NCAA Preview: Men's/Women's 4x400m

Mar 9, 2015 by Taylor Dutch

Texas Women

The dream team of Morolake Akinosun, Ashley Spencer, Courtney Okolo, and Kendall Baisden is the fastest seed (3:29.36) entered in the NCAA Indoor entry list, and promises to deliver come Saturday in Fayetteville. The 2014 NCAA Outdoor championship squad is shaping up to be a force with a healthy Spencer, Bowerman finalist Okolo, five-time All American Akinosun, and 2015 Big 12 400m champ Baisden. All contributed big points for the Big 12 championship Texas squad in multiple events, and are looking to reclaim an NCAA title.

Texas A&M Men

The returning 2014 NCAA Outdoor championship Aggie squad has a team full of experienced seniors ready to roll in Fayetteville. After posting the fastest time of the season in a solo effort at the Razorback Invitational (3:03.23), the Aggies have been on a tear all season long, winning the Texas A&M Aggie Invitational, the Tyson Invitational and the SEC Conference Championship, despite missing Lendore from injury. Even without the Bowerman winner, Texas A&M is so incredibly deep that the Aggies should have no problem defending their NCAA title on Saturday.

Florida Women

The Gator squad of Robin Reynolds, Destinee Gause, Kyra Jefferson, and Claudia Francis is ready to roll after posting a season’s best mark of 3:29.58 at the Rod McCravy Memorial in January. In Lexington, the team beat out a stacked field that included “A” squads No. 3 Arkansas, No. 1 Texas, and No. 4 Kentucky, among many other top-ranked teams. Since finishing fourth at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships, the Florida Gators have each secured individual qualifiers in their respective events as well, which rounds out an intense team competition.

Arkansas Women

The Razorback squad was right on the heels of the Florida Gators at Rod McCravy, where the team posted a runner-up finish and season’s best mark of 3:30.50. The team of Chrishuna Williams, Daina Harper, Taylor Ellis-Watson, and Sparkle McKnight recently blazed their way to an SEC Conference winning time of 3:30.79, taking down No. 4 Kentucky, and No. 5 Texas A&M for the title, and contributing to an SEC team title over No. 2-ranked Florida.

Florida Men

The squad entered a ‘B’ team season’s best mark of 3:04.28 from relay legs run by Najee Glass, Dedric Dukes, Nick Uruburu, and Arman Hall. With Glass as the NCAA-leader in the 400m (45.34) leading the charge for the Gators, an NCAA champion, All American, and 4x400m relay world champion, the Gators will be a definite force to be reckoned with on the track in Fayetteville.

LSU Men

The LSU team of Darrell Bush, Quincy Downing, Cyril Grayson, and Vernon Norwood is most recently returning from finishing third to No. 1 Texas A&M and No. 2 Florida at the SEC Conference Championships. Their fastest mark this season was run at the Rod McCravy Memorial, where the team finished second to Florida in a photo finish time of 3:04.22 and 3:04.28, respectively. With the heated rivalry coming down to the wire in Fayetteville, the Tigers will definitely contend this weekend.

Miami Women

After finishing fourth at the Rod McCravy Invitational in Jan., the women’s squad’s from Miami put themselves on the map and should not be overlooked in Faytteville. The squad of Kelsey Balkwill, Taneisha Cordell, Shakima Wimbley, and Thandi Stewart crossed the line in a season’s best mark of 3:34.88, and utilized the strength of sophomore Wimbley who was part of the gold medal-winning Team U.S.A squad at the World Junior Championships last summer.

Texas Men

The Longhorns may be a younger squad entered in the meet, but the team makes up for it in big-time performances against top teams. Their season’s best mark from the Tyson Invitational (3:06.76) put them in photo finish contention with top contenders Nebraska, Alabama, and LSU. Each of the relay legs is also returning from finishing second in the 4x400m and top three finishes from the Big 12 Conference Championships in their respective events.