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 Flotrack’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 let’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. Augustine’s Barbara Pierre (11.45), Lincoln’s Janika Martell ( 11.46) , and Minnesota Mankato’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 year’s outdoor title in the 100 meters. men In the men’s 100 meter dash, the top two qualifiers are Albany State’s Garrion Martin ( 10.31) and Ft. Valley State’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 missing—Venessa Lee and Jessica Pixler are not competing—a new crop of runners have a chance to step up and take the title. 2008 indoor champion, South Dakota’s Emma Erickson comes in with the fastest time (2:07.57), followed by St. Augustine’s Sharona Brown (2:09.02), and Grand Valley State’s Katherine McCarthy (2:09.65). My pick is Emma Erickson. men The men’s 800 meter field is stacked including last year’s outdoor champion ( Abilene Christian’s Julius Nyango) and this year’s indoor champion (Adams State’s Nick Lara). The top five qualifiers are all within a second of each other: Indiana University PA’s Sean Strauman (1:48.57), Adams State’s duo of Nick Lara (1:49.22) and Corey De La Cruz (1:49.25), Abilene Christian’s Julius Nyango (1:49.33), and Metro State’s Anthony Luna (1:49.49). 5000 meter women Both the 2007 outdoor champion and the 2008 indoor champions are absent this year. Abilene Christian’s Loice Cheboi comes in with the fastest time (16:45.54), followed by Adams State’s Tanya Gaurmer (16:48.90), and Millersville’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 State’s Scott Bauhs comes in with the fastest time (13:31.90), followed by Queen’s Daniel Kanyaruhuru (13:49.29), Adam State’s Aaron Braun (13:59.21), and Grand Valley State’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 Christian’s Winrose Karunde comes in with the fastest time (35:03.73) followed by Adams State’s Heather Wood (35:12.79), Emporia State’s Jonel Rossbach (35:24.81), and UC San Diego’s Emily McGregor (35:26.00). My pick is Karunde. men Queen’s Daniel Kanyaruhuru and Harding’s Daniel Kirwa come in with a mere three second difference, Kanyaruhuru’s 28:33.25 to Kirwa’s 28:36.23. Adams State’s Brian Medigovich (29:05.55), Colorado Mine’s Joel Hamilton (29:35.03), and Abilene Christian’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 State’s Roxanne Griffen. Men-Fort Hays State’s Bryan Hayes. 400 metersWomen-Albany State’s Roxanne Griffen. Men- Abilene Christian’s Raymond Radway. 1500 metersWomen-North Dakota’s Heidi Evans. Men-Adams State’s Aaron Braun. SteeplechaseWomen-Augustana’s Rachel Stangler. Men- Chico State’s Tim Tollefson. 100 meter hurdlesWomen- Findlay’s Kirby Blackley. Men-South Dakota’s Terry Liggins. 4X400 meters : Women-Lincoln. Men-St. Augustine’s. High Jump Women-Grand Valley’s Heather VanderSlik. Men- St. Augustine’s Joe Kindred. Pole Vault Women-Minnesota State’s Katelin Rains. Men-Ashland’s Dan Tierney. Triple Jump Women-UC San Diego’s Whitney Johnson. Men-Lincoln’s Wilbert Walker. Shot PutWomen-Missouri Southern’s Jessica Selby-Tallman. Men-Ashland’s Brian Vickers.