Double Vision: 5 Stars Who Could Win Two Events At NCAAs
Double Vision: 5 Stars Who Could Win Two Events At NCAAs
These five athletes are among the extraordinary few who could pull off a successful NCAA double in the 2024 indoor season.
If there’s one thing harder than winning an individual NCAA track and field title, it’s winning two such events at one championship meet. These five athletes are among the extraordinary few who could pull off such a feat indoors in 2024, as they each have accumulated at least one previous NCAA title and have posted top five all-time marks as well.
A programming note before we get started: I did not include athletes who could win titles in an individual event and a relay. This is limited to just individual events.
TFRRS NCAA Division 1 Indoor Women's Qualifying List
TFRRS NCAA Division 1 Indoor Men's Qualifying List
Graham Blanks, JR (Harvard) 3,000m-5,000m
The Harvard junior has earned the title of NCAA 5,000m favorite with his last two races— winning the NCAA XC title in November followed shortly by a 5,000m collegiate record of 13:03.78 on December 2. Doubling back in the 3,000m looks tougher on paper for Blanks, whose speed isn’t on the level of defending NCAA 3k champ Fouad Messaoudi (3:35 1500m). But the 13:03 showed he may just be scratching the surface of his potential on the oval.
Ackelia Smith, JR (Texas) Long Jump-Triple Jump
Smith produced the No. 2 long jump in NCAA history last spring with her 7.08m at Big 12 outdoor, and she backed that up with an NCAA title in the same event later that season. The junior is the top returner in both the long jump and triple jump, and she's the third-best NCAA outdoor triple jumper of all-time (14.54m).
Parker Valby, JR (Florida) 3,000m-5,000m
What’s true for Graham Blanks goes double for Florida’s Parker Valby, who also enters the indoor season fresh off a resounding NCAA XC win and a 5,000m collegiate record (14:56.11) in December. Valby was dominant in 2023, including victories of 10 seconds and nine seconds at NCAA XC and the NCAA outdoor 5,000m, respectively. The Florida junior has actually never run at NCAA indoors due to injury, but with Katelyn Tuohy out of the picture, Valby has a clear path to owning the distance events in 2024 if she can stay healthy.
Ky Robinson, JR (Stanford) 3,000m-5,000m
Understandably, Robinson has been overshadowed of late by Blanks, but don’t sleep on the reigning NCAA outdoor 5k/10k champ pulling off a similar double this indoor season. The Stanford junior ran 13:06 to Blanks’ 13:03 in December, and he has a superior mile and 3,000m PB.
Terrence Jones, JR (Texas Tech) 60m-200m
Jones typically doesn’t run the indoor 200m, but perhaps the NCAA 60m collegiate record holder (6.45) and defending champ will change course in 2024 as he’s coming off a third place finish in the NCAA outdoor 200m last spring. Jones is the top returner in the outdoor 200m and his 19.87 PB is just outside the top 10 NCAA all-time list.