compiled by Jack Pfeifer (as of June 9)
Are You Ready For A Barnburner?
With all the chess pieces now in place for the NCAA Women’s Championships, the meet’s team race projects to be a thriller of the first order.
Our final top 10 order remains unchanged since the Regionals, meaning that we see Mario Sategna’s Texas Longhorns ahead of Robert Johnson’s Oregon Ducks by 3 points, with just another point back to Pat Henry’s Texas A&M Aggies.
And in a you-can’t-make-things-like-this-up scenario, those 3 teams are predicted to be the top 3 in the climactic 4×4. When the teams line up for that race, our chart suggests that the scores will be Texas & A&M 60 and Oregon 59, so obviously absolutely everything relies on their relative order of finish. However it plays out, expect the fervid Hayward Field Faithful to make a deafening roar.
The 10-deep predictions for each event (with brief preview assessments):
| TOP 10 TEAMS | ||
| Team | Points | Place On Last Chart |
| 1. Texas | 70 | (1) |
| 2. Oregon | 67 | (2) |
| 3. Texas A&M | 66 | (3) |
| 4. Florida | 56 | (4) |
| 5. Kentucky | 41 | (5) |
| 6. Georgia | 33 | (6) |
| 7. Arkansas | 23 | (7) |
| =8. Boise | 21 | (=8) |
| =8. Stanford | 21 | (=8) |
| 10. San Diego State | 18 | (10) |
| (complete team scores below) | ||
| 100 METERS | ||
| 1. Jenna Prandini | Oregon | So |
| 2. Remona Burchell’ | Alabama | Jr |
| 3. Morolake Akinosun | Texas | So |
| 4. Olivia Ekpone | Texas A&M | Jr |
| 5. Dezerea Bryant | Kentucky | Jr |
| 6. Katie Wise | Indiana State | So |
| 7. Aaliyah Brown | Texas A&M | Fr |
| 8. Ashley Marshall | UC Davis | Jr |
| 9. Shayla Sanders | Florida | So |
| 10. Sharika Nelvis | Arkansas State | Sr |
| With a victory in April over the indoor 60 champ, Burchell, and Burchell’s subsequent .01 SEC loss to Ekpone, Prandini, 7th a year ago, becomes the slight favorite in an event won a year ago by a different Duck, English Gardner, who turned pro. | ||
| 200 METERS | ||
| 1. Olivia Ekpone | Texas A&M | Jr |
| 2. Jenna Prandini | Oregon | So |
| 3. Morolake Akinosun | Texas | So |
| 4. Dezerea Bryant | Kentucky | Jr |
| 5. Kamaria Brown | Texas A&M | Jr |
| 6. Tynia Gaither’ | USC | Jr |
| 7. Mahagony Jones | Penn State | Sr |
| 8. Cierra White | Texas Tech | So |
| 9. Brittany Brown | Iowa | Fr |
| 10. Ashley Fields | Baylor | So |
| Ekpone, the list leader (22.23) and SEC champ, deserves the nod over the Pac-12 champ, Prandini (22.60), and the Big 12 champ, Akinosun (22.17w). Add last year’s runnerup, Brown (22.66), who is returning from injury, and this event encompasses the three leading team contenders. | ||
| 400 METERS | ||
| 1. Courtney Okolo | Texas | So |
| 2. Phyllis Francis | Oregon | Sr |
| 3. Ashley Spencer | Texas | Jr |
| 4. Kendall Baisden | Texas | Fr |
| 5. Robin Reynolds | Florida | So |
| 6. Shakima Wimbley | Miami | Fr |
| 7. Shapri Romero | Arizona | Sr |
| 8. Kiara Porter | Va Commonwealth | Jr |
| 9. Briana Nelson | Texas | Sr |
| 10. Chizoba Okodogbe | Oregon | Sr |
| The Longhorns are loaded, with the new collegiate recordholder, Okolo (50.03); the two-time defending champion, Spencer (50.28 a year ago for Illinois), and the brilliant new freshman, Baisden (50.46). They take on the Oregon senior Francis, who set the American record indoors (50.46). | ||
