DII Outdoor National Preview 2008

May 20, 2008

This upcoming weekend, May 22-24, will end the 2008 DII outdoor season. There have been many memorable performances this season, which will culminate this weekend at the DII Outdoor Nationals held at Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, CA and hosted by Cal Poly Pomona. I am going to make my predictions for individual champions in some of the races. You, the reader, can fill me on who should be the top pick in the races I skipped. In the spirit of Flotrackâ€™s interactive community, I want you, the reader, to make predictions as well. These athletes have worked hard to make it to the national meet, so letâ€™s focus on the positive and avoid name calling and put downs. Pick your meet favorites without demeaning the accomplishments of other athletes.

100 meters

women The top three qualifiers are separated by a mere .03 milliseconds: St. Augustineâ€™s Barbara Pierre (11.45), Lincolnâ€™s Janika Martell ( 11.46) , and Minnesota Mankatoâ€™s Brittany Henderson (11.47). My pick is Barbara Pierre, perhaps the most obvious choice since she took the 200 meter and 60 meter crown this indoor season and last yearâ€™s outdoor title in the 100 meters.

men In the menâ€™s 100 meter dash, the top two qualifiers are Albany Stateâ€™s Garrion Martin ( 10.31) and Ft. Valley Stateâ€™s Xavier Hair (10.32). I admit that I know little about either runner; nevertheless, I am going to go with Garrion Martin.

800 meters
women With the top two finishers from last year missingâ€”Venessa Lee and Jessica Pixler are not competingâ€”a new crop of runners have a chance to step up and take the title. 2008 indoor champion, South Dakotaâ€™s Emma Erickson comes in with the fastest time (2:07.57), followed by St. Augustineâ€™s Sharona Brown (2:09.02), and Grand Valley Stateâ€™s Katherine McCarthy (2:09.65). My pick is Emma Erickson.

men The menâ€™s 800 meter field is stacked including last yearâ€™s outdoor champion ( Abilene Christianâ€™s Julius Nyango) and this yearâ€™s indoor champion (Adams Stateâ€™s Nick Lara). The top five qualifiers are all within a second of each other: Indiana University PAâ€™s Sean Strauman (1:48.57), Adams Stateâ€™s duo of Nick Lara (1:49.22) and Corey De La Cruz (1:49.25), Abilene Christianâ€™s Julius Nyango (1:49.33), and Metro Stateâ€™s Anthony Luna (1:49.49).

5000 meter
women Both the 2007 outdoor champion and the 2008 indoor champions are absent this year. Abilene Christianâ€™s Loice Cheboi comes in with the fastest time (16:45.54), followed by Adams Stateâ€™s Tanya Gaurmer (16:48.90), and Millersvilleâ€™s Priscilla Jennings (16:54.82). My pick is going to Tanya Gaurmer.

men The top four qualifiers in this event are all very good runners. Chico Stateâ€™s Scott Bauhs comes in with the fastest time (13:31.90), followed by Queenâ€™s Daniel Kanyaruhuru (13:49.29), Adam Stateâ€™s Aaron Braun (13:59.21), and Grand Valley Stateâ€™s Nate Peck (14:00.91). Scott Bauhs time is eighteen seconds faster than Kanyaruhuru. I see this race coming down to Bauhs and Kanyaruhuru in the final few laps with Bauhs coming out on top.
10,000 meters

women The top four qualifiers in this event are fierce competitors. Abilene Christianâ€™s Winrose Karunde comes in with the fastest time (35:03.73) followed by Adams Stateâ€™s Heather Wood (35:12.79), Emporia Stateâ€™s Jonel Rossbach (35:24.81), and UC San Diegoâ€™s Emily McGregor (35:26.00). My pick is Karunde.

men Queenâ€™s Daniel Kanyaruhuru and Hardingâ€™s Daniel Kirwa come in with a mere three second difference, Kanyaruhuruâ€™s 28:33.25 to Kirwaâ€™s 28:36.23. Adams Stateâ€™s Brian Medigovich (29:05.55), Colorado Mineâ€™s Joel Hamilton (29:35.03), and Abilene Christianâ€™s Cleophas Tanui (29:41.73) should add to the mix for a good race. The race could go either way, with Kanyaruhuru or Kirwa coming out on top. Still, I pick Kanyaruhuru as the victor.

the rest of my picks
200 meters Women-Albany Stateâ€™s Roxanne Griffen. Men-Fort Hays Stateâ€™s Bryan Hayes.
400 metersWomen-Albany Stateâ€™s Roxanne Griffen. Men- Abilene Christianâ€™s Raymond Radway.
1500 metersWomen-North Dakotaâ€™s Heidi Evans. Men-Adams Stateâ€™s Aaron Braun.
SteeplechaseWomen-Augustanaâ€™s Rachel Stangler. Men- Chico Stateâ€™s Tim Tollefson.
100 meter hurdlesWomen- Findlayâ€™s Kirby Blackley. Men-South Dakotaâ€™s Terry Liggins.
4X400 meters : Women-Lincoln. Men-St. Augustineâ€™s.
High Jump Women-Grand Valleyâ€™s Heather VanderSlik. Men- St. Augustineâ€™s Joe Kindred.
Pole Vault Women-Minnesota Stateâ€™s Katelin Rains. Men-Ashlandâ€™s Dan Tierney.
Triple Jump Women-UC San Diegoâ€™s Whitney Johnson. Men-Lincolnâ€™s Wilbert Walker.
Shot PutWomen-Missouri Southernâ€™s Jessica Selby-Tallman. Men-Ashlandâ€™s Brian Vickers.

Post a Comment

#12	Zemba's Husband May 23, 2008 at 11:10pm go grand valley reply
#11	Dobber May 22, 2008 at 11:12pm randy curry in the 400 reply
#10	Cara Hawkins May 21, 2008 at 9:31pm He is not running the 1500 meters.. reply
#9	Dylan Sorensen May 21, 2008 at 7:40pm scotty baughs in the 1500m reply
#8	BoiseBoyRUnner_x May 21, 2008 at 1:54pm Pixler has a stress fracture. I think it was in her shin? reply
#7	Tim Tollefson May 21, 2008 at 11:56am Cara, you are my new best friend...and the smartest person on here reply
#6	John Petricevic May 20, 2008 at 10:43pm go gvsu! reply
#5	?? May 20, 2008 at 10:04pm what happened to Pixler? She hasn't run all season. reply
#4	Cara Hawkins May 20, 2008 at 3:02pm I have looked too and I have really no idea reply
#3	Db1882 May 20, 2008 at 1:51pm Does anyone know of internet coverage of the meet like they had indoor? I can't find it anywhere. Dez Brown in everything she does. reply
#2	Joshua Neyhart May 20, 2008 at 9:40am Mary Dell in the 800!!!! And Leander Toney in the HJ!!!! reply
#1	Adam Ward May 20, 2008 at 7:08am nice article! Looking forward to the recap after this week. Thanks for repping DII! reply