With USA titles the past 2 seasons plus the AR and Paris Olympic gold, Masai Russell is the 100H favorite. (VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN)
FEARLESS FORECASTING as of April 21 — In a year without an Olympic Games or World Championships, USATF will not be choosing a Team USA. Nonetheless, we expect the national championships (Randalls Island, New York, July 23–26) to be a high-level affair as athletes seek to boost their WA Rankings and enhance their sponsor-contracts.
From the exceedingly tenuous vantage point of 13 weeks out, here’s our Top 10 charting for each women’s event at USATF. The listing of an athlete in a discipline doesn’t guarantee she’ll contest that event (or events). The number in the right-hand column represents the athlete’s placing in last year’s U.S. Rankings as compiled by T&FN:
100 METERS
1.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
(Nike)
1
2.
Jacious Sears
(Nike)
2
3.
Kayla White
(Nike)
5
4.
Sha’Carri Richardson
(Nike)
3
5.
TeeTee Terry
(Nike)
6
6.
Victoria Cameron
(Tarleton State)
nr
7.
Tamari Davis
(adidas)
7
8.
Samirah Moody
(USC)
8
9.
Jenna Prandini
(Puma)
10
10.
Mia Maxwell
(Texas HS)
nr
200 METERS
1.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
(Nike)
1
2.
Anavia Battle
(adidas)
2
3.
Gabby Thomas
(New Balance)
4
4.
Brittany Brown
(Nike)
3
5.
McKenzie Long
(adidas)
5
6.
Madison Whyte
(USC)
7
7.
Cambrea Sturgis
(adidas)
nr
8.
JaMeesia Ford
(South Carolina)
6
9.
Tamari Davis
(adidas)
10
10.
Mariah Maxwell
(Texas HS)
nr
400 METERS
1.
Aaliyah Butler
(Nike)
3
2.
Bella Whittaker
(On)
2
3.
Lynna Irby-Jackson
(adidas)
4
4.
Gabby Thomas
(New Balance)
5
5.
Alexis Holmes
(Nike)
6
6.
Madison Whyte
(USC)
nr
7.
Sanaria Butler
(Arkansas)
nr
8.
Britton Wilson
(adidas)
7
9.
Rosey Effiong
(unattached)
8
10.
Bailey Lear
(Nike)
nr
800 METERS
1.
Addy Wiley
(adidas)
5
2.
Roisin Willis
(New Balance)
2
3.
Sage Hurta-Klecker
(On AC)
1
4.
Maggie Congdon
(Nike Swoosh)
3
5.
Meghan Hunter
(Nike Swoosh)
6
6.
Ajee’ Wilson
(unattached)
8
7.
Valery Tobias
(Brooks Beasts)
nr
8.
Juliette Whittaker
(Stanford)
nr
9.
Michaela Rose
(LSU)
10
10.
Analisse Batista
(Arkansas)
nr
1500 METERS
1.
Nikki Hiltz
(lululemon)
1
2.
Emily Mackay
(New Balance)
3
3.
Elle St. Pierre
(New Balance Boston)
nr
4.
Sinclaire Johnson
(Nike Swoosh)
2
5.
Gracie Morris
(Puma)
nr
6.
Heather MacLean
(New Balance)
4
7.
Riley Chamberlain
(BYU)
nr
8.
Taryn Parks
(adidas)
nr
9.
Dani Jones
(New Balance)
6
10.
Laurie Barton
(Atlanta TC)
8
STEEPLE
1.
Lexy Halladay-Lowry
(Nike)
1
2.
Angelina Napoleon
(NC State)
2
3.
Kaylee Mitchell
(Nike)
3
4.
Gabbi Jennings
(adidas)
7
5.
Courtney Wayment
(On AC)
6
6.
Sophie Novak
(Notre Dame)
10
7.
Taylor Lovell
(BYU)
nr
8.
Gracie Hyde
(Puma)
nr
9.
Val Constien
(Nike)
8
10.