| 800 METERS | ||
| 1. Laura Roesler | Oregon | Sr |
| 2. Yanique Malcolm’ | Alabama | Sr |
| 3. Annie Leblanc’ | Oregon | So |
| 4. Claudia Saunders | Stanford | So |
| 5. Amy Weissenbach | Stanford | So |
| 6. Megan Melasarte | Georgia | Sr |
| 7. Ce’aira Brown | Hampton | So |
| 8. Rosalie Waller | Utah | Sr |
| 9. Thandi Stewart | Miami | Jr |
| 10. Alexis Panisse’ | Tennessee | So |
| Roesler (2:00.54), 2nd a year ago, has had a dominating season and is not expected to be challenged. The battle is behind her, especially among such Pac-12 halfmilers as Leblanc (2:04.28), Saunders (2:03.44), Waller (2:04.71) and last year’s 6th-placer, Weissenbach (2:02.60). | ||
| 1500 METERS | ||
| 1. Emily Lipari | Villanova | Sr |
| 2. Shelby Houlihan | Arizona State | Jr |
| 3. Cory McGee | Florida | Sr |
| 4. Allison Peare | Kentucky | Sr |
| 5. Stephanie Brown | Arkansas | Sr |
| 6. Molly Hanson | Wisconsin | So |
| 7. Agata Strausa’ | Florida | Sr |
| 8. Carly Hamilton | Georgia | Jr |
| 9. Rebecca Mehra | Stanford | Fr |
| 10. Angel Piccirillo | Villanova | So |
| Lipari (4:14.64 this year), who has never finished higher than 10th in the oudoor 15, ended that jinx by winning the mile indoors. Her scintillating closing rush is hard to match. McGee (4:12.50) was 2nd last year, Brown (4:11.40) 6th, Houlihan (4:13.56) 7th. Also in the field is Katie Flood (4:17.76) of Washington, the 2012 champion. | ||
| STEEPLE | ||
| 1. Shalaya Kipp | Colorado | Sr |
| 2. Rachel Sorna | Cornell | Sr |
| 3. Leah O’Connor | Michigan State | So |
| 4. Rachel Johnson | Baylor | Jr |
| 5. Grace Heymsfield | Arkansas | Jr |
| 6. Pippa Woolven’ | Florida State | So |
| 7. Alex Leptich | Michigan | Sr |
| 8. Marisa Howard | Boise | Jr |
| 9. Cornelia Griesche’ | Mississippi State | So |
| 10. Victoria Voronko’ | Eastern Michigan | Jr |
| Colorado goes for its 4th steeple title in a row – Emma Coburn won in ’11 and ’13, Kipp (9:39.12 this spring) in ’12. Sorna (9:43.48) won the Heps, O’Connor (9:44.35) the Big 10, Johnson (9:49.31) the Big 12. | ||
| 5000 METERS | ||
| 1. Abbey D’Agostino | Dartmouth | Sr |
| 2. Aisling Cuffe | Stanford | Jr |
| 3. Marielle Hall | Texas | Sr |
| 4. Emma Bates | Boise | Jr |
| 5. Kate Avery’ | Iona | So |
| 6. Dominique Scott’ | Arkansas | So |
| 7. Diane Robison | Arkansas | Jr |
| 8. Elinor Kirk’ | UAB | Sr |
| 9. Sarah Collins’ | Providence | So |
| 10. Jessica Tonn | Stanford | Jr |
| D’Agostino (15:30.93) goes for the record books – her 3rd straight title at this distance and 8th overall (4 indoors, 1 XC). Texas hopes for big points from Hall (15:19.26). | ||
| 10,000 METERS | ||
| 1. Emma Bates | Boise | Jr |
| 2. Juliet Bottorff | Duke | Sr |
| 3. Elinor Kirk’ | UAB | Sr |
| 4. Emily Stites | William & Mary | So |
| 5. Erin Finn | Michigan | Fr |
| 6. Hannah Walker | Florida State | Jr |
| 7. Elvin Kibet’ | Arizona | Jr |
| 8. Kelsey Santisteban | Cal | Jr |
| 9. Olivia Mickle | Texas | Sr |
| 10. Megan Goethals | Washington | Sr |
