We're days away from the 2024 DI indoor women's track and field championships. There's no better time than now for my championship predictions, event-by-event. Let's dive in.
60 meters — Predicted favorite: Oregon's Jadyn Mays
The women's 60 meters is wide open and anyone could win. My pick amongst the crowd is Oregon's Jadyn Mays because of her prior championship experience. She's the only athlete to finish as a 60 meter finalist in each of the last two seasons, finishing third in 2022 and fifth in 2023.
Mays has been progressing with each meet this year, running faster and faster. Mays' personal-best time of 7.07 seconds would also be tied for the national lead if she ran it this year. If she PRs again at nationals, she might have what it takes to win.
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60 hurdles — Predicted favorite: Southern California's Jasmine Jones
Last year, a collegiate record was needed to win the women's 60 hurdles title in a loaded field. The competition has just as much high-end talent this year, led by Southern California's Jasmine Jones, Florida's Grace Stark, LSU's Alia Armstrong and UCF's Rayniah Jones. I can see any of these four ultimately winning the 60 hurdles title, and predicting which one will run faster in a championship race is like trying to pick which Skittle tastes different in a blind taste test. It's difficult.
That said, I'll go with USC's Jasmine Jones after she ran sub-8 seconds for the first time since 2022 to win silver at USA Indoors. She appears to be rediscovering her form just in time for NCAA championships — and she has the fastest time in the country this year.
200 meters — Predicted favorite: South Carolina's JaMeesia Ford
If there was a women's freshman of the year award for indoor track, JaMeesia Ford would be the front-runner entering national championship week. Ford has the fastest 200 meter time in the country this year and has been running with the confidence of a veteran in her first year. When we last saw Ford on the track, she clinched the Gamecocks a 4x4 SEC title as the anchor leg. More wins could be coming if that momentum carries over to the 200 semifinals and finals.
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400 meters — Predicted favorite: Arkansas' Amber Anning
Someone from Arkansas will win the 400 meters and it may end up coming down to lane draw. However, I can't predict the lane draws for the final before the start lists for the semifinals are released. That said, Amber Anning is the safe pick amongst the talented Arkansas quarter-miler squad as she's been the most consistent this year.
800 meters — Predicted favorite: LSU's Michaela Rose
I have Michaela Rose winning the 800 meter title, and I think she might even break Athing Mu's collegiate record, too. At every meet Rose has run this year, she's broken two minutes in the 800 and she already set a collegiate record in the 600 yards earlier this year. Rose has been in top form all year, and I think that will help her hold off all challengers.
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Mile — Predicted favorite: Harvard's Maia Ramsden
I thought about not picking Ramsden here because she just ran at the World Indoor Championships for New Zealand while submitting her senior thesis, only a week before championships. However, I doubt her coaches would've allowed her to pursue such a task while thinking she couldn't do it. Ramsden has run against professional athletes at multiple meets this year, nearly breaking collegiate records every time. I think that experience against the pros will help her to a collegiate title.
3000 meters — Predicted favorite: Florida's Parker Valby
Parker Valby's lone 3000 meter run this season came at SEC Championships, where her teammates had to pace her to keep her from running too fast. While Valby finished two seconds behind Notre Dame's Olivia Markezich's fastest time in the country this year, I think the Florida Gator could run faster if unleashed at indoor championships.
5000 meters — Predicted favorite: Parker Valby
I think Valby should complete the 3K-5K double this year. Luckily for her hopes, the 5000 meters — where she set a collegiate record and has run eight seconds faster than anyone else this year — is the first event between the two. With plenty of rest, Valby should grab her first title on Friday.
Pentathlon — Predicted favorite: Southern California's Allie Jones
The pentathlon is extremely difficult to predict because an athlete has to perform well in all five events. I'm going to go with the national leader, USC's Allie Jones, with my pick here because she's performed the best this year and will have had over a month between her last meet and national championships to rest up and prepare for five intense battles.
High jump — Predicted favorite: Texas A&M's Lamara Distin
Lamara Distin set the high jump collegiate record at 2.00 meters and is the two-time defending indoor champion. She's cleared 1.95 meters nine times across the indoor and outdoor seasons at collegiate meets during her career. Her top contender, Texas Tech freshman Temitope Adeshina, has only cleared 1.95 meters (1.96m) once in her young collegiate career. Distin is my prediction to repeat.
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Long jump — Predicted favorite: Texas' Ackelia Smith
Texas' Ackelia Smith has jumped farther than her top challenger, Florida's Claire Bryant, at every meet Smith's been at this year. And that's without Smith coming close to her outdoor personal best. Smith should win this event for the Longhorns.
Triple jump — Predicted favorite: San Jose State's Emilia Sjostrand
The triple jump crown is wide open for the first time in a few seasons. The early nod goes to San Jose State's Emilia Sjostrand, as she's the only woman to surpass 14 meters in the triple jump this year.
Pole vault — Predicted favorite: Rutgers' Chloe Timberg
I think Rutgers' Chloe Timberg will out-vault the national leader, Washington's Hana Moll, to win this year's NCAA title. Timber has been the most consistent high-level pole vaulter this year, clearing 4.44 meters at all six of her meets this year, reaching a personal-best 4.55 meters at Big Ten Championships. Meanwhile, Moll hasn't come close to her 4.64-meter mark set back in January since. Timberg's consistently high marks give me confidence she can hold up when the championship pressure is on.
Shot put — Predicted favorite: Colorado State's Mya Lesnar
Mya Lesnar has brought the same level of excitement her dad Brock brought to the WWE to the women's shot put in 2024, getting better as the season has progressed. Most recently, she threw her second 19-plus meter shot put at the Mountain West Championships to reset her nation-leading mark at 19.10 meters. No other woman has thrown over 19 meters once this season. I wouldn't be surprised if Lesnar puts this individual title out of reach on her first or second attempt.
Weight throw — Predicted favorite: Ole Miss' Jalani Davis
I believe the weight throw title will stay at Ole Miss for the third straight year. The top two women entering championships are Rebels Jalani Davis and Jasmine Mitchell, respectively. I'll pick Davis to repeat and hold off her teammate since Davis has cleared 25 meters this season. If Ole Miss doesn't three-peat as weight throw champions, keep an eye out for Minnesota's Shelby Frank as a dark horse title threat.
BACK-TO-BACK: These are the potential repeat individual indoor track and field champions in 2024
Distance medley relay — Predicted favorite: Washington
Washington set the collegiate record in the DMR in February. While five of the six fastest women's DMRs ever ran were run this year, I'm going to go with the Huskies as the safe pick to win this one.
4x400 meter relay — Predicted favorite: Arkansas
Arkansas has had three different 4x400 meter relay combinations run one of the top five times this year. The Razorbacks have five different athletes that will run the 400 meter open indoors, including the four fastest women this year. Another relay candidate, freshman Shawnti Jackson, would've qualified but was scratched from the event. While South Carolina got the better of the Razorbacks at the SEC Championships, I still think that Arkansas' A-squad — if the Razorbacks need the points entering the meet's final event — runs away with the 4x4 crown.
: Arkansas, Texas Tech win 2024 indoor titles | Florida, Arkansas win 2024 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
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