2016 NCAA Indoor Preview: Men's Jumps
2016 NCAA Indoor Preview: Men's Jumps
The men's NCAA jumping events will look drastically different in 2016 with every champion from both indoor and outdoor last year either graduating or going
The men's NCAA jumping events will look drastically different in 2016 with every champion from both indoor and outdoor last year either graduating or going pro early. Each event— the long jump, triple jump, pole vault, and high jump—had the same winner in both seasons, and two of those guys, Florida LJ/TJ’er Marquis Dendy and Akron pole vaulter Shawn Barber, were Bowerman finalists. Those are big shoes to fill.
But without further yada yada yada, hereÂ’s a glance at the four jumping events for 2016:
Marquis Dendy is an absolute monster in the long and triple jump. Six straight NCAA titles, thatÂ’s the stuff of beasts. But fortunately for his collegiate competition, Dendy has taken his sky-walking talents to the pros, having graduated. ThatÂ’s great news for Arkansas long jumper/sprinter Jarrion Lawson.
See, Lawson, having won the 2014 NCAA indoor title and twice finishing runner-up to 2015Â’s best athlete in college track and field (Dendy, duh), is the obvious favorite to win in Birmingham, and again in Eugene for that matter. But weÂ’re talking indoor right now, so letÂ’s hold our horses a bit.
The Razorback senior actually entered the 2015 championships with the top mark— 8.03m, .01m further than Dendy— but ultimately came up ever-so-excruciatingly short in Fayetteville, succumbing to the Florida senior’s 8.28m leap with a 8.27m jump that wasn’t quite enough. It’s obviously disappointing to not defend a title, especially on one’s home track, but Lawson should take comfort knowing 2016 will almost certainly be his year. Combined between NCAA indoor and outdoor, the next best returner for 2016 was an average of almost a foot behind him.
Another dude trying to step out from Marquis Dendy’s tremendous shadow is Texas A&M’s Latario Collie, who was the only man on the same planet as Dendy in the triple jump last spring. While the Gator’s 17.50m leap from NCAA Outdoor was astronomical— #3 NCAA all-time, in fact— Collie’s 17.18m at SECs made him the only person besides Dendy to even get past 17m. They still weren’t close, but hey, I didn’t specify the size of the planet.
The 2011 World Youth champion was “only” fifth indoor last March, but the four men above him all graduated, making him top returner from both Fayetteville and Eugene. Collie tailed off a bit late in the summer with disappointing outings at Pan-Ams (16.08m) and Worlds (16.21), but a long season will do that to a person. Even Dendy, who entered Beijing with the fourth-best jump in the world for 2015, failed to reach the WC final. The senior Collie is the clear favorite in 2016, no doubt.
As on fire as Dendy was in 2015, and he was an absolute inferno, Akron pole vaulter Shawn Barber was even hotter. The junior set the collegiate record indoor (5.91) and dropped the #2 all-time mark outdoor (also 5.91), plus he swept NCAA titles in Fayetteville and Eugene. And oh yeah, Barber won the World title. THE WORLD TITLE. Surprise! Shawn Barber went pro early.
Without him, the pole vault has a new favorite who goes by the name Jake Blankenship. The Tennessee senior was second in Fayetteville last winter, jumping 5.80m to slot in at ninth in NCAA history. JB was only sixth outdoors, but he atoned for that poor 5.40m showing by finishing third at USAs to punch his first ever ticket to the World Championships.
Even so, BlankenshipÂ’s slip up in Eugene has forced me to at least recognize some other contenders. Ugh!
Spaniard Adrian Valles of Cincinnati, just a freshman in 2015, leapt 5.65m outdoors and was sixth and fifth in Fayetteville and Eugene, respectively. WashingtonÂ’s Jax Thoirs also had a 5.65m jump last spring, although he stumbled at prelims and didnÂ’t even qualify to NCAA outdoor. He did, however, finish fourth indoors.
I could list more names, but Blankenship should take care of business without Barber. HeÂ’s the only guy coming back to go over 5.80m, with the next closest returner indoors all the way back at 5.51. Barring a major collapse, Blankenship will be the champ in 2016.
With last yearÂ’s double champion Jacorian Duffield gone, the next man up as the NCAA high jump favorite is logically his former Texas Tech teammate Bradley Adkins, runner-up both indoor and out. The senior-to-be matched his fellow Red Raider in Fayetteville with a 2.29m jump, and now heÂ’ll look to carry the torch without Duffield in his way.
It’s a tight crowd of Fosbury floppers at the top of the NCAA, as a pair of 2.28m performers from last winter—Kansas State’s Christoff Bryan and Marquette’s Wally Ellenson— are at least on paper ready to challenge Adkins. But “on paper” doesn’t tell the full story. Bryan was lousy in both of his NCAA appearances in 2015, which as just a freshman, is totally understandable. Ellenson was third at NCAAs indoors, but his best jump in all of 2015 was the first meet of the year in January, not exactly how you plan a season. He was second outdoors in 2014, however, so there’s that.
