#NCAATF: What To Watch On Thursday
by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
What to watch at Thursday's session of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field. Under the meet's new format, this second day of the championship includes women's finals in the 10,000 meters and five field events, women's preliminary rounds on the track and the finish to the decathlon and heptathlon.
Live stream: ESPN3, 10 a.m. PT
Broadcast windows: ESPNU, 4-5:30 p.m. PT; ESPN, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
THE SCHEDULE (Oregon entrants)
10 a.m.: Decathlon, 110 hurdles (Dakotah Keys, Mitch Modin, Joe Delgado)
11 a.m.: Decathlon, discus (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
Noon: Heptathlon, long jump (Ashlee Moore)
1 p.m.: Decathlon, pole vault (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
1:15 p.m.: Heptathlon, javelin (Moore)
1:30 p.m.: Hammer throw (Jillian Weir)
3:15 p.m.: Decathlon, javelin (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
4 p.m.: 4x100 relay (Oregon)
4:14 p.m.: 1,500 meters (Alli Cash, Nikki Hiltz, Katie Porada, Ashley Maton)
4:28 p.m.: Heptathlon, 800 (Moore)
4:38 p.m.: 3,000 steeplechase
4:45 p.m.: Pole vault
5:02 p.m.: 100 hurdles (Sasha Wallace)
5:15 p.m.: Long jump (Jenna Prandini, Jasmine Todd)
5:16 p.m.: 100 meters (Prandini, Todd)
5:30 p.m.: Javelin (Liz Brenner)
5:30 p.m.: 400 meters
5:40 p.m.: Shot put (Brittany Mann)
5:44 p.m. 800 meters (Raevyn Rogers, Annie Leblanc)
6 p.m.: 400 hurdles
6:14 p.m.: 200 meters (Prandini)
6:28p.m.: Decathlon, 1,500 (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
6:38 p.m.: 10,000 meters, final (Molly Grabill, Waverly Neer)
7:18 p.m.: 4x400 relay (Oregon)
The Big Stories for the Ducks: A potentially huge day for Jenna Prandini, under the rigors of the new meet format that will see her compete in three events in less than an hour. The UO junior will defend her 2014 long jump title and also participate in preliminary rounds of the 100, 200 and potentially both relays as well. She'll be joined in the long jump and 100 fields by teammate Jasmine Todd, the Pac-12 champ in the 100 when Prandini sat out due to illness. The host team also has high hopes for senior Jillian Weir in the hammer throw. Form charts expect her to score, but she's got the potential to pop a big enough throw to win. Hurdler Sasha Wallace is in a very competitive preliminary field; should she advance to the final, she'll be battle-tested. In the multis, Dakotah Keys came out of the first day of the decathlon with his confidence sky high, putting him in position to challenge for the win should he enjoy a typically strong second day.
Not to be Overlooked: The Ducks have star power in the sprints and long jump, but have the ability to rack up points in the longer distances as well. As was the case on the men's side, Oregon has a sizable contingent in the women's 1,500. None of the four UO entrants is necessarily expected to challenge heavy favorite Shelby Houlihan of Arizona State, but the Ducks would love to advance multiple runners to Saturday's final and set the stage for some surprise points. The 800 features another heavy favorite, Clemson's Natoya Goule, but Oregon's Annie Leblanc tracked her down in the sprint medley at the Penn Relays, fueling optimism that Leblanc can advance today and join teammate Raevyn Rogers in the final. The Ducks also have two entrants in the 10,000, Molly Grabill and Waverly Neer; a few runners from other schools are skipping this race to focus on Saturday's 5,000, opening the door for Grabill and Neer to contend for team points tonight. In the shot put, Brittany Mann was a surprise scorer last year; should she score today, it won't be a surprise at all. The incomparable Liz Brenner will try to add points in the javelin, as well.
What to Watch Elsewhere: The other teams to watch include USC, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Florida. USC and Texas A&M have their hopes pinned on the sprints and Saturday's discus. The three 100-meter prelims feature four Trojans and three Aggies; the discus field includes favorite Shelbi Vaughan of A&M, and potential scorers Alexandra Collatz and Tera Novy from USC. A&M also has the favorite in the 400 hurdles, Shamier Little. Florida will look for big points from Kyra Jefferson in the 200. Arkansas boasts a distance star in Dominique Scott, who will attempt to double in the 5,000 and tonight's 10,000. The Razorbacks also have three entrants in the pole vault, which should be highly entertaining. Collegiate outdoor record-holder Sandi Morris represents Arkansas, and figures to duel with indoor record-holder Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin. Not only a national title but an NCAA record could be decided between the two this evening.
