2021 NJCAA Men's Indoor Track & Field Rating Index – Week 6

NEW ORLEANS – It’s finally here!
The 2021 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships start on Friday at the Robert W. Plaster Center in Pittsburg, Kansas. By the end of the day on Saturday, they’ll crown numerous individual champions as well as the all-important team champion.
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If the most recent installment of the Men’s National Rating Index is any indication of what you can expect, South Plains College is favored to win its first crown since 2018. Don’t be shocked if Iowa Central CC is right there with them, as the top-2 teams are separated by fewer than eight points, which isn’t much at all when it comes to the National TFRI.
South Plains (Texas) holds 23 national top-10 marks in 2021, including four that top their respective events: Seydi Sall in the 600, Romaine Beckford in the high jump, the 4×400 relay and the 4×800 relay, which just went 7:44.16 for the No. 1 spot this past weekend. While those athletes are considered favorites to win titles, Issac Hastings is ranked second in the 600, as is James Hampton in the high jump, Thomas Nieto in the pole vault and Nelvin Appiah-Konadu in the heptathlon.
Iowa Central CC has a wealth of top-10 marks – 24 of them, to be exact – with just one that tops the chart from Jaheem Hayes in the 60H. The Tritons will look to score big points in Kansas in the 1000, 60H, triple jump, shot put, weight throw and the heptathlon – all of which they have multiple athletes ranked in the top-10 nationally.
Cloud County CC could be a contender thanks to its prowess in the distance events, relays and the field. The third-ranked T-Birds have multiple top-10 athletes in the mile, 3000 and 5000, rank in the top-5 nationally in the 4×400, 4×800 and DMR, while also putting multiple athletes in the top-10 in the high jump and heptathlon. Also look out for Courtney Lawrence and Daniel Cope, who are title contenders in the shot put and weight throw, respectively.
Barton County CC turned in a number of strong marks this season, which will pay dividends this weekend. The fourth-ranked Cougars own 16 national top-10 marks, including multiples in the 200, 400, shot put and weight throw. Take a closer look at those top-10 athletes in the 400 and you’ll see that Barton County CC holds the top-3 spots with Ja’Kwan Hale (47.03c), Jevon O’Bryant (47.68c) and Gamali Felix (47.95) leading the charge.
Indian Hills CC rounds out the podium contenders thanks to its 10 national top-10 marks. The fifth-ranked Warriors hope for big things from Jackson Burnett this weekend. Burnett is top-2 in three different events, including a national leader in the 1000, to go along with No. 2 billing in the 800 and 1000. He is actually one of three Indian Hills CC athletes ranked in the top-5 of the 800, so that could be a big source of points for the team.
Here are the rest of the top-10 teams in Week 6: Coffeyville CC, No. 7 Cowley College, No. 8 Iowa Western CC, No. 9 New Mexico JC and No. 10 Northwest Kansas Tech.