Division 3 Nationals Preview Part 2
Division 3 Nationals Preview Part 2
The women’s meet is also shaping up to be very exciting, with a tight team race brewing along with some great individual matchups. As much as the track events get much more attention, the pole vault promises to be one of the most exciting contests of the weekend with Abigail Schaffer of Moravian and Karin Fisher of MIT looking to get an NCAA title as well as an all-time indoor record. The duo has split their two previous meeting this season, both in dramatic fashion.
400
The key storyline here is whether division-leader Nevada Morrison of Wartburg can upend defending indoor and outdoor champion Rachel Boerner of Calvin. Wartburg will certainly welcome any and all points it can get from Morrison, Brittany Melloy, or Kendra Kregel as they make a bid for the team title as well. Sheila Walsh of North Central also has been improving all season, and she seems primed to make a bid for the individual title. Another team with podium aspirations, Illinois Wesleyan, has a pair of runners--Lauren Alpert and Lauren Rock--vying for important team points. However, I’m going to go with experience trumping a very talented field.
Predictions: Boerner, Morrison, Walsh
800
Defending indoor champion Emily Schudrowitz of St. Norbert finds herself ranked behind two other top-notch performers heading into Friday’s prelims. Keelie Finnel of Coe, the division-leader, has speed going for her, as she traditionally has been a 400 meter runner--a two-time All-American 400 runner, no less. However, she lacks valuable experience at the distance, which could hurt in a tactical, crowded race. Another threat for the title is Wellesley sophomore Leah Clement, who rolled to a 2:54 1000 last weekend, beating 4:55 miler Maeve Evans of NYU in the process. The rest of the field is also fairly experienced, and be sure to keep an eye on 57.50 400 runner Ann Tank of UW Platteville as well as Laura Reiger of Loras, who appears to be rounding into form right on time.
Predictions: Finnel, Clement, Tank
Mile
At first glance, this appears to be a two horse race between the other half of Wellesley’s dynamic duo, Randelle Boots, and 1500 runner-up Catie Ellingson of Simpson, both with sub-4:50 clockings to their credit. Between the two of them, I would give the edge to Ellingson as she is undefeated in individual events this season and has the better 800 seasonal best. However, the runner with the best 800 seasonal best is also undefeated on the season in individual events--Christy Cazzola of UW Oshkosh. In addition, she will be vying for extremely important individual points as her squad attempts to dethrone Wartburg. As for the rest of the field, Claire Roberts of UW Stevens Point is improving week by week, running 4:56 last weekend, while Amy Knoblock of Keene State looks to be going the opposite direction after a 3:04 1000 last weekend, losing to Maeve Evans of NYU by seven plus seconds in the process.
Predictions: Cazzola, Ellingson, Boots
5k
Headlining the field is defending indoor and two-time cross country champion Wendy Pavlus, who last week led a quality field from gun to tape to a division-leading 16:54, establishing herself as the prohibitive favorite in the process. However, outdoor 5k and 10k champ Liz Lawton will more than likely try to dictate the pace, as she did at the UAA championships, where she was on 16:30 pace for around two miles. That pace proved a bit too hot to handle there as she dropped out due to illness, but she clearly has the talent and the experience to be a threat. Winning that race and weathering the suicidal opening pace was Maeve Evans of NYU. If the race turns tactical, she could be a threat as she is owner of the fastest mile seasonal best in the field, though she could also be worn out from doubling. Joanna Johnson of Oberlin, though not the speediest of entrants, was the fastest D3 runner at the quality BU Valentine Invitational, and she will certainly be tough to crack. Also looking to factor into the final laps will be Simone Childs-Walker of Carleton and Amanda Laesch of North Central—both of whom were triple champions in the mile, 3k, and 5k at their respective league meets. Finally it would be a sin of omission to forget the talented field behind Pavlus at ECAC’s—Dear of Williams, Simeone of Amherst, Mills of Keene State, Holt-Gosselin of MIT, and Peacock of Rowan. To make a long story short, behind Pavlus the race will be wide open, and we should expect to see a fast one.
Predictions: Pavlus, Laesch, Holt-Gosselin
4x400
Wartburg, Wartburg, Wartburg. That might be my prediction if teams were allowed to enter multiple relay squads, as they had six of the top fifteen squads on the performance lists. However, Illinois Wesleyan and North Central will be looking to give them a run for their money as they did last weekend at the NCC Final Qualifier, coming up short by less than a second. Look for Coe and anchor Keelie Finnel to be a threat from the slower heats.
Predictions: Wartburg, North Central, Illinois Wesleyan
DMR
Noticeably missing from the mile field is not one but two women who could have been in the mix for the individual title. Instead, Liz Phillips of Wash U and Margo Cramer of Middlebury chose to save their legs for their teammates, and the road to the title goes through them. Unfortunately, only one of these two women can be rewarded for their unselfishness, and it promises to be a great battle between this year’s only automatic qualifying teams. Behind these front-runners comes a barrage of talented and closely bunched squads, with MIT, Illinois Wesleyan, North Central, and UW Stevens Point well within striking distance of the leaders. That being said, I think it will come down to Cramer and Phillips at the end, with Cramer winning in a dominating kick. As for third, I like the wheels of Roberts of UW Stevens Point winning out, even if she’s doubling back from the mile trials.
Predictions: Middlebury, Wash U, UW Stevens Point
Team Title
The question here is whether Wartburg can hold off a challenge from throws-heavy UW-Oshkosh to secure a third consecutive indoor title. Despite the rankings, I think Wartburg should be considered the favorite as they have proven themselves as winners in years past and they have thirteen individual and team entrants as compared to ten from UW-Oshkosh. Closely behind and locked in a fight for the podium will be MIT, Nebraska Wesleyan, and Williams. I think third will be between MIT and Williams, and we can expect it to be close The two teams duked it out previously in the year at the New England Regional meet, with Williams getting the win by a slim four point margin.