Angelina Ellis
(Under Armour/Dark Sky)
9
5000 METERS
1.
Shelby Houlihan
(unattached)
1
2.
Jane Hedengren
(BYU)
9
3.
Margot Appleton
(New Balance Boston)
nr
4.
Jenna Hutchins
(BYU)
nr
5.
Kayley DeLay
(Brooks)
nr
6.
Sydney Vaught
(Nike)
nr
7.
Hayley Burns
(Northern Arizona)
nr
8.
Courtney Frerichs
(Nike)
nr
9.
Josette Andrews
(On AC)
2
10.
Bailey Hertenstein
(Nike)
5
10,000 METERS
1.
Jessica McClain
(Brooks)
5
2.
Elise Cranny
(Nike)
1
3.
Taylor Roe
(Puma Elite)
3
4.
Weini Kelati
(Under Armour/Dark Sky)
4
5.
Allie Buchalski
(Brooks Beasts)
nr
6.
Karissa Schweizer
(Nike)
nr
7.
Katie Camarena
(Saucony)
nr
8.
Amanda Vestri
(Brooks)
nr
9.
Grace Hartman
(NC State)
6
10.
Everlyn Kemboi
(unattached)
7
100 HURDLES
1.
Masai Russell
(Nike)
2
2.
Grace Stark
(adidas)
1
3.
Alia Armstrong
(unattached)
7
4.
Keni Harrison
(adidas)
3
5.
Alaysha Johnson
(unattached)
6
6.
Tonea Marshall
(Nike)
5
7.
Danae Dyer
(Hurdle Mechanic)
nr
8.
Christina Clemons
(unattached)
8
9.
Aaliyah McCormick
(Oregon)
nr
10.
Destiny Huven
(Hurdle Mechanic)
9
400 HURDLES
1.
Anna Cockrell
(Nike)
2
2.
Jasmine Jones
(unattached)
1
3.
Akala Garrett
(South Carolina)
5
4.
Dalilah Muhammad
(Nike)
3
5.
Amelia Birdow
(Texas)
nr
6.
Bianca Stubler
(TBBTC)
7
7.
Sanaa Hebron
(Miami)
10
8.
Allya Garozzo
(unattached)
nr
9.
Abbey Glynn
(unattached)
9
10.
Arianna Smith
(Garden State TC)
nr
HALF-MARATHON WALK (by Michael J. Roth)
1.
Lauren Harris
(Walk USA)
1
2.
Maria Michta-Coffey
(Oiselle/Walk USA)
3
3.
Katie Burnett
(Harrier TC)
2
4.
Izabelle Trefts
(Evergreen)
nr
5.
Miranda Melville
(New York AC)
4
6.
Lydia McGranahan
(unattached)
6
7.
Stephanie Casey
(unattached)
7
8.
Ruby Ray
(Walk USA)
8
9.
Katie Miale
(New England Walkers)
9
10.
Angelica Harris
(Chicago Walkers)
5
HIGH JUMP
1.
Vashti Cunningham
(Nike/Red Bull)
1
2.
Charity Hufnagel
(unattached)
2
3.
Sanaa Barnes
(unattached)
3
4.
Alyssa Jones
(Stanford)
8
5.
Anna Hall
(adidas)
5
6.
Emma Gates
(Arizona)
6
7.
Rachel Glenn
(Arkansas)
4
8.
Jenna Rogers
(unattached)
7
9.
Inika McPherson
(unattached)
nr
10.
Morgan Smalls
(unattached)
nr
POLE VAULT
1.
Sandi Morris
(Puma)
2
2.
Katie Moon
(Nike)
1
3.
Hana Moll
(Washington)
4
4.
Chloe Timberg
(unattached)
8
5.
Emily Grove
(unattached)
5
6.
Jessica Mercier
(unattached)
nr
7.
Amanda Moll
(Washington)
3
8.
Brynn King
(unattached)
7
9.
Gabriela Leon
(Puma)
6
10.
