With the outdoor season officially upon us, some big names in the NCAA will be returning to the oval this spring after going absent indoors. Whether their disappearing act was due to injury, redshirt, or simply lack of eligibility, these studs should make a lot of noise once we arrive at the championship portion of the season in May and June. 

 

This list is comprised of athletes that either missed indoors entirely or barely competed due to injury. Each one of these athletes is a returning All-American: 

 

DISTANCE

 

Emma Bates, Boise State (2014: 1st 10,000m, 4th 5,000m)

The 2014 10k champ returns for her final season of eligibility after a cross country season that saw her finish in the top five at NCAAs for the second consecutive year (2nd in ’13, 3rd in ’14). Bates not only won the 10k title in 2014, but was also fourth in the 5k in Eugene, and she figures to be right up there again in 2015. Unless NCAA indoor 5k record holder Emily Sisson bumps up to the longer distance this spring, Bates should have a clear path to another title. That’s not all she wants, however, as it was made known after cross country that Bates had her eye on Lisa Koll’s 31:18.07 collegiate 10k record. Bates’ PB is more than a minute slower at 32:20.83, but she’s improved each of the last two years by a similar margin. 

 

Aisling Cuffe, Stanford (2014: 2nd 5,000m)

An injury derailed Cuffe’s highly anticipated cross country season before it could even get off the ground, but the Cardinal standout should be back on the track this spring after finishing second in the NCAA 5k in 2014. Cuffe is one of two college athletes to beat five-time NCAA champion Abbey D’Agostino during her her final two years at Dartmouth, and she owns the third fastest 5k in collegiate history, her 15:11.13 at Mt. SAC last April.  

Aisling Cuffe finished 2nd in the NCAA outdoor 5k in 2014

Patrick Tiernan, Villanova (2014: 6th 5,000m)

The Aussie sophomore figured to be a contender in the 3k/5k this indoor season before an injury forced him out of all but the conference meet. Tiernan earned All-American honors in each of his first four seasons of NCAA eligibility, most notably with his ninth place finish at at the 2013 NCAA XC Championships as a freshman. His primary focus will be the 5k this spring, an event where he showed huge potential last season when he ran 13:31 as a 19-year-old. 

 

Peter Callahan, New Mexico (2014: 4th 1500m)

The former Princeton Tiger finished fourth in the NCAA 1500m last spring in his first year at New Mexico. Callahan rattled off a string of PB’s in the metric mile in 2014, ultimately whittling his time down to 3:39.27 during a stint in Europe last summer. The sixth year senior has excellent closing speed, a trait that he unleashed in the 2013 NCAA DMR where he anchored Princeton to a surprising win.

Peter Callahan (327) figures to contend for the NCAA 1500m title after finishing 4th in '14

Eliud Rutto, Middle Tenn. St. (2014: 5th 800m)

Rutto finished fifth in the loaded NCAA outdoor 800m last spring, and figures to be in the mix once again if he can find the same fitness that led him to a 1:45.37 performance at Payton Jordan. The entire NCAA final field returns from last season, plus some new names in Dylan Capwell and Clayton Murphy, so Rutto will have his hands full as he looks to climb to the top of the collegiate mountain again in 2015. 

 

Other names to remember: Jim and Joe Rosa (Stanford), Erin Finn (Michigan), Waverly Neer and Sarah Baxter (Oregon)

 

Note: NCAA XC champ Kate Avery didn’t run at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships, opting for Euro Indoors instead. We didn’t include her because she competed several times during the winter. 

 

SPRINTS/HURDLES

 

Devon Allen, Oregon (2014: 1st 110H)

Allen’s highly anticipated sophomore track season appeared to be in jeopardy when he went down with a knee injury while returning a kick during the Rose Bowl in January. However, the 2014 NCAA and USA 110m hurdle champ has reportedly been recovering well in the two and half months since the injury, and could be back in time to defend his NCAA hurdle crown. Don’t expect Allen to be up to 13.16 form immediately, but the sophomore will still be very valuable for the defending champs if he’s able to compete. 

Devon Allen is still recovering from the knee injury he sustained during football season
 

Tiffani McReynolds, Baylor (2014: 4th 100H)

McReynolds returns for her final season of eligibility after finishing fourth in the NCAA 100m hurdles last spring. The Baylor senior has been a force in the collegiate hurdle scene since she arrived in Waco back in 2011, earning four All-American honors in the 60m hurdles to add to her first 100m hurdles honor last spring. McReynolds enters 2015 as the second best returner after Florida’s Bridgette Owens, and she has already shown excellent form by running a 13.12 opener at the TCU Invite this weekend. 

 

Clayton Vaughn, UT-Arlington (2014: 6th 100m, 8th 200m)

Vaughn earned All-American honors in both the 100m and 200m at NCAAs in 2014. The senior did not have indoor eligibility, but still managed to impress during the winter, dropping a 6.54 60m dash in January that at the time was a world-lead. After finishing third in the 60 at USAs, expect Vaughn to lower his 10.13 and 20.66 PBs this outdoor season.