DIVISION I

Jordan Hasay
Oregon
Junior

Key Notes:
• 2011 USTFCCA Women's Track Athlete of the Year
• First double national champion in mile run and 3000m run since 2006, set Oregon record in mile run and first Duck woman to win national title in mile race.
• Only sophomore named Academic All-American of the year in any sport

Kimberly Duncan
LSU
Junior

Key Notes:
• Ran 11th fastest indoor women's 200m dash time in collegiate history at SEC championship (22.78) fastest time in the world for 2011
• Won national championship in 200m dash and finished 15th in 55m dash. First Lady Tiger to win indoor 200m dash since 2005
 

Aurieyall Scott
UCF
Sophomore

Key Notes:
• Set freshman indoor national championship records with 7.19 in 55m dash and 23.16 200m dash (both prelim times)
• Finished seventh in 55m dash final and eighth in 200m dash final at nationals
• Opened season with three consecutive victories in 200m dash

Tina Sutej
Arkansas
Senior

Key Notes:
• At 2011 SEC Championship, set NCAA record clearing 14-10.75 and first repeat champion in pole vault
• Won 2011 national championship in pole vault
• 2011 South Central Region Field Athlete of the Year

Julie Labonte
Arizona
Junior

Key Notes:
• Won indoor MPSF conference championship in shotput in 2010 and 2011
 • Took home national championship in shotput throwing 57-6.25
• Didn't lose to a collegiate competitor in 2011 season


 

 

DIVISION II

Judith Riley
Lincoln (Mo.)
Sophomore

Key Notes:
• 2011 national champion in 55m dash, 7.34 seconds, runner-up in 200m dash 23.9 seconds, national qualifier in 60m hurdles.
• Back-to-back MIAA track and field athlete of the week in February of 2011 for scoring 36 points against Findlay and strong performance at Tyson Invitational
 

Lauren Graham
Colorado-Colorado Springs
Junior

Key Notes:
• Runner-up in pole vault at 2011 national championship
•Qualifed for nationals in second meet of 2011, Set new RMAC championship record at 12-6.75
• First UCCS athlete to win a male or female athlete of the month award
 

Indiria Spence
Adams State
Senior

Key Notes:
• Owns Grizzlies records in 200m dash, 60m dash, and 60m hurdles
• Took home conference championship in 200m dash, 60m dash and 60m hurdles
• At 2011 National Championship meet won 60m hurdles and finished second in 60m dash
 

Monica Kinney
Grand Valley St.
Junior

Key Notes:
• 2011 Midwest Regional track and field athlete of the year
• At 2011 national championship won mile run and 5000m run, anchor leg on third place distance medley relay
• Set Grand Valley State record at Mike Lints Alumni open in mile run.
 

Melissa Walker
Mary
Junior

Key Notes:
• 2012 preseason Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference field athlete of the year
 • Two Time 2011 All-America, second in long jump and fifth in triple jump at national championships
• Won the NSIC long jump, triple jump and placed third in 60m hurdles
 

 

DIVISION III

Erica Johnson
Buffalo State
Senior

Key Notes:
• Led Buffalo State to three consecutive SUNYAC conference championships
• Two-time All-American in 55 meter dash, runner-up in 2010 and national champion in 2011
• First Buffalo State female runner to win a national championship and lead team to 19th place finish at nationals.

Portia Jones
MIT
Senior

Key Notes:
• 2011 New England regional track athlete of the year
• Finished fourth in 400 dash, fifth in 55m hurdles at the national championship meet
• Set school record in 200 dash at NEICAAA championship and in 55m dash at a triangular meet in February, at that meet Jones won four individual event

Ashlynn Chavis
Methodist
Senior

Key Notes:
• Two time All-American long jumper, national champion in 2011, finished second in 55m dash
• Led Monarchs to fourth-place finsh at national championship meet
• Broke school record for second time in long jump, 5.83m and broke the record in 55m dash, 7.02 seconds

Randelle Boots
Wellesley
Senior

Key Notes:
• Top time of the season, seventh best time in DIII history at NEIC championship and 2011 national champion in the mile run
• Only second national champion in program history
• Had much success with limited experience, 2009 was her first season running competitive track

 

 

Keelie Finnel
Coe
Senior

Key Notes:
• 2011 Central Region freshman athlete of the year
•  2011 national champion in 800m dash, qualified in 400m dash but chose not to run in order to devote efforts to 800.
•  Second female runner in program history to win national championship

 

DIVISION I

Oregon Ducks

Noting Oregon: The Ducks won the 2011 national championship by a large margin and are position to win it for the third consecutive year. Unlike many programs, Oregon is not completely dependent on one category. There were Ducks in the finals in sprints, distance races and field events. Their first, third and fourth-place finish in the mile did prove to clinch the title, and two of those runners will return this season. Also returning for Oregon is the entire runner-up distance medley relay team, eighth-place 1600m relay team, and its sixth-place finisher in the 60m dash. Also, sophomore Laura Roester will look to improve on her 15th-place finish at nationals in the 800m dash.