This pair has shown the potential to take on Adkins for 2016, but they need to bring their best when it counts to close the deal. If not, ownership of the high jump title will remain in Lubbock, Texas.
But without further yada yada yada, hereÂ’s a glance at the four jumping events for 2016:
Long Jump
Marquis Dendy is an absolute monster in the long and triple jump. Six straight NCAA titles, thatÂ’s the stuff of beasts. But fortunately for his collegiate competition, Dendy has taken his sky-walking talents to the pros, having graduated. ThatÂ’s great news for Arkansas long jumper/sprinter Jarrion Lawson.
See, Lawson, having won the 2014 NCAA indoor title and twice finishing runner-up to 2015Â’s best athlete in college track and field (Dendy, duh), is the obvious favorite to win in Birmingham, and again in Eugene for that matter. But weÂ’re talking indoor right now, so letÂ’s hold our horses a bit.
The Razorback senior actually entered the 2015 championships with the top mark— 8.03m, .01m further than Dendy— but ultimately came up ever-so-excruciatingly short in Fayetteville, succumbing to the Florida senior’s 8.28m leap with a 8.27m jump that wasn’t quite enough. It’s obviously disappointing to not defend a title, especially on one’s home track, but Lawson should take comfort knowing 2016 will almost certainly be his year. Combined between NCAA indoor and outdoor, the next best returner for 2016 was an average of almost a foot behind him.
Triple Jump
Another dude trying to step out from Marquis Dendy’s tremendous shadow is Texas A&M’s Latario Collie, who was the only man on the same planet as Dendy in the triple jump last spring. While the Gator’s 17.50m leap from NCAA Outdoor was astronomical— #3 NCAA all-time, in fact— Collie’s 17.18m at SECs made him the only person besides Dendy to even get past 17m. They still weren’t close, but hey, I didn’t specify the size of the planet.
The 2011 World Youth champion was “only” fifth indoor last March, but the four men above him all graduated, making him top returner from both Fayetteville and Eugene. Collie tailed off a bit late in the summer with disappointing outings at Pan-Ams (16.08m) and Worlds (16.21), but a long season will do that to a person. Even Dendy, who entered Beijing with the fourth-best jump in the world for 2015, failed to reach the WC final. The senior Collie is the clear favorite in 2016, no doubt.
Pole Vault
As on fire as Dendy was in 2015, and he was an absolute inferno, Akron pole vaulter Shawn Barber was even hotter. The junior set the collegiate record indoor (5.91) and dropped the #2 all-time mark outdoor (also 5.91), plus he swept NCAA titles in Fayetteville and Eugene. And oh yeah, Barber won the World title. THE WORLD TITLE. Surprise! Shawn Barber went pro early.
Without him, the pole vault has a new favorite who goes by the name Jake Blankenship. The Tennessee senior was second in Fayetteville last winter, jumping 5.80m to slot in at ninth in NCAA history. JB was only sixth outdoors, but he atoned for that poor 5.40m showing by finishing third at USAs to punch his first ever ticket to the World Championships.
Even so, BlankenshipÂ’s slip up in Eugene has forced me to at least recognize some other contenders. Ugh!
Spaniard Adrian Valles of Cincinnati, just a freshman in 2015, leapt 5.65m outdoors and was sixth and fifth in Fayetteville and Eugene, respectively. WashingtonÂ’s Jax Thoirs also had a 5.65m jump last spring, although he stumbled at prelims and didnÂ’t even qualify to NCAA outdoor. He did, however, finish fourth indoors.
I could list more names, but Blankenship should take care of business without Barber. HeÂ’s the only guy coming back to go over 5.80m, with the next closest returner indoors all the way back at 5.51. Barring a major collapse, Blankenship will be the champ in 2016.
High Jump
With last yearÂ’s double champion Jacorian Duffield gone, the next man up as the NCAA high jump favorite is logically his former Texas Tech teammate Bradley Adkins, runner-up both indoor and out. The senior-to-be matched his fellow Red Raider in Fayetteville with a 2.29m jump, and now heÂ’ll look to carry the torch without Duffield in his way.
It’s a tight crowd of Fosbury floppers at the top of the NCAA, as a pair of 2.28m performers from last winter—Kansas State’s Christoff Bryan and Marquette’s Wally Ellenson— are at least on paper ready to challenge Adkins. But “on paper” doesn’t tell the full story. Bryan was lousy in both of his NCAA appearances in 2015, which as just a freshman, is totally understandable. Ellenson was third at NCAAs indoors, but his best jump in all of 2015 was the first meet of the year in January, not exactly how you plan a season. He was second outdoors in 2014, however, so there’s that.
This pair has shown the potential to take on Adkins for 2016, but they need to bring their best when it counts to close the deal. If not, ownership of the high jump title will remain in Lubbock, Texas.