2020 NCAA DIII Women’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – A women’s team is projected to repeat as champion at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships for the first time since 2013 and 2014.
Defending champion Williams opens the 2020 season as the preseason favorite to capture its second consecutive crown come March 14 at the 2020 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Ephs have developed into a bit of a juggernaut recently, having also placed second in 2018.
NCAA Division III — Women's Indoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Williams
Williams
2
Washington (Mo.)
Washington (Mo.)
3
MIT
MIT
4
Chicago
Chicago
5
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins
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It’s not hard to see why Williams is the favorite, according to our computers. The Ephs return four women who combined to score 34 points in individual events at NCAAs last year. Emma Egan won the national title in the high jump, Anna Passannante finished runner-up in both the 800 and the mile, Kelsie Hao and Summer-Solstice Thomas were both fifth in the pole vault and the pentathlon, respectively.
Washington (Mo.) is expected to give the Ephs a run for their money, just like they did last year in Boston. It was inside the Reggie Lewis Center where the Bears fell only two points shy of a national title (Williams won 42-40). WashU welcomes back three women who scored points in their respective individual events last year – namely star jumper Eka Jose, who won the triple jump and finished fourth in the long jump.
MIT comes in at No. 3 and has been a fixture in the top-5 in recent memory. The Engineers, who have been ranked among the elite in the sport in 28 of the past 32 weeks, are expected to have a strong presence in the mid-distance and distance events with Katie Collins, Marissa McPhillips and Jenna Melanson all returning, as well as in the field with Jacqueline Aherns being the top-billed athlete in the pole vault, according to the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings.
UChicago is ranked fourth to match its best ranking in program history. Many are looking for the Maroons to excel in the distance events after such a strong cross country season, but don’t forget about the reigning national champion in the long jump Isabel Maletich or two women who are ranked fifth in the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings (Laura Darcey in the pentathlon and Robin Peter in the 60 hurdles).
Johns Hopkins sits fifth to begin the season and is projected to be a contender for its first podium spot in program history. While the Blue Jays have been a perennial power in cross country and won yet another national title this past season, the best they have finished indoors in the past 10 years was 14th last year. Athletes like Felicia Koerner, Therese Olshanski and Caelyn Reilly are expected to pace Johns Hopkins this season.
Here are the rest of the teams in the Preseason Top-10: No. 6 Ithaca, No. 7 TCNJ, No. 8 UW-La Crosse, No. 9 Loras and No. 10 Carthage.
