NCAA D1 Indoor ChampionshipsMar 8, 2015 by Lincoln Shryack
NCAA Preview: Men's/Women's 400m
NCAA Preview: Men's/Women's 400m
Najee Glass, Florida
With 2014 Bowerman winner Deon Lendore pulling out of the 400m at SEC’s last week with an injury, Florida junior Najee Glass was in a class of his own in one of the deepest events across the country. The Gator ran 45.37 to win his first SEC title, and subsequently became the favorite to win the big one at NCAAs next weekend, pending the status of Lendore. The big question mark in this event will be the health of the 2014 indoor/outdoor champion (Lendore), but so far Glass has been untouchable, going undefeated in 2015 and leading the NCAA with his 45.34.
Shamier Little, Texas A&M
This wasn’t an easy choice. Little has run the top mark in 2015 (her 51.37 last weekend at SECs), but looming right behind her is none other than NCAA outdoor record holder Courtney Okolo of Texas, who has run 51.46 this season. Little gets the nod here for two reasons: 1. She made easy work of a deep field last weekend, beating NCAA #6 Kyra Jefferson by .63 seconds AND 2. Little finished a place above Okolo at NCAA indoor last year, 3rd and 4th. Little is the reigning NCAA 400m hurdles champion as well.
Deon Lendore, Texas A&M
The Aggie camp has been mum about the severity of their superstar’s injury, but we couldn’t write an NCAA preview without mentioning the defending champion. Lendore ran his fastest 400 of 2015 at the Tyson Invite, a 45.38 (#2 NCAA) that was just .01 faster than teammate Bralon Taplin. Lendore won that meet, but even there he looked off, certainly nothing close to the form he showed indoors in 2014 when he ran 45.03. If the defending champ is hurt then his regression makes sense, but the fact remains that Lendore has not looked like himself this season.
Bralon Taplin, Texas A&M
Taplin has had a breakout indoor season in 2015, delivering on the promise he showed in winning the NCAA West prelim last May in 45.18. The senior ran an indoor PB of 45.39 at the Tyson Invite, #3 in the NCAA in 2015. The Grenadian isn’t just a one-trick pony either, as his 20.80 200m puts him at #9 in the country this season. Taplin has been a pleasant surprise for the Aggies in 2015, and he could steal an NCAA title in the 400 if Glass is off his game and Lendore is still nursing an injury.
Courtney Okolo, Texas
Okolo was only fourth in the 400 at the Big 12 Championships, but the sophomore had a good reason for her seemingly poor performance. The Longhorn had just won the 600-yard dash in a meet record time of 1:18.24 just 20 minutes prior to stepping on the line for the 400 final, and showed expected fatigue by running 53.23. The Bowerman finalist is much better than that, as shown by her 51.35 (altitude-adjusted to 51.46) at the New Mexico Classic in early February. It should also be noted that Okolo took down Shamier Little at the Tyson Invite three weeks ago in Fayetteville on the same track where NCAAs will be run.
Kendall Baisden, Texas
The young Longhorn took advantage of her teammate Okolo not being rested at the Big 12 Championships by winning the 400 title comfortably over Ashley Spencer 51.90 to 52.27. Baisden was the top frosh at NCAA outdoors in 2014, finishing third behind Okolo and the now-graduated Phyllis Francis of Oregon. Baisden has run 50.46 outdoors, 10th fastest all-time and the top mark ever for a freshman. Baisden is incredibly talented, and should be riding a wave of confidence after winning Big 12s.
Vernon Norwood, LSU
Norwood finished third at the SEC Championships last weekend in 45.68, and enters the NCAA meet somewhat under the radar even after finishing second indoors a year ago. Norwood was the second-best 400m runner in the SEC in 2014 behind only Lendore, and he is fully capable of rising to the top this weekend in Fayetteville if he can somehow find the form that saw him run 45.39 indoors in 2014.
Taylor Ellis-Watson, Arkansas
Ellis-Watson was only third at the SEC Championships in 52.03, but much of that can be attributed to the fact that the junior ran in the slow heat, which did not have 1st and 2nd place finishers Shamier Little and Kyra Jefferson. The Razorback owns the #3 time in the NCAA in 2015, her 51.72 from the Tyson Invite where she took down Little and Jefferson convincingly. Ellis-Watson has been the best combined 200/400 runner in the country in 2015, adding in her 23.08 200m which is #6 in the NCAA.