Predictions: Wartburg, UW-Oshkosh, Williams
400
The key storyline here is whether division-leader Nevada Morrison of Wartburg can upend defending indoor and outdoor champion Rachel Boerner of Calvin. Wartburg will certainly welcome any and all points it can get from Morrison, Brittany Melloy, or Kendra Kregel as they make a bid for the team title as well. Sheila Walsh of North Central also has been improving all season, and she seems primed to make a bid for the individual title. Another team with podium aspirations, Illinois Wesleyan, has a pair of runners--Lauren Alpert and Lauren Rock--vying for important team points. However, I’m going to go with experience trumping a very talented field.
Predictions: Boerner, Morrison, Walsh
800
Defending indoor champion Emily Schudrowitz of St. Norbert finds herself ranked behind two other top-notch performers heading into Friday’s prelims. Keelie Finnel of Coe, the division-leader, has speed going for her, as she traditionally has been a 400 meter runner--a two-time All-American 400 runner, no less. However, she lacks valuable experience at the distance, which could hurt in a tactical, crowded race. Another threat for the title is Wellesley sophomore Leah Clement, who rolled to a 2:54 1000 last weekend, beating 4:55 miler Maeve Evans of NYU in the process. The rest of the field is also fairly experienced, and be sure to keep an eye on 57.50 400 runner Ann Tank of UW Platteville as well as Laura Reiger of Loras, who appears to be rounding into form right on time.
Predictions: Finnel, Clement, Tank
Mile
At first glance, this appears to be a two horse race between the other half of Wellesley’s dynamic duo, Randelle Boots, and 1500 runner-up Catie Ellingson of Simpson, both with sub-4:50 clockings to their credit. Between the two of them, I would give the edge to Ellingson as she is undefeated in individual events this season and has the better 800 seasonal best. However, the runner with the best 800 seasonal best is also undefeated on the season in individual events--Christy Cazzola of UW Oshkosh. In addition, she will be vying for extremely important individual points as her squad attempts to dethrone Wartburg. As for the rest of the field, Claire Roberts of UW Stevens Point is improving week by week, running 4:56 last weekend, while Amy Knoblock of Keene State looks to be going the opposite direction after a 3:04 1000 last weekend, losing to Maeve Evans of NYU by seven plus seconds in the process.
Predictions: Cazzola, Ellingson, Boots
5k
Headlining the field is defending indoor and two-time cross country champion Wendy Pavlus, who last week led a quality field from gun to tape to a division-leading 16:54, establishing herself as the prohibitive favorite in the process. However, outdoor 5k and 10k champ Liz Lawton will more than likely try to dictate the pace, as she did at the UAA championships, where she was on 16:30 pace for around two miles. That pace proved a bit too hot to handle there as she dropped out due to illness, but she clearly has the talent and the experience to be a threat. Winning that race and weathering the suicidal opening pace was Maeve Evans of NYU. If the race turns tactical, she could be a threat as she is owner of the fastest mile seasonal best in the field, though she could also be worn out from doubling. Joanna Johnson of Oberlin, though not the speediest of entrants, was the fastest D3 runner at the quality BU Valentine Invitational, and she will certainly be tough to crack. Also looking to factor into the final laps will be Simone Childs-Walker of Carleton and Amanda Laesch of North Central—both of whom were triple champions in the mile, 3k, and 5k at their respective league meets. Finally it would be a sin of omission to forget the talented field behind Pavlus at ECAC’s—Dear of Williams, Simeone of Amherst, Mills of Keene State, Holt-Gosselin of MIT, and Peacock of Rowan. To make a long story short, behind Pavlus the race will be wide open, and we should expect to see a fast one.
Predictions: Pavlus, Laesch, Holt-Gosselin
4x400
Wartburg, Wartburg, Wartburg. That might be my prediction if teams were allowed to enter multiple relay squads, as they had six of the top fifteen squads on the performance lists. However, Illinois Wesleyan and North Central will be looking to give them a run for their money as they did last weekend at the NCC Final Qualifier, coming up short by less than a second. Look for Coe and anchor Keelie Finnel to be a threat from the slower heats.
Predictions: Wartburg, North Central, Illinois Wesleyan
DMR
Noticeably missing from the mile field is not one but two women who could have been in the mix for the individual title. Instead, Liz Phillips of Wash U and Margo Cramer of Middlebury chose to save their legs for their teammates, and the road to the title goes through them. Unfortunately, only one of these two women can be rewarded for their unselfishness, and it promises to be a great battle between this year’s only automatic qualifying teams. Behind these front-runners comes a barrage of talented and closely bunched squads, with MIT, Illinois Wesleyan, North Central, and UW Stevens Point well within striking distance of the leaders. That being said, I think it will come down to Cramer and Phillips at the end, with Cramer winning in a dominating kick. As for third, I like the wheels of Roberts of UW Stevens Point winning out, even if she’s doubling back from the mile trials.
Predictions: Middlebury, Wash U, UW Stevens Point
Team Title
The question here is whether Wartburg can hold off a challenge from throws-heavy UW-Oshkosh to secure a third consecutive indoor title. Despite the rankings, I think Wartburg should be considered the favorite as they have proven themselves as winners in years past and they have thirteen individual and team entrants as compared to ten from UW-Oshkosh. Closely behind and locked in a fight for the podium will be MIT, Nebraska Wesleyan, and Williams. I think third will be between MIT and Williams, and we can expect it to be close The two teams duked it out previously in the year at the New England Regional meet, with Williams getting the win by a slim four point margin.
Predictions: Wartburg, UW-Oshkosh, Williams