And now for the Ladies!
To save time & space, please refer to my Men's Preview for the guidelines!
Briefly, however, I list the events by finals only, with the Multi placed where the final event (In this case, the 800!) is scheduled!
I list the Meet Record, give its odds of being broken, and name some of the better athletes!
Time zone is Pacific, and all times are p.m.!
Onward!
Thursday, June 7th
1:30 Hammer Throw (240-7)
The holder of the MR and the Collegiate Record ain't here--at least not in this event!!
Maggie Ewen's 3 X's was THE shocker of the Prelims!
But there's a worthy replacement here who, given the direction this meet often takes, might even have been considered the favorite, given her massive improvement this season!
I speak of Brooke Andersen, who flew from a 225 Gal to just a few inches shy of Ewen's best!
Is she ready for another jump forward??
Without Ewen, her closest challengers are FAR back!
So collect Jance Kassanavoid, Valerie Allman, Stamatia Scarvelis, Alyssa Wilson, and Janeah Stewart into a pot and stir!
But the odds for a new MR are excellent--say, 80-20!
4:30 Pole Vault (15-5)
Through the INdoor season, I would have listed Olivia Gruver as a co-favorite with Lexi Jacobus for the Gold!
But Gruver's OUTdoor season isn't anywhere near what she did a few months ago!
While we can't ignore her, make this a battle between the former Weeks twins--now Lexi Jacobus and Tori Hoggard!
They've been steady above or near the 15 foot level all season, so give the MR 40-60 odds of falling!
However, a HOT newcomer--and yet another 15 footer!--is Lisa Gunnarsson, a Virginia Tech Frosh via Sweden!
If Gruver doesn't shine, make Gunnarsson the twins most serious challenger!
Others to watch include Gunnarsson's teammate, Rachel Baxter, and Kally Long, Lucy Bryan, Bridget Guy, and Andrea Willis!
5:15 Javelin Throw (204-0)
No 200 footers here, so this MR seems safe.
But given the quirks of this event, give it 25-75 odds of going down anyway!
Alyssa Olin and Mackenzie Little seem the most serious challengers for the Top Rung!
Avionne Allgood is, um, pretty good, and Haley Crouser recently got her first PR since 2012--which was the HSR!!
5:30 Long Jump (22-9.25)
The Meet Record is now Age 31, but it appears it will live to at least Age 32, being given just 10-90 odds!
And the most likely to reach that target is Triple Jump Goddess, Keturah Orji!!
She just PR'ed at 22-4.50, and one of Georgia's trio of LJ'ers, might be ready to fly!!
But watch for her teammates, Tara Davis, a Frosh, and the HSR holder, Kate Hall, who has yet to reach that level!
But ALL are 22 footers!
Trying to invade their territory will be Jhoanmy Luque, Rougui Sow, and Tyra Gittens, who is somewhat better in the full Heptathlon!
6:10 Shot Put (63-5)
As in the HT (See above!), the CR holder isn't present!
But for VERY different reasons than Ms Ewen's!
Raven Saunders suddenly dropped out of school, giving personal problems as her reason!
Yet, Ewen is THE favorite in this event, given HER massive improvement here!
I'll give her 70-30 odds of taking the MR down, with determination born of failure being her main motivation!
Without Saunders, she really doesn't have very serious competition!
But Janeah Stewart is always "on", so give her a place on the podium!
Jessica Woodard and Lena Giger are top contenders, but watch for Lloydricia Cameron and HSR holder Alyssa Wilson!
6:38 10000 (32:28.57)
Unlike the Men, this longest track event gets the strongest odds of all the distance races here--Men or Women!--for running a Meet Record!
Sure, Karissa Schweizer is the odds-on (Sic!) favorite, but she has some REALLY serious challengers to be wary of!!
In fact, given the predicted race strategy, I count maybe SEVEN Women who could follow Schweizer UNDER the MR!!
So I'm being brave and giving it 85-15 odds--with 60-40 odds of all 7 dipping under it!!
They are Anna Rohrer, Dorcas Wasik, Lauren LaRocco, Sharon Lokedi, Charlotte Taylor, Alice Wright, and Weronika Pyzik!
But THEY better keep their eyes on Duck Alli Cash, Kaitlin Benner, Erin Clark, Makena Morley, and one of Georgia's new track threats, Samantha Drop!
Get it done, Girls!!
Saturday, June 9th
3:00 High Jump (6-5)
One of the weakest Women's events this season, give this MR odds of ZERO!!
In fact, it would actually surprise me if they reached even 6-3!!
Loretta Blaut has been 2018's steadiest performer!
But Tatiana Gusin and Lily Lowe are good too!
3:05 Discus Throw (210-10)
This MR is safe also!
But let's give it 15-85 odds anyway, given that we have a couple of throwers past or near 205 in the PR Department!
They are Shadae Lawrence, and the ubiquitous Maggie Ewen!
The latter--again--might be seeking to forget her 3 XXX's in the HT Prelims, so watch to see if she sets herself on fire!!
