2023 NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 2
NEW ORLEANS — Outdoor track & field season is in full swing, and we are just getting started.
British Columbia earned their second consecutive No. 1 ranking this week in the NAIA Women’s Track and Field Rating Index. William Carey (Miss.) was one of two squads to enter the top-5 for the first time, as they sit at No. 2. Southeastern (Fla.) is in possession of the No. 3 spot. Life (Ga.) comes in at No. 4, and Central Methodist (Mo.) obtains the fifth position.
Only marks from the current outdoor track and field season have been used in this objective compilation.
NAIA — Women's Outdoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
British Columbia
British Columbia
2
William Carey (Miss.)
William Carey (Miss.)
3
Southeastern (Fla.)
Southeastern (Fla.)
4
Life (Ga.)
Life (Ga.)
5
Central Methodist (Mo.)
Central Methodist (Mo.)
All TFRI Reports
Led by seventeen top-10 performances, four of which are No. 1’s, British Columbia remains the top team in this week’s TFRI. It’s a true distance formula for the Thunderbirds, as all four of their top performances come from the distance group. Rachel Mortimer leads the way among NAIA 1500-meter harriers (4:21.41), and has also run a leg on the Thunderbirds’ second-ranked 4x800m relay squad (9:15.27). Also posting top NAIA marks this year are Jamie Hennessey in the steeplechase (10:35.77), Kiana Gibson in the 5000 meters (16:22.04), and Olivia Lundman in the 5000-meter racewalk (23:03.90).
Entering the rankings for the first time this outdoor season, William Carey (Miss.) comes in at No. 2 this week. Salieci Myles had herself a day at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, as she was responsible for top marks in the 100-meter hurdles (13.43) and the top-ranked 4x100m relay squad on which she ran a leg. Myles also ranks sixth in the 100m (11.90). Joy Abu turned in an equally stellar effort at the same meet, as she was involved in top times in the 4x400m relay (3:46.18) and 400-meter hurdles (59.74).
While Southeastern (Fla.) does not have any top-ranked athletes on their squad, they do still boast ten performances that have reached the top-10 so far this season. Tenae Grigsby is one of four athletes responsible for more than one top-10 mark for the Fire, as she has taken part in a third-ranked 4×400 meter relay squad (3:49.97) and holds the second-ranked time in the 400H (1:00.42). Meanwhile, Namiah Simpson is ranked sixth in the 400m (56.50), fourth in the 400H (1:02.20) and owns a share in the SEU’s third-ranked 4x100m relay team (46.42). A fifth-ranked 4x800m relay squad (9:38.09) rounds out the top-10 performances for the Fire, as does Oluwafikayomi Lawrence in the 400 (57.14, ninth), Julia Rohm in the 5000 (17.33.60, ninth), Toni Canfall in the 100 (11.93, seventh), and Mariam Davis in the high jump (1.65m/5-5, fourth).
Led in part by two top athletes in the NAIA, Life (Ga.) held steady at the No. 4 spot. The throwing duo of hammer-thrower Jennifer Batu (54.87m/180-0) and shot-putter Levonis Davis (14.40m/47-7) leads the way for the Running Eagles with their top marks in the NAIA. Meanwhile, the 200-meter tandem of Talayla Davis (23.63) and Sabrina Richman (23.73) make up a 2-3 duo in that event. Briana Florvilus (400, 55.45) and Maya Smith-Speed (200, 24.64) are ranked second and ninth in their respective events, and the two also make up half of the Running Eagles’ 4x400m relay that sits in second (3:48.65).
Central Methodist (Mo.) appears to have picked up where it left off from indoor season, as the Eagles moved up twelve spots to attain the No. 5 ranking. Along with the fifth-ranked 100-meter performance that Gizel Clayton turned in at the CMU Invite this past weekend (11.89), she also ranks second in the 100H (13.83). Baylee Beard also had herself a day at that meet, as she turned in shot put (13.40m/43-11¾) and hammer throw (51.20m/168-0) rankings of eighth and fifth on the leaderboard respectively. So far this season, Tre’Breh Scott has also had a very stellar showing for the Eagles, as she owns shares of a No. 6 rating in the 100m hurdles (14.26), and a No. 4 showing in the 4x400m relay (3:49.98). Darly Camilo-Montenegro (400, 57.12, eighth) and Baileigh Morris (5000m racewalk, 29:40.11, tenth) round out top-10 showings for the Eagles’ women’s track and field group.
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in Week 2: The Master’s (Calif.) at No. 6, Marian (Ind.) at No. 7, Vanguard (Calif) at No. 8, Concordia (Neb.) at No. 9, and Eastern Oregon at No. 10.
Mark your calendars for May 24-26, because that’s when the 2023 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will unfold in Marian, Indiana.
