NCAA Indoors 2011

[trackster]

Okay, the NCAA released the list of athletes for the championships this weekend. I'll give a quick rundown.

60--Jurgilas is in. That's the only name I recognize, and he's not especially competitive.

200--Niit and Byram are in with extremely competitive times. It wouldn't be impossible for Byram to sneak off with the gold. Cross your fingers.

400--Unfortunately, Kirani James will win this one, short of an act of God. He's in a class by himself. However, it will be exciting to watch the two brilliant frosh, Braddy and Gehret in their first nationals. Their PRs are already superb, so any improvement would be gravy. Gehret will be running with fresh legs for a change, too (he usually competes in several events). Ben Skidmore is also in.

800--Technically, nearly everyone in this field is worth pulling for, but I always root for those guys that I feel have potential to become world class someday. For me, that means PSU sophomore Cas Loxsom, who has shown such ridiculous 400 speed for an 800 runner that it's been drawing attention on the Let's Run boards, as well as fellow sophs Elijah Greer (Oregon) and Zach Mellon (Wisconsin). That's some serious young talent, and they will be pressed by guys like Cory Primm (UCLA).

Mile--Here again, I'm just picking favorites out of a good field. Must admit, I'm pulling for Patrick Casey. I mean, come on. The guy goes to Montana State! He's also the guy that ran an indoor sub-4 at high altitude with no competition to pace him. You gotta like his chances. Miles Batty, the returned BYU missionary, should press him, though. And then, of course, there is Tulsa's Chris O'Hare, who ran that gutty race a few weeks back and has a 3:56 indoor time. Mac Fleet is always a threat.

3000--plenty of guys here, too. The names that most stand out are Andrew Bayer, Matt Centrowitz, and Elliot Heath. Hopefully, they can hold off Chelanga, Korir, and Lalang.

5000--I'd say Elliot Heath (if he runs both events), but he'll have his work cut out for him to beat Chelenga.

60 hurdles--I don't recognize most of the names. Barret Nugent is on the list, though.

4 by 400--Arkansas and Penn State are the teams to root for.

Distance Medley Relay--Oregon is a team to root for and should win. BYU is also solid.

 

[FootballDad]

Thanks for the heads-up, trackster. I'll keep tabs on this for this weekend for sure.

 

[white lightning]

Great preview. Nice work my friend. I hope flotrack.org is going to have alot of good coverage of it. Looking forward to it. This will be it for indoors so it is going to be a long drought until the outdoor season gets into full gear.

 

[trackster]

Thanks, guys. Now I don't know the names on the female side as well, but it doesn't look as good. So far as I can tell ZERO to pull for in the 60, 200, or 400, which is just ridiculous. In the men's the changeover is almost total at the 800, whereas with the women the 800 is transitional, split 50/50. So that race is going to be a dogfight. You want to pull for Rebecca Addison (Mich), Katie Palmer (BYU), Lacey Bleazard (BYU), Jillian Smith (Michigan), and, of course, my personal fave, supergirl Laura Roesler (Ore freshman). From what I've seen Roesler hasn't figured out tactics yet, but she's done serious damage on 400 relay legs all year, so if she ever runs the right race, it's going to be hers.

1 mile--lots to pull for. Some to watch are Kate Van Buskirk of Duke (we featured her here earlier in the season), and the two Oregon sophs, Jordan Hasay and Anne Kesselring. Florida frosh Cory McGee is also talented.

3000m--It's all good. Just pull for a great time. Most likely Lucy Van Dalen (Stoney Brook by way of New Zealand) or Sheila Reid (Syracuse by way of Canada).

5000--also good. Some of the 3k names are double-entered here, so I'm not sure which event they'll choose.

Not sure why the situation is generally worse on the women's side.

 

[white is right]

Thanks, guys.  Now I don't know the names on the female side as well, but it doesn't look as good.  So far as  I can tell ZERO to pull for in the 60, 200, or 400, which is just ridiculous.  In the men's the changeover is almost total at the 800, whereas with the women the 800 is transitional, split 50/50.  So that race is going to be a dogfight.    You want to pull for Rebecca Addison (Mich), Katie Palmer (BYU), Lacey Bleazard (BYU), Jillian Smith (Michigan), and, of course, my personal fave, supergirl Laura Roesler (Ore freshman).   From what I've seen Roesler hasn't figured out tactics yet, but she's done serious damage on 400 relay legs all year, so if she ever runs the right race, it's going to be hers.1 mile--lots to pull for.  Some to watch are Kate Van Buskirk of Duke (we featured her here earlier in the season), and the two Oregon sophs, Jordan Hasay and Anne Kesselring.   Florida frosh Cory McGee is also talented.3000m--It's all good.  Just pull for a great time.  Most likely Lucy Van Dalen (Stoney Brook by way of New Zealand) or Sheila Reid (Syracuse by way of Canada).5000--also good.  Some of the 3k names are double-entered here, so I'm not sure which event they'll choose.Not sure why the situation is generally worse on the women's side.