LSU Tigers

Noting LSU: The Tigers have finished in third at nationals for the past two seasons and look to bring home their first championship since 2004. They return their entire 1600m relay team which finished third last year. The strength of this team belongs to the sprinters as LSU returns two 200m dash finalists, a 60m dash finalist, and a national qualifier in the 400m dash. Where the Tigers will hurt some this year is the field events. They lost Brittani Carter, third-place finisher in the high jump, and Melissa Ogbourne, seventh-place finisher in the triple jump.

UCF Knights

Noting UCF: The Knights may be in the most advantageous position entering the new season. While they only sent four individual performers to nationals, they earned a second-place finish in the 60m dash, eighth in the 200m dash, seventh in the long jump and third in the 60m hurdles. All of these athletes return. Two of their best sprinters are sophomores. UCF only placed 21st at the national championship meet but this young team, coming off its first C-USA championship and behind coach Caryl Smith -- reigning USTFCCA South Region coach of the year -- could be the team in March that makes a surprising stride toward the championship.

 

DIVISION II

Lincoln (Mo.) Blue Tigers

Noting Lincoln: A runner-up finish is usually considered a successful season, but not when that finish interrupted a run for a third consecutive national championship. The Tigers look to rectify that situation and will be back with a strong team. Two Tiger freshman made the finals in the 60m dash along with three underclassmen in the 200m and 400m dash finals. They also return three members of the championship 4X400 relay team.

Grand Valley State Lakers

Noting Grand Valley State: The Lakers look to follow-up on last year’s first national championship. They look well on their way returning 12 national qualifiers from last season. This includes the mile champion and another finalist, 5,000 meter champion and the 11th-place finisher, three members of the 4X400 relay team, three members of the distance medley relay, two top-five pole vault finishers,the top two shot-putters and the third and fourth-place weight throwers.

Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls

Noting Johnson C. Smith: Head Coach Lennox Graham took over the Golden Bull track and field program in 2007 and has had them on the incline ever since. In 2011, the Golden Bulls finished second in the CIAA championship to perennial power St. Augustine’s and seventh at nationals. The big race was the 60m hurdles as Johnson C. Smith sent four runners to the national finals and three are returning. Sophomore Danielle Williams was the best performer as she also made the finals in the 60m dash.

 

DIVISION III

Wartburg Knights

Noting Wartburg:  After finishing two points behind national champion Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2011, Wartburg will look to improve one spot this season. The Knights return six of the eight athletes that qualified for nationals, and they won their ninth consecutive Iowa Conference title. Sophomore Camesha Goods put on a stellar performance finishing fourth in the 55 high hurdles and will be a key member of the 2012 team.

Illinois Wesleyan Titans

Noting Ilinois Wesleyan: The Titans only had one senior participate in the 2011 national championship race and still finished sixth overall. Senior Lauren Albert had an All-American performance finishing fifth in the 400 dash and participated on the runner-up 4X400 relay team that set a school-record.  Illinois Wesleyan will also look to improve inside the conference also, after finishing second to North Central (Ill.) at the CCIW meet.

MIT Engineers

Noting MIT: The Engineers have some work to do if they want to duplicate or exceed last year’s impressive season. Karen Fisher was a national runner-up in the pole vault and Anna Holt-Gosselin had two All-American performances to help the Engineers to fourth place. Three runners return from the fifth-place 4X400 relay team and the distance medley relay team that finished sixth. Also, Lauren Kuntz finished sixth in the pole vault.

Top Events

Jan. 14 -- MIT, Bates and Colby at MIT Invitational 
Vs.

Jan. 20 -- LSU vs. Texas A&M Dual meet

Jan. 27-28 -- Tennessee, Penn State and Shippensburg at Penn State National Invitational

Jan. 27-28 -- Ashland, Findlay and Adrian at Findlay Classic

Feb. 3-4 -- Florida, Texas A&M and BYU at New Balance Collegiate Invitational

Feb. 3-4 -- Central (Iowa), Wartburg and Augustana (Ill.) at Wartburg Select

Feb. 10-11 -- Oregon, Washington and Stanford at Husky Classic

Feb. 10-11 -- Grand Valley St., Calvin and California (Pa.) at Grand Valley State Big Meet

All Photos Courtesy of Athletic Departments