2020 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Preseason
NEW ORLEANS – It’s officially indoor season, which means its time for the first National Rating Index of the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field season. Competition began as early as November 29 and this weekend will be filled with action as teams open up their seasons.
The Tiffin men and Grand Valley State women are perched atop their respective indexes as the favorites to claim national titles at the 2020 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 13-14 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Past collegiate data is used to determine preseason rankings in NCAA Division II. Subsequent rankings use only season-best, qualifying-list information from the new season.
NCAA Division II — Men's Indoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Tiffin
Tiffin
2
Colo. School of Mines
Colo. School of Mines
3
Central Missouri
Central Missouri
4
Ashland
Ashland
5
Lincoln (Mo.)
Lincoln (Mo.)
All TFRI Reports
For the first time in program history, Tiffin is ranked No. 1 entering the indoor season. The Dragons will be on the hunt to win their third national title in the last five years, previously winning back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017.
The field events will be an area where the Dragons can score big points, led by Nikolas Curtiss as the top returner in the shot. Jonte Baker is the top returner in the 60 meters and will seek his second straight national title in the event.
Colorado School of Mines comes in at No. 2 for the second year in a row. The Orediggers will lean heavily on their distance runners after winning the team title at the the 2019 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships this past month, along with some expected strong performances in the pole vault and heptathlon.
Central Missouri is at No. 3, the program’s highest preseason ranking and ranked within the top-5 for just the second time in program history. The Mules will be dependent on its field events to earn a spot on the podium come March.
Ashland, the defending national champions, come into the new season ranked No. 4. That’s where the Eagles started a year ago and edged out Adams State by one point, 38-37, to bring home the program’s first national championship.
The strength of the Eagles continues to be in the throws, as they boast the top-3 returners in the weight throw in Alex Hill, Brent Fairbanks, and Nick Zak. The graduation of Myles Pringle leaves some big shoes to fill in the sprints, but the Eagles will look forward to a strong year from Trevor Bassitt. The junior comes in with the third best times in both the 60 meter hurdles and the 200 meters.
Ranked at No. 5 is Lincoln (Mo.). This is just the fourth time the Blue Tigers have been ranked in the top-5 during the preseason rankings.
NCAA Division II — Women's Indoor Track & Field
This Week's National Top Five
1
Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State
2
Lincoln (Mo.)
Lincoln (Mo.)
3
Adams State
Adams State
4
West Texas A&M
West Texas A&M
5
Missouri Southern
Missouri Southern
All TFRI Reports
Grand Valley State comes into the indoor season ranked No. 1 for the second year in a row thanks to its projected depth across the board.
The Lakers are expected to score big points in the distance events, with Allie Ludge and Hannah Groeber as the top returners in the 3000 and 5000, respectively. Bobbie Goodwin is also the top returner in the weight throw and look to win back-to-back national titles in the event.
Lincoln (Mo.) is ranked No. 2 in the preseason rankings for the second year in a row. The Blue Tigers have the top returner in three events – 60, 200 and the 60 hurdles.
Title defense begins at No. 3 for Adams State, as the Grizzlies seek their second consecutive national title, and fifth overall in program history. Adams State hopes to ride the momentum from its national title in cross country and rely on their distance events to stack up some points. A favorable result for them in March will put them in the conversation for the Triple Crown.
West Texas A&M enters the new season at No. 4 for the third consecutive year. The Lady Buffs previously won a national title in 2018 when it was also ranked No. 4 in the preseason.
Missouri Southern comes in at No. 5 for the program’s highest preseason ranking. The Lions best preseason rank was No. 16 in 2012, and have continued to climb the ranks over the course of the past three years – No. 36 in 2017, No. 22 in 2018, and No. 18 last year.