This is proof that the under performance of White American sprinters is more cultural than physical. As White females out perform men internationally.

 

[trackster]

That's an interesting point, actually. I suspect you might be on to something.

 

[albinosprint]

good research Trackster, thank you!

 

[trackster]

The start lists are out. I was pleased to see that Gehret is in a heat with Torrin Lawrence (second best 400 runner in the country) and Braddy is in a heat with Kirani James (probably the best 400 runner in the entire world now). With any luck, they could be dragged to great times and make it to the final. Skidmore is the fastest in his heat, so he may have a more difficult path to the final, given that the advancers will be determined entirely by time.

Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to provide updates, as I have a houseguest this weekend.

 

[mastermulti]

Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to provide updates, as I have a houseguest this weekend.

Give them the flick then LOL (kick 'em out)

 

[trackster]

Well, it looks like it was bizarro world at the NCAAs Friday. All the analysts and message boards are scratching their heads, as the runners with the fastest 800 times didn't even qualify for the finals (Greer, Loxsom, Primm all crapped out, although at least Greer was throwing up). The fastest miler, and everyone's favorite small school underdog, Patrick Casey, didn't advance. O'Hare and Batty did well, though. Roesler ran a dreadful 800 (maybe she caught whatever Greer had) and didn't advance. I noticed Roesler wasn't in the Oregon DMR, so it's entirely possible she really was sick. Brandon Byram, who was tipped to win the 200, finished third in the finals (20.64).

As for the 400 heats, Gehret is through, but Braddy and Skidmore didn't do much and won't be in the final. All three of them (to say nothing of Loxsom, Roesler, etc) ran way slower than their best times.

 

[jacknyc]

Brady Gehret got the bronze!
Very, very good for a freshman. I think that makes him an All American. (Kirani James DNF)

Barret Nugent got 2nd in the 60m Hurdles. Just 3/100th from 1st place.

 

[white lightning]

What a great result from both of these guys. Barrett Nugent is amazing. We really should talk about him more. It's not really fair that we almost always ignore the 110 high hurdles and the same for the women hurdlers. This guy just might make our olympic team in another year. I know he isn't even close to David Oliver yet but who is? He still is a very talented hurdler with good speed. I have high hopes for Barrett in the future.
As for Brady Gehret. He keeps getting better all the time. He probably would be even further along but he tries to compete in so many event like trackster said. What an athlete. I look forward to seeing his continued development outdoors. What a fantastic effort the this freshman. Thanks for the update jacknyc.

 

[manor777]

Kirani DNF???? whoever posted earlier "Kirani James will win short of an act of God" really nailed that one on the head lol

 

[trackster]

Well I didn't get a chance to watch the races (which will be rebroadcast on ESPN Weds, when I'm at work), but day two went much better than day one:

1) Gehret! Third in the country as a freshman.

2) Jordan Hasay! It's time I finally gave props to the blonde wonder who took the gold in BOTH the women's mile and the women's 3000. For some reason I've never believed she was this good. I guess she is.

3) Cas Loxsom--Yeah, I know he somehow screwed up badly in the 800 and missed out on the finals, but remember how fast he's been running those legs on 400 relays. Well, yesterday, forty (FORTY) of the fastest 400 runners in the world lined up for that relay, and Mr. Cax Loxsom, who's just an 800 meter runner, ran faster than 37 of them. Yep, an 800 guy who was the third fastest 400 runner in the relay. His leg was even faster than teammate Gehret's. I'm telling you, the kid can fly. 45.42 indoors. Unreal. Outdoors that's in the 44's. This is almost impossible to fathom for an 800 guy.

4) Neil Braddy--and speaking of kids who fly, Braddy ran yet another brilliantly fast leg himself yesterday. He, too, went sub 44. As with Loxsom, I don't know how he missed out on his finals, either, but the freshman can fly.

5) Men's mile sweep--move over Kenyan transplants. It's Batty, O'Hare, and Foster, all of whom have been discussed on these boards.