The Warm-Up Lap: Ivy League Heptagonals Among the Weekend's Best Meets

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The Warm-Up Lap: Ivy League Heptagonals Among the Weekend's Best Meets
May 9, 2014


NEW ORLEANS – Conference championships and final qualifying meets continue to dominate the collegiate track & field schedule with fewer than two weeks remaining before the National Championships in Divisions II and III and the NAIA, and three before qualification at the Division I Preliminary sites.

MORE INFO

DI|DII|DIII|NAIA

THIS WEEKEND’S MEETS
U20 Collegiate Bests
Outdoor Football Player Bests
Collegiate Event Summary
All-College Leaders
Weekend Broadcasts
Top 10 Teams in Action
DI|DII|DIII|NAIA







Compared to last weekend and next weekend, the next couple of days are light on conference championships action with 10 total around the country. Most Division II and III and NAIA conferences wrapped up a week ago, while many of the nation’s top leagues in Division I kick off their year-end competitions next week.



MEETS OF THE WEEK
Division I
Ivy League Heptagonal
Division II
GNAC Championships
Division III
NEICAAA Championships
NAIA
Cascade Conference Championships




With what could be considered a light week on the schedule overall in terms of the number of meets –around 60 after having more than 100 the last few weeks – now would be an excellent time to catch up on some of the over-arching storylines of the collegiate track & field season.

In the National Team Computer Rankings, new women’s teams took over the No. 1 positions in the DivisionsI, II and III rankings, as well as in the NAIA, while the men’s races all remained close.

Particularly in Division I, those teams chasing the ultimate team honor, a national championship, will in large part be driven by individual student-athletes pursuing collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor: The Bowerman Trophy.

Each of the top five teams in the DI men’s rankings have at least member on the Men’s Watch Listannounced Wednesday, while five of the top six women’s teams and six of the top 10 were represented onThursday’s Women’s Watch List.

One member of the Women’s Watch List – Georgia’s Kendell Williams – is not only a top contender for collegiate track & field’s top individual prize, but also one of the world’s best on the Junior athletics scene.

The World Junior indoor pentathlon and American Junior outdoor heptathlon record-holder headlines the list of collegians in contention for the World Junior Championships just 74 days away on July 22-27 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. – site of the NCAA Championships on June 11-14.

The full list of U20 collegians and how they stack up against one another can be found here, while the IAAF World Junior descending order lists for 2014 can be found here.

Now, for the weekend ahead. For those looking to watch track & field online and/or on television this weekend, a full list of known broadcasts can be found below. Information on each Division’s National Meet of the Week, conference championships and top-10 schedule can be found in their respective sections below.

USTFCCCA InfoZone: Broadcast Schedule
Friday, May 9, 2014
10:00 AM ET NMAA Outdoor Championships (Class A-AA)
(Albuquerque, N.M.) WEB:NFHS LIVE NOW!

Sub. Required

12:00 PM ET Diamond League Doha
(Doha, Qatar) TV: Universal Sports LIVE
1:30 PM ET /
12:30 PM CT Midwest Collegiate Outdoor Championships
(Des Moines, Iowa) WEB:Midwest Conference LIVE
4:00 PM ET /
3:00 PM CT IIAC Outdoor Championships
(Decorah, Iowa) WEB:IIAC LIVE
4:00 PM ET AIA Outdoor Championships
(Mesa, Ariz.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Div. III/IV (Sub. Required)
6:00 PM ET LHSAA Outdoor Championships
(Baton Rouge, La.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Class 1A & 2A (Sub. Required)
6:30 PM ET GHSA (Ga. HS) Championships [Boys]
(Jefferson, Ga.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Boys’ 3200m Final (Sub. Required)
7:30 PM ET /
4:30 PM PT Oregon Twilight
(Eugene, Ore.) WEB:GoDucks.com LIVE
10:30 PM ET /
7:30 PM PT Oregon Twilight
(Eugene, Ore.) TV: Pac-12 Network LIVE
Sub. Required
8:00 PM ET Diamond League Doha
(Doha, Qatar) TV: Universal Sports Replay

Saturday, May 10, 2014
10:00 AM ET NMAA Outdoor Championships (Class A-AA)
(Albuquerque, N.M.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Sub. Required
11:00 AM ET GHSA (Ga. HS) Championships [Boys]
(Jefferson, Ga.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Boys (Sub. Required)
11:30 AM ET /
10:30 AM CT Midwest Collegiate Outdoor Championships
(Des Moines, Iowa) WEB:Midwest Conference LIVE
2:00 PM ET /
1:00 PM CT IIAC Outdoor Championships
(Decorah, Iowa) WEB:IIAC LIVE
3:00 PM ET MHSAA (Miss. HS) Championships
(Pearl, Miss.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Class 2A/4A/6A (Sub. Required)
4:30 PM ET LHSAA Outdoor Championships
(Baton Rouge, La.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Class 3A/4A/5A (Sub. Required)
6:00 PM ET AIA Outdoor Championships
(Mesa, Ariz.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Div. I/II (Sub. Required)