Editor, GoDucks.com
What to watch at Thursday's session of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field. Under the meet's new format, this second day of the championship includes women's finals in the 10,000 meters and five field events, women's preliminary rounds on the track and the finish to the decathlon and heptathlon.
Live stream: ESPN3, 10 a.m. PT
Broadcast windows: ESPNU, 4-5:30 p.m. PT; ESPN, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
THE SCHEDULE (Oregon entrants)
10 a.m.: Decathlon, 110 hurdles (Dakotah Keys, Mitch Modin, Joe Delgado)
11 a.m.: Decathlon, discus (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
Noon: Heptathlon, long jump (Ashlee Moore)
1 p.m.: Decathlon, pole vault (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
1:15 p.m.: Heptathlon, javelin (Moore)
1:30 p.m.: Hammer throw (Jillian Weir)
3:15 p.m.: Decathlon, javelin (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
4 p.m.: 4x100 relay (Oregon)
4:14 p.m.: 1,500 meters (Alli Cash, Nikki Hiltz, Katie Porada, Ashley Maton)
4:28 p.m.: Heptathlon, 800 (Moore)
4:38 p.m.: 3,000 steeplechase
4:45 p.m.: Pole vault
5:02 p.m.: 100 hurdles (Sasha Wallace)
5:15 p.m.: Long jump (Jenna Prandini, Jasmine Todd)
5:16 p.m.: 100 meters (Prandini, Todd)
5:30 p.m.: Javelin (Liz Brenner)
5:30 p.m.: 400 meters
5:40 p.m.: Shot put (Brittany Mann)
5:44 p.m. 800 meters (Raevyn Rogers, Annie Leblanc)
6 p.m.: 400 hurdles
6:14 p.m.: 200 meters (Prandini)
6:28p.m.: Decathlon, 1,500 (Keys, Modin, Delgado)
6:38 p.m.: 10,000 meters, final (Molly Grabill, Waverly Neer)
7:18 p.m.: 4x400 relay (Oregon)
The Big Stories for the Ducks: A potentially huge day for Jenna Prandini, under the rigors of the new meet format that will see her compete in three events in less than an hour. The UO junior will defend her 2014 long jump title and also participate in preliminary rounds of the 100, 200 and potentially both relays as well. She'll be joined in the long jump and 100 fields by teammate Jasmine Todd, the Pac-12 champ in the 100 when Prandini sat out due to illness. The host team also has high hopes for senior Jillian Weir in the hammer throw. Form charts expect her to score, but she's got the potential to pop a big enough throw to win. Hurdler Sasha Wallace is in a very competitive preliminary field; should she advance to the final, she'll be battle-tested. In the multis, Dakotah Keys came out of the first day of the decathlon with his confidence sky high, putting him in position to challenge for the win should he enjoy a typically strong second day.
Not to be Overlooked: The Ducks have star power in the sprints and long jump, but have the ability to rack up points in the longer distances as well. As was the case on the men's side, Oregon has a sizable contingent in the women's 1,500. None of the four UO entrants is necessarily expected to challenge heavy favorite Shelby Houlihan of Arizona State, but the Ducks would love to advance multiple runners to Saturday's final and set the stage for some surprise points. The 800 features another heavy favorite, Clemson's Natoya Goule, but Oregon's Annie Leblanc tracked her down in the sprint medley at the Penn Relays, fueling optimism that Leblanc can advance today and join teammate Raevyn Rogers in the final. The Ducks also have two entrants in the 10,000, Molly Grabill and Waverly Neer; a few runners from other schools are skipping this race to focus on Saturday's 5,000, opening the door for Grabill and Neer to contend for team points tonight. In the shot put, Brittany Mann was a surprise scorer last year; should she score today, it won't be a surprise at all. The incomparable Liz Brenner will try to add points in the javelin, as well.
What to Watch Elsewhere: The other teams to watch include USC, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Florida. USC and Texas A&M have their hopes pinned on the sprints and Saturday's discus. The three 100-meter prelims feature four Trojans and three Aggies; the discus field includes favorite Shelbi Vaughan of A&M, and potential scorers Alexandra Collatz and Tera Novy from USC. A&M also has the favorite in the 400 hurdles, Shamier Little. Florida will look for big points from Kyra Jefferson in the 200. Arkansas boasts a distance star in Dominique Scott, who will attempt to double in the 5,000 and tonight's 10,000. The Razorbacks also have three entrants in the pole vault, which should be highly entertaining. Collegiate outdoor record-holder Sandi Morris represents Arkansas, and figures to duel with indoor record-holder Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin. Not only a national title but an NCAA record could be decided between the two this evening.
