI
PDFs: Team Detail | Event Detail

View Women's Post

You can’t get much closer at the top between top-ranked Texas and second-ranked Georgia. Well, if you could, you’d need a crowbar to pry them apart. The Longhorns have a 1.05-point lead over the Bulldogs, according to the National TFRI, which is virtually indistinguishable.

Texas has 26 entries into the NCAA postseason with eight of those ranked among the top-10 seasonal performers, including a trio of national-leading efforts: Micaiah Harris in the 200 with his windy 19.79; Jonathan Jones in the 400 with his 44.54; and Tripp Piperi in the shot put with his 21.54m (70-8) heave from back in March at the Texas Relays. 

Georgia owns 12 entries into the NCAA postseason and hopes quality rules over quantity. The Bulldogs have 10 marks ranked among the top-10 seasonal performers with seven of those 10 inside the top-5s of their respective events. Georgia is hoping to get big points in the decathlon with collegiate record-holder Kyle Garland and Johannes Erm in the mix. Matthew Boling will be looked upon, too, as he eschews the long jump in order to focus on the 100-200 double.

Third-ranked Alabama is right there with Texas and Georgia, sitting just 2.71 rankings points behind the Longhorns and trails the Bulldogs by even fewer. The Crimson Tide bring 20 entries with them into the NCAA postseason spread across 12 events. Alabama has multiple athletes entered in the 200 (2), 1500 (2), shot put (3), discus (2) and hammer throw (2). Eliud Kipsang, the collegiate record-holder in the 1500 meters, leads the way for the Crimson Tide.

Fourth-ranked Florida and defending champion, fifth-ranked LSU are poised to make some noise, too. The Gators have 19 entries in the NCAA postseason, while the Tigers feature 15. Florida has eight entries among the top-10 seasonal performers, compared to seven for LSU. Look for the Gators to assert their dominance in the relays with both top-ranked squads, which includes the collegiate record-setting 4×400 relay. The Tigers are dotting 12 different events with their entries, including multiple athletes in the 100 (3), triple jump (2) and javelin throw (2). 

Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in Week 9: No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 7 Oregon, No. 8 Baylor, No. 9 BYU and No. 10 Oklahoma. 

Mark your calendars for June 8-11, because that’s when the 2022 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at the reimagined Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon!