Head-to-head matchups to watch at indoor track and field conference championships
Conference championship weekend is finally here in track and field, with many exciting head-to-head matchups to follow.
While it’s understood that at some of these meets athletes will have to advance past preliminary rounds before an eventual faceoff, it doesn’t take away from the excitement of the possibility. That said, let’s look ahead at some upcoming matchups this weekend.
ACC | Feb. 22-Feb. 24
Men’s Triple Jump
- Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis vs. Miami (FL)’s Russell Robinson
Women’s 3000m
- Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich vs. Duke’s Amina Maatoug
In the ACC men’s triple jump, the No. 2 and No. 5 triple jumpers from the regular season will face off as Jeremiah Davis meets Russell Robinson. Davis’ season-best jump is 16.69 meters, and Robinson’s season-best jump is 16.59 meters.
In the ACC women’s 3000 meters, Olivia Markezich and Amina Maatoug could push each other to collegiate record heights as both have run top-10 all-time times this year. Markezich’s nation-leading 8:40.42 is the second-fastest all-time, and Maatoug’s 8:46.89 is the seventh-fastest all-time.
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CAA | Feb. 22-Feb. 23
Men’s 60 hurdles
- Northeastern’s Ethan Exilhomme vs. North Carolina A&T’s Jason Holmes
Two of the nation’s fastest 60 hurdlers will race in the CAA when Ethan Exilhomme battles Jason Holmes at the CAA championship. Exilhomme’s 7.60-second time is the second-fastest in the country this year, and Holmes’ 7.66-second time is the ninth-fastest.
LOOKING AHEAD: Top contenders for the men’s indoor t&f title after the regular season
Mountain West | Feb. 22-Feb. 24
Women’s triple jump
- San Jose State’s Emilia Sjostrand vs. Fresno State’s Rachela Pace
Emilia Sjostrand and Rachel Pace will give the Mountain West two of the nation’s top-10 triple jumpers at its conference championship meet. Sjostrand has jumped an NCAA-No. 2 13.96 meters, and Pace has jumped an NCAA-No. 10 13.40 meters.
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AAC | Feb. 23-Feb. 24
Women’s Pentathlon
- Rice’s Eliza Kraule vs. Wichita State’s Destiny Masters
The American can look forward to a five-event thriller when Eliza Kraule and Destiny Masters look to improve upon their NCAA No. 5 4,276 points and NCAA No. 7 4,211 points in the pentathlon.
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Big 12 | Feb. 23-Feb. 24
Men’s high jump
- Kansas’ Devin Loudermilk vs. Texas’ Sam Hurley
Women’s pentathlon
- Texas’ Kristine Blazevica Texas vs. Oklahoma’s Pippi Lotta Enok
Two athletes with the same season’s best will compete in the Big 12 men’s high jump as both Devin Loudermilk and Sam Hurley have cleared 2.21 meters this season. On the women’s side, the pentathlon could come down to the wire as Kristine Blazevica’s 4,312 points and Pippi Lotta Enok’s 4,281 points sit as the nation’s second and third-best marks this season.
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Big East | Feb. 23-Feb. 24
Men’s 800 meters
- Georgetown’s Tinoda Matsatsa vs. Villanova’s Sean Dolan
The Big East will feature a classic rookie vs. the veteran matchup when freshman Tinoda Matsatsa and senior Sean Dolan race in the Big East 800 meters. Matsatsa set a collegiate record in the 1000 meters earlier this year and ran an NCAA No. 7 1:46.87 in the 800. Dolan ran an NCAA No. 9 1:46.96 in the 800, less than a second off Matsatsa’s time.
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Big Ten | Feb. 23-Feb. 24
Men’s 200 meters
- Purdue’s Cameron Miller vs. Penn State’s Cheickna Traore
Women’s high jump
- Nebraska’s Jenna Rogers vs. Illinois’ Rose Yeboah
The NCAA’s No. 1 and No. 4 men’s 200 meters time will race in the Big Ten indoor championships as Cameron Miller (20.40) and Cheickna Traore (20.42) run. On the women’s side, the high jump stands out as Jenna Rogers (NCAA No. 3 1.90 meters) and Rose Yeboah (NCAA No. 6 1.88 meters) will compete to clear the highest height.
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Ivy League | Feb. 23-Feb. 24
Men’s high jump
- Harvard’s Tito Alofe vs. Penn’s Kampton Kam
The Ivy League championships will feature two of the nation’s top men’s high jumpers: Tito Alofe and Kam Kampton. They’ve cleared 2.22 meters (NCAA No. 3) and 2.20 meters (NCAA No. 9) respectively.
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SEC | Feb. 23-Feb. 24
Men’s 200 meters
- Florida’s Robert Gregory vs. Alabama’s Tarsis Orogot
Women’s 60 meters
- LSU’s Brianna Lyston vs. Tennessee’s Jacious Sears
Every year some of the nation’s top sprinters hail from the SEC. 2024 is no different. At the SEC indoor championships, we’ll see plenty of top matchups, but two stand out the most.
SECS: Schedule, selections, how to watch the 2024 SEC indoor track and field championships
In the men’s 200 meters, Robert Gregory and his NCAA-leading 20.40-second time will face Tarsis Ororgot and his 20.41-second time (altitude), the third-fastest in the NCAA. The nation’s top two women’s 60-meter sprinters will also meet at SECs when Brianna Lyston (7.07 seconds) races Jacious Sears (7.10 seconds).
