Tara Davis-Woodhall, with no losses since earning silver at the ’23 World Champs, is an easy first choice in the long jump. (VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN)
FEARLESS FORECASTING as of June 03 — In a year without an Olympic Games or World Championships, USATF will not be choosing a Team USA, so there will be no Wild Cards. Nonetheless, we expect the national championships (Randalls Island, New York, July 23–26) to be a high-level affair as athletes seek to boost their WA Rankings and enhance their sponsor-contracts.
From the tenuous vantage point before the NCAA, here’s our Top 10 charting for each women’s event at USATF. The listing of an athlete in a discipline doesn’t guarantee she’ll contest that event (or events). The number in the right-hand column represents the athlete’s placing in last year’s U.S. Rankings as compiled by T&FN:
100 METERS
1. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
(Nike)
1
2. Jacious Sears
(Nike)
2
3. Brianna Selby
(USC)
nr
4. Sha’Carri Richardson
(Nike)
3
5. Tamari Davis
(adidas)
7
6. Jenna Prandini
(Puma)
10
7. Kayla White
(Nike)
5
8. Jassani Carter
(Georgia)
nr
9. Shawnti Jackson
(LSU)
nr
10. Cambrea Sturgis
(adidas)
nr
200 METERS
1. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
(Nike)
1
2. Anavia Battle
(adidas)
2
3. Gabby Thomas
(New Balance)
4
4. JaMeesia Ford
(South Carolina)
6
5. Cambrea Sturgis
(adidas)
nr
6. McKenzie Long
(adidas)
5
7. Camryn Dickson
(Texas A&M)
nr
8. Sha’Carri Richardson
(Nike)
nr
9. Kayla White
(Nike)
nr
10. Jenna Prandini
(Puma)
nr
400 METERS
1. Aaliyah Butler
(Nike)
3
2. Kaylyn Brown
(Arkansas)
9
3. Gabby Thomas
(New Balance)
5
4. Madison Whyte
(USC)
nr
5. Sanaria Butler
(Arkansas)
nr
6. Rachel Joseph
(Iowa State)
nr
7. Bailey Lear
(Nike)
nr
8. Alexis Holmes
(Nike)
6
9. Britton Wilson
(adidas)
7
10. Bella Whittaker
(On)
2
800 METERS
1. Roisin Willis
(New Balance)
2
2. Sage Hurta-Klecker
(On AC)
1
3. Addy Wiley
(adidas)
5
4. Maggie Congdon
(Nike Swoosh)
3
5. Raevyn Rogers
(Nike)
7
6. Makayla Paige
(North Carolina)
9
7. Victoria Bossong
(New Balance)
nr
8. Analisse Batista
(Arkansas)
nr
9. Juliette Whittaker
(Stanford)
nr
10. Michaela Rose
(adidas)
10
1500 METERS
1. Nikki Hiltz
(lululemon)
1
2. Emily Mackay
(New Balance)
3
3. Gracie Morris
(Puma)
nr
4. Elle St. Pierre
(New Balance Boston)
nr
5. Sinclaire Johnson
(Nike Swoosh)
2
6. Riley Chamberlain
(unattached)
nr
7. Heather MacLean
(New Balance)
4
8. Dani Jones
(New Balance)
6
9. Rachel McArthur
(Asics)
nr
10. Claire Stegall
(Florida)
nr
STEEPLE
1. Lexy Halladay-Lowry
(Nike)
1
2. Gracie Hyde
(Puma)
nr
3. Angelina Ellis
(unattached)
9
4. Kaylee Mitchell
(Nike)
3
5. Olivia Markezich
(On AC)
5
6. Gabbi Jennings
(adidas)
7
7. Emma Coburn
(New Balance)
nr
8. Courtney Wayment
(On AC)
6
9. Sophie Novak
(Notre Dame)
10
10. Taylor Lovell
(BYU)
nr
5000 METERS
1. Parker Valby
(New Balance)
2. Shelby Houlihan
(unattached)
1
3. Jane Hedengren
(BYU)
9
4. Margot Appleton
(New Balance Boston)
nr
5. Jenna Hutchins
(BYU)
nr
6. Kayley DeLay
(Brooks)
nr
7. Sydney Vaught
(Nike)
nr
8. Hayley Burns
(Northern Arizona)
nr
9. Courtney Frerichs
(Nike)
nr
10. Josette Andrews
(On AC)
2
10,000 METERS
1. Jessica McClain
(Brooks)
5
2. Elise Cranny
(Nike)
1
3. Taylor Roe
(Puma Elite)
3
4. Weini Kelati
(Under Armour/Dark Sky)
4
5. Allie Buchalski
(Brooks Beasts)
nr
6. Karissa Schweizer
(Nike)
nr
7. Katie Camarena
(Saucony)
nr
8. Amanda Vestri
(Brooks)
nr
9. Grace Hartman
(NC State)
6
10. Everlyn Kemboi
(unattached)
7
100 HURDLES
1. Masai Russell
(Nike)
2
2. Keni Harrison
(adidas)
3
3. Alaysha Johnson
(Oakley)
6
4. Aaliyah McCormick
(Oregon)
nr
5. Rayniah Jones
(TBBTC)
10
6. Alia Armstrong
(unattached)
7
7. Danae Dyer
(Hurdle Mechanic)
nr
8. Tonea Marshall
(Nike)
5
9. Alexandra Webster
(unattached)
nr
10. Grace Stark
(adidas)
1
400 HURDLES
1. Anna Cockrell
(Nike)
2
2. Jasmine Jones
(adidas)
1
3. Akala Garrett
