2012 Outdoor Track & Field NCAA Preview (women)

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The 2012 NCAA outdoor track and field championships begin today at Drake in Des Moines, Iowa and run through Saturday. The meet can be watched on ESPN3 live on Wednesday and Thursday starting at 5:15 pm ET and 6:15 pm ET on Friday. On Saturday, the broadcast be live on ESPN U starting at noon. Before events begin tonight, here is a quick preview.  For more information check out the NCAA website and if you want to see each women’s team scoring chances this chart is very helpful. Live results will be here.

Sprints
100- It will be a fight between Oregon’s English Gardner and LSU’s Kimberlyn Duncan. Duncan seems to have the upper hand running faster this season and having more experience finishing second last year. Duncan will be looking do defend her title in 200 meters while Gardner will only be focusing on the 100 meters. Look also for UCF’s Octavious Freeman to also be in the race.

200- Duncan will be back to defend her 200 meter title. Her LSU teammate, Semoy Hackett comes in ranked second behind Duncan. Look for Pittsburgh’s Cambrya Jones, Texas’s Chalonda Goodman, Texas A&M’s and UCF’s Octavious Freeman to also be in contention.

400- Illinois freshman, Ashley Spencer comes in with the fastest time this season with a 51.02 and has a Big 10 conference championship under her belt.  Kansas’s Diamond Dixon will challenge having won this year’s indoor title and is highest place returner from last year.  Arkansas’s Regina George, Texas A&M’s Kanika Beckles and Clemson’s Marlena Wesh will also look to make it a race.

100 hurdles- Ohio State’s Christina Manning is hoping to improve on last year’s second place and follow up on this indoor season’s 60 meter hurdles championship. Look for Clemson’s Bridgette Owens, LSU’s Jasmin Stowers and Texas A&M’s Donique Flemings to challenge.

400 hurdles- UCLA’s Turquoise Thompson will be aiming for the top spot after finishing second last year at NCAAs. She only comes in with the fourth fastest time this season. Arizona’s Georganne Moline has the quickest time with a 55.12. Tennessee’s Ellen Wortham and Texas’s Danielle Dowie will also be challenging for the top three.

Mid-distance – Distance

800-  It will be a race between last year's champion Oregon’s  Anne Kesserling of Oregon and indoor champion BYU’s Nachelle Mackie who has the leading time this year with a 2:01.11. Don’t be surprised to SEC runners, Tennessee’s Chanelle Price and LSU’s Carlene Lipsey challenging for the title.

1500- This race is stacked with plenty of potential winners including Oregon’s Jordan Hasay, Stony Brook’s Lucky Van Dalen, Georgetown’s Emily Infield, Washington’s Katie Flood and Florida State’s Hannah Brooks. Don’t be surprised to see Hasay, Infield, and Van Dalen fighting it out in the in last lap for 1-2-3.

Steeple- It is Colorado’s Shayla Kipps race to loose. The rest of the field will sort themselves out. Look out for Florida’s Genevieve LaCaze and Illinois State’s Aisha Praught to round out the top three.

5000- Villanova’s Shelia Reed is looking to repeat but she will have stiff competition in Colorado’s Jessica Tebo, Dartmouth's Abbey D'Agostino and Wichita State’s Aliphine Tuliamuck.  Tebo and D’Agostino both beat Reid earlier this season. Tebo has the fastest time this season. Tebo is also a multiple D2 track and field champion and has the experience. Also look for Stanford’s Kathy Kroeger,  Oregon’s Alex Kosinski and Providence’s Emily Sisson to be up in the pack.

10000- The two favorites are Cal's Deborah Maier and Iowa State's Meaghan Nelson but there could be an upset with both have battled some injury.  I’ll agree with Letsrun and say there might be an upset by Wichita State’s Aliphine Tuliamuck.

Field
High Jump- Arizona’s Brigetta Barrett has inches on her competition with the highest jump with 6-4 ½. There is a group of jumpers in the 6-1 range.  The Texas duo of Shanay Briscoe and Victoria Lucas will be looking to improve on second and third place finishes from last year. Oklahoma State’s Toni Young will look to break the top three.

Triple Jump- Kansas’s Geubelle has the furthest jump this season with a 14.17m and seems to be rounding into form having achieved that jump at the prelim. Florida State’s Michelle Jenije (2^nd indoor) and Southern Mississippi’s Ganna Demydova will surely challenge.

Pole Vault- Arkansas’s Tina Sutej will look to improve on her second place finish from last but will have to battle her SEC foe, Georgia’s Morgan Leleux who beat her at their conference meet and was second to her in indoor.  Stanford’s Katerina Stefanidi will likely round out the top three.

Long Jump- Southern Mississippi’s Tori Bowie is looking to repeat. Look for TCU’s  Whitney Gipson and Louisiana Tech’s Chelsea Hayes to challenge.

Hammer Throw- Southern Illinois’s Jeneva McCall will look to improve upon her second place finish from last year. UNLV’s Amanda Bingson has the best throw coming in with a 71.04 meters.  Kansas’a Alena Krechyk will be looking to bring home some hardware.

Shot- Oklahoma’s Tia Brooks has the furthest throw this season with 60-7 ½  and is the highest returning competitor. Missouri’s Kearsten Peoples and Southern Illinois’s Jeneva McCall will look to challenge. 

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