By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photo courtesy of Washington

The 41st edition of the NCAA Division 1 women’s indoor track and field championships are scheduled for March 8-9 at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston, Mass.

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Here are 10 women’s storylines to follow at the event, as the meet is held for the first time at the venue:

The most decorated DMR

The nine fastest schools in collegiate indoor women’s distance medley relay history are all scheduled to compete among the 12 finalists Friday in Boston, led by Washington, which produced the NCAA all-time mark of 10:43.39 on Feb. 16 at the Boston University Terrier DMR Challenge.

Chloe Foerster, Anna Terrell, Marlena Preigh and Australian competitor Carley Thomas produced the memorable performance for the Huskies, with Providence (10:44.07), Brigham Young (10:44.67) and Stanford (10:47.03) also adding to the historical race in Boston.

Stanford is the defending Division 1 indoor DMR champion, with Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker both expected to return for the Cardinal from last year’s victorious lineup in Albuquerque.

Since Oregon won back-to-back DMR titles in 2018-19, with Susan Ejore and Jessica Hull on both lineups, there have been three different champions crowned since in Brigham Young, Arkansas and Stanford, with the Division 1 finals not being held in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington, which ran the collegiate record of 10:46.62 last year before lowering the all-time mark this season, is looking to capture its first DMR crown since 2012.

Providence, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State are all seeking their first women’s DMR championships.

Kimberley May of Providence, representing New Zealand, and Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame are two of the three female athletes in collegiate indoor history to produce sub-4:26 anchor legs, along with North Carolina State’s Katelyn Tuohy.

Razorbacks hoping to run wild

Arkansas has an opportunity to become the first women’s program in Division 1 indoor history to win three consecutive 4x400-meter relay titles, looking to follow the fastest all-time global indoor performance of 3:21.75 from last year’s championship meet in Albuquerque.

But before Rosey Effiong looks to contribute to a 4x400 title for the third year in a row, she could also be part of a powerful performance in the 400 for the Razorbacks, all contributing potential valuable points in Arkansas’ quest for back-to-back team crowns.

Arkansas boasts the top four qualifiers in the 400 – British athlete Amber Anning, Kaylyn Brown, Jamaican standout Nickisha Pryce and Effiong – along with Joanne Reid, another Jamaican competitor, also included in the field of 16 entries to compete Friday in Boston.

No school has ever swept the top four spots in any event, regardless of gender, in Division 1 indoor championship meet history.

Arkansas had four scorers in the women’s 3,000-meter final in 2000, capturing third, fourth, fifth and seventh place overall.

LSU was the last women’s team to have four scorers in any event, achieving the feat in the 60-meter dash in 2018.

Florida still holds the record with five female athletes scoring in a single event, earning first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth place in the 2003 women’s weight throw final.

Distin determined to deliver trifecta

Lamara Distin, representing Jamaica, has the opportunity to contribute to a pair of the most impressive streaks in the history of the Division 1 women’s indoor high jump final, both for herself and Texas A&M.

Distin, who achieved a collegiate record 6-6.75 (2.00m) on her third attempt Feb. 24 at the Southeastern Conference Championships at Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas, is looking to become only the second female athlete to win three in a row in the high jump at the Division 1 indoor final.

Brigetta Barrett from Arizona achieved the three-peat from 2011-13, contributing to an overall stretch of four consecutive crowns for the Wildcats, including Liz Patterson winning in 2010.

Texas A&M also has the same opportunity to extend its streak, with Tyra Gittens from Trinidad and Tobago prevailing in 2021, followed by back-to-back titles from Distin, giving the Aggies the potential to equal the longest women’s indoor championship run in the event.

Charity Hufnagel, the reigning Division 1 outdoor women’s high jump champion, transferred from Ball State to Kentucky this season. Hufnagel qualified for the high jump final Saturday, but is also scheduled to compete Friday for a pentathlon championship for the Wildcats.

Along with Distin and Hufnagel, who was fifth at last year’s Division 1 indoor high jump final in New Mexico, Georgia’s Elena Kulichenko – representing Cyprus – and American athletes Jenna Rogers from Nebraska and Cierra Allphin of Brigham Young are all returning first-team All-Americans.

Distin, who was unsuccessful at her previous 17 attempts to produce a 2-meter clearance before her lifetime-best performance in Arkansas, is seeking a fourth career high jump crown overall, along with the 2022 outdoor championship.

Arkansas’ Rachel Glenn, the 2021 outdoor high jump champion representing South Carolina, and 25-year-old Nigerian freshman Temitope Adeshina from Texas Tech are also strong title contenders.

Return of Ramsden creates intriguing scenarios

Harvard standout Maia Ramsden, the reigning NCAA Division 1 outdoor 1,500-meter champion, has the potential to compete for indoor titles in Massachusetts, with the New Zealand star entered in both the mile and 3,000.

But along her journey to compete Friday and Saturday at the TRACK at New Balance, Ramsden decided to travel to Scotland to race twice in the 1,500 at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, achieving a New Zealand national record of 4:06.51 in the semifinals, before taking 10th in the March 3 final in 4:06.88.

Ramsden is the only female athlete in collegiate indoor history with a pair of sub-4:07 indoor performances, as well as the lone women’s competitor with three indoor marks under 4:08.

But whether Ramsden will be able to continue her momentum remains to be seen, with the junior needing to overcome the fatigue from round-trip flights to the United Kingdom and back to Boston.

Ramsden was fifth in the indoor mile and placed eighth in the 3,000 last season in Albuquerque.

Gabby Thomas is the last Harvard women’s competitor to win a Division 1 indoor crown in any event, capturing the 200 championship in 2018. Meredith Rainey is the only Harvard female athlete to win any distance crown, securing victory in the 800 in 1990.

Ramsden is expected to be challenged in the mile by Kenyan athletes Flomena Asekol of Florida and Billah Jepkirui from Oklahoma State, in addition to fellow New Zealand standout Kimberley May of Providence, along with Washington’s Chloe Foerster.

The 3,000 field is potentially even deeper, including possible showdowns with Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich, Florida’s Parker Valby and Dutch athlete Amina Maatoug from Duke, all among the top eight competitors in collegiate indoor history. Ramsden is the No. 7 all-time NCAA indoor 3,000 performer.

Familiar faces in marquee sprint races

The outcome of the women’s 60-meter final and 200-meter championship races Feb. 24 at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Arkansas could be an indicator of similar results unfolding Saturday in Boston.

But there is also the potential for the tables to be turned in exciting rematches, with either scenario expected to once again showcase the depth of the strongest conference in the country.

LSU standout Brianna Lyston, a Jamaican competitor sidelined last year by injury, triumphed in the 60 final against Tennessee athlete Jacious Sears, the No. 2 all-time collegiate indoor performer at 7.04.

Lyston ran 7.07 on Jan. 26 at the Razorback Invitational at Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas, then returned to the same straightaway to clock 7.08 to capture the conference title.

Georgia’s Kaila Jackson, runner-up last year in the 60 final in Albuquerque, is also scheduled to compete in Boston, as well as Sears – who took third – and fifth-place finisher Jadyn Mays from Oregon.

South Carolina freshman JaMeesia Ford won the SEC title in the 200 in 22.36, matching her American Under-20 indoor record from Feb. 10 at Clemson.

Arkansas had Rosey Effiong, Jamaican athlete Nickisha Pryce and British competitor Amber Anning all finish in the top five, with McKenzie Long from Ole Miss taking third and Jackson securing sixth.

Long finished fourth, Mays placed fifth and Jackson earned eighth in last year’s 200 final in New Mexico.

Ford is looking to join Miki Barber in 2000 and Shalonda Solomon in 2006 as women’s indoor 200 champions for South Carolina.

Veronica Campbell-Brown, representing Jamaica, was the last 200 winner for Arkansas in 2004.

Felicia Brown captured the 200 championship for Tennessee in 2016, but the Volunteers are still seeking their first women’s 60 title.

Aleia Hobbs was the last 60 winner for LSU in 2018.

Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, representing the Bahamas, won a 200 championship for Georgia in 1996 and secured the 60 crown in 1999 for the Bulldogs.

Valby has aspirations for daunting double

Parker Valby has won NCAA Division 1 titles in cross country and the outdoor 5,000 meters, but the Florida standout is making her debut at an indoor final, in addition to attempting to win individual titles in consecutive days, something she has not yet achieved in her collegiate career.