(South Carolina)
5
4. Dalilah Muhammad
(Nike)
3
5. Shamier Little
(adidas)
nr
6. Amelia Birdow
(Texas)
nr
7. Allya Garozzo
(unattached)
nr
8. Cenaiya Billups
(Howard)
nr
9. Saira Prince
(Arkansas)
nr
10. Sanaa Hebron
(Miami)
10
Talk about a loaded event: the 400 hurdles with 3 among the first 4 picks who’ve earned gold or silver at the Olympic/Worlds level. (VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN)
HALF-MARATHON WALK (by Michael J. Roth)
1. Lauren Harris
(New York AC)
1
2. Maria Michta-Coffey
(Oiselle/Walk USA)
3
3. Katie Burnett
(Harrier TC)
2
4. Izabelle Trefts
(Evergreen State)
nr
5. Miranda Melville
(New York AC)
4
6. Lydia McGranahan
(HART)
6
7. Stephanie Casey
(unattached)
7
8. Ruby Ray
(Walk USA)
8
9. Katie Miale
(New England Walkers)
9
10. Angelica Harris
(Chicago Walkers)
5
HIGH JUMP
1. Vashti Cunningham
(Nike/Red Bull)
1
2. Charity Hufnagel
(unattached)
2
3. Valentina Fakrogha
(UCLA)
nr
4. Kemarah Howard
(Kentucky)
nr
5. Alyssa Jones
(Stanford)
8
6. Anna Hall
(adidas)
5
7. Emma Gates
(Arizona)
6
8. Sanaa Barnes
(unattached)
3
9. Inika McPherson
(unattached)
nr
10. Morgan Smalls
(unattached)
nr
POLE VAULT
1. Hana Moll
(Washington)
4
2. Katie Moon
(Nike)
1
3. Sandi Morris
(unattached)
2
4. Chloe Timberg
(unattached)
8
5. Amanda Moll
(Washington)
3
6. Emily Grove
(unattached)
5
7. Gabriela Leon
(Puma)
6
8. Brynn King
(unattached)
7
9. Jessica Mercier
(unattached)
nr
10. Anna Willis
(South Dakota)
nr
LONG JUMP
1. Tara Davis-Woodhall
(Nike)
1
2. Monae’ Nichols
(unattached)
7
3. Lexi Brown
(Nike)
6
4. Alyssa Jones
(Stanford)
5
5. Claire Bryant
(adidas)
2
6. Sophia Beckmon
(Illinois)
10
7. Quanesha Burks
(unattached)
4
8. Nicole Warwick
(VS Athletics)
nr
9. Tionna Tobias
(unattached)
nr
10. Alexandra Kelly
(Princeton)
nr
TRIPLE JUMP
1. Agur Dwol
(unattached)
2
2. Tamiah Washington
(Texas Tech)
8
3. Kayla Woods
(Garden State TC)
nr
4. Ryann Porter
(unattached)
nr
5. Destini Smith
(Kansas State)
nr
6. Alexandra Kelly
(Princeton)
nr
7. Mylana Hearn
(unattached)
4
8. Euphenie Andre
(unattached)
3
9. Mia Maxwell
(Texas HS)
nr
10. Xiamara Young
(San Diego State)
nr
SHOT
1. Chase Jackson
(Nike)
1
2. Jaida Ross
(Oregon TC)
3
3. Adelaide Browley
(unattached)
nr
4. Maggie Ewen
(Nike)
2
5. Abria Smith
(unattached)
9
6. Jessica Woodard
(Iron Wood TC)
5
7. Megan Hague
(Auburn)
nr
8. Jessica Ramsey
(adidas)
4
9. Abby Moore
(unattached)
8
10. MyeJoi Williams
(unattached)
nr
DISCUS
1. Valarie Sion
(Asics)
1
2. Lagi Tausaga
(unattached)
2
3. Cierra Jackson
(unattached)
3
4. Jayden Ulrich
(adidas)
7
5. Erika Beistle
(unattached)
8
6. Veronica Fraley
(unattached)
6
7. Gabi Jacobs
(unattached)
4
8. Shelby Gustaveson
(unattached)
5
9. Elena Bruckner
(unattached)
9
10. Rachel Dincoff
(unattached)
nr
HAMMER
1. Brooke Andersen
(Nike)
2
2. Rachel Richeson
(unattached)
4
3. DeAnna Price
(Nike)
1
4. Annette Echikunwoke
(unattached)
5
5. Erin Reese
(Velaasa)
9
6. Shelby Moran
(unattached)
10
7. Madi Malone
(Velaasa)
nr
8. Jillian Shippee
(unattached)
6
9. Janee’ Kassanavoid
(Nike)
3
10. Janeah Stewart
(New York AC)
7
JAVELIN
1. Madison Wiltrout
(unattached)
1
2. Evie Bliss
(Bucknell)
2
3. Sarah Blake
(unattached)
4
4. Maddie Harris
(unattached)
3
5. Eleanor Partrick
(Alabama)
nr
6. Shea Greene
(Princeton)
9
7. Katelyn Fairchild
(Texas A&M)
nr
8. Arianna Ince
(unattached)
7
9. Jada Green
(unattached)
8
10. Seri Geisler
(unattached)
nr
HEPTATHLON
1. Anna Hall
(adidas)
1
2. Taliyah Brooks
(Asics)
2
3. Lexie Keller
(VS Athletics)
9
4. Erin Marsh
(VS Athletics)
6
5. Timara Chapman
(unattached)
7
6. Juliette Laracuente-Huebner
(Cincinnati)
nr
7. Allie Jones
(unattached)
4
8. Katie Eidem
(unattached)
8
9. Avery Rhoads
(VS Athletics)
nr
10. Annie Molenhouse
(Oklahoma State)
nr
About the author: we’re never quite sure where reclusive Special Projects Editor Roy Conrad will show up next, although he is halfway to retirement at this point.
