2019 NCAA DIII Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 8
NEW ORLEANS – Welcome to Championship Week in NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field!
Before we get to the 2019 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships that begin Thursday in Geneva, Ohio, we need to look at the newest National Rating Index released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The final National Rating Index only uses marks from those athletes who qualified for the national meet: All other marks were thrown out. Therefore, it gives us a clear picture of those teams who are projected to perform well this weekend.
NCAA Division III — Men's Outdoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
UW-Eau Claire
UW-Eau Claire
2
UW-Oshkosh
UW-Oshkosh
3
North Central (Ill.)
North Central (Ill.)
4
UW-Platteville
UW-Platteville
5
Washington (Mo.)
Washington (Mo.)
All TFRI Reports
UW-Eau Claire didn’t budge from the top of the Men’s National Rating Index.
The Blugolds, who are seeking their first outdoor national title in program history, are tied for the most NCAA entries out of any men’s program with 14. Five different athletes have combined for six top-5 national marks this year for UW-Eau Claire: David Kornack (No. 1 in the shot put), Kyler Lueck (No. 2 in the 1500, No. 4 in the 800), Dylan Cooper (No. 2 in the decathlon), Patrick Treacy (No. 4 in the 1500) and Darin Lau (No. 4 in the 10,000).
UW-Oshkosh has the third-most entries out of any men’s team with 12.
The Titans, who last won an outdoor national title in 2009, feature six national top-5 marks this late in the season. UW-Oshkosh is expecting big points from its 4×100 relay team (No. 2 in the nation), Jack Flynn (No. 2 in the discus), Ryan Powers (No. 3 in the 400), Jonathan Wilburn (No. 3 in the triple jump) and Joe Vils (No. 3 in the pole vault).
North Central (Ill.) sits a bit off pace from those top-2 teams but has nine strong entries ready to go at NCAAs. Dhruvil Patel is the man to watch for the Cardinals as he is the top-ranked athlete in both the 5000 and 10,000. The NCAA DIII record holder in the 5000 will be joined by teammate Nolan McKenna in that event this weekend.
UW-Platteville has the fifth-most entries out of any men’s team with 10 and is hoping to see big things out of Zach Lee, Noah Steiner and Alexander Walechka. Lee took over the national lead in the 1500 late in the season, while Steiner and Walechka are ranked third and fifth in the high jump and discus, respectively.
Washington (Mo.) rounds out the top-5 in the final National TFRI thanks to 11 NCAA entries. Nick Matteucci (No. 3 in the 1500), John Harry Wagner (No. 4 in the 400) as well as the nation’s top-ranked 4×400 relay team will be the Bears to watch in Geneva, Ohio.
Here are the teams that comprised the rest of the top-10: No. 6 MIT, No. 7 John Carroll, No. 8 UW-La Crosse, No. 9 Pomona-Pitzer and No. 10 UW-Whitewater.
NCAA Division III — Women's Outdoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Washington (Mo.)
Washington (Mo.)
2
Williams
Williams
3
Loras
Loras
4
George Fox
George Fox
5
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins
All TFRI Reports
Washington (Mo.) is projected to win its second outdoor national title in the past three years, as it is the No. 1 team in the Women’s National Rating Index.
The Bears are tied for the second-most NCAA entries out of any women’s program with 12 and are ready to make them count. Fans could see big marks from both Eka Jose and Heidi Nassos this weekend as Jose is ranked second nationally in the triple jump, while Nassos is ranked second nationally in the pole vault and fifth nationally in the triple jump.
Williams is only two rating points behind WashU, which means it’s going to be a battle for the team title. The Ephs, who have never brought home an outdoor national title, are tied with the Bears with 12 entries. Five of those qualifiers for Williams are ranked in the top-5, including the national leader in the high jump (Emma Egan) and the current national runner-up in the heptathlon (Caitlin Ubl).
Loras and George Fox sit third and fourth, respectively, but aren’t too far out of the title hunt based off their stacked rosters. The Duhawks have four top-ranked entries (Gabrielle Noland in the 100 and 200, Bella Solis in the 400H and the 4×400 relay team), while the Bruins account for three of their own (Sarah King in the 400, NCAA DIII record holder Annie Wright in the heptathlon and the 4×100 relay team).
Johns Hopkins rounds out the top-5 and also has 12 NCAA entries. Maya Hammonds is the top-ranked athlete in the long jump, while Caelyn Reilly and Tasha Freed and billed second and third in the 10,000 and steeplechase, respectively.
Here are the teams that comprised the rest of the top-10: No. 6 UW-Eau Claire, No. 7 Redlands, No. 8 Nebraska Wesleyan, No. 9 Dubuque and No. 10 UW-La Crosse.
