The start lists for the 2025 NCAA Division I indoor track and field championships have been announced. Here's a look at heats you don't want to miss when action begins on the track.
Heat 2 Women’s Mile
All eyes will be on the defending champion Oregon Ducks in heat two of the women’s mile. Oregon has three athletes in the heat, including last year’s champion Wilma Nielsen. A successful start in the mile will be pivotal to a repeat attempt. Also in the heat, you’ll find women’s mile collegiate record holder Riley Chamberlain of BYU.
With the top four plus the next two fastest advancing to the final, could Chamberlain and the Duck trio run an exceptionally fast heat to grab the top spots? Potentially. Or we could see a competitive heat leave a talented runner from Oregon or the collegiate record holder on the outside looking in.
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Heat 2 Women’s 60m
Heat two of the women’s 60 meters has last year’s defending champion, USC’s Dajaz DeFrand, in lane six. One lane over in lane five features Tarleton State’s Victoria Cameron after a breakout performance in the WAC Championships, running sub-7.10 twice. Elsewhere among the heat is talented Georgia freshman Adaejah Hodge as one of four in the heat attempting a 60-200 double. Then there’s South Carolina’s Alexis Brown, the winner of the last two DII 60-meter national titles.
The top two plus the next four fastest advance to the final, so someone could be racing the last 60 meters of their season.
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Heat 2 Men’s 800m
Heat two of the men’s 800 meters features a loaded cast. The No. 4 all-time performer, Georgetown's Tinoda Matsatsa, and the No. 6 all-time performer, Penn State’s Allon Clay, are both in the heat. 2025’s defending champion, Oregon’s Matthew Erickson, is in the heat. And Texas A&M freshman Peter Narumbe — an SEC Champion — is also in heat two.
Only the top three are guaranteed a spot in the final, with the next two fastest advancing as well. Not only will Matsatsa, Clay, Erickson and Narumbe have to race against each other, they’ll also have to race against the clock.
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Heat 1 Men’s 60 hurdles
The first heat of the men’s 60-meter hurdles will feature CAA champion Jason Holmes, Big 12 champion Malachi Snow and SEC Champion Ja’Kobe Tharp. Tharp is also the defending national champion in the event.
Only the top two will be guaranteed a spot in the final. The third-place finisher of this heat of champions will have to wait and hope to get in on time — a position no athlete enjoys.
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Heat 4 Men’s 200m
The fourth and final heat of the men’s 200 meters will feature the top two men’s 200-meter sprinters this year. USC’s Garrett Kaalund will be in lane six with Arkansas’ Jelani Watkins in lane five.
It’ll be a head-to-head matchup of the Big Ten and SEC Champions, and it could be the first of multiple matchups this weekend. That means the two will not only be competing to qualify for the final, but also for a potential lane draw in the final.
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