2015 NCAA Women's 400m Preview

2015 NCAA Women's 400m Preview

Jan 7, 2015 by Taylor Dutch
2015 NCAA Women's 400m Preview






Ashley Spencer, Texas (PB 50.28)
Last Year: 2nd Indoors, DNF Outdoors
She pulled up during the final of the 400m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but Spencer is back and healthy for the 2015 season. The two-time NCAA Champion returns for her senior year after finishing runner-up in the 400m and runner-up as the anchor leg in the 4x400m relay at the NCAA Indoor Championships. 
 
Courtney Okolo, Texas (PB 50.03)
Last Year: 4th Indoors, 1st Outdoors
The NCAA record-holder returns for her junior season to once again light up the track in 2015. She broke the NCAA record with an incredible performance at the Big 12 Championships, running 50.03 to break the nine-year old record set by UCLA’s Monique Henderson. She continued at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with an NCAA meet record to win the NCAA title in 50.23. 

Kamaria Brown, Texas A&M (PB 50.94)
Last Year: N/A Indoors, N/A Outdoors
She did not compete in the 400m during the NCAA Indoor or Outdoor Championships, but Brown had a truly impressive year in 2014, posting a huge personal best in the 400m (50.94) and winning an NCAA title in the 200m at the outdoor championships. She was also a member of the NCAA title-winning 4x100m relay as well as the runner-up 4x400m relay team. Unfortunately, Brown was unable to finish in the final of the 200m at the NCAA Indoor Championships, but she was able to help the Aggies to a third-place finish in the 4x400m relay. 



Robin Reynolds, Florida (PB 51.36)
Last Year: 8th Indoors, 7th Outdoors
Reynolds returns for her junior year after earning five All American honors at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. After posting four personal bests in 2014 (7.48 in the 60m, 23.33 in the 200m, 51.36 in the 400m and 6.38m in the long jump) Reynolds should continue the upward trend in 2015. 
 
Shamier Little, Texas A&M (PB 51.06)
Last Year: 3rd Indoors, 1st 400H Outdoors
The Aggie had an impressive freshman campaign in 2014 with four All American honors at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. After posting a personal best for a third-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Little blazed through the 400m hurdle final at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with an NCAA title-winning mark of 55.07, which put her No. 2 on the U.S. Junior all-time list. 
 
Kendall Baisden, Texas (PB 50.46)
Last Year: 5th Indoors, 3rd Outdoors
As a freshman, Baisden burst onto the scene with five All American honors, helping Texas to a runner-up finish at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. After taking third in the outdoor 400m, Baisden continued her season with a gold medal-winning performance at the World Junior Championships. 



Jordan Lavender, Virginia (PB 52.06*)
Last Year: 12th Indoors, N/A Outdoors
Although she did not compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last year, Lavender currently holds the eighth-fastest mark heading into the 2015 season. She qualified for NCAA Championships for the first time in her career at the 2014 NCAA Indoor meet, but after posting personal bests in the 200m (23.42) and 400m in 2014, Lavender is poised to compete for a spot on the line in Fayetteville.