2020 NCAA DI Men’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 1
NEW ORLEANS – The first few weeks of the new season brought some notable changes to the most recent NCAA Division I Men’s Indoor Track & Field National Rating Index that was released on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
While the top-4 teams from the preseason remained in place – No. 1 Florida State, No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Southern California and No. 4 Texas – perennial power Texas A&M joined the top-5 for the seventh time in the past three years and several other programs shot into the top-10.
NCAA Division I — Men's Indoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Florida State
Florida State
2
LSU
LSU
3
Southern California
Southern California
4
Texas
Texas
5
Texas A&M
Texas A&M
All TFRI Reports
Florida State has proven why it was the top-ranked team coming into the 2020 season. The Seminoles turned in a number of strong marks so far, notably in the 60 hurdles, where Trey Cunningham (No. 1), Caleb Parker (No. 2) and Braxton Canady (t-No. 6) all sit among the top-7 performers. FSU also has the top-ranked DMR in the nation at the moment, while Isaac Grimes owns the No. 2 spot nationally in the long jump.
LSU starred in the first few weeks of the season as well. The Tigers saw Rayvon Grey take an early national lead in the long jump, while JuVaughn Harrison holds down the No. 2 spot in the high jump and is tied for ninth in the long jump. Junior transfer Terrance Laird made an immediate impact, slotting it at No. 3 nationally in the 200.
Southern California, Texas and Texas A&M are all boosted by top performers. Nathan Bultman is the top-performing Trojan at No. 2 in the weight throw, while the Longhorns’ Micaiah Harris leads the nation in the 200 and the Aggies’ Bryce Deadmon surged into the No. 2 spot nationally in the 400 this past weekend.
Baylor vaulted 12 spots since the preseason to No. 8 and tied its best ranking in program history thanks to the prowess of KC Lightfoot in the vertical jumps. Lightfoot had himself a day at the Aggie Invitational this past weekend. The sophomore from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, became the 11th man in collegiate history to clear 5.80m (19-0¼) indoors as he shattered the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium facility record, the meet record as well as the school record.
North Carolina A&T jumped 31 spots since the preseason into a program-record No. 9. The Aggies have been on fire early in the season as their athletes dot the top of the Descending Order List and, in turn, climb up the USTFCCCA Individual Rankings. Randolph Ross, a freshman, owns the nation’s top time in the 400 and is a member of the top-ranked 4×400 Relay, while Jaylan Mitchell sits third nationally in the 60.
Kentucky went from No. 28 in the preseason to No. 10 in Week 1 thanks to the efforts of Langston Jackson. The freshman hasn’t needed much time to adjust to the collegiate scene as he owns national top-5 marks in the 200 (No. 2) and the 100 (t-No. 4). Jackson doubled down on PRs this past weekend at the Rod McCravy Memorial, going 20.72 in the former and 6.61 in the latter. Josh Sobota also helped the Wildcats’ cause with a strong heave in the shot put.
Another big mover was Northern Arizona, which surged 12 spots from No. 25 to No. 13 after Tyler Day‘s incredible effort. Day became the third fastest performer in collegiate history in the 5000 this past weekend. He clocked a time of 13:16.95 at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston.
Rest assured: You won’t have to wait too long for the next installment of the National Rating Index. They will come out on a weekly basis, beginning next Monday, February 3.