Laulauga Tausaga might be trouble, but also watch for Valerie Allman, Elena Bruckner, and another multi-talented Thrower, Alyssa Wilson!
3:32 4 x 100 Relay (42.36)
LSU has the Collegiate Record (42.05), and with 10.85 Gal Aleia Hobbs on anchor (??), and teammates like Kortnei Johnson and Mikiah Brisco, should be given 100-0 odds of destroying the MR!
BUT--this is the 4 X 100 Relay, and as we all know, BAD things happen in these babies!
That said, San Diego State (with Ashley Henderson), Tennessee (with Shania Collins), and USC (with Twanisha Terry) must be considered threats!!
Also watch for Kentucky--with a 42.30 School Record this year (and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn on anchor!)--as well as Auburn, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida State, and Alabama!
The Ducks are here on their soon-to-be UNhallowed grounds, but LSU is too far ahead for the HomeGirls to be close on the final straight!
3:40 Triple Jump (47-8)
With Pro Tori Franklin exploding this year out to 48-8 territory, Keturah Orji finds herself "just" the SECOND best American!
But clearly the best Collegiate!!
So give this MR odds of 60-40!!
Yanis David is the Best of the Rest, but also watch for Marie Josee Ebwea-Bile, Shardia Lawrence, and Jhoanmy Luque!!
One thing to consider--Orji will VERY soon be joining Franklin in the Pro ranks, so expect to see the duo soon challenging the likes of Caterine Ibarguen and Yulimar Rojas in some summer DL's!!
3:41 1500 (4:06.19)
Given her recent win in 4:07 and change, Dani Jones might have been considered the favorite here--except that she's redshirting the OUTdoor season!!
And with Oregon's Katie Rainsberger failing to make it out of the Prelims, make this one a toss-up!
And forget the MR---20-80 odds!
Rhianwedd Price-Weimer has the times and the track creds, but you can't downplay the chances of Elise Cranny, Eleanor Purrier, Christina Aragon, Rachel Pocratsky, or Danae Rivers!
And probably close at the bell should be Grace Barnett, Nikki Hiltz, Sinclaire Johnson, and comebacker Haley Meier!
3:54 3000SC (9:24.41)
Given that the MR is also the CR, give it 10-90 odds of going down!
Especially considering that the season leader--Allie Ostrander--will be doubling back in the 5000!!
But with Ms Purrier--who was once primarily a Steepler--moving to the 1500--Ostrander should be given the Top Rung odds safely!
Paige Stoner is having HER season, so be aware of her place at the bell, but also watch for Grayson Murphy, Val Constien, Charlotte Prouse, and Devin Clark!
4:12 100H (12.39)
With JCQ being just 0.01 seconds removed from this MR, give her odds of 70-30 of removing it from the books!
I might give it even better odds, but Hayward has a long history of great sprint times being marked with a W (for windy!)!!
Camacho-Quinn is WAY ahead of her "competitors", but the battle for places should be HOT!
Pick from among Pedrya Seymour, Alaysha Johnson, Dewynne Charleton, Rushelle Burton, and Dior Hall.
Recent HS studs to be watched closely are Tonea Marshall, Chanel Brissett, Alexis Duncan, and Anna Cockrell, though the latter is better at the full lap hurdles!
Tara Davis is a terrific Frosh, but her recent races have been down about 0.30 from her PR!!
4:22 100 (10.78)
This MR has stood since 1989, and might reach Age 30--unless you see Aleia Hobbs's consistency in the 10.85 to 10.95 range as being a reason for giving it better than 60-40 odds of falling THIS year!!
She'll have some tough cookies to crumble, however, if she wants to hit the tape first!!
Twanisha Terry, Mikiah Brisco, Ashley Henderson, Shania Collins, and Gabby Thomas have all dipped into the 10's this year, either legally or not!
Also watch for Ariana Washington (better at 200!), Natalyah Whyte, and Jada Baylark!
Also watch the wind gauge!
4:32 400 (50.10)
Oh, how I WISHED to see Super Stud Sydney McLaughlin in this event!!
But she chose to run just the lap with sticks and her team's longer Relay!
What a RACE it could have been!
Yet, with Kendall Ellis and Lynna Irby here, I'm still giving the MR odds of falling at 80-20!
In fact, it wouldn't shock me to see BOTH getting into the 49's here!!
Toss a coin!
But watch also for Sharika Barnett and Eugene's own Makenzie Dunmore!
Felicia Majors has been solid since early in HS, but not so much recently!
4:44 800 (1:59.11)
This MR is held by the once-famous, and now-infamous (!!) Suzy Favor Hamilton, and is 28 years old!
There's a Duck, however, in the name of former HS star Sabrina Southerland, that has a slight chance of removing SFH from the books!
With the home crowd cheering her on, watch for a possible sub-2!
But the odds are just 25-75, given that she's still 0.7 removed from the 1:59's!
Avi-Tal Wilson Perteete (I MUST find a suitable acronym for this exploding star!! LOL) should be considered a key challenger!
Sammy Watson was THE most promising Frosh coming into this season, but she's still over a full second removed from her HS times!
