NCAA (M&W) Indoor Championships Preview
January 18, 2010:
The Caribbean should be well represented at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships to be held March 12-13 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, at the Randal Tyson Track Center on the University of Arkansas campus. Caribbean athletes have historically performed very well at the NCAAs and the trend should continue. Here is an updated preview of how some of the Caribbean's best are expected to do:
WOMEN
Long Jump and Triple Jump:
The horizontal jumps will feature Florida State University’s Kim Williams (Jam). The junior had a superb 2009 season and captured NCAA Outdoor triple jump gold (13.81m). Williams, the 2009 USTFCCCA Division I Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, and the USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete of the Year, was 2nd in the triple jump (14.04m) at the Jamaica Senior Championships last year.
University of Texas’s Chantel Malone (BVI) with an indoor best (20-7.75/ 6.29m) in the long jump and Texas A&M’s newcomer Sasha Kay Matthias (Jamaica) should provide some sparks. Matthias is the 2009 NJCA Outdoor triple jump (20’-2.05” / 6.16m) champion.
60m Hurdles:
Texas A&M’ Natasha Ruddock (Jam) is hands-down the one to beat. Ruddock, the reigning 2009 NJCA hurdles champion is a cut about the competition and if she stays healthy she should claim the top spot on the podium. The former Essex County College and St. Jago High student has a personal best 13.49 in the 100m hurdles.
Auburn University’s Kystal Bodie (Bah) and Johnson C. Smith University’s Rosemarie Carty (Jam) may take their 2008 CARIFTA Games duel to the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Others to watch are Bethune-Cookman University’s Tavia Burke (Jam) and Hampton University’s Tashana Willock (Jam).
200m:
This event is loaded with Caribbean flavor and the best of the bunch include Lincoln University’ Semoy Hackett
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Henry
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(T&T), LSU’s Samantha Henry (Jam), Johnson C. Smith University’s Shermaine Williams (Jam), LSU’s freshman Latoya McDermott (Jam) and Auburn University’s duo of Sheniqua Ferguson (Bah) and Nivea Smith (Bah).
Hackett with a personal best 11.18 in the 100m and 22.95 in the 200m should be in the running for a medal.
Henry is a seasoned veteran and was 7th in the 2009 NCAA Indoor (23.34). The senior was 6th in the 2009 Outdoor (23.07) and has the talent to be on podium.
The Bahamian duo of Ferguson and Smith are fresh from having great success at the Junior College level and are talented enough to be major players this season. The Jamaicans Williams and McDermott could also affect the outcome.
60m:
The dash should have the same cast as the 200m. Hackett, Henry and Ferguson should all be in the hunt.
400m:
LSU’s McDermott with a PB 53.48 may need time to adjust to the rigors of the indoor season; however, this former IAAF World Youth 400m silver medalist and CARIFTA veteran has the potential to make an immediate impact this season.
800m:
The distance will feature Florida State University’s Pilar McShine (T&T) and the LSU Jamaican duo of Kayann Thompson and Latavia Thomas. McShine finished 9th overall at the 2009 NCAA 800m Outdoor Championship (2.03.47) followed by Thompson in 10th (2.03.99).
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MEN
400m:
The 400m has an abundance of talent including the likes of Latoy Williams (Bah), Tabarie Henry (USVI), Dwight Mullings (Jam), Leford Green (Jam) and Grenada’s “wonderboy” Kirani James.
Williams of Texas Tech University had a personal best (PB) 44.73 secs to captured gold at the 2009 NJCAA Outdoor Championships and despite not participating at the Berlin World Championships, should be a factor.
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Fothergill
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Texas A&M’s Tabarie Henry had a busy summer that culminated in a 4th place finish in the 400m (45.42) in Berlin. The Junior College transfer student is rearing to go and with a PB 44.77 for 2nd at the 2009 NJCAA behind Williams, this Aggie is ready to pick up where he left off last year.
Mississippi State University’s (MSU) Dwight Mullings is also rearing to go. The senior has a PB 44.98 in the NCCA last season and with the likes of O’Neal Wilder and Tavaris Tate pushing him daily in practice, Mullings should be a major force in Arkansas.
University of Maryland ES’s Allodin Fothergill (Jam) was 6th in the 2009 NCAAs 400m final (45.81). He placed second at the Jamaica National Championships but could not compete at Worlds due to “supplement issues.”
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his senior has a lot to prove and is rearing to go.
However, there’s a “dark horse” here: the University of Alabama’s Kirani James, the reigning World Youth 200m/400m champion, who could simply dominate if he gets acclimatized to the sharp indoor track curves.
Others who could upset the apple cart are University of Kentucky’s Rondel Sorrillo (Trinidad & Tobago/T&T) and Johnson C. Smith University’s Leford Green (Jam).
200m:
Sorrillo should be the one to beat in this event. The senior with a PB 20.43 in the 200m finished 13th overall in Berlin and is coming off a 2nd place finish in the 200m at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. He should be ready to climb atop the podium at the Randall Tyson Track Center.
Others to watch are Bahamian and Texas A&M’s Demetrius Pinder along with MSU’s Dwight Mullings. The X-factor is Kirani James, who should simply dominate if he decides to run the 200m.
60m Dash:
Here again, Sorrillo, the University of Kentucky senior, should factor in the outcome. He ran a 6.63 at the 2009 Indoor 60m finals for 5th place and with his Berlin experience and obvious desire to leave Kentucky on a high note, this T&T native should be on the podium come March.
Pinder should also be placed on watch for this event.
800m:
The Caribbean should be well represented in the 800m with Baylor University’s Gavyn Nero (T&T), LSU’s Jamaal James (T&T) and University of Georgia’s Aaron Evans (Bermuda). Nero, the freshman sensation with a PB 1.47.51 and perhaps the most decorated athletes in the history of the CARIFTA Games, is poised to dominate and should be a factor in March.
Nero’s countryman Jamaal James of LSU, who has a PB 1.48.58, can be a factor if he is able to re-c
apture the magic
from his 2008 season. However, the “sleeper” has to be University of Georgia’s Aaron Evans. He has a PB 1.49.02 Indoor and with a new environment (previously at University of Memphis) and new coaching staff, this Devonshire, Bermuda native is likely to ascend the podium in Arkansas.
Long Jump and Triple Jump:
The horizontal jumps will feature the Jamaican quartet of Nicholas Gordon (Nebraska), Julian Reid in photo at right (Texas A&M), Alain Bailey (University of Arkansas) and Tarik Batchlor (University of Arkansas).
Gordon (Jam), the reigning NCAA Indoor long jump champion (26-4 ¼)/(8.03m), should easily defend his title. The former Calabar High School student competed in the 2009 Berlin World Championships and had an outdoor PB 8.11m at the 2009 Jamaica Championships. This junior should again be on top of the podium at the Randall Tyson Track Center in March.
Reid was 4th in the 2009 NCAA Indoor long jump (7.83m) and was 6th in the triple jump (16.13m). He also competed in Berlin and should be a factor come March.
Sophomore Batchlor and senior Alain Bailey have the potential to make major impact in the jumps.
60m Hurdles:
The 60m hurdles will feature University of Texas’s freshman Keiron Stewart (Jam) and Johnson C. Smith University’s Andre Collins (Jam). Stewart may need time to adjust to the rigor of the indoor season, but this Kingston College graduate with personal best 13.49 in the 110m hurdles and 50.29 in the 400m hurdles, should be in contention March 12 - 13.
-O’Neil A. Reid & Desmond G. Palmer