| Bates (32:30.83), surprise 3rd a year ago, is no surprise now. Bottorff (32:25.69) was the upset winner three campaigns back. Kirk (32:17.05) is the season’s list leader. | ||
| 100 HURDLES | ||
| 1. Sharika Nelvis | Arkansas State | Sr |
| 2. Kendra Harrison | Kentucky | Jr |
| 3. Bridgette Owens | Florida | Jr |
| 4. Jasmin Stowers | LSU | Sr |
| 5. Tiffani McReynolds | Baylor | Jr |
| 6. Morgan Snow | Texas | So |
| 7. Cindy Ofili | Michigan | So |
| 8. Le’Tristan Pledger | Texas Tech | So |
| 9. Janice Jackson’ | UTEP | Sr |
| 10. Kayla Parker | Kentucky | Sr |
| No one picked Nelvis (12.66w) to win indoors, so she’s not going to be overlooked outdoors. Harrison (12.68w) and Owens (12.80) both used to run for Clemson, as did last year’s champion and record-setter, Brianna Rollins. | ||
| 400 HURDLES | ||
| 1. Kendra Harrison | Kentucky | Jr |
| 2. Shamier Little | Texas A&M | Fr |
| 3. Kiah Seymour | Penn State | So |
| 4. Janeil Bellille’ | Texas A&M | Jr |
| 5. Nikita Tracey’ | LSU | Sr |
| 6. Chanice Chase’ | LSU | So |
| 7. Danielle Dowie’ | Texas | Jr |
| 8. Alexis Franklin | Ohio State | So |
| 9. Ese Okoro’ | Iowa State | Sr |
| 10. Autumne Franklin | Harvard | So |
| In an event crucial to A&M’s title hopes, Harrison (54.76) is the favorite against Bellille (55.41) and the freshman Little (55.98). | ||
| 4 x 100 | ||
| 1. Texas A&M | Texas A&M | |
| 2. Florida | Florida | |
| 3. Oregon | Oregon | |
| 4. Texas | Texas | |
| 5. USC | USC | |
| 6. Kentucky | Kentucky | |
| 7. LSU | LSU | |
| 8. Alabama | Alabama | |
| 9. Florida State | Florida State | |
| 10. Baylor | Baylor | |
| A&M, list leader at 43.00, won Penn Relays and hasn’t finished lower than 2nd since 2006. Oregon (43.31), which expects to anchor Sasha Wallace in place of the injured Jasmine Todd, needs a high finish to stay in contention. | ||
| 4 x 400 | ||
| 1. Texas | Texas | |
| 2. Oregon | Oregon | |
| 3. Texas A&M | Texas A&M | |
| 4. Florida | Florida | |
| 5. Arkansas | Arkansas | |
| 6. USC | USC | |
| 7. Penn State | Penn State | |
| 8. Kentucky | Kentucky | |
| 9. Baylor | Baylor | |
| 10. Texas Tech | Texas Tech | |
| The top four here could all be in contention for the team title when the gun goes off. Texas (3:25.05) appears unbeatable, yet they lost the indoor race by inches – and the team title by half a point — to Oregon (3:27.34). Florida has run 3:27, A&M 3:28. | ||
| HIGH JUMP | ||
| 1. Leontia Kallenou’ | Georgia | So |
| 2. Tynita Butts | East Carolina | Sr |
| 3. Allison Barwise | Boston U | Sr |
| 4. Amina Smith | Maryland | Sr |
| 5. Thea LaFond’ | Maryland | Jr |
| 6. Dior Delophont’ | Kent State | So |
| 7. Amber Melville | Maryland | Jr |
| 8. Shanay Briscoe | Texas | Sr |
| 9. Kate Wolanin | Eastern Michigan | Jr |
| 10. Courtney Anderson | South Florida | Sr |
| Kallenou, a 19-year-old from Cyprus, won indoors and is list leader (6-3½). Butts (6-3¼), Barwise (6-2¼) and Smith (6-1½) are having solid senior years. Briscoe (6-¾), runnerup in ’12, slipped to 9th a year ago. | ||
| POLE VAULT | ||
| 1. Kaitlin Petrillose | Texas | So |
| 2. Annika Roloff’ | Akron | So |
| 3. Sandi Morris | Arkansas | Jr |
