2020 NCAA DI Men’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Preseason
*** Ratings UPDATED at Thursday, January 9, 9:15 a.m., Central ***
NEW ORLEANS – Don’t adjust your screen.
This isn’t 2010 all over again, but it has a familiar feeling.
The 2020s begin the same way that the last decade did: Florida State at No. 1 in the NCAA Division I Men’s Indoor Track & Field Preseason National Rating Index.
NCAA Division I — Men's Indoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Florida State
Florida State
2
LSU
LSU
3
Southern California
Southern California
4
Texas
Texas
5
Indiana
Indiana
All TFRI Reports
The Seminoles, who top the National TFRI for the first time since Week 1 of the 2010 season, topped No. 2 LSU by a considerable margin. FSU comes in at 152.35 points, while the Tigers hauled in 127.03 points with No. 3 Southern California (91.93), No. 4 Texas (91.74) and No. 5 Indiana (86.15) rounding out the top-5 in the first iteration of the 2020 season.
Big things are expected from FSU in 2020 thanks to talent across the board. The Seminoles own seven top-5 marks in the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings, including top marks in the 60 Hurdles with The Bowerman Watch List member Trey Cunningham and in the 200 with Kasaun James. Cunningham is one of three FSU athletes projected to score in the 60H, while James could also bring in big points in the 60. Also be on the lookout for Fabian Edoki and Isaac Grimes in the long jump.
LSU is hot on the Seminoles’ heels as Dennis Shaver’s squad has its best national ranking since the 2011 season when it headlined the batch in Week 1. The Tigers have six top-5 marks in the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings, led by Rayvon Grey’s top billing in the long jump, as well as a pair of No. 2 marks from JuVaughn Harrison in the high jump and Terrance Laird in the 200.
Southern California holds its best ranking in program history at No. 3. While the Trojans finished second at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships, the highest they ever climbed during the regular season was fourth. Expect big things from the trio of Isaiah Jewett (800), Eric Allen Jr. (200) and Ernie Sears (high jump) as they’re all ranked in the top-4 of their respective events in the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings.
This marks the second year in a row that Texas is ranked in the top-5 to begin the season. That is the first time that has happened in program history. The Longhorns welcome back Tripp Piperi – the nation’s top shot putter, according to the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings – and jumping specialist O’Brien Wasome – No. 3 in the triple jump, No. 8 in the long jump – among others.
Indiana owns its best ranking since the 2011 season, which is when it climbed as high as third on two different occasions. The Hoosiers appear strong in the mid-distance and distance events with the likes of Kyle Mau (No. 4 in the 3000, No. 5 in the mile) and Ben Veatch (No. 6 in the 5000) and athletes like Treyton Harris (No. 5 in the long jump) and Willie Morrison (No. 5 in the shot put) in the field events.
No. 6 Texas A&M, No. 7 Arkansas, No. 8 Florida, No. 9 Colorado and No. 10 Oregon round out the top-10 in the 2020 Preseason.
The next National TFRI will be released on Monday, January 27 and will continue all season long until the 2020 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held on March 13-14 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
