2020 NCAA Indoor Men's Preview: NAU Takes Their Shot
2020 NCAA Indoor Men's Preview: NAU Takes Their Shot
The NCAA's decision not to have fans in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak will make for the strangest NCAA indoor meet ever.
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It’s not hyperbole to say that the 2020 DI NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships will be the most unique in the event’s history. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, fans will not be allowed to attend this weekend’s championships (essential staff and limited family are the only exceptions), which will make for a somber competition in the cavernous Albuquerque Convention Center. Harvard has scratched their qualifiers as a precautionary measure, and overall a sense of uneasiness and caution has permeated the meet. Even with titles on the line, the coronavirus figures to be the main topic coming out of Albuquerque this weekend.
Anyway, here’s a preview of the men’s races:
Men’s 60m
When: Friday, 5:50pm (Prelims); Saturday, 4:30pm (Final)
Who: Raymond Ekevwo, Emmanuel Wells, Raheem Chambers
The men’s 60m has an entirely new look in 2020 as none of last year’s finalists are back. That turnover will make for a wide open event in Albuquerque as eight men have run between 6.53 and 6.59 this season. At the top of the list is Florida senior Raymond Ekevwo, the SEC champion who ran 6.53 at the Razorback Invitational. His NCAA leading-time and 9.96 100m best makes him the favorite, but by no means is he a sure thing in this crowded field.
N.C. State’s Cravont Charleston beat Ekevwo in mid-January and the senior won the ACC title over Miami’s Raheem Chambers. But Charleston has a knock against him: despite running 6.54 last season, he missed the final at NCAAs.
Washington State’s Emmanuel Wells, who ran 6.55 at MPSF, is another name to watch. A repeat of the electric start from his 6.55 could net him a title this weekend, but his lack of consistency leaves a lot to be desired. The senior has only run under 6.60 on one occasion this year.
6.55 ?
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) March 3, 2020
North Carolina A&T’s Jaylan Mitchell comes in as the eight seed, but he brings an undefeated season into NCAAs. Among those he has beaten are Charleston, Chambers and USC’s Brandon Stewart.
Men’s 200m
When: Friday, 7:40pm (Prelims); Saturday, 5:50pm (Finals)
Who: Terrance Laird, Micaiah Harris, Langston Jackson, Matthew Boling, Joseph Amoah
This looks like a two man race on paper as LSU’s Terrance Laird (20.43) and Texas’ Micaiah Harris (20.49) are the only men to break 20.6 this season. Laird owns the top mark, but I give the edge to Harris as he was fifth in the outdoor 200m last June and he ran considerably faster (20.53 to 20.70) when the pair competed in separate heats at Albuquerque in January.
This event will also feature former high school phenom and current Georgia freshman Matthew Boling competing in his first NCAA Championship. Boling's 20.66 is the fourth-fastest time in the NCAA so far.
Men’s 400m
When: Friday, 6:10pm (Prelims); Saturday, 4:50pm (Finals)
Who: Bryce Deadmon, Randolph Ross, Wayne Lawrence Jr., Jacory Patterson, Jonathan Jones, Quincy Hall, Trevor Stewart
The men’s 400m looks at the chaos in the 60m dash and says, ‘hold my beer.’ There’s plenty of experience in this field-- Trevor Stewart, Jonathan Jones and Bryce Deadmon made the outdoor final last year-- but none of those three have risen to the level of favorite.
Deadmon is the top seed at 45.51 and he won SECs, but he’s lost on multiple occasions and ran more than a half second slower than North Carolina A&T freshman Randolph Ross on Feb. 1.
Even as a frosh, Ross will be a force to be reckoned with this weekend. Two standout races have boosted his chances: a 45.44 at Texas Tech in early February (converted to 45.55) and his 46.25 two weeks ago on a 200m flat track, which converts down to 45.53. The 19-year-old has been destroying his teammate Trevor Stewart, a 44.25 guy, all season.
If you want a safe pick, Texas sophomore Jonathan Jones just might be your man. Jones not only has the experience of finishing fourth outdoors last year, but he also beat Deadmon 45.78 to 45.86 when they matched up last month. But with only the sixth-fastest time in the country, picking Jones is still a risk.
Men’s 800m
When: Friday, 7:00pm (Prelims); Saturday, 5:30pm (Final)
Who: Devin Dixon, Isaiah Jewett, Festus Lagat, Carlton Orange, Michael Rhoads, Roshon Roomes
It says something about the lack of depth in this event that Devin Dixon remains the favorite despite owning just the seventh-best seed time. The Texas A&M senior, runner-up at NCAA outdoors last year, has a 1:47.88 best this season, but his career credentials give him the edge in Albuquerque against a field light on star power.
A lackluster regular season could actually be a good thing for Dixon approaching these championships. In 2019 he entered both championships with the fastest time in the country before succumbing to a combination of pressure and the Bryce Hoppel buzzsaw. With Hoppel gone and his expectations measured in the wake of a so-so indoor campaign, perhaps Dixon will be more at ease.
There’s no doubt that Dixon has the most talent here, but the top two seeds-- USC’s Isaiah Jewett and Iowa State’s Festus Lagat-- are good enough to beat him. Jewett beat Dixon and Texas A&M’s Carlton Orange at the Tiger Paw Invite in February and he owns the nation’s best mark. Lagat was third outdoors and has 1:45.05 speed. Lagat did lose to Indiana’s Cooper Williams and Ole Miss’ John Rivera in early February, so he may not be at peak fitness right now.
