Oregon Women Have the Numbers to Win Indoors this Year

Published by Adam Schneider/DyeStatCollege.com on January 8th, 2016

In 2015 the Oregon women’s team was looking to win their sixth consecutive NCAA indoor title, the most ever by a women’s team. That did not happen but the Oregon women were focused on outdoors and won their first outdoor title since 1985.

The Oregon women won the 2014 title with their fewest points of any title, 44, and had to replace their two NCAA individual champions from that year, Bowerman winner Laura Roessler and Phyllis Francis, in 2015.  Eventual Bowerman winner junior Jenna Prandini put in a valiant effort as high point scorer but she could not lead Oregon past host Arkansas, led by indoor senior-eligible Dominique Scott. 

Oregon and Arkansas will be without their top scorers indoors but both have top competitors returning. World Championship competitor Jasmine Todd will lead the Ducks this year. Junior Todd will lead the Ducks after finishing third in the 60m and not making the long jump final after someone had moved her marks. She was injured after the Pac-12 Championships and missed the NCAA outdoor meet but she finished third in the US championships 100m and long jump and ran at the world championships. She is the fastest returnee in the 60m (7.15) and health will once again play a major part in her success this year. 

Oregon has several returning indoor scorers and all-Americans. Sophomore Raevyn Rogers may not have run at the NCAA indoor 800m last year but impressed with her victories at the NCAA outdoor (pr 1:59.71), US Junior and PanAm Junior championships. Junior Brittany Mann is a three time all-American in the shot put and she threw her pr in finishing third (57-1) at the NCAA indoor championships last year. She has the fourth best pr among returnees. Junior Sasha Wallace was fifth indoors at the 60m hurdles last year and she is the fifth fastest returnee (8.15). Sophomore Ariana Washington had an injury riddled season but still finished sixth at the NCAA meet over 200m and she is the fourth fastest returnee (23.07). She has the fastest outdoor pr of any runner this year. Senior Molly Grabill ran in the 5000m final last year and then finished fourth in the 10,000m and 11th in the 5000m outdoors. Senior Waverly Neer was fifth in the 10,000m after having to train off the track until April 17th. 

Redshirt sophomore Alli Cash has shown steady progress since coming to Oregon and was the top Duck cross country runner most of the season. She ran at the NCAA meet in the 1500m last year and could score this year in mile or the 3000m events. Senior Annie LeBlanc has earned two DMR all-American awards and with a 2:01.87 outdoor pr she is one of the fastest 800m returnees.

Oregon also has several impact transfers and freshmen. Hannah Cunliffe ran for Oklahoma at the NCAA meet last year and she is the seventh fastest returnee (7.28). Sophomore Brooke Feldmeier finished 8th over 800m last year for Vanderbilt. She is the sixth fastest returnee (2:04.30) Sophomore Deajah Stevens won the outdoor California Juco titles for 200m and 400m. She is experienced indoors after running 37.90 over 300m, ninth all-time among high school athletes. For 400m she ran 55.19 indoors in 2013 and 53.63 outdoors and 23.18 for 200m. Freshman Jessica Hull was seventh at the 2014 World junior championships in the 3000m (9:08.85) in a time tenth fastest among returnees. Senior transfer Itohan Aikhionbare made significant improvements (1 1/2 foot shot put pr) during her redshirt year last year and could score in the shot put indoors (outdoor pr of 55-3 1/2).

With Stevens, Rogers, Washington and Ashante Horsley, Oregon has a great chance of scoring again in the 4x400m relay after not scoring indoors or outdoors last year. With Hull, Stevens, Rogers, and Cash Oregon could also be favored to score in the distance medley relay. 