Still, can't ignore her, nor should you ignore Siofra Buttner, Jasmine Fray, Olivia Baker, Jasmine Staebler, or newcomer Susan Aneno!
Also look for Kamryn McIntosh and Aaliyah Miller!
If they come through at the bell in 57....!!!
Five more events to go, so hang in there, folks!
4:57 400H (53.21)
The main question here is, will SHE break--or even try for--the WORLD Record!!
The MR WILL fall--hard!!
At least 100-0 odds!!
BTW, "SHE" is Ms Sydney McLaughlin!!
(Who didn't know THAT??)
At least two full seconds--maybe closer to three!!--in arrears should be Anna Cockrell, Kymber Payne, and Brandee Johnson!
Once upon a time, Cockrell tied the former HSR of 55.20--which is still 1.38 seconds distant from McL's HSR!
With good short hurdles speed (See above!), Cockrell has the best chance to chop a second or so off her PR of 55.14!
But this is McLaughlin's show!
Raise the curtains!!
5:07 200 (22.02)
This should be open-ended!
With Aleia Hobbs in the 100 (and Relay) only, this should be between Ariana Washington, Lynna Irby, Gabby Thomas, Ashley Henderson, Mikiah Brisco, and JCQ!
But there's a "second tier" of sprinters who wouldn't be shockers if they made the top 3 steps of the podium!
They are Deanna Hill, Kortnei Johnson, Twanisha Terry, Tamara Clark, Shania Collins, and Eugene's star Soph, Lauren Rain Williams!
Odds for the MR falling are 25-75!
5:13 Heptathlon (6527)
This is the time when the final Hept event--the 800--is scheduled to begin!
By this time, we SHOULD have a clear idea of who the winner will be!
But given the many quirks of this 7-eventer, maybe we won't!!
Georgia Ellenwood and Nina Schultz seem most likely to be leading at the "bell", but serious consideration should be given Georgia's Louisa Grauvogel!!
Tyra Gittens is another good one, but Michelle Atherley and Kaylee Hinton might hit 5900 or more!
A VERY interesting name MUST be given SOME consideration to reach the podium--at least the bottom rungs (meaning 6th through 8th!).
She is the much-maligned (by MOI--on the T&FN Message Board) Ayesha Champagne, she of the FALSE INdoor LJ mark of 6.56 (or 21-6.25)!!
Still, she's a good Javelinist, and will get BIG points there!
Which will NOT suffice to make up for her probable 18 foot LJ!
(If she reaches 19 feet, color me surprised!!)
Anyway, should be fun to watch!!
5:25 5000 (15:15.08)
Here lies Karissa Schweizer's LAST chance to make Collegiate history!
Not just in titles won or points scored, but in RECORDS broken!!
Given that she's likely ro have run a FAST 10K 2 days earlier (See above!), we might see a more tactical race here!
Then again, her PR is just 2 seonds removed from this MR, and she has some solid challengers to push her, so give the odds for a MR as 70-30!!
(Yep, the supreme optimist!! LOL)
Athletes such as Weini Kelati and Ednah Kurgat have reps as frontrunners, so check to see if the 3000 split is under 9:10!!
If so, that MR is GONE!!
If not, we have a RACE--at least until Schweizer begins her kick!!
Also watch for Allie Ostrander (doubling back from the SC--See above!), Vanessa Fraser, Sharon Lokedi, Amy Eloise-Neale, and Charlotte Taylor!
But let's not totally forget Katherine Receveur, Erin Clark, Jessica Drop, or the Duck Duo of Samantha Nadel and Lilli Burdon!!
5:51 4 X 400 Relay (3:23.13)
The FINAL event of these Championships--the last for the Women--AND, so very sad to say, the bitter END of the venerable stadium known as Hayward Field--is this classic NCAA closer!!
And wouldn't it be something if the Duck Women were the ones to WIN this event, giving the moment a most dramatic and "CHOSEN" touch??!!
And yes, this COULD happen, as UO has Makenzie Dunmore in their foursome!
BUT---USC has TWO key runners--Kendall Ellis and Kaelin Roberts!
So give THEM the better odds for taking the MR from the HomeLadies!
Odds, however, are only 40-60, as this is one of the better MR's!!
Other teams to watch include Florida (with Sharika Barnett), and Kentucky, who has one Sydney McLaughlin amongst their quartet!
WHICH leg she'll run is still a mystery, although she's been mostly third leg in earlier Relays!
But even with a 49 flat anchor (or 3rd or 2nd leg), Kentucky's chances for the W are weak!
A surprise team this season has been Purdue, which, according to T&FN's lists, don't have a runner better than 51.7--yet have broken their School record TWICE so far, with a best of 3:26.81!
That's an AVERAGE of 51.7, which gives Purdue's squad the best BALANCE of all the entrants!
Also look for Stanford, Texas A&M, Florida, Alabama, and Baylor!
AND the Oregon Ducks!!
Goodbye NCAA Championships of 2018, and Fare Thee Well majestic Hayward Field!!
Enjoy the meet!
See you soon!!
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