| 4. Alysha Newman’ | Miami | So |
| 5. Martina Schultze’ | Virginia Tech | Jr |
| 6. Kelsie Ahbe | Indiana | Sr |
| 7. Neal Tisher | UAB | Sr |
| 8. Diamara Planell Cruz’ | Washington | Jr |
| 9. Kristen Brown | San Diego State | Sr |
| 10. Petra Olsen’ | South Carolina | Sr |
| Petrillose (14-9 outdoors) has been on a roll ever since joining the 15-foot club to win indoors, winning Texas Relays and the Big 12. | ||
| LONG JUMP | ||
| 1. Lorraine Ugen’ | TCU | Sr |
| 2. Jenna Prandini | Oregon | So |
| 3. Chanice Porter’ | Georgia | So |
| 4. Sha’Keela Saunders | Kentucky | Fr |
| 5. Brittney Howell | Penn State | Sr |
| 6. Kylie Price | UCLA | Jr |
| 7. Erica Twiss | Kansas State | Sr |
| 8. Sydney Conley | Kansas | So |
| 9. Tamara Myers’ | Arkansas | Jr |
| 10. Jen Clayton’ | UCF | Sr |
| A year ago Ugen, on the verge of a dnq, leapt a PR 22-2½ to win it all. Can she do it again? She has not reached 21 yet this spring (20-10¾). Prandini had never gone 21 until Regional, where she PR’d at 21-4¼ to become co-favored here. | ||
| TRIPLE JUMP | ||
| 1. Ciarra Brewer | Florida | Jr |
| 2. Shanieka Thomas’ | San Diego State | Sr |
| 3. LaQue Moen-Davis | Texas A&M | So |
| 4. Tori Franklin | Michigan State | Jr |
| 5. Jasia Richardson | Marshall | Sr |
| 6. Ellie Ewere | Nebraska | Jr |
| 7. Christina Epps | Coppin State | Sr |
| 8. Lynnika Pitts | LSU | Sr |
| 9. Tamara Myers’ | Arkansas | Jr |
| 10. Nickevea Wilson’ | UTEP | Jr |
| Brewer (45-7¼), coming back from injury indoors, has outperformed the defending champion, Thomas (45-½), this spring. | ||
| SHOT | ||
| 1. Julie Labonté’ | Arizona | Sr |
| 2. Christina Hillman | Iowa State | Jr |
| 3. Jill Rushin | Missouri | Jr |
| 4. Kearsten Peoples | Missouri | Jr |
| 5. Dani Bunch | Purdue | Sr |
| 6. Jessica Ramsey | Western Kentucky | Sr |
| 7. Mary Theisen | Indiana State | Sr |
| 8. Kyla Buckley | Indiana | Sr |
| 9. Brittany Mann | Oregon | Fr |
| 10. Cassie Wertman | Tennessee | So |
| Labonte (57-3) won it all in 2011, while Hillman (57-8½) won indoors. They face the two tough Missouri Tigers, Rushin (57-9¾) and Peoples (58-8¾). | ||
| DISCUS | ||
| 1. Shelbi Vaughan | Texas A&M | So |
| 2. Jessica Maroszek | Kansas | Jr |
| 3. Danniel Thomas’ | Kent State | So |
| 4. Kellion Knibb’ | Florida State | So |
| 5. Jessica Sharbono | Colorado State | Sr |
| 6. Alex Collatz | USC | Jr |
| 7. Valarie Allman | Stanford | Fr |
| 8. Alexis Cooks | Akron | Jr |
| 9. Jaleesa Williams | Va Commonwealth | Sr |
| 10. Megan Smith | TCU | Jr |
| Vaughan, sidelined by injury a year ago, is the heavy favorite despite a flurry of 190+ PRs—Maroszek 197-5, Thomas 194-10, Knibb 201-3, Sharbono 193-1 and Williams (190-2). Inexplicably, last year’s champion, Anna Jelmini of Arizona State, has managed just 184-7. | ||
| HAMMER | ||
| 1. Julia Ratcliffe’ | Princeton | So |
| 2. Brooke Pleger | Bowling Green | Jr |
| 3. Brittany Funk | Akron | Sr |
| 4. Hayli Bozarth | Boise | Sr |
| 5. Sara Savatovic’ | Kansas State | So |
| 6. Jillian Weir’ | Oregon | Jr |
| 7. Emily Hunsucker | Colorado | Sr |
| 8. Lauren Stuart’ | Northern Arizona | Sr |
| 9. Denise Hinton | LSU | Sr |
