2023 NAIA Men’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 4
NEW ORLEANS – Here is the Week 4 edition of the NAIA Men’s Indoor Track & Field National TFRI, as released on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). No marks from previous seasons have been used, which means this objective list is compiled solely of current qualifying marks from the 2023 indoor track & field season.
Lots of movement took place in the top-10 this week, with just one team holding their position from Week 3. It’s safe to say that the postseason is upon us.
NAIA — Men's Indoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Southeastern (Fla.)
Southeastern (Fla.)
2
Dordt (Iowa)
Dordt (Iowa)
3
Life (Ga.)
Life (Ga.)
4
Milligan (Tenn.)
Milligan (Tenn.)
5
Keiser (Fla.)
Keiser (Fla.)
All TFRI Reports
Southeastern (Fla.) was the only team to maintain their ranking from Week 3 and continues to hold the No. 1 spot. The Fire feature 10 top-10 individuals, plus the seventh-overall 4×400 relay. Southeastern’s hurdlers hold three of the top six spots in the 60-meter hurdles, with Davonte Vanterpool (7.81) leading the nation, with Glenn Rodgers (7.83) in second, and Darion Carter (8.01) in sixth. James Williamson III’s lead in the 60 meters (6.62) was finally beaten this past weekend after two months, but he still holds the lead in the 200 meters (21.05). Vaulter Maximiliano Kittsteiner launched himself over 4.80m (15-9) at the Sun Conference Championship, good enough for eighth in the NAIA.
Dordt (Iowa) quickly ascended these rankings, moving up to second after spending last week ranked fourth. The Defenders feature seven top-10 performances, as well as three relay teams in the top-1o of their respective events. Payton Maudlin ran his way into a third top-10 this weekend, dropping a 48.09 (OT) mark in the 400 meters, good enough for sixth, while also holding the national lead in the 800 meters (1:50.87 OT) and the second place position in the 600 meters (1:17.93c). Trey Engen also added another top-10 performance this weekend, running a 2:26.94 (OT) 1000-meter to place him fourth in the nation, going alongside his fifth place mile time of 4:09.49.
Life (Ga.) rises to third in the Week 4 rankings, with six top-10 individuals and a nation-leading 4×400 relay. Jacob Ulrich continues to lead the nation in both the 400 (46.92) and the 600 (1:17.13 OT) after improving on his season’s best over 400 meters at Clemson this weekend. William Jones also holds two top-5 performances, with a third in the nation long jump (7.31m/23-11¾) and a second in the nation triple jump (15.45m/50-8¼) from the Southern States Athletics Conference Championship. Ngoni Chadyiwa’s performance in the 400 (47.79) at the Southern States Athletics Conference Championship was also good for fifth in the nation.
Milligan (Tenn.) drops two spots to fourth, with 10 top-10 individual performances and a national number four DMR. The Buff’s remain dominant in the middle and long distance events, with all of their top-10 performances coming at distances of 600 meters or greater. Just four individuals, Sylas Chambers, Bryn Woodall, Aaron Jones, and Will Stockley, hold those 10 top-10 performances. Woodall continues to maintain his national lead in the 1000 (2:26.58c) after this week, while Jones’ mark in the 3000 (8:08.40c) narrowly edges Woodall (8:08.79c) out for a second nation-leading performance.
Keiser (Fla.) drops two spots to fifth this week after entering the top-5 for the first time last week. The Seahawks have nine top-10 performances, including two each in the heptathlon, pole vault, and 60. Melvin Johnson added a tenth-place performance this past week at the Sun Conference Championship in the 60 (6.78). Jerome Luckey cleared 2.05 meters (6-8¾) in the high jump this week, moving him to sixth. Vindero Lightfoot continues to hold two top-10 performances, with a 6.74 60 meter dash, good enough for seventh in the nation, and a 47.59 400-meter effort, good for second in the nation.
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in Week 4: No. 6 Midland (Neb.), No. 7 Grace (Ind.), No. 8 Oklahoma City, No. 9 Doane (Neb.), and No. 10 Indiana Tech.
The countdown is on with less than a month to go before the 2023 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships convenes March 2-4 at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings, South Dakota.
Nicholas Lieggi is a junior at Emory University, studying political science and human health. Outside of academics, he manages Emory’s Track and Field and Cross Country programs, has conducted research for a variety of organizations, including the Electoral Integrity Project and the Office of the New York City Comptroller, and enjoys running, watching sports, and cooking.
