In the sprints or hurdles, anything can happen. Much like a tactical 1500 race where one wrong move could cause the favorite to fall on his or her face over the final 150m, a bad start (or a false start, e.i. Trayvon Bromell and Andre De Grasse this past indoor season), misstep, or injury could make someone a hero or a disappointment. There are a few individuals competing this weekend in Eugene who have the potential to win two individual NCAA titles, something that Eric Jenkins and Edward Cheserek are oh so good at, but because of the unpredictable nature of the sprints, we don’t see multiple individual titles being won every year at the championships. These names, though, could do some damage:

Someone Please Don’t Spoil Bromell or De Grasse’s Fun

Baylor sophomore Bromell and USC junior De Grasse have a lot in common. At the 2015 Indoor Championships they were both disqualified in their prelims of the 60m. That didn’t seem to affect them, though, as they went on to finish 1-2 in the 200, with Bromell running the No. 2 all-time NCAA mark of 20.19 and De Grasse moved to No. 3 with his 20.26. After that race, I was so intrigued by this matchup outdoors, and now (Barring any major tragedies) we get to see it twice.



Bromell and De Grasse have a chance to make history this weekend, but will have to get past each other to do so. As two of the fastest in the 100 and 200, they have yet to battle this outdoor season. Bromell is known for turning heads in the 100m, running 9.93 (+2.4) at the West Prelims. The sophomore has really come into his own as a 200 guy this spring, running 20.13 (+1.6) in the 200 and establishing himself as a serious threat to win the two in Eugene. De Grasse is an entirely different story. In his first season at USC, he won the 100, 200 and 4x1 at the Pac-12 Championships in wind-legal marks of 9.97 (0.6) and 20.05 (-0.1). He went faster in the prelims, too, running 20.03 (-0.3). 

Walter Dix won the 100/200 double in 2007 easily. These two NCAA studs have outside competition to beat as well, with reigning 200 champ Dedric Dukes on the rise after an off indoor season, Tevin Hester (who +.1 wind away from breaking the 100 collegiate record at the ACC Championships, 9.87 [+2.1]) and Clayton Vaughn’s 9.93 (+1.7) from the Sun Belt Conference. It won’t be easy, but history could be made with these two gentlemen on Friday.

Big Blue Could Make Big Statement

Kendra Harrison of Kentucky is on the 2014 Bowerman Watch List, for good reason. Besides winning the 2015 indoor 60H title (in an all-time #4 mark of 7.87), she’s currently ranked No. 2 in the world in the 100H (12.50, the fourth-fastest mark ever by a collegian) and No. 9 in the world in the 400H (54.94, just off her PB of 54.76).



Harrison will obviously have competition, with reigning 400H champion Shamier Little of Texas A&M beating Harrison by almost a full second at the SEC Championships. But Harrison is in the kind of position where, if she can pull off the double, she could very well cement herself as a Bowman Finalist. In 2010, Queen Harrison won both events at NCAAs and was crowned the winner in the award’s second year.

Jenna Prandini and Jasmine Todd: How Many Points Will They Score?

I won’t even reference the fact that Prandini is the returning NCAA long jump winner or that Todd jumped a personal-best 6.50m only at the West Prelims, but really these two ladies have the potential of scoring A LOT of points. With 2014 100m Champ Remona Burchell out, Prandini and Todd are favorites to go 1-2 in the 100 final. Prandini’s 10.92 (+1.4) and Todd’s 10.88 (+3.7) are really fast. And on their home track, can anybody really touch them? So 18 points for the Oregon Ducks in one event, and Prandini is a contender in the 200, as well. She was the indoor runner-up to Florida’s Kyra Jefferson, who will be Prandini’s biggest obstacle.



Jefferson’s East Prelim time of 22.26 is No.3 in the world right now, and yes, yes it’s early but that time is also No. 8 on the NCAA all-time list so you know it’s real. With Jefferson gunning for a Florida Gator team upset on Oregon’s home turf, the 200 final is going to be one of the best events on Saturday.