2016 NCAA Indoor Preview: Women's Jumps
2016 NCAA Indoor Preview: Women's Jumps
The 2016 NCAA indoor track and field season field event previews
The final list of 2015 Bowerman Award semifinalists featured five accomplished jumpers. Two went on to become Bowerman finalists, with one, Oregon's Jenna Prandini, being crowned the winner. Though Prandini has since signed a professional contract with Puma, three incredibly talented jump specialists, Demi Payne, Quanesha Burks and Keturah Orji, all return for the 2016 season with more records to break and championships to win.
Pole Vault
Fun fact: the three best vault returners in 2016 did not record a height at either the indoor or outdoor championships last year. Bowerman finalist Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin and former NCAA record-holder Kaitlin Petrillose of Texas did not shine when it mattered most last March, and DukeÂ’s Megan Clark disappointed in June. But theyÂ’re back to fight for the top spot in the NCAA this winter.
Payne is the indoor collegiate record-holder with her insane 4.75m leap last season. While it was shocking that her name is listed next to “NH” in the results, her NCAA Outdoor title and World Championship experience put her in a class above the rest. Where Payne shined and was a huge part of the #YearOfTheVault, Petrillose missed the train. Her 4.60m PB is from the 2014 indoor season when she was crowned the NCAA Champion. Since then she has recorded two no-heights at NCAA Championships and even failed to qualify during the outdoor season in 2015. You don’t just lose the skills to clear 4.60m, though. For the competition’s sake at least, we hope.
Clark was second in Fayetteville with her 4.50m PB and matched that mark in the outdoor season. Though it is a far ways back from PayneÂ’s record, 4.50m is the same junior year height that ArkansasÂ’ Sandi Morris brought to the table before she claimed the indoor championship and outdoor collegiate record in 2015.
Triple Jump
Keturah Orji of Georgia had a wonderful first season in the NCAA when she finished second in the indoor triple jump and first outdoors. Her 13.98m leap from last yearÂ’s indoor season was the 19th best in the world and the ninth-best junior jump all-time. With her 2015 rival Ciarra Brewer of Florida gone, Orji is the clear favorite unless someone new REALLY steps up. VanderbiltÂ’s Simone Charley (13.24m), Texas freshman Asa Garcia, the 2015 New Balance Nationals Indoor Champion, and BaylorÂ’s Brianna Richardson will fight for runner-up honors.
Last yearÂ’s outdoor champion Quanesha Burks of Alabama did not blossom until the spring when she claimed the SEC title (6.84m) and NCAA Championship with a wind-aided mark of 6.91m. She then finished sixth at the U.S. Championships, eighth at the Pan-Am Games and finally claimed the gold medal the 2015 NACAC Championships with a monster legal jump of 6.93m, the No. 10 jump in the world in 2015. This is indoor, though, so we must consider others.
ShaÂ’Keela Saunders of Kentucky may be the best horizontal (long and triple) jumper in the NCAA right now and sheÂ’s already recorded her farthest indoor jump ever this season. The 2015 runner-up indoors and third-place finisher outdoors jumped 6.56m at the Hoosier Open in December, just over her 6.55m indoor best from 2015.
Kansas StateÂ’s Akela Jones and GeorgiaÂ’s Kendell Williams return with the No. 2 and No. 4 best indoor jumps from 2015 but are accomplished pentathletes. At just 20-years-old, Williams has three NCAA multi titles, so itÂ’s likely sheÂ’ll give that up to focus on a few individual events. Jones won the outdoor heptathlon in 2015, but competed in the long jump (sixth), 60m hurdles (13th) and high jump (fourth) in Fayetteville last March.
The Georgia duo of Leontia Kallenou and Tatiana Gusin will look to bring home more hardware for the Bulldogs this winter. Kallenou was the indoor champion in Fayetteville and finished third outdoors. Her 1.93m leap in Fayetteville was matched outdoors, yet South CarolinaÂ’s Jeannelle Scheper took the crown (and went on to finish seventh at the World Championships). For now though, Kallenou is the only athlete in the field who has jumper higher than 1.90m indoors.
Gusin finished seventh and fifth at the 2015 championships and brings her 1.87m best to the table. Though they could pull off the feat that the Texas Tech menÂ’s high jumpers did last season (finishing 1-2 at the NCAA Championships), Coppin StateÂ’s Deandra Daniel also brings her 1.87m best to the table. Daniel was third indoors in 2015 but failed to qualify outdoors. She went on to win the national championship in Trinidad and Tobago, finish 15th at the Pan-Am Games and take home the bronze medal at the NACAC Championships.
