2023 NCAA DII Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 1
NEW ORLEANS – Here is Week 1 of the NCAA Division II Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National TFRI, as released on Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Only marks from the current season are being used, which gives an objective look at those teams who are looking to contend as we head into the beginning of this outdoor season.
NCAA Division II — Men's Outdoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
2
Missouri Southern
Missouri Southern
3
Azusa Pacific
Azusa Pacific
4
Angelo State
Angelo State
5
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona
All TFRI Reports
Grand Valley State kicks off this outdoor season at the top of the TFRI. The Lakers have six individuals that rank among the national top-5 this season. This includes Caleb Futter, national leader in the steeplechase (8:42.20), Eli Kosiba, national leader in the high jump (2.20m/7-2½), and Jacob Urban, national leader in the hammer throw (65.76m/215-9). Grand Valley State has strength in a handful of events early in this season, with four individuals in the top-15 of the 5000 meters, three in the top-10 of the hammer throw, and both the No. 1 and No. 2 in the nation in the high jump.
Missouri Southern holds down the No. 2 spot in Week 1 of the TFRI. The Lions feature six national top-5 performances, spread across five different events. Peyton Barton owns the No. 2 spot in both the discus throw (53.42m/175-3) and the hammer throw (63.64m/208-10), while teammate Cedric Pearson is the No. 3 in the shot put (17.81m/58-5¼) and No. 6 in the discus (52.04m/170-9). No. 3 in the hammer Conor Boyd (61.82m/202-10) and No. 4 in the javelin Rajheim Carby (68.91m/226-1) finished out the top marks for the Lions in the throws. Jon Watts is No. 2 in the long jump at 7.49m (24-7).
Azusa Pacific opens its outdoor season situated at No. 3 on the TFRI. The Cougars own four marks in the national top-5 so far this season, along with a nation’s No. 3 4×400 relay (3:12.37). The team has two nation leading marks, both owned by Jermel Jones II, in the long jump (7.68m/25-2½) and the triple jump (15.39m/50-6). Other top-5 performances for the Cougars are held by Raymon Harper in the high jump (2.10m/6-10¾) and Felix Perrier (14:22.73).
Angelo State takes the No. 4 spot to start the outdoor season. The Rams feature four top-5 individual performances, along with a sixth-ranked 4×100 relay (40.37c). Indoor 800 meter national record holder Oussama El Bouchayby holds down the national lead in the event outdoors (1:46.55c), and is joined by Cason Brown, who holds the national lead in the discus throw (54.21mA/177-10). Other top-5 individuals for the Rams are Devoux Deysel, second in the nation in the javelin (71.70m/235-3), and Jacobee Jones, No. 3 in the pole vault (5.21mA/17-1).
Cal Poly Pomona rounds out the top-5 of the TFRI to begin the outdoor season. The Broncos feature three top-5 individual marks, and national No. 8s in both the 4×100 (40.57) and 4×400 relays (3:14.89). Ryan Fields holds two of those three top-5 marks, including the third-fastest mark in the 400-meter hurdles (51.51) and the fifth-fastest in the open (47.27), while adding a No. 8 performance in the 110 hurdles (14.17). Matteo Madrassi added a No. 4 performance in the pole vault (5.12m/16-9½) to contribute to the Bronco’s position on the TFRI.
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in the Week 1 TFRI: No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville, No. 7 Lenoir-Rhyne, No. 8 Wingate, No. 9 Cal State LA and No. 10 CSU Pueblo.
Be sure to mark your calendars for May 25-27, because that’s when the 2023 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl in Pueblo, Colorado.