Men’s Mile
When: Friday, 5:20pm (Prelims); Saturday, 4:10pm (Final)
Who: Geordie Beamish, Charlie Hunter, Oliver Hoare, Carlos Villarreal
Defending champion Geordie Beamish is a huge piece of NAU’s title hopes, and how he performs in his mile title defense could set the tone for the Lumberjacks on day two. The Kiwi stunned everyone last year with a huge kick, but this strong field should be privy to his tendencies and will make a repeat difficult.
Oregon’s Charlie Hunter enters as the top seed after his 3:55.41 at BU, but a victory would still be surprising as he was just eighth in this event a year ago. Wisconsin’s Oliver Hoare has the experience that Hunter lacks as a 1500m national champion, and he beat both Beamish and Arizona’s Carlos Villarreal at the Millrose Games last month.
Men’s 3k
When: Saturday, 6:10pm (Final)
Who: Luis Grijalva, Geordie Beamish, Tyler Day, Joe Klecker, Edwin Kurgat, Yared Nuguse, Cooper Teare
This is the marquee men’s race in Albuquerque as team implications and a star-studded field gives the 3,000m intrigue overload.
The NAU men have the top three entries in Luis Grijalva, Geordie Beamish and Tyler Day, and if all goes to plan for them in the 5,000m and mile, the Lumberjacks could be in title contention as this race unfolds. A 1-2-3 sweep is highly unlikely against the likes of Edwin Kurgat, Joe Klecker and Yared Nuguse, but NAU certainly showed it was possible by running 7:43, 7:44 and 7:45 last month in Boston.
Beamish, Kurgat and Nuguse all have NCAA title experience, although Beamish will be weakened by running the mile final two hours before the 3k. Notre Dame’s Nuguse is always a threat thanks to his dangerous kick, and Kurgat, the cross country champion, showed improved wheels by running a 3:58 mile this season.
Colorado’s Joe Klecker has come close to a title before, and he’ll be hungry to get one (or two) in Albuquerque after a strong indoor campaign. Klecker ran the fastest mile ever in Colorado (4:01, converted to an NCAA-leading 3:55.13) in January before beating Kurgat and running 7:47 in the Millrose 3k. As the top returner in both the 5k and 3k this weekend, Klecker seems likely to walk away with at least one title.
Men’s 5k
When: Friday, 7:20pm
Who: Tyler Day, Edwin Kurgat, Luis Grijalva, Joe Klecker
With five entries in the 5,000m, look for the NAU men to try to dictate the race in favor of Tyler Day and Luis Grijalva. Their NCAA title hopes will go boom or bust based on how they fare in this race, so it would make sense for them to utilize their numbers to make the race honest from the gun.
A fast race should benefit Day, who ran 13:16 in January to become the third-fastest collegiate in indoor history. Although he has been much improved this season, the senior was only 13th in this race last year (Grijalva was 14th) so it remains to be seen if his leap in fitness will translate to a better championship placing. Day ran 13:25 outdoors last spring, the top time in the country, and then failed to advance out of NCAA prelims.
Kurgat showed how dominant he can be with his commanding victory at NCAA XC in November. The Iowa State senior has had a solid indoor season that included a 13:24 5k back in December. He did lose to Klecker in the 3k at Millrose, but he’s rock solid and sure to be in the mix in the last few laps.
Klecker has a lot going for him here. Not only is he the top returner by virtue of finishing second behind Morgan McDonald last March, but Albuquerque altitude should work in his favor coming from a similar elevation in Boulder (both are at 5300 ft.) The Colorado senior always shows up for the championship races, and he beat all of the aforementioned names in the 2019 indoor 5,000m.
Men’s 60m Hurdles
When: Friday, 6:40pm (Prelims); Saturday, 5:10pm (Final)
Who: Trey Cunningham, Jaylan McConico, Eric Edwards Jr., Caleb Parker
After spending two years stuck in the shadow of Grant Holloway (and Daniel Roberts), the time has come for Florida State hurdler Trey Cunningham to win an NCAA title.
At 7.51, the junior has the fastest time in the country by nearly a tenth of a second. Like Cunningham, Iowa’s Jaylan McConico is also undefeated this season against collegiate competition, but Cunningham has eclipsed his 7.60 best on four occasions in 2020. This is Cunningham’s race to lose.
Men’s Distance Medley Relay
When: Friday, 8:30pm
Who: Oregon, Notre Dame
It’s rare to find a collegiate record holder who isn’t the favorite, but that’s the case for Oregon in the men’s DMR as they face defending champion Notre Dame.
Anchored by Cooper Teare, the Ducks came out of nowhere to set the 9:24.52 collegiate record in January. I say “out of nowhere” because they were only ninth last year at NCAAs, but the improvements of Teare and Hunter (both 3:55 milers) have elevated them from afterthought to contenders.
Still, the Irish are formidable with Yared Nuguse on anchor. Since out-kicking Grant Fisher to win the 2019 title, Nuguse has won the 1500m outdoor crown, run a 3:55 mile and carried Notre Dame to a 9:25 relay. If the race turns into a “who has the best anchor” contest as it often does, Notre Dame likely repeats.
In that sense, Oregon would be best served to have a lead before the anchor leg. That’s how Virginia Tech won two years ago, and former Hokie coach Ben Thomas now works for Oregon.
Men’s 4x400m Relay
When: Saturday, 6:40pm (Finals)
Who: Texas A&M, North Carolina A&T, Arkansas
Texas A&M has the fastest time in the country by nearly a second, and they’ll be favored accordingly on Saturday. The Devin Dixon-anchored Aggies have beaten fellow contenders North Carolina A&T and Arkansas already this season.