Molly Haywood
(Baylor)
nr
LONG JUMP
1.
Tara Davis-Woodhall
(Nike)
1
2.
Claire Bryant
(adidas)
2
3.
Jasmine Moore
(Puma)
3
4.
Lexi Brown
(Nike)
6
5.
Monae’ Nichols
(unattached)
7
6.
Sophia Beckmon
(Illinois)
10
7.
Alyssa Jones
(Stanford)
5
8.
Quanesha Burks
(unattached)
4
9.
Alexandra Kelly
(Princeton)
nr
10.
Tionna Tobias
(unattached)
nr
TRIPLE JUMP
1.
Jasmine Moore
(Puma)
1
2.
Agur Dwol
(unattached)
2
3.
Kayla Woods
(Garden State TC)
nr
4.
Ryann Porter
(unattached)
nr
5.
Mylana Hearn
(unattached)
4
6.
Tamiah Washington
(Texas Tech)
8
7.
Euphenie Andre
(unattached)
3
8.
Arianna Fisher
(unattached)
5
9.
Destini Smith
(Kansas State)
nr
10.
Skylynn Townsend
(Georgia)
6
SHOT
1.
Chase Jackson
(Nike)
1
2.
Jaida Ross
(Nike)
3
3.
Jessica Ramsey
(adidas)
4
4.
Jessica Woodard
(Iron Wood TC)
5
5.
Abria Smith
(unattached)
9
6.
Akaoma Odeluga
(Mississippi)
10
7.
Abby Moore
(unattached)
8
8.
Adelaide Aquilla
(unattached)
nr
9.
Maggie Ewen
(Nike)
2
10.
Mya Lesnar
(unattached)
6
DISCUS
1.
Valarie Sion
(Asics/New York AC)
1
2.
Lagi Tausaga
(unattached)
2
3.
Cierra Jackson
(unattached)
3
4.
Veronica Fraley
(unattached)
6
5.
Erika Beistle
(unattached)
8
6.
Gabi Jacobs
(unattached)
4
7.
Shelby Gustaveson
(unattached)
5
8.
Jayden Ulrich
(adidas)
7
9.
Rachel Dincoff
(unattached)
nr
10.
Elena Bruckner
(unattached)
9
HAMMER
1.
DeAnna Price
(Nike/NYAC)
1
2.
Brooke Andersen
(Nike)
2
3.
Rachel Richeson
(unattached)
4
4.
Madi Malone
(Velaasa)
nr
5.
Jillian Shippee
(unattached)
6
6.
Erin Reese
(Velaasa)
9
7.
Janeah Stewart
(New York AC)
7
8.
Jalani Davis
(unattached)
8
9.
Janee’ Kassanavoid
(Nike)
3
10.
Annette Echikunwoke
(Nike)
5
JAVELIN
1.
Madison Wiltrout
(unattached)
1
2.
Evie Bliss
(Bucknell)
2
3.
Maddie Harris
(unattached)
3
4.
Shea Greene
(Princeton)
9
5.
Eleanor Patrick
(Alabama)
nr
6.
Katelyn Fairchild
(Texas A&M)
nr
7.
Sarah Blake
(unattached)
4
8.
Skylar Ciccolini
(Missouri)
nr
9.
Jada Green
(unattached)
8
10.
Alexa Schwartz
(Florida State)
nr
HEPTATHLON
1.
Anna Hall
(adidas)
1
2.
Taliyah Brooks
(Asics)
2
3.
Erin Marsh
(VS Athletics)
6
4.
Timara Chapman
(unattached)
7
5.
Allie Jones
(unattached)
4
6.
Lexie Keller
(VS Athletics)
9
7.
Katie Eidem
(unattached)
8
8.
Avery Rhoads
(VS Athletics)
nr
9.
Michelle Atherley
(unattached)
3
10.
Jadin O’Brien
(Notre Dame)
5
About the author: we’re never quite sure where reclusive Special Projects Editor Roy Conrad will show up next, although he is halfway to retirement at this point.
