MEET PREVIEW: Newcomers, Familiar Faces Poised For NCAA DI ITF Championships

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Get your popcorn ready. The 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships begin tomorrow at Gilliam Indoor Stadium in College Station, Texas on March 10-11.

The best of the best in Division I will all convene in one location for two days, battling for supremacy in the track and field world. While all eyes will be on whether or not Florida’s men’s program can put an end to Oregon’s mini-dynasty as well as the potential for the Ducks women’s opportunity to capture its 7th title in eight years, there are a plethora of individual titles worth watching.

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FROM THE USTFCCCA: National Championship Central

Of the 30 total events at the meet, there are 12 returning champions set to defend their title. Additionally, there are 13 events in which graduating seniors from a year ago will not return, opening the floodgates for an abundance of returning competitors to have the chance to taste gold.

On top of that, there will be athletes looking for their first indoor championships who are favored in various events that will be relied on heavily by their teams to come out on top when the dust settles.

All in all, the meet will be one that is not soon forgotten.

Oregon leads the way in returning champions with Edward Cheserek and Raevyn Rogers. Cheserek, the senior with seven NCAA Indoor national titles to his name, is set to fend off competitors in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter races that he won a season ago. Cheserek owns the top mark in the 5,000 meters in Division I on the year, while placing 2nd in the 3,000 meters to Washington’s Colby Gilbert. Cheserek does have another trick up his sleeve, though, as he will return to the mile race that he won in 2015. He’s certainly capable of winning that event, as he broke the collegiate indoor record this year with a time of 3:52.01.

Rogers won the 800 meters a year ago to help the women’s squad defeat Arkansas by a mere three points. She, however, will have her work cut out for her this weekend, as Texas A&M’s Jazmine Fray – who set the collegiate indoor record in the event at 2:00.69 – and BYU’s Shea Collinsworth sit ahead of her on the Descending Order List.

The SEC features a bulk of the returning champions, as six of the remaining title defenders hail from schools within the conference.

Georgia and Arkansas each have two athletes who won Division I titles last year. The Bulldogs will send Division I mark leaders Keturah Orji and Kendell Williams out in the triple jump and pentathlon, respectively. Orji set the new collegiate standard in her event on the year with a mark of 14.32m (46-11¾) at the SEC Indoor Championships, while Williams fell just 17 points shy of tying her own collegiate record in the pentathlon. The Razorbacks will showcase two field athletes in pole vaulter Lexi Weeks and triple jumper Clive Pullen. While neither of them own collegiate records like their conference counterparts from the Peach State, both hold leads in their respective events heading into the championships.

Tennessee’s Christian Coleman hopes to add to his already jam-packed trophy case, as the U.S. Olympian has a chance to repeat in the 200 meters. But, with Alabama’s Jereem Richards standing in his way on the Descending Order List, Coleman may have to settle for a title in the 60 meter dash after finishing 3rd a season ago. He and Georgia’s Kendal Williams enter the meet with identical Division I season-best times of 6.51 in the event.

Another Crimson Tide athlete in Quanesha Burks should make a splash over the weekend. The senior from Hartselle, Alabama, returns to the long jump in the hopes of capturing a 2nd-straight indoor championship. The only woman ahead of her on the Descending Order List from this season is Kentucky’s Sha’Keela Saunders, who posted the 6th-best leap in collegiate indoor history this season at 6.82m (22-4½).

A trio of Big 12 athletes return to win back-to-back championships in Texas Tech’s Trey Culver (high jump), Oklahoma State’s Kaela Edwards (mile) and Texas’ Teahna Daniels (60 meters). Of those three, Edwards is the only one entering with the top mark in her event in Division I this season.

Eight other athletes are poised to compete for a title after posting top-10 marks in collegiate history this year. Oregon’s Hannah Cunliffe leads that group, as the junior set the all-time collegiate indoor record in the 60 meters this year at 7.09. Her teammate Sasha Wallace recorded one of the best 60 hurdle times in collegiate history, as well.

Lexi Week’s twin sister, Tori (pole vault), as well as Ole Miss throwers Raven Saunders (shot put) and Janeah Stewart (weight throw) should all contend for a title this weekend. Saunders could have some trouble, as Kent State’s Danniel Thomas also notched a top-10 mark in collegiate indoor history this season.

Texas A&M’s Fred Kerley was outstanding in the 400 meters this year, posting the 4th-fastest collegiate indoor time of 45.02. He joins Colorado State’s Mostafa Hassan (shot put) as the only other two men competing this weekend who recorded top-10 collegiate marks on the year.

Be sure to check back throughout the weekend as we bring you more coverage of the 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships on USTFCCCA.org.