| 10. Kayla Kovar | Southern Utah | Sr |
| Ratcliffe has won the Heps, the Penn Relays and broken the New Zealand national record (230-7). If she wins here, look for her to don her splendid Princeton Tiger outfit in celebration. No Princeton woman has ever won an NCAA title. | ||
| JAVELIN | ||
| 1. Fawn Miller | Florida | Jr |
| 2. Elizabeth Herrs | Oklahoma | So |
| 3. Avione Allgood | Oklahoma | So |
| 4. Marija Vucenovic’ | Florida | So |
| 5. Victoria Paterra | Missouri | Sr |
| 6. Eva Vivod’ | Virginia Tech | Fr |
| 7. Brianna Bain | Stanford | Jr |
| 8. Maggie Malone | Nebraska | So |
| 9. Freya Jones’ | Georgia | So |
| 10. Hannah Carson | Texas Tech | So |
| In the past two months Miller has raised her PR from 172 to 173 to 181 to 187 to 190-0. She’s on a roll, along with her fellow Gator, Vucenovic (186-1). Last year’s surprise winner, Jones (181-7), is struggling to keep pace. | ||
| HEPTATHLON | ||
| 1. Kendell Williams | Georgia | Fr |
| 2. Lindsay Vollmer | Kansas | Jr |
| 3. Nicole Oudenaarden’ | San Diego State | So |
| 4. Grete Sadeiko’ | Florida State | Fr |
| 5. Allison Reaser | San Diego State | Sr |
| 6. Quintunya Chapman | Georgia | Jr |
| 7. Shanice Stewart | Texas Tech | Jr |
| 8. Brittney Howell | Penn State | Sr |
| 9. Brittany Harrell | Florida | Jr |
| 10. Chari Hawkins | Utah State | Jr |
| Williams set the WJR indoors, followed that up with an AJR 6018 in the hept, but she must contend with Vollmer, whose PR 6086 won the event last year and helped push the Lady Jayhawks to their first team title. | ||
| COMPLETE TEAM SCORES | ||
| 1. Texas | 70 | |
| 2. Oregon | 67 | |
| 3. Texas A&M | 66 | |
| 4. Florida | 56 | |
| 5. Kentucky | 41 | |
| 6. Georgia | 33 | |
| 7. Arkansas | 23 | |
| =8. Boise | 21 | |
| =8. Stanford | 21 | |
| 10. San Diego State | 18 | |
| =11. Alabama | 17 | |
| =11. Kansas | 17 | |
| 13. Florida State | 16 | |
| =14. Akron | 15 | |
| =14. LSU | 15 | |
| =14. Missouri | 15 | |
| =14. Penn State | 15 | |
| =18. Arizona | 14 | |
| =18. Oklahoma | 14 | |
| 20. USC | 13 | |
| 21. Colorado | 12 | |
| =22. Maryland | 11 | |
| =22. Michigan State | 11 | |
| =24. Arkansas State | 10 | |
| =24. Dartmouth | 10 | |
| =24. Princeton | 10 | |
| =24. TCU | 10 | |
| =24. Villanova | 10 | |
| =29. Baylor | 9 | |
| =29. Kent State | 9 | |
| =29. UAB | 9 | |
| =32. Arizona State | 8 | |
| =32. Bowling Green | 8 | |
| =32. Cornell | 8 | |
| =32. Duke | 8 | |
| =32. East Carolina | 8 | |
| =32. Iowa State | 8 | |
| =32. Michigan | 8 | |
| =32. Miami | 8 | |
| 40. Virginia Tech | 7 | |
| =41. Boston U | 6 | |
| =41. Kansas State | 6 | |
| =43. Indiana State | 5 | |
| =43. William & Mary | 5 | |
| =45. Colorado State | 4 | |
| =45. Indiana | 4 | |
| =45. Iona | 4 | |
| =45. Marshall | 4 | |
| =45. Nebraska | 4 | |
| =45. Purdue | 4 | |
| =45. Texas Tech | 4 | |
| =52. UCLA | 3 | |
| =52. Wisconsin | 3 | |
| =52. Western Kentucky | 3 | |
| =55. Coppin State | 2 | |
| =55. Hampton | 2 | |
| =57. Cal | 1 | |
| =57. Northern Arizona | 1 | |
| =57. Ohio State | 1 | |
| =57. UC Davis | 1 | |
| =57. Utah | 1 | |
| =57. Va Commonwealth | 1 | |
| =57. Washington | 1 | |