Where there are jumpers, thereÂ’s usually someone from Kansas State. The school that catapulted Olympic Silver Medalist Erik Kynard into stardom has multi NCAA scorer and pentathlon champion Akela Jones (fourth in last yearÂ’s indoor and outdoor high jump competitions) and her teammates Kimberly Williamson. Williamson was runner-up in Eugene with a 1.90m leap, so forget about her 11th place showing indoor last year. SheÂ’s all warmed up, and Kansas State could make a run at the podium if these ladies continue to put on a show.
Pole Vault
Fun fact: the three best vault returners in 2016 did not record a height at either the indoor or outdoor championships last year. Bowerman finalist Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin and former NCAA record-holder Kaitlin Petrillose of Texas did not shine when it mattered most last March, and DukeÂ’s Megan Clark disappointed in June. But theyÂ’re back to fight for the top spot in the NCAA this winter.
Payne is the indoor collegiate record-holder with her insane 4.75m leap last season. While it was shocking that her name is listed next to “NH” in the results, her NCAA Outdoor title and World Championship experience put her in a class above the rest. Where Payne shined and was a huge part of the #YearOfTheVault, Petrillose missed the train. Her 4.60m PB is from the 2014 indoor season when she was crowned the NCAA Champion. Since then she has recorded two no-heights at NCAA Championships and even failed to qualify during the outdoor season in 2015. You don’t just lose the skills to clear 4.60m, though. For the competition’s sake at least, we hope.
Clark was second in Fayetteville with her 4.50m PB and matched that mark in the outdoor season. Though it is a far ways back from PayneÂ’s record, 4.50m is the same junior year height that ArkansasÂ’ Sandi Morris brought to the table before she claimed the indoor championship and outdoor collegiate record in 2015.
Triple Jump
Keturah Orji of Georgia had a wonderful first season in the NCAA when she finished second in the indoor triple jump and first outdoors. Her 13.98m leap from last yearÂ’s indoor season was the 19th best in the world and the ninth-best junior jump all-time. With her 2015 rival Ciarra Brewer of Florida gone, Orji is the clear favorite unless someone new REALLY steps up. VanderbiltÂ’s Simone Charley (13.24m), Texas freshman Asa Garcia, the 2015 New Balance Nationals Indoor Champion, and BaylorÂ’s Brianna Richardson will fight for runner-up honors.
Long Jump
Last yearÂ’s outdoor champion Quanesha Burks of Alabama did not blossom until the spring when she claimed the SEC title (6.84m) and NCAA Championship with a wind-aided mark of 6.91m. She then finished sixth at the U.S. Championships, eighth at the Pan-Am Games and finally claimed the gold medal the 2015 NACAC Championships with a monster legal jump of 6.93m, the No. 10 jump in the world in 2015. This is indoor, though, so we must consider others.
ShaÂ’Keela Saunders of Kentucky may be the best horizontal (long and triple) jumper in the NCAA right now and sheÂ’s already recorded her farthest indoor jump ever this season. The 2015 runner-up indoors and third-place finisher outdoors jumped 6.56m at the Hoosier Open in December, just over her 6.55m indoor best from 2015.
Kansas StateÂ’s Akela Jones and GeorgiaÂ’s Kendell Williams return with the No. 2 and No. 4 best indoor jumps from 2015 but are accomplished pentathletes. At just 20-years-old, Williams has three NCAA multi titles, so itÂ’s likely sheÂ’ll give that up to focus on a few individual events. Jones won the outdoor heptathlon in 2015, but competed in the long jump (sixth), 60m hurdles (13th) and high jump (fourth) in Fayetteville last March.
High Jump
The Georgia duo of Leontia Kallenou and Tatiana Gusin will look to bring home more hardware for the Bulldogs this winter. Kallenou was the indoor champion in Fayetteville and finished third outdoors. Her 1.93m leap in Fayetteville was matched outdoors, yet South CarolinaÂ’s Jeannelle Scheper took the crown (and went on to finish seventh at the World Championships). For now though, Kallenou is the only athlete in the field who has jumper higher than 1.90m indoors.
Gusin finished seventh and fifth at the 2015 championships and brings her 1.87m best to the table. Though they could pull off the feat that the Texas Tech menÂ’s high jumpers did last season (finishing 1-2 at the NCAA Championships), Coppin StateÂ’s Deandra Daniel also brings her 1.87m best to the table. Daniel was third indoors in 2015 but failed to qualify outdoors. She went on to win the national championship in Trinidad and Tobago, finish 15th at the Pan-Am Games and take home the bronze medal at the NACAC Championships.
Where there are jumpers, thereÂ’s usually someone from Kansas State. The school that catapulted Olympic Silver Medalist Erik Kynard into stardom has multi NCAA scorer and pentathlon champion Akela Jones (fourth in last yearÂ’s indoor and outdoor high jump competitions) and her teammates Kimberly Williamson. Williamson was runner-up in Eugene with a 1.90m leap, so forget about her 11th place showing indoor last year. SheÂ’s all warmed up, and Kansas State could make a run at the podium if these ladies continue to put on a show.