NAU women and men are well represented in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which begin Wednesday and run through Saturday. But when it comes to the possibility of winning an individual NCAA title, it comes down to sophomore Colin Sahlman in the 1,500 meters and Nico Young, in his final collegiate race, in the 5,000 meters.
Both are considered favorites, though not prohibitive favorites. Both the 5K and, especially, the 1,500 feature have stacked fields, and Sahlman also drew an incredibly hard heat in Wednesday’s semifinals.
That is not to say that other Lumberjacks distance folks have no chance. Some observers have tabbed Maggi Congdon as a dark horse to make the podium in the women’s 1,500, and senior Annika Reiss in the 5K has come up big in important races before.
Below is a breakdown of NAU runners chances in each event, plus the day and time (Pacific) of the races, which will air on ESPN+.
Men’s 1,500 Meters (semifinals Wednesday at 4:46 p.m.): Sahlman boasts the fastest time coming in, after his breakthrough 3:33.96 victory in the Bryan Clay Invitational. He is only a sophomore and finished sixth in this event in the indoor nationals, so he’s certainly not a lock. But his speedy 800-meter times this spring shows he may have the best closing speed in the field.
Which is saying a lot. This field is as a deep as a Mariana Trench. Heat 2 today alone features no less than seven runners with the chops to win the title. However, only five automatically qualify from the heat, though the two fastest times from the heats also advance.
The PAC-12 (RIP, by the way) boasts four decorated milers. Washington’s trio of Nathan Green, Luke Houser and Joe Waskom all have won NCAA titles. Green is the reigning outdoor champion, but Sahlman beat him at Bryan Clay. Waskom was the 2022 outdoor nationals winner and finished second last year. And Houser was the indoor champion this year. The fourth PAC-12 runner is Oregon’s Elliott Cook, who beat all the Washington guys in the conference meet.
As if that wasn’t enough, Sahlman also will have to contend with Wisconsin’s Adam Spencer, who this spring won Australia’s national championship and will be going to the Olympics. Spencer has a personal best (3:31.87) faster than Sahlman’s, but that didn’t come this year.
Also, don’t count out a few competitors from today’s first heat, such as South Carolina’s Anass Essayi, who ran 3:32.87 last year in a European meet, and Florida’s freshman Parvej Khan, known for sucking on his gold necklace on the home stretch.
Men’s 10,000 Meters (finals Wednesday at 7:08 p.m.): NAU qualified senior Aaron Las Heras (expected) and junior Cael Grotenhuis (unexpected) for tonight’s first final of the track schedule. Las Heras, simply from experience in international racing for his native Spain, has the best chance to reach the podium, but it will be difficult. Grotenhuis has surprised many, though not the NAU coaching staff, with a strong outdoor season in the 10K and 5K, so it’s difficult to predict what to expect from him.
The overwhelming favorite is New Mexico freshman Habtom Samuel, who has far and away the best time in the field. In fact, he achieved the Olympic standard in the same race (The Ten in March) in which Young finished second to Grant Fisher. Expect Samuel to dominate, though it’ll be interesting to see whether he eases up a bit to save himself for the 5,000 meters on Friday.
Men’s 5,000 Meters (finals Friday at 7:55 p.m.): Young, coming off a double NCAA-title-winning indoor season and that record 10,000 meter run at The Ten, has to be considered the favorite, especially with his new-found closing speed. NAU also has qualfied Brodey Hasty and Grotenhuis.
It would not be surprising, though, for one of his nemeses comes up big. Stanford’s Ky Robinson is the defending outdoor champion but has been inconsistent this season.
Harvard’s Graham Blanks won the NCAA cross country title and briefly had the 5,000 record at 13:03.78 before Young came along a week later and ran 12:57.14. Blanks has been injured much of the spring. Parker Wolfe of North Carolina challenged Young indoors but came up short each time. Samuel remains a threat, but may be tired from the 10,000 two nights earlier.
Women’s 1,500 Meters (semifinals Thursday at 5:46 p.m.): NAU’s Congdon, injured earlier in the spring, returned to form in the Big Sky Conference and NCAA Regional meets.
But she faces a daunting field, led by Harvard’s Maia Ramsden, the defending champion and who also competed in the World Indoor Championships. Look for Ramsden to represent New Zealand in the Olympics. Another favorite for the podium is Florida’s Flomena Asekol, who finished second in the East Regional at 4:07.10. And don’t forget Providence’s Kimberly May.
In fact, the East Coast runners seem dominate this event, but not exclusively. Last year’s fourth place finisher Klaudia Kazimierska of Oregon (and Poland) and fifth place Billah Jepkirui of Oklahoma State also are back.
Women’s Steeplechase (seminfinals Thursday at 6:02 p.m.): Freshman Karrie Baloga has returned NAU’s women’s steeplechase to prominance, but her odds are long to reach the podium in her first collegiate effort. The favorites are Doris Lemngole of Alabama and Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame, but don’t count out Cal Baptist’s Greta Karinauskaite.
Women’s 10,000 Meters (finals Thursday at 8:08 p.m.): NAU junior Ali Upshaw, who raced many events and compiled lots of points for the Lumberjacks this spring, will come into the 10K fresh and focused.
She’ll need to be going against the likes of Florida’s Parker Valby, in a class by herself, and other contenders, such as Hilda Olemomoi of Alabama, Grace Hartman of orth Carolina State, Chloe Scrimgeour of Georgetown, Oklahoma State’s Taylor Roe, and Notre Dame’s Andrea Markezich.
Women’s 5,000 Meters: (finals Saturday at 4:25 p.m.): Reiss and NAU teammate Gracelyn Larkin are both experienced competitors who will make a run at the podium. But, remember, Valby is in this race, too. As is Olemomoi, Ramsden and Roe, all doubling back from other events.
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