2023 NCAA DII Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 5
NEW ORLEANS – Here is Week 5 of the NCAA Division II Women’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 — Women's Outdoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
West Texas A&M
West Texas A&M
2
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
3
Azusa Pacific
Azusa Pacific
4
Minnesota State
Minnesota State
5
Adams State
Adams State
All TFRI Reports
West Texas A&M holds on to the No. 1 spot in the TFRI in Week 4. The Buffs feature three individual national leaders, as well as a national-leading 4×100 (44.46c) and a No. 3 4×400 (3:39.96). Eleonora Curtabbi continues to be the national leader in the steeplechase (9:57.76) and 1500 meters (4:18.72), while Florance Uwajeneza leads the nation in the 5000 meters (16:07.13) and is the No. 2 in the 10,000 meters (32:49.06). They add four additional top-5 efforts: No. 4 DeOndra Green in the 100 meters (11.39c), No. 5 Brooke Urban in the high jump (1.71mA/5-7¼), No. 2 Corrssia Perry in the 400 meters (52.82c), and No. 2 Taylor Nelloms in the triple jump (13.29mw/43-7¼).
Grand Valley State also remains steady in the No. 2 spot this week in the TFRI. The Lakers have a trio of top-ranked throwers: Erika Beistle in discus (52.53m/172-4), Judith Essemiah (63.57m/208-7) in hammer, and Emma Richards in shot put (15.67m/51-5). They added five additional top-5 performances, including a No. 2 effort from Emma Richards in discus (51.74m/169-9). Klaudia O’Malley also owns a pair of No. 2 efforts in the 1500 meters (4:19.43) and in the 5000 meters (16:07.63). Margaret Stevenson adds a No. 3 performance in discuss (50.48m/165-8), while Taryn Chapko holds a No. 3 spot in the 800 meters (2:07.64).
Azusa Pacific retains their No. 3 spot for the second week in a row on the TFRI. They hold two national-leading marks: Eliana Saunders in high jump (1.75m/5-8¾) and Esther Conde-Turpin in the heptathlon (6007, a mark that ranks her No. 2 all-time in DII). They add six additional top-5 performances, including a No. 2 heptathlon effort from Nicole Warwick (5640), a No. 3 100-meter hurdles effort from Esther Conde-Turpin (13.40), and a No. 2 effort from Jaylah Walker in the 400-meter hurdles (58.15).
Minnesota State hangs onto the No. 4 spot in the TFRI after making big gains last week. The Mavericks continue to own two national-leading individual performances, with Denisha Cartwright’s 13.04 100H mark and Makayla Jackson’s 6.62m (21-8¾) long jump. They add four additional top-5 performances: a No. 4 effort in the 200 by Denisha Cartwright (23.18w), a No. 3 by Flore Gracia in the triple jump (12.92m/42-4¾), a No. 3 by Amanda Montplaisir (10:14.05) in steeplechase, and a No. 5 by Lexie Hurst in the shot put (15.13m/49-7¾). They also tack on a No. 3 4×100 relay squad (45.07), featuring both Cartwright and Jackson, as well as Ja’Cey Simmons and Rose Cramer.
Adams State rounds out the top-5 from this week’s TFRI. They own four top-5 performances, including a No. 2 steeplechase performance from Ava O’Connor (10:07.96) and a No. 4 1500-meter performance for O’Connor (4:20.04). Other top-5 marks for the Grizzlies include a No. 3 performance in the 10,000 meters from Brianna Robles (33:11.64) and a No. 4 10,000-meter performance from Precious Robinson (33:54.15).
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in the Week 1 TFRI: No. 6 Pittsburg State, No 7. Angelo State, No. 8 Northwest Missouri, No. 9 Colorado School of Mines, No. 10 Missouri Southern.
As conference championship meets near, athletes and fans alike continue to prepare for May 25-27, when the 2023 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl in Pueblo, Colorado.
