2023 NCAA DII Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 8
NEW ORLEANS – Here is Week 8 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
Azusa Pacific
Azusa Pacific
3
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
4
Minnesota State
Minnesota State
5
Adams State
Adams State
All TFRI Reports
West Texas A&M stays in the No. 1 spot for the Week 8 TFRI. A 4×100 team that includes Jordanae Scott, Leah Belfield, Alana Wilson, and DeOndra Green dropped a nation-leading performance this weekend (44.27c), contributing to the Buff’s lead. Brooke Urban retains her national lead with a monster 1.81m (5-11¼) mark, while Taylor Nelloms, No. 2 in triple jump (13.29mw/43-7¼). Eleonora Curtabbi continues to be the national leader in the steeplechase (9:57.76) and 1500 meters (4:18.72). They also add three additional top-5 efforts: Florance Uwajeneza, No. 3 in the 5000 meters (16:07.13) and No. 2 in the 10,000 meters (32:49.06), and No. 2 Corrssia Perry in the 400 meters (52.82c).
Azusa Pacific rises one spot to take No. 2 on this week’s TFRI. The Cougars have a pair of national leaders, Jaylah Walker in the 400-meter hurdles, with a 57.37 effort that won her the title at the APU Franson Last Chance meet this past weekend, and Esther Conde-Turpin in the heptathlon (6007, a mark that ranks her No. 2 all-time in DII). Conde-Turpin and Walker also are both featured on the leaderboard for the 100-meter hurdles, at second (13.22w) and fourth (13.32w), respectively. Nicole Warwick’s 6.37mw (20-10¾) long jump effort was also good enough for a No. 2 position in the nation, to go with her No. 2 heptathlon effort.
Grand Valley State drops one spot into No. 3 for Week 8 of the TFRI. The Lakers have a pair of throwers leading the way for them, both leading the nation in their events: Erika Beistle in discus (53.02m/174-0) and Judith Essemiah (63.57m/208-7) in hammer. They added seven additional top-5 performances, including a No. 2 effort from Emma Richards in discus (51.74m/169-9), and a No. 3 effort in shot put (15.67m/51-5). They also hold three performances in the top-10 of the 1500: No. 3 Klaudia O’Malley (4:19.43), No. 7 Natalie Graber (4:21.13) and No. 9 Taryn Chapko (4:21.82).
Minnesota State stays steady at No. 4 for the fifth week in a row. The Mavericks hold two nation leading performances, with Denisha Cartwright’s 13.00w 100H mark and Makayla Jackson’s 6.62m (21-8¾) in long jump. Cartwright alone accounts for five top-10 marks for the Mavericks, including as a part of their No. 4 4×100 (44.91), and as an individual in the 200 meters (23.18w), 100 meters (11.30), and 400 meters (53.63), and she earned four conference championships this past weekend while improving her 100-meter personal best by .09 seconds. Flore Gracia and Lexie Hurst round out the top-three performance for the Mavs, with Gracia’s No. 3 triple jump (12.92m/42-4¾) and Hurst’s No. 2 shot put (15.88m/51-1¼).
Adams State rounds out the top-5 from this week’s TFRI. The Grizzlies own six top-5 performances, including a No. 2 steeplechase mark 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). Stephanie Cotter adds a No. 2 5000-meter effort (15:15.62) as well as her 4:20.15 1500-meter that’s good enough for the No. 5 position.
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in the Week 8 TFRI: No. 6 Lincoln (Mo.), No. 7 Pittsburg State, No. 8 Angelo State, No. 9 Winona State, No. 10 Northwest Missouri.
Just nine days left until May 25, when the 2023 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships will kick off at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl in Pueblo, Colorado.