Sunday, May 11, 2014
12:00 PM ET Ivy League Heptagonal Championships
(New Haven, Conn.) WEB:Ivy League Digital Network LIVE

Monday, May 12, 2014
3:00 PM ET MHSAA (Miss. HS) Championships
(Pearl, Miss.) WEB:NFHS LIVE
Class 1A/3A/5A (Sub. Required)



Division I
SUN:12:00 PM ET Ivy League Heptagonal Championships
(New Haven, Conn.) WEB:Ivy League Digital Network LIVE

Among those conferences that are competing this weekend is one steeped in rich history and tradition: the Ivy League with its Heptagonal meet, this week’s Division I National Meet of the Week.

May 10-11 at Yale will be the latest chapter in a Heptagonal rivalry between Princeton and Cornell in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Princeton’s men, ranked No. 1 in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the USTFCCCA Division I Regional Index, have won each of the past three Ivy League titles, but Cornell – ranked No. 1 in the Northeast Region – has won seven of the past ten.

Top individual match-ups include the high jump with Montez Blair of Cornell and Maalik Reynolds of Penn tied at No. 15 in the nation, and many of the distance events with the League’s typically deep stable of endurance runners.

Cornell’s women have earned eight of the past 10 league titles, including each of the last two, with Princeton taking the remaining pair. While Princeton is the highest-ranked team in its Mid-Atlantic Region at No. 5, Cornell at No. 3 in the Northeast Region doesn’t even make the cut as the top Ivy League school in the region.

That honor belongs to Harvard, who dropped down to No. 2 in the region this past week, though both the Crimson and the Big Red are virtually equals in the eyes of the computer. A title for Harvard would be its first outdoors since the 1990 season.

Some of the Ivy League’s all-time best women will be in action this weekend, including a pair of The Bowerman Watch List members in Dartmouth’s multi-time national champion Abbey D’Agostino (No. 5, 5000 meters) and "also receiving votes" honoree Julia Ratcliffe of Princeton, the collegiate leader in the hammer throw. Also in action will be No. 2 steeplechaser Rachel Sorna of Cornell.

THIS WEEKEND’S DIV. I CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Click on each conference logo to be directed to more info about the meet.

The full listing of Division I conference championships can be foundhere.


Big East
May 9 – 11 Ivy Leage
May 10 – 11 Southland
May 9 – 11 Sun Belt
May 9 – 11


DIVISION I TOP 10
MEN’S TOP 10

1. Florida Seminole Twilight Invitational
4. Oregon Oregon Twilight
Pac-12 Championships (Multis)
6. Georgia Georgia Invitational (outdoor)
WOMEN’S TOP 10


1. Florida Seminole Twilight Invitational
3. Oregon Oregon Twilight
Pac-12 Championships (Multis)
5. Kentucky Virginia Challenge
6. Georgia Georgia Invitational (outdoor)
9. Stanford Pac-12 Championships (Multis)
10. Southern California Pac-12 Championships (Multis)




Division II
Topping the Division II schedule is the GNAC Championship meet at Western Oregon from May 9-10. No. 9 Alaska Anchorage headlines the men’s field, while a duel between No. 17 Alaska Anchorage and No. 20 Western Washington tops the women’s field.

Since the GNAC was founded in 2001, the AA men have yet to win a league title. Though they are No. 9 in the national rankings largely behind distance runner Micah Chelimo – who is nearing the all-time GNAC record in points scored – the Seawolves hold only a slim lead in the Division II Regional Team Index West Region standings at No. 3 over Western Washington, winner of three of the past four league titles.

Should the Alaska Anchorage men claim the team title, they would be following the footsteps of their female teammates, who won their first GNAC title last season. A repeat title for the Seawolves could be in the cards as the conference’s highest ranked team nationally and regionally (No. 3), though Western Washington (No. 5, West Region) will be pushing hard to win their first league title.

Also standing strong in the West Region rankings as potential contenders are No. 6 Northwest Nazarene and No. 8 Seattle Pacific. NNU is also looking for its first conference crown, while SPU is no stranger to the top as a six-time GNAC winner.

A look at the top individual contenders by event can be found here.

THIS WEEKEND’S DIV. II CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Click on each conference logo to be directed to more info about the meet.

The full listing of Division II conference championships can be foundhere.


