2020 NCAA DIII Men’s Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 7
NEW ORLEANS – Entries for the 2020 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships were officially released last night, so it’s high time to check out what the National Rating Index projects to happen this weekend in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
According to the National Rating Index, top-ranked UW-Eau Claire, second-ranked Loras, third-ranked UW-Oshkosh, fourth-ranked Washington (Mo.) and fifth-ranked UW-La Crosse all put themselves in a perfect position to contend for the podium on the men’s side.
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UW-Eau Claire is seeking its first indoor national title since it went back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. The Blugolds bring 11 entries with them to the JDL Fast Track with three headlining their respective events – Dylan Cooper in the heptathlon, Kyler Lueck in the 800 and the 4×400 relay. That’s not counting the fact that UW-Eau Claire also has the top-3 athletes in the mutli when you throw in No. 2 Abrahm Schroedl and No. 3 Marcus Weaver.
Loras jumped two spots from the previous week and has nine entries into the meet. The Duhawks, who are hoping to win their first national title in program history, are led by Patrick Mikel, who is the top-ranked athlete in both the 200 and 400 and is a member of the second-ranked 4×400 relay. Mike Jasa is also expected to be a big contributor for Loras in the Tar Heel State in the 800.
UW-Oshkosh dropped two spots from Week 6 to Week 7 despite having the most entries to the meet out of any men’s team with 16. For the Titans to get back on top of the podium for the first time since 2009, they’ll need big efforts from Jonathan Wilburn (No. 1 in the triple jump) as well as seven other men who are ranked right at the cusp of the top-10 in their events.
Washington (Mo.) owns 13 entries into the meet with three of them ranked in the top-3 nationally – Brad Hodkinson at No. 3 in the 3000 and Nick Matteucci at No. 2 in the mile and as a member of the No. 2 DMR team. Eleven of the Bears’ 13 entries are on the track.
UW-La Crosse slid two spots from No. 3 to No. 5 and is no stranger to performing when the pressure is high. The Eagles have won 18 indoor national titles over the years with their last coming in 2017. For UW-La Crosse to capture No. 19, it will take a big effort – but it has grown accustomed to expecting big points from national leader Andrew Jarrett in the weight throw.
Here are the rest of the teams in the top-10 in Week 7: No. 6 MIT, No. 7 Mount Union, No. 8 Williams, No. 9 UW-Whitewater and No. 10 Wartburg. Never count out the Purple Raiders, as they won the national title in 2018 and finished runner-up to North Central (Ill.) last year. And look out for the Knights, who charged up eight spots since the previous week.
Be sure to check back later this week as we’ll have much more on the 2020 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships!
