USTFCCCA News & Notes
Mix Of New And Old Faces Expected To Shine At NCAA DII Outdoor Championships
NEW ORLEANS – There’s a lot up for grabs this week in Bradenton, Florida at the IMG Academy, as the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships features just a handful of returning individual champions from a year ago.
Only 6 men and 6 women will return to defend their titles, meaning a slew of new faces will be able to make a name for themselves and their programs over the course of the 3-day meet that begins on May 25. But those returning champions will do everything in their power to bring home another title.
Of those 12 aforementioned athletes, only 1 is looking to create a mini-dynasty in her respective event. Tia-Adana Belle of Saint Augustine’s could win her 3rd-straight 400 hurdles title, marking the 1st time that has been done since Lana Jekabsone did so for Lewis from 2000-02. Belle is tops on the Descending Order List heading into the meet with a time of 56.26, good for the 5th-best time in the event in NCAA Division II collegiate history. She also sits over 1.5 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor on the list.
Four of the 6 men’s returning champions enter the meet atop the Descending Order List in their respective events. Michael Sandle of Minnesota State owns the most commanding lead of them in the triple jump on the season, as the junior’s mark of 16.24m (53-3½) is over a foot further than his nearest competitor.
Saint Augustine’s Shaquille Dill, Missouri Southern’s Vincent Kiprop and Adams State’s Sydney Gidabuday also own the top mark in their events heading into the meet. Dill’s time of 1:48.55 in the 800 meters is just 2 tenths of a second faster than William Mayhew of UC-Colorado Springs while Kiprop ran over 30 seconds faster in the 10000 meter run than anyone this year at 28:19.94. Gidabuday’s time of 13:39.94 in the 5000 meters is just 7 seconds faster than Tiffin’s James Ngandu, who could challenge for both the 5000 and 10000 meter titles this weekend.
On the women’s side, Merrimack’s Carly Muscaro, Carsyn Koch of Cedarville and Missouri Southern’s Emily Presley will head into the IMG Academy at the top of their respective events. Muscaro’s time of 52.06 in the 400 meters is over a second faster than anyone this year, while Koch owns a near 2-second lead in the 800 meters at 2:02.87 that doubles as the 3rd-fastest time in NCAA Division II outdoor history. Presley’s top pole vault mark on the year of 4.43m (14-6¼) is the 3rd-best mark in NCAA Division II outdoor history.
The remaining returning champions have their work cut out for them.
Mikel Smith of St. Martin’s won the high jump a year ago with a mark of 2.16m (7-1), but sits tied for the 9th-best mark heading into the meet this week. Grand Valley State’s Hunter Weeks enters the championships with the lone NCAA Division II Automatic Qualifying mark on the season in the event at 2.17m (7-1½).
In the steeplechase, Black Hills State’s Jonah Theisen will head to Bradenton with the 17th-best mark time in the country in the event he won a year ago at 8:59.37. Kale Adams of Adams State leads the nation in the event with a time of 8:49.70, and he will look to bring the title back into the Grizzlies grasp after Tabor Stevens won the event 3 times in a row before Theisen’s outing a year ago.
Emilee Iverson hopes to capture her 2nd-straight high jump title for Pittsburg State, but will face some stiff competition that even involves one of her teammates. Iverson’s top mark of 1.76m (5-9¼) on the season is tied for 5th with 3 others, while 4 women in Hannah Hensley (Academy of Art), Marissa McCay (Humboldt State), Emilyn Dearman (Pittsburg State) and Ellie Earle-Rouse (Humboldt State) own identical marks of 1.78m (5-10) to pace the NCAA Division II Descending Order List.
In the throws, Maria Garcia sits 3rd in the discus throw heading into the meet this week with a mark of 54.64m (179-3). However, ahead of her are Daisy Osakue of Angelo State and Mel Herl of Chadron State, both of whom entered the NCAA Division II record books with their throws this year. Herl also leads the Descending Order List in the hammer throw.
Fans should expect to hear a plethora of new names called when it’s time for medal presentations. While nothing is set in stone, there are a few names that one could expect to hear more than once though.
The aforementioned Belle and Dearman could battle it out for the 100 hurdle title that is currently led by Pittsburg State’s Courtney Nelson. Dearman is also heavily favored in the heptathlon. Western State’s Alicja Konieczek leads the country in both the 5000 meters and the steeplechase. West Texas A&M’s Rellie Kaputin could pull off the double win in both the triple jump and the long jump, unless Chadron State’s Stachia Reuwsaat holds her own in the latter of the two.
Academy of Art’s Mobolade Ajomale will challenge for both the 100 and 200 meter races this week, as will Marcus Parker of Eastern New Mexico, among others. Chico State’s Kyle Medina could give Gidabuday, Kiprop and Ngandu fits in the 5000 meters in addition to being a strong contender for a 1500 meter title.
Regardless of who wins what, it’s sure to be an exciting meet.