GNAC
May 9 – 10 NSIC
May 9 – 10


DIVISION II TOP 10
MEN’S TOP 10

1. Saint Augustine’s Aggie Last Chance
Virginia Challenge
2. Adams State Air Force Twilight Open
7. Grand Valley State GVSU Last Chance
GVSU Second-to-Last Chance
8. Pittsburg State MSSU Last Chance Twilight
Sam Williams Twilight Qualifier
9. Alaska Anchorage GNAC Outdoor Championships
Occidental Invitational
WOMEN’S TOP 10


2. Grand Valley State GVSU Last Chance
GVSU Second-to-Last Chance
3. Adams State Air Force Twilight Open
6. Saint Augustine’s Aggie Last Chance
Virginia Challenge
10. Pittsburg State MSSU Last Chance Twilight
Sam Williams Twilight Qualifier




Division III
It may not be a conference championship, but for some schools in the Northeast the New England (NEICAAA) Championships is second only to the National Championships in terms of importance. For Division III schools, it’s one last chance to mix it up with the Division I and II programs for regional bragging rights before the National Championships.

This year’s competition will be staged at Westfield State in Westfield, Mass., beginning yesterday through Saturday.

Four top-25 Division III women’s programs will be represented including No. 5 Wheaton (Mass.), led by two-time outdoor National Athlete of the Week Ashante Little; No. 12 Williams with NEICAAA hammer throw leader Amina Avril; No. 14 MIT and No. 17 Amherst.

Two top-25 men’s teams will be in action with No. 15 MIT and No. 25 Tufts.

THIS WEEKEND’S DIV. III CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Click on each conference logo to be directed to more info about the meet.

The full listing of Division III conference championships can be foundhere.


IIAC
May 8 – 10 MIAC
May 10 Midwest Conference
May 9 – 10


DIVISION III TOP 10
MEN’S TOP 10

1. UW-La Crosse UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
2. UW-Eau Claire Dr. Keeler Invitational
UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
3. UW-Oshkosh Dr. Keeler Invitational
UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
4. North Central (Ill.) Dr. Keeler Invitational
5. Mount Union Gator Invitational
Toledo Invitational
6. Augustana (Ill.) St. Ambrose Twilight Qualifier
7. Wartburg IIAC Outdoor Championships
10. La Verne Occidental Invitational
WOMEN’S TOP 10


1. UW-La Crosse UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
2. UW-Oshkosh Dr. Keeler Invitational
UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
3. Wartburg IIAC Outdoor Championships
4. UW-Whitewater Dr. Keeler Invitational
UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
5. Wheaton (Mass.) New England (NEICAAA)
6. UW-Eau Claire Dr. Keeler Invitational
UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
7. UW-Stout UW-La Crosse Eagle Open
9. Cal Lutheran Occidental Invitational
10. La Verne Occidental Invitational




NAIA
The lone conference championship race in the NAIA that remains unresolved will be decided this weekend as the Cascade Collegiate Conference gets under way today through Saturday at Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho.

Former No. 1 Concordia (Ore) – now No. 2 in the latest USTFCCCA National Team Computer Rankings – will battle No. 6 Southern Oregon and No. 25 Eastern Oregon, while the No. 7 College of Idaho women will be challenged by No. 17 Concordia (Ore.)

With a league title a year ago, the Southern Oregon men snapped Concordia’s seven-year run of winning at least a share of the CCC title. The streak had almost been snapped in 2011, when Concordia edged out Southern Oregon by just ½ a team point for the title, 192½ – 190.

College of Idaho is the defending champion from 2013 after the Concordia women’s six-year streak atop the conference. The Coyotes went from fourth in 2009 to third in both 2010 and 2011 and runner-up in 2012 before ultimately claiming last year’s title.

THIS WEEKEND’S NAIA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Click on each conference logo to be directed to more info about the meet.

The full listing of NAIA conference championships can be foundhere.


Cascade Conference
May 9 – 10


NAIA TOP 10
MEN’S TOP 10

1. Wayland Baptist Oklahoma Baptist Last Chance
2. Concordia (Ore.) Cascade Track & Field Championships
4. Oklahoma Baptist Oklahoma Baptist Last Chance
5. Concordia (Neb.) Concordia (Neb.) Twilight Meet
6. Southern Oregon Cascade Track & Field Championships
8. British Columbia Ken Shannon Invitational
9. Doane (Neb.) Concordia (Neb.) Twilight Meet
10. Oklahoma City Oklahoma Baptist Last Chance
WOMEN’S TOP 10


1. British Columbia Ken Shannon Invitational
3. Oklahoma Baptist Oklahoma Baptist Last Chance
4. Doane (Neb.) Concordia (Neb.) Twilight Meet
5. Wayland Baptist Oklahoma Baptist Last Chance
6. Concordia (Neb.) Concordia (Neb.) Twilight Meet
7. College of Idaho Cascade Track & Field Championships
9. Baker (Kan.) Sam Williams Twilight Qualifier
10. Cornerstone (Mich.) Dr. Keeler Invitational
GVSU Second-to-Last Chance






U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1750
New Orleans, LA 70163

Contact: Kyle Terwillegar
Communications Assistant
kyle@ustfccca.org
(504) 599-8905