Valby has only doubled up twice in her schedule representing the Gators, both times competing in the distance medley relay, in addition to the 3,000 meters, the first occasion in January 2022 at the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational in Kentucky and again Feb. 23-24 at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Arkansas.

But Valby is entered in Boston in both the 3,000 and 5,000, with the potential to become only the seventh female athlete in Division 1 indoor championship history to capture both titles in the same year.

North Carolina State’s Katelyn Tuohy achieved the distance double last season in Albuquerque, the first time a women’s competitor had won both crowns since Missouri’s Karissa Schweizer in 2018.

Providence’s Kim Smith (2004), Texas Tech’s Sally Kipyego (2007), Dartmouth’s Abbey Cooper (2013 and 2014), along with Notre Dame’s Molly Seidel (2016) also secured both championships.

Valby set the collegiate 5,000 record Dec. 2 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener by clocking 14:56.11 at Boston University. She ranks as the No. 5 all-time NCAA indoor competitor in the 3,000 at 8:42.29.

Although Valby is a significant favorite Friday in the 5,000, it won’t be an easy path Saturday to the 3,000 crown, with Notre Dame’s Olivia Markezich having run 8:40.42 to elevate to the No. 2 athlete in collegiate indoor history.

The 3,000 field could also include 2022 champion Taylor Roe from Oklahoma State, who took third last year, as well as Dutch competitor Amina Maatoug of Duke, plus New Zealand’s Maia Ramsden racing for Harvard and Kenyan athletes Billah Jepkirui from Oklahoma State, Flomena Asekol of Florida and Hilda Olemomoi from Alabama.

Hurdling highlights set to return to spotlight

The 2022 Division 1 indoor final in the women’s 60-meter hurdles at the CrossPlex in Alabama was one of the deepest in NCAA history, consisting of champion Grace Stark from Florida, along with fellow All-Americans Jasmine Jones of USC, Rayniah Jones from Central Florida and LSU teammates Leah Phillips and Alia Armstrong.

Phillips was the only competitor among that exceptional field who returned to the NCAA championship race last year, finishing fourth in Albuquerque behind the exceptional trio of Jamaican athlete Ackera Nugent from Arkansas, Kentucky standout Masai Russell and Bahamian star Charisma Taylor competing for Tennessee.

Despite Nugent, Russell and Taylor all competing professionally this year, the entire group from the 2022 final has the potential to reunite in Saturday’s championship in Boston, led by Jasmine Jones, who is tied with Stark and former Clemson standout Brianna McNeal for the No. 3 all-time collegiate indoor competitor at 7.78.

Armstrong is No. 6 in NCAA indoor history at 7.81, with Rayniah Jones tied for No. 16 at 7.90.

Phillips produced a personal-best 7.95 to earn another All-America first-team honor last season.

Oregon sophomore Aaliyah McCormick, who secured sixth last year in New Mexico, is seeking her first career sub-8 performance after clocking 8.01 last season.

Chanel Brissett was the last women’s 60 hurdles champion from USC in 2019, with Stark looking to become the first two-time winner since McNeal achieved the feat for Clemson in 2011 and 2013.

Armstrong is attempting to join Joyce Bates (1999) and Lolo Jones (2003) in winning a 60 hurdles crown for LSU.

Spectacular sweep has a nice ring to it

Jalani Davis of Ole Miss joined Florida’s Candice Scott (2002 and 2005) as the only female athletes in Southeastern Conference Championships history to win both the weight throw and shot put titles in the same year when she completed the difficult double Feb. 23-24 in Arkansas.

Davis, the reigning Division 1 women’s indoor weight throw champion, has the potential to become the first female competitor to sweep both events in NCAA finals history Thursday and Saturday in Boston.

With the weight throw competition being moved up from Friday in order to be showcased on the infield instead of inside the throwing cage at the TRACK at New Balance, Davis is trying to become the first back-to-back winner in the event since Louisville’s D’Ana McCarty in 2009-10.

If Davis is able to defend her crown in a field that includes teammate Jasmine Mitchell and the Minnesota tandem of Shelby Frank and Annie Nabwe, she will have plenty of motivation in the shot put following a ninth-place performance in Albuquerque last year.

