The NCAA 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 women's indoor track and field national title race.
A team has needed to score at least 60 points in seven of the last eight years, and in the lone non-60-plus-point year, 53 points were needed. A high point total figures to be necessary again in 2024, making the women's race a battle between two programs: Arkansas and Florida.
Here's why the Razorbacks and the Gators are the top two DI women's indoor track and field team title contenders, as of Feb. 20.
Arkansas
Yesterday, I told you that Arkansas was the defending champion and the favorite to repeat on the men's side. It's the same scenario for the 2024 women's championship too. The Razorbacks aren't just loaded with potential event winners, they're deep in the events.
The 200 meters and 400 meters will go a long way to determining if Arkansas can repeat. After the regular season, the Razorbacks have two of the top-five fastest times in the 200 meters, with a total of six athletes inside the top-18 marks nationally. In the 400 meters, the Razorbacks have the two fastest times in the country, four of the six fastest times and five of the 12 fastest times.
While Amber Anning, Kaylyn Brown, Rosey Effiong, Nickisha Pryce and Shawnti Jackson are all listed across both events, the championship schedule works in Arkansas' favor for any athletes attempting a 200-400 double. There's an hour and 10 minutes between the 400 and 200 semifinals on Friday and 30 minutes between the 400 and 200 finals on Saturday. That hour break on Friday makes it more reasonable that an athlete can double in the 200 and 400 and make it to the finals where, as long as a runner finishes, she'll get points for her team.
2024 INDOOR T&F CHAMP INFO: Schedule, selections, how to watch, history
Beyond the 200 and 400 meters on the track, Jackson, a freshman sprinter, figures to be a threat in the 60 meters, Sanu Jallow should contend for a spot near the top of the 800-meter podium and Destiny Huven could also add points from the 60 hurdles. The Razorbacks could have 40 points without any field events or relays.
In the field events, high jumper Rachel Glenn is always a title threat — albeit almost three years removed from an outdoor NCAA title — and long jumper Nia Robinson has the seventh-best mark in the country this year. That's more points Arkansas can add.
In the relays, Arkansas is the only school with relays in the top 10 for both the 4x4 and DMR. Moreover, if Arkansas' hopes of repeating rely on the championship meet's final event — the 4x4 — it'll be hard to pick against a quartet that ran the fastest time by almost two seconds during the regular season.
ROOKIES: The top 8 indoor track and field freshmen performances
Florida
Florida is the team with the best shot to knock off the defending champs. If the Gators walk away with five first-place finishes (50 team points), no one would be surprised. Flomena Asekol (mile), Claire Bryant (long jump), Grace Stark (60 meter hurdles), Parker Valby (5000m) and Alida Van Daalen (shot put) have all performed at a championship-winning level this season. All five will likely need to continue their success for Florida to win a team title in 2024.
The Gators can also gain team points elsewhere in Boston, whether it be sprinter Jasmine Montgomery making the finals in the 60 or 200 meters or one of Florida's relays finishing inside the top eight. To knock off Arkansas, Stark may need to bring back some of the magic she had at the 2022 indoor championships, where she won the hurdles and finished fourth in the 60 meters. Asekol might also have to double in the distance events too as every point will matter this year.
MUST-SEE: The 13 most exciting indoor track and field performances in January
The battle for third
The third-place contenders are much deeper than the title contenders. Here's a look at the teams that could secure bronze and some of their top potential point scorers (sorted alphabetically by school).
LSU
- Alia Armstrong | 60m hurdles
- Brianna Lyston | 60m
- Leah Phillips | 60m hurdles
- Michaela Rose | 800m
Oregon
- Silan Ayyildiz | Mile
- Klaudia Kazmierka | Mile
- Jadyn Mays | 60m & 200 m
- Aaliyah McCormick | 60m hurdles
- Jaida Ross | Shot put
- DMR
Southern California
- Yemi John | 400m
- Allie Jones | Pentathlon
- Jasmine Jones | 60m hurdles
- Temitope Ojora | Triple jump
- Madison White | 200m
- 4x400 meter relay
USA: Recapping NCAA track and field performances at the 2024 USATF Indoor Championships
Texas
- Kristine Blazevica | Pentathlon
- Kevona Davis | 200m
- Aaliyah Foster | Long jump
- Nina Ndubuisi | Shot put
- Ackelia Smith | Long jump
- 4x4
Texas Tech
- Temitope Adeshina | High jump
- Rosemary Chukwuma | 60m
- Alyssa Colbert | 60m
- Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katter | Triple jump
- Ruta Lasmane | Triple jump
- Success Umukoro | 60m
WATCH LIST: The 2024 Bowerman Watch List for men's and women's NCAA track and field
Washington
- Chloe Foerster | Mile
- Hana Moll | Pole vault
- Wilma Nielsen | 800m
- Carley Thomas | 800m
- DMR
: Arkansas, Texas Tech win 2024 indoor titles | Florida, Texas win 2023 outdoor titles | How the outdoor championships work
💥HISTORY: Programs with the most titles | Men's champ history | Women's champ history | Bowerman history
🧠 WHAT TO KNOW: Wind and scoring explained | Greatest venues | Best uniforms | The difference between indoor and outdoor seasons
🥇 Tokyo Olympians: Karel Tiga | JuVaughn Harrison | Cole Hocker | Camryn Rogers | Ruth Usoro | Athing Mu | Tara Davis | Tyra Gittens
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