Big Changes this year in the Team Races

Published by Adam Schneider/dyestatcollege.com editor on June 5th, 2016

Before the west and east preliminary rounds a weekend ago the team race picture for men and women had Oregon potentially repeating on the men's and women's side. With strong newcomers on both teams and a penchant of peaking at the NCAA championships, the Ducks looked like they would make a solid run.

The Oregon men were known to be weakened without depth behind Edward Cheserek in the 5000m and 10,000m and without as much field event help as in the recent meets due to graduation in both situations.  The Oregon women looked solid, but with great challengers in Kentucky and Arkansas, with historic 1-2-3 finishes at the Pac-12 meet in the 100m and 200m and solid point contending competitors in the running events.

What became clear at the West preliminary round was that 100m favorite and potential 200m scorer Hannah Cunliffe does not look healthy right now. Other athletes for Oregon also failed to qualify including all-American senior Molly Grabill and the disappearance of Jasmine Todd. Ariana Washington, in the top three in the 100m and 200m at the Pac-12 meet, has made it to the 100m and 200m at the NCAA meet. sophmore Deajah Stevens was the top west region preliminary qualifier in the 200m. Cunliffe, Washington and Stevens are the basis of the 4x100m that has led the NCAA most of the sesason. Junior Brittany Mann will attempt to earn her fourth all-American award in the shot put. 100m hurdle school record holder Alaysha Johnson (12.97) and junior Sasha Wallace could both score in the 100m hurdles. Brittany Mann Annie Leblanc advanced inthe 800m and 1500m and she could score in both as could teammates sophomore Brooke Feldmeier (800m) and freshman Lilli Burdon (1500m).  Rogers, Feldmeier, Johnson, Rogers, and Ashante Horsley reprise their roles on the NCAA third place indoor team in the 4x400m relay. 

Coming into last weekend the Arkansas Razorbacks and Kentucky Wildcats were going to be formidable challengers if not favorites on the women's side. Now Oregon has almost completely dropped out of the favorite picture and will struggle to trophy. Arkansas and Kentucky had very good weekends but not perfect weekends as they moved forward several top athletes. 

Arkansas advanced Dominique Scott-Efurd in the 10,000m and 5000m and she is one of the favorites in both. Taylor Ellis-Watson is one of the top 400m runners in the country and she will lead an NCAA-leading 4x400m (#4 all-time at 3:25.48) relay team and she could also help the 4x100m relay score points. The Heptathlon trio of Taliyah Brooks (long jump), Alex Gochenour (100m hurdles) and Payton Stumbaugh (100m hurdles) qualified in secondary events and could score in those in addition to the points they are favored to score in the  Heptathlon. The pole vault features 2016 NCAA Indoor champion Alexis Weeks and her twin sister Victoria along with Ariel Voskamp and all three could score.  Altogether Arkansas has 21 entries at the NCAA meet, the most of any team and they have potential to score with others on a talented squad.

The mixture and youth and veteran leadership at Kentucky has freshmen and seniors trying to push Kentucky to a title. Junior Destiny Carter and Freshman Kianna Gray will try to score big points in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Freshman Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and sophomore Jacklyn Howell are ranked highly in the 100m hurdles and with a strong relay and a few potential points in other events the Wildcats have a strong chance to win. 

On the men's side Texas A&M has gotten stronger as the weeks have gone by with field events and the Decathlon providing significant points as the Aggies have become more focused on field events for their points. Lindon Victor nearly broke the collegiate record at the SEC meet after scoring 8466 points and beating the defending NCAA outdoor champion from Georgia, Maicel Uibo. Sophomore Ioannis Kyriazis beat javelin favorite Curtis Thompson at the SEC meet and he is the national leader.. Freshman Donavan Brazier looks like he has recovered from his problem that afflicted him at the NCAA meet and he is joined by all-American Hector Hernandez. Freshman Fred Kerley has the top time in the 400m (45.10). Latario Collie will attempt to earn another all-American award in the triple jump. The Aggies have three in the pole vault featuring senior Chase Wolfie and, sophomore Carl Johansson and freshman Jacob Wooten.

Oregon has 13-time NCAA champion Edward Cheserek  in the 5000m and 10,000m as fellow junior Jake Leingang joins the King in the 5000m. Junior Marcus Chambers was second last year in the 400m and he returns as does NCAA 1500m third place finisher sophomore Blake Haney, and indoor mile third-placer Sam Prakel and freshman Matthew Maton. Four-time all-American Greg Skipper will look to add to his haul in the hammer throw. Pac-12 1-2 finishers Cody Danielson and John Nizich have been battling injuries but a return to full health could mean a good number of points in the javelin throw. Oregon advanced the twelfth-ranked 4x100m relay (39.61) anchored by Chambers that has only recently settled on a line-up. 

LSU will try to challenge broader teams with high quality sprinters. Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake leads the nation in the 200m (19.95) and he will by joined by Renard Howell is ranked third at 20.15. Mitchell-Blake also has the third fastest wind-legal time in the 100m at 10.09. Michael Cherry has two of the top challengers for the title in the 400m in Michael Cherry (45.17) and Fitzroy Dunkley (45.34).  Mitchell-Blake anchors the NCAA's leading 4x100m relay (38.33) and Cherry and Dunkley are the last two legs of the NCAA's leading 4x400m relay (3:00.38). LSU will have to be very productive with their small group and that has happened in the past.

The Georgia women, Florida men and Washington men and women could also trophy but there are a number of teams including these that can trophy. Overall I think that the Arkansas women and Texas A&M men will win the title.