2017 DI NCAA Indoor Championships

NCAA 800m Preview: Kenyans vs. US Finalists | Rogers Going For 4 Straight

NCAA 800m Preview: Kenyans vs. US Finalists | Rogers Going For 4 Straight

Check out the top storylines heading into the men's and women's 800m races at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, this weekend.

Mar 7, 2017 by Gordon Mack
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Check out the top storylines heading into the men's and women's 800m races at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, on Friday and Saturday.

MEN'S 800m


Last year, we saw an exodus of elite 800m men from the NCAA...

- Clayton Murphy (Turned pro early)
- Donavan Brazier (Turned pro early)
- Shaquille Walker (Turned pro early)
- Brandon McBride (Graduated)
- Brannon Kidder (Graduated)

Despite losing five elite athletes, the current NCAA field has managed to maintain its elite status with an influx of new and improved athletes. Here is a breakdown of the 16-man field ranked by each runner's personal best from Jan. 1, 2016, to present:

PB Athlete YR '16 NCAA Finish Summer
1:45.59 Eliud RUTTO SR 2nd(i), 7th(o) 15th KEN Trials
1:45.76 Isaiah HARRIS SO 12th(i), 4th(o) 6th USA Trials
1:45.78 Andres ARROYO SR 15th(i), DNQ(o) Puerto Rico Olympian
1:46.03 Craig ENGELS SR DMR(i), 1500(o) 4th USA Trials
1:46.15 Emmanuel KORIR FR Freshman 8th KEN Champs
1:46.23 Patrick JOSEPH JR DNS(i), 16th(o)
1:46.30 Michael SARUNI FR Freshman
1:46.42 Drew PIAZZA SR 10th(i), DNQ(o)
1:46.42 Daniel KUHN JR DNQ(i), 11th(o)
1:46.44 Joseph WHITE JR 11th(i), 10th(o) 16th USA Trials
1:46.71 Robert HEPPENSTALL SO 5th(i), 8th(o) 3rd CAN Trials
1:46.90 Abraham ALVARADO SR DII Transfer 12th USA Trials
1:47.30 Blair HENDERSON SR DNQ(i), DNQ(o)
1:47.32 Carter LILLY JR DNQ(i), 20th(o)
1:47.32 Avery BARTLETT SO DNQ(i), DNQ(o) 7th USA Jr. Champs
1:47.37 Ryan MANAHAN SR DNQ(i), 1500(o)

THE FAVORITES: The Kenyan Trio

Eliud Rutto (Middle Tennesse State) | He is the top returner from indoors and has the fastest personal best from 2016-17 with a 1:45.59 mark.
Emmanuel Korir (UTEP) | Broke the 600m world record this year by running 1:14.97 and was eighth at the Kenyan national championships this past summer.
Michael Saruni (UTEP) | Trains with Korir and recently won the 800/mile double at C-USA, defeating Rutto in the 800 and Jonah Koech in the mile.

THE CHALLENGERS: The U.S. Trials Finalists

Craig Engels (Ole Miss) | Opted for the DMR last year over an individual event but showed his ability to race well, making the U.S. Olympic trials final in both the 800m (fourth) and 1500m (fifth).
Isaiah Harris (Penn State) | Broke Korir's 600m time by running 1:14.96 and was sixth at the U.S. Olympic trials as a true freshman last year.

THE DARK HORSE: The Hoosier

Daniel Kuhn (Indiana) | Is undefeated this year in races 600m and up and has been steadily improving since his 11th-place finish at NCAA outdoors last year.

WOMEN'S 800m


On the women's side, the top three finishers from both indoors and outdoors return, and the addition of three USA junior finalists makes this year's field very deep. Here is a breakdown of the 16-woman field ranked by each athlete's personal best from Jan. 1, 2016, to present:

PB Athlete YR '16 NCAA Finish Summer
2:00.59 Raevyn ROGERS JR 1st(i), 1st(o) 5th USA Trials
2:00.69 Jazmine FRAY SO DNQ(i), 21st(o) 7th USA Jr. Champs
2:01.02 Olivia BAKER JR 3rd(i), 2nd(o) 10th USA Trials
2:01.42 Shea COLLINSWORTH SR 5th(i), 3rd(o) 33rd USA Trials
2:01.91 Hanna GREEN SR 2nd(i), 19th(o) 18th USA Trials
2:02.29 Morgan SCHUETZ SR 13th(i), 7th(o)
2:03.08 Jasmine STAEBLER SO DNQ(i), DNQ(o) 8th USA Jr. Champs
2:03.40 Rachel WEBER SR DNQ(i), DNQ(o)
2:03.43 Ruby STAUBER FR Freshman 3rd USA Jr. Champs
2:04.01 Sadi HENDERSON JR DNQ(i), DNS(o)
2:04.24 Courtney CLAYTON JR DNS(i), DNQ(o)
2:04.42 Agnes ABU JR DNQ(i), DNQ(o)
2:04.45 Abike EGBENIYI SO DNQ(i), DNS(o)
2:04.60 Madeline KOPP SR DNQ(i), DNQ(o)
2:04.68 Kaylee DODD JR DNS(i), DNQ(o)
2:04.79 Michell HOWELL JR DNQ(i), DNQ(o)

THE FAVORITE: The Duck

Raven Rogers (Oregon) | Rogers will be going for her fourth straight 800m title. She also still has the fastest personal best in the field when you account for the 2016 outdoor season marks.

THE CHALLENGER: Aggie Record-Holder

Jazmine Fray (Texas A&M) | Fray came out of nowhere this year and broke the NCAA 800m record on Feb. 11, coincidentally on the same day Ajee Wilson and Sammy Watson set the U.S. and high school 800m records, respectively, at Millrose. Fray continued her success by winning her first SEC title and hopes to ride that momentum into NCAAs, which will be on her home track.

THE DARK HORSE: The Cardinal

Olivia Baker (Stanford) | Baker was third indoors and second outdoors in 2016. While Baker's 2017 season started slow, she eventually ran into form at the MPSF Championships, cruising to a 2:03 victory. Baker is a veteran when it comes to NCAA races and should be a big threat in this deep 800m field.