The indoor track and field regular season — not counting last-chance meets — is over across the country, and conference championship week is here. Before conference titles are decided, let's preview what teams stand above the rest in the DI men's indoor track and field national title race.
I think the 2024 indoor championships could see only 40-45 points from a team to win the title, the lowest since 2018. Like the 2018 season that saw first and second place separated by three points, we also could be in for a close finish that comes down to the wire in the 4x400 meter relay.
After taking all of that into consideration, here are my top three DI men's indoor track and field team title contenders — in order — as of Feb. 19.
Arkansas
Arkansas is the defending NCAA men's indoor track and field champion, and even though the Razorbacks closed the regular season ranked No. 3 in the country, I'd place Arkansas as the favorite to repeat right now.
Arkansas' status as a favorite stems from its depth of contenders across sprint, distance, field and combined events. The field events and heptathlon will be where the Razorbacks have to live up to expectations as high jumper Romaine Beckford and long jumper Wayne Pinnock lead the nation in their events. In the heptathlon, four Razorbacks — led by the nation's fourth-best point total from UTSA transfer Jack Turner — all sit within the top 15. I wouldn't be surprised if Arkansas finishes with 25 or more team points across the high jump, long jump and heptathlon. Throw in the potential of past point scorer Apalos Edwards in the triple jump, and Arkansas could be sitting at 30 points before hitting the track.
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Yet on the track, the Razorbacks will have to make finals individually to secure a victory. Recent transfer Jordan Anthony will have to improve his current ninth-best 60-meter time and return closer to the 6.55-second finish that earned him second place at last year's indoor championships. 60-meter-hurdler Tai Brown will have to make the final in an event where he closes the regular season with the fifth-best time nationally. Arkansas' distance event of note will be the 5000 meters, where at least three Razorbacks from Peter Maru (No. 8 nationally), Kirami Yego (No. 12 nationally) or Patrick Kiprop (No. 17 nationally) can add crucial points.
Finally, Arkansas has both its 4x4 relay and DMR currently sitting in the top eight nationally. No other school has both relays inside the top 15. The Razorbacks have the potential point scoring that no other program can match.
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Texas Tech
Texas Tech is one of the top contenders for this year's title, thanks to its elite prowess in the sprint events. Defending 60-meter champion and collegiate record holder Terrence Jones leads the way with the nation's fastest time in the event. He's joined by four other Red Raiders who have top-14 60-meter times this season. Of those five 60-meter contenders, Jones and Shawn Brown have run top-11 200-meter times this year. In the 60 meter hurdles, Caleb Dean will be the favorite in the event, and Antoine Andrews figures to score points too. Add in 400-meter runner Shaemar Uter and the Red Raiders could load up on team points from the sprints.
Yet, unless Texas Tech pulls off a shocking 1-2-3-4 finish in the 60m, the Red Raiders will need points from outside of the individual sprints to stay alive for a title. The answer may come from high jumpers Kaithon McDonald and Omamuyovwi Erhire, who both cleared 2.20 meters this season. If both of them, plus the Red Raider 4x4, can finish top eight, Texas Tech may have just enough points to win a close DI indoor team title.
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Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona will rely heavily on its distance group to contend for an indoor title. However, unlike other schools with title aspirations (see Washington below), the Lumberjacks have the depth across distance events to compete for a title.
It starts with Nico Young, the nation's leader in the mile and 5000 meters and the fourth-fastest 3000-meter runner. He's joined by Aaron Las Heras, Theo Quax, Drew Bosley, and Colin Sahlman, all scattered across the top 15 marks in distance events nationally. All five have the potential to double, and all five could run on the nation's fastest DMR.
The biggest challenge NAU will face will be the indoor championship schedule, with the mile semifinals, 5000 meter final and DMR all running on the same day and the mile final and 3000 meter final running a day later. If the Lumberjacks can navigate the strenuous and jam-packed schedule, plus get additional points from the nation's fourth-best weight thrower Garret Bernt or 10th-best triple jumper Mitchell Effing, NAU could be wearing the indoor crown when it's all said and done.
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Honorable mention teams: Florida and Washington
Florida has won back-to-back outdoor titles but hasn't claimed an indoor title since 2019. While Florida can never be counted out under head coach Mike Holloway, after the regular season, the Gators may have to wait for their indoor title drought to end.
Florida has the nation's fastest 200-meter runner in Robert Gregory and the nation's second-fastest 4x4, but there's too much uncertainty around the rest of Florida's point scoring to place the Gators among the top contenders. While I do expect Sam Austin (800m), Malcolm Clemons (long jump) and Sean Dixon-Bodie (triple jump) to all score points, their performance could range from a top-three finish to eighth place. Even sprinter Wanya McCoy could add to the point totals, but in a wide-open sprint field, anything can happen.
What's truly missing from Florida being a top contender so far this year is the typical dominant 400-meter runner. JeVaughn Powell and Reheem Hayles rank 22nd and 26th nationally in the event, far from the recent success of Jacory Patterson, Ryan Willie and Champion Allison. However, if a Florida 400-meter runner improves at the SEC Championships, the Gators will have the potential to be a formidable contender.
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Washington has arguably the best trio of mid-distance/distance runners in the country in Luke Houser, Joe Waskom and Nathan Green, but the championship schedule may make it hard for the Huskies to truly contend for a title, especially since the trio may have to each individually double in events.
The mile kicks off championship Saturday, followed by the 800 meters less than 30 minutes later, with the 3000 meters less than 30 minutes after that. Even if the Huskies chose to run the 5000 meters instead on Friday, that event would run after both the mile and 800 and less than 40 minutes before a DMR run. While start lists remain weeks away, two to three distance events in a day is a lot to ask from any athlete.
While Washington has potential point scorers in field events and the heptathlon like Jayden White and Bruno Comin Pescador, respectively, the distance schedule keeps the Huskies on the outside looking in.
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Dark horse teams: Alabama and Southern California
Alabama and Southern California are my dark horse men's title contenders. Neither the Crimson Tide nor the Trojans have shown the depth to win the title like some of the other programs on this list, but individual success could ultimately lead to team success.
Alabama currently has top-four marks in the 200 meters, 400 meters, 4x4 and weight throw, highlighted by Khaleb McRae and Ruben Banks' nation-leading marks in the 400 and weight throw, respectively. 2022's second-place 200-meter finisher Tarsis Orogot has the third-fastest time in the event this year, and the 4x4 ranks fourth nationally.
While there may not be any point scoring outside of those four events, wins in all four could be just enough to place the Crimson Tide atop the podium for the first time.
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USC currently has top-eight marks in the 60 meters, 200 meters, 4x4 and long jump. The Trojans could win each of those events while adding in points from additional top-eight finishers in the 60 meters or long jump. If that happens, USC could lift the indoor trophy for the first time since 1972, the same year the McMuffin was introduced at McDonald's.
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