Arkansas loses Scott (mile, 3000m and DMR) but they also have a deep roster of scorers. Their strength in the combined events and pole vault will determine their chances at another title. Senior Alex Gochenour was fourth in the Pentathlon (4430) last year and she is the #3 returner. Sophomore Taliyah Brooks was seventh (4230) and junior Leigh Brown (4155) was 11th and they are the #7 and #9 returnees. Sophomore Desiree Freier (11th with best of 14-2 1/2) and senior Ariel Voskamp (12th with best of 14-0 1/2) are joined by record-setting Weeks twins, Lexi (14-3 1/4 indoors and 14-7 1/2 outdoors) and Tori (14-4 indoors and 14-1 outdoors) who are both among the top eight returnees. 

Senior Taylor Ellis-Watson was the runner-up in the 400m last year and she is the third fastest returnee (51.52) and the fifth fastest in the 200m (23.08). Senior Regine Williams redshirted last year but she is the third fastest returnee  (23.06). They will lead another strong 4x400m team this year. Transfer Nikki Hiltz (eighth in 2015) joins her former Oregon teammate junior Therese Haiss (#5 returnee) among the top returning milers. Senior Jessica Kamilos is sixth among returnees and this threesome could challenge for points in this event and lead a push in the distance medley relay to repeat their championship.  

Georgia will battle all of the other teams contending for a trophy without anyone expected to score on the track. Junior Kendell Williams will attempt to win her third consecutive NCAA Pentathlon title. She will be potentially challenged by NCAA outdoor Heptathlon champion Akela Jones of Kansas State (she competed in individual events last year) depending on whether she competes in individual events (to help with a team title) or battles collegiate record holder Williams (4678). If everything works out the winning mark could be superior to the current  collegiate or even American record (4805 at altitude by Sharon Day-Monroe or 4753 at low altitude by DeDe Nathan). Senior North Carolina transfer Xenia Rahn was third last year and she is the #2 seed (4450) coming into the year. Freshman Aliyah Johnson from Australia (5547 in the Heptathlon) joins this great group in the combined events. 

Two-time defending NCAA high jump champion junior Leontia Kallenou (top seed at 6-4) hopes to lead her junior teammate Tatiana Gusin to a 1-2 finish. Gusin (#2 seed at 6-1 1/2) was seventh last year and will have to battle a tight competition as there are four jumpers within 1/4” of 6-1 1/2 #2 seed. Sophomore Keturah Orji was second last year in the triple jump indoors and won outdoors. She jumped 45-10 1/2 (#7 all-time US) indoors and over 47’ outdoors, superior to the American indoor record of 46-8 1/4 by Sheila Hudson in 1995. In the long jump Orji was 13th last year but comes in as the #3 seed (21-2) this year. Senior teammate Chanice Porter was seventh last year (#10 seed this year at 20-9 1/4).

Senior Shelby Ashe returned to Georgia last year (from UC Berkeley) and could score in the weight throw this year. She comes into the season with the 12th best throw among returnees (66-1 1/2) but she did throw 68-2 in high school (same size implement) which would make her the eighth seed. Junior Georgia Stefanidi came to Georgia with a 13-11 1/2 pr and redshirted last year. Her best is just outside of the top ten for returnees.

Also of interest are Kansas State, USC and Texas. Kansas State has World Championships Heptathlete Akela Jones who could score in three events (#4 seed in 60m hurdles, #1 seed in long jump, and high jump), A’Keyla Mitchell (#2 seed in 200m), Kimberly Williamson (#2 seed in high jump), Dani Winters (#3 seed in shot put), and Sara Savatovic (#9 seed in weight throw). USC headlines with the return of 60m runner-up sophomore Ky Westbrook (#2 seed) with senior Alexis Faulknor a #6 seed and Deanna Hill a #7 seed also in the 60m, sophomore Dior Hall was eighth last year in the 60m hurdles but is the top seed this year (8.01), and USC returns their 3rd place 4x400m relay team and they are the fourth seed. The Longhorns return Courtney Okolo (#1 seed in the 400m), senior Morolake Akinosun (#3 in 60m and #9 in 200m), senior Kaitlin Petrillose (#2 seed in the pole vault), JC transfer Chrisann Gordon (#8 seed in 400m), junior Sandie Raines (#8 seed in 5000m), and they are the early favorite to repeat as 4x400m champions.