Freshmen and transfers around the country have quickly made their marks during the 2022 women's outdoor track and field season. While transfers have more experience than freshmen, both are newcomers to their teams. That said, here are the top women's track and field newcomers in 2022... so far.
Transfers
Celera Barnes | Southern California
Celera Barnes brought her speed to the West Coast, transferring from Kentucky to Southern California. The new Lady Trojan has run the fastest all-conditions 100 meters, running a time of 10.82 second early in the season. Conditions aside, Barnes would still sit sixth nationally with her wind-legal 11.07-second time in the 100.
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โ USC Track & Field / XC (@USC_Track_Field)
Celera Barnes wins it in 10.82 (+2.8w) for a new wind-aided personal best!
Samirah Moody finishes 3rd with a wind-aided personal best of 11.08 (+2.8w)!
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๐ : The midseason superlatives โ and a sleeper pick โ for women's outdoor track and field
Tyra Gittens | Texas
Last year Tyra Gittens finished as a Bowerman finalist at Texas A&M. Now she's at Texas, again finding success. Gittens has the second-best high jump and the third-best long jump in the country. In fact, Gittens 6.75-meter high jump set a new personal best this season.
Anna Hall | Florida
Anna Hall has been one of the best all-around track and field athletes in the country in 2022 since transferring from Georgia to Florida. Hall scored a top-five all-time mark in the heptathlon to lead the country, and also sits second nationally in the 400 meter hurdles.
MORE: The top 10 women's track and field performances from the first half
Jasmine Moore | Florida
Like Hall, Jasmine Moore also transferred from Georgia to Florida this season. After winning an indoor title, Moore has continued her success during the outdoor season. Moore has a nation-leading triple jump of 14.07 meters and the fourth-best long jump at 6.75 meters.
Florida puts on a ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ in the Triple Jump.
โ Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF)
The Gators now hold the top-two marks in the NCAA this season.
- Jasmine Moore: 14.07m/46-2 (-0.3)
- Natricia Hooper: 14.03m/46-0.5 (-1.0): (PB)
GATORS: 7 numbers to know from Florida Relays
Britton Wilson | Arkansas
Britton Wilson transferred from Tennessee to Arkansas this season. Wilson has found success with the Razorbacks, owning the fastest 400-meter hurdle mark in the country at 54.37 seconds.
2022 Texas Relays | 400m Hurdles
โ Arkansas Track & Field (@RazorbackTF)
Britton Wilson wins final in 54.37 to break Texas Relays record of 54.60 from 2003
Betters UA record of 54.65 Wilson set in the prelims yesterday
Improves world leading time for 2022 season and fastest time ever by an American in month of March
BIG NAMES: 40 names you should know in the 2022 womenโs outdoor track season
Freshmen
Ackelia Smith | Texas
Texas' Ackelia Smith was my pick for freshman of the year at the halfway point of the season, thanks to her performances in the triple jump and long jump, which sit third and sixth nationally, respectively. Smith is the only freshman in the top 10 of multiple events nationally. Smith's performance is a key reason why the Longhorns haven't wavered from No. 1 in the USTFCCA's national ratings index all season.
ANOTHER TEXAS RECORD GOES DOWN!
โ Texas T&F/XC (@TexasTFXC)
Ackelia Smith takes down โs 36-year outdoor triple jump record in the same season she took down the indoor record on her first jump of the day at 13.86m (45-5.75)
HOOK 'EM: 11 numbers to know from Texas Relays
Emma Heckel | New Mexico
New Mexico recently entered the top 10 of the national rating index, with freshman Emma Heckel playing a big role in the rise. Heckel's 33:05.02 time in the 10,000 meters is the fourth-fastest collegiately in 2022. Heckel has the Lobos on the rise.
Michaela Rose | LSU
LSU's Michaela Rose owns the nation's sixth-fastest time in the 800 meters, finishing in 2:02.74. Rose also runs the third leg of LSU's 4x400 meter relay, which sits seventh nationally. Only a freshman, Rose has quickly become a part of LSU's deep and talented roster that has 13 top-10 national marks.
Michaela Rose runs herself a PR of 2โฃ:0โฃ2โฃ.7โฃ4โฃ in heat two at the Bryan Clay Inv. to finish seventh in the 800 meters (3rd fastest collegian at the event). Her readout moves her up to No. 3 in the NCAA and No. 9 on the LSU all-time list.
โ LSU Track & Field (@LSUTrackField)
MORE: 8 true freshmen in NCAA women's track and field who can burst on the scene in 2022
Samirah Moody | Southern California
Samirah Moody owns the eighth-fastest 100-meter time in the nation at 11.08 seconds. Moody also runs on Southern California's 4x100 meter team. Moody is helping the defending-champion Trojans not miss a beat on the track.
๐: 5 track and field programs that could be the next first-time national champion
Jenna Rogers | Nebraska & Elena Kulichenko | Georgia
Nebraska's Jenna Rogers and Georgia's Elena Kulichenko are two of four women tied for fifth in the high jump, but the duo is the only freshmen with top-five marks. Each has jumped 1.86 meters this season. Expect Rogers and Kulichencko to continue their battle up the national high jump charts all season long.
๐ง WHAT TO KNOW: Wind and scoring explained | Greatest venues | Best uniforms | The difference between indoor and outdoor seasons
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