Davis gave Ole Miss consecutive weight throw championships last year, following Shey Taiwo’s victory in 2022 in Alabama. Mitchell and Davis are both strong contenders for the title Thursday, looking to help the Rebels join South Carolina (1996-98) and Florida (2002-05) as the only women’s programs to capture at least three straight weight throw crowns.

Kaitlyn Long was the last women’s indoor weight throw winner in 2018 for Minnesota.

Raven Saunders was the last women’s indoor shot put champion in 2017 for Ole Miss.

Davis is expected to face significant challenges in the shot put from Dutch athlete Alida Van Daalen from Florida, in addition to Oregon’s Jaida Ross and Colorado State’s Mya Lesnar, the only competitor to surpass the 19-meter mark this season with her lifetime-best 62-8 (19.10m) performance Feb. 24 at the Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships in New Mexico.

Mariam Kevkhishvili, representing the country of Georgia, captured three consecutive indoor shot put titles for Florida from 2008-10.

Colorado State and Oregon are both seeking their first women’s indoor shot put crowns.

Rose could be thorn in Stanford’s side

Stanford teammates Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker were able to hold off LSU standout Michaela Rose in the 800-meter final at last year’s Division 1 indoor championship meet.

But Rose earned a measure of revenge in June at the NCAA outdoor final in Texas by capturing the 800 crown, setting the stage for another impressive showdown in Boston. She is attempting to become the first LSU female athlete to capture an indoor 800 championship since Jamaican standout Natoya Goule in 2013.

Rose is the No. 2 all-time collegiate indoor competitor with her 1:59.25 effort from Feb. 24 at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Arkansas.

Willis is No. 3 in NCAA indoor history at 1:59.93, with Whittaker at No. 4 all-time at 2:00.05, both of those marks achieved in last year’s championship race in New Mexico.

Houston’s Kelly-Ann Beckford, representing Jamaica, in addition to Lithuanian athlete Gabija Galvydyte from Oklahoma State and Australian standouts Carley Thomas of Washington and Penn State’s Hayley Kitching are also expected to be in contention.

Former Texas A&M star Athing Mu holds the collegiate indoor record of 1:58.40 from the 2021 SEC indoor final in Arkansas.

Willis is attempting to become the first female athlete to win back-to-back indoor 800 championships since Raevyn Rogers achieved the feat for Oregon in 2016-17.

No Moore, but still plenty of versatility in horizontal jumps

One of the most difficult acts to follow for any female athletes on the runway Friday and Saturday will be the remarkable double achieved last year in Albuquerque by former Florida standout Jasmine Moore, who set collegiate indoor records in the long jump with a leap of 23-0.75 (7.03m) and triple jump with a 49-7.25 (15.12m) effort.

Jamaican standout Ackelia Smith, who won the NCAA women’s outdoor long jump title in June for host Texas at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin with a 22-7 (6.88m) performance, is entered in both events in Boston, along with Swedish competitor Emilia Sjostrand of San Jose State and Russian athlete Victoria Gorlova from Virginia Tech.

Smith is trying to follow former Texas standout and reigning World indoor gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall by winning the Division 1 indoor long jump crown for the Longhorns.

Telisa Young was the last indoor triple jump champion for Texas, winning back-to-back titles in 1993-94.

Sjostrand, a first-team All-American in the indoor triple jump and outdoor long jump for the Spartans, has the potential to become the first NCAA women’s champion for San Jose State.

John Carlos captured the indoor 55-meter dash title in 1969, Felix Bohni won the men’s indoor pole vault in 1983 and Fred Schumacher triumphed in the men’s weight throw in 1987 for San Jose State.

Gorlova is also seeking the first indoor long jump or triple jump title for Virginia Tech.

Texas Tech’s Ruta Lasmane, representing Latvia, is looking to follow the triple jump championship won in 2021 by former teammate and Nigerian standout Ruth Usoro.

USC’s Temitope Ojora, a British competitor, and Kenyan athlete Winny Bii of Oklahoma State are also expected to challenge for the triple jump title.

Florida’s Claire Bryant, Stanford’s Alyssa Jones and Norwegian competitor Ida Breigan from Texas-San Antonio are strong contenders for the long jump crown, in addition to Texas A&M’s Joniar Thomas, representing Grenada, and Baylor’s Alexis Brown.