The chances of Northern Arizona University winning its first ever NCAA Indoors Track and Field National Championship this weekend rest on the shoulders – or, rather, in the legs – of a distance crew whose depth and talent have launched the Lumberjacks to dynastic heights in cross country.
Of course, track is another matter, what with many more variables at play beyond the distance events (mile, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters and Distance Medley). But there is a reasonable expectation that NAU’s men could win the indoor title with points compiled almost exclusively via distance events. (UPDATE: Lumberjack Garret Bernt, competing today in the weight throw, finished in 3rd at 23.09 meters/75-9 1/4 feet to give NAU six points heading into Friday’s actioin; Triple jumper Mitchell Effing, could add some much-needed points, too.)
It’s not unprecedented, just highly difficult, for distance-only teams to emerge victorious, given the bevy of field events, sprints and relays. But many of predicting NAU to either win in Boston – or at least make the podium (top three), which would improve upon the Lumberjacks’ school-record fourth place indoor finish from last year.
NAU goes into the meet ranked third nationally by the US Track and Field Coaches Assn., behind sprint- and field-event-heavy Arkansas and Texas Tech. FloTrack, in recent weeks, has had NAU rated anywhere from first to fourth.
So much depends upon the performances of Nico Young, top-ranked in the 5,000 meters and the prohibitive favorite after Harvard’s Graham Blanks (the NCAA cross-country champ) had to drop due to injury.
Young will be among the favorites in the 3,000 meters, though the field there is stacked as well, with Stanford’s Ky Robinson and North Carolina’s Parker Wolfe bringing in the top qualifying times. But NAU’s trio of Young, Theo Quax and Aaron Las Heras bring times less than a second behind.
If not the victory, NAU could rack up a lot of points in the two aforementioned events. Add in sophomore Colin Sahlman in the mile – he’s not the favorite, but a contender — and the Lumberjacks could stack up enough points in individual events to challenge Arkansas and Texas Tech. The Razorbacks have 15 entries in the meet, the Red Raiders 14, while NAU counters with 10.
Where NAU might gain an advantage is in the Distance Medley Relay (1,200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1,600 meters). The Lumberjacks come into the race as the top seed, with the third best time in NCAA history, accomplished last month at a Notre Dame meet. The big question, though, is how fresh Young, Quax and Sahlman will be after the individual duels in the 5,000 about 45 minutes earlier. (The 400 leg will be run by Trent Givens.) Will Coach Mike Smith opt to sub out Young, or otherwise shift the lineup due to the quick turnaround?
Nothing is assured, of course, and the competition will be fierce, even sans Blanks. But the 5,000 meters may be Young’s best chance to earn his elusive first NCAA title in any discipline (cross country, outdoor track). His collegiate record setting 12:57.14 run in Boston last month shows his fitness, and Young also looked in top form last week at the Big Sky Conference championships in what essentially was a tempo workout for him.
Competition for Young in the 5,000 comes from Stanford’s Robinson, a familiar foil, and North Carolina’s Wolfe. Quax and Las Heras certainly will be in the mix, and New Mexico freshman Habton Samuel and Oklahoma State senior Alex Maier can’t be counted out.
The 3,000 meters has no clear-cut favorite, and it figures to be the most contentious (and entertaining) race. NAU has its three (Young, Quax, Las Heras) and Oklahoma State also has three (led by Brian Musau), but Stanford’s Robinson and North Carolina’s Wolfe also loom, as well as Washington’s Luke Houser. (Houser figures to be favored in the mile, so that might drain him for the 3,000).
FloTrack projects Texas Tech to win with 45 points, Nau second at 44, and Arkansas third at 43. If the sprints, hurdles and field events yield some upsets, that could bode well for NAU.
But it’s a big ask for NAU’s distance group – or any distance-only team – to pull out a team victory.
On the women’s side, NAU will be represented by the indefatigable Maggie Congdon in the 800 and mile. Her best chance figures to be in the mile, where she enters with the sixth fastest time. She might be able to sneak in, but Harvard’s Maia Ramsden, Florida’s Flomena Asekol and Providence’s Kimberley May figure to be battling it out upfront. Ramsden is the favorite, though she may be tried from competing last week in the World Indoors Championships in Glasgow.
Lumberjack Gracelyn Larkin has been added to the 5,000 meters, a race that figures to come down to a duel between Florida’s Parker Valby and Oklahoma State’s Tylor Roe.
The events will be shown on ESPN+ (subscription required). Here are the times that involve NAU athletes:
Thursday: 2 p.m. Men’s Weight Throw.
Friday: 2 p.m., Men’s mile (semifinals); 3:20 p.m., Men’s 5,000 meters (final); 4 p.m., Men’s Distance Medley Relay (final); 5 p.m, women’s mile (semis); 5:50 p.m., women’s 800 meters (semis); 6:20 women’s 5,000 meter final.
Saturday: 2 p.m., men’s mile final; 3 p.m., men’s 3,000 meter final; 5 p.m., women’s mile final; 5:30, women’s 800 meter final.
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