TSR's 2023 D1 Indoor Track End of Season Awards

Written by Garrett Zatlin, votes via TSR D1 staff

Welcome back to a trimestrial classic, our End of Season Awards!

Below, we listed our five seasonal awards for the men and five seasonal awards for the women. These awards are a way to highlight the accomplishments of certain individuals from the entirety of this indoor track season. You'll also find our criteria for each of these awards as we list our nominees.

In the second-half of this article, you'll find the votes from our TSR contributors (click that link if you want to skip all of the summary parts). D2 and D3 awards are in the works!

Let's begin...

*Redshirt freshmen are not considered for this award. Athletes who have freshman eligibility stemming from the pandemic extension are not included in this award. International freshmen are included amongst these candidates unless we have a reason to believe that they do not meet our above criteria. Athletes who began their NCAA eligibility last spring and are competing in their first season of indoor track are considered true freshmen.

Nominees: Will Sumner (Georgia), Handal Roban (Penn State), Isaiah Givens (Colorado), Gary Martin (Virginia), James Donahue (Virginia), Abraham Longosiwa (Hofstra), Viven Henz (Harvard)

Will Sumner (Georgia)

Sure, he was a superstar high school talent, but to see Will Sumner win an SEC title over 800 meters, run 1:47 and make the finals on the national stage is beyond impressive. Admittedly, he did falter in the finals last weekend, but that SEC title is hard to ignore.

Handal Roban (Penn State)

This Nittany Lion star was one of numerous middle distances standouts on Penn State's roster. Roban was also insanely consistent this winter, running 1:47 for 800 meters four different times! He peaked beautifully on the national stage and after a DQ, received a very unexpected bronze medal on the national stage.

Isaiah Givens (Colorado)

This Colorado rookie was the only true freshman to qualify for the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships. After running a 3:59 mile mark earlier in the season, the Buffalo youngster ran a massive 3:55 PR just before the national meet. However, due to an illness, Givens did not toe the line last weekend.

Gary Martin (Virginia)

It's no surprise that Gary Martin is among these candidates. The UVA ace was fantastic in his first indoor track season, running 3:56 (mile) and acting as a highly valuable DMR piece. Not all of his races were perfect, but the Pennsylvania native got his collegiate indoor track career off to a great start.

James Donahue (Virginia)

In a recruiting class headlined by Gary Martin, it felt like James Donahue came into the NCAA being slightly overlooked. And sure enough, he ended up running a 3:57 mile PR earlier this season while also placing 4th in the mile at the ACC Indoor Championships. For a rookie, he was very consistent over that distance.

Abraham Longosiwa (Hofstra)

The men's 5k, nationally, featured essentially zero true freshmen in the upper-ranks...except for one. Hofstra standout Abraham Longosiwa ran 13:39 (5k) at Boston University earlier this season, making him the only true rookie to run under 13:45 for that distance this winter. Sure, he had minor moments of inconsistency, but no true freshman stood out from their fellow rookies in a singular event like Longosiwa did in the 5k.

Viven Henz (Harvard)

The 1500 meter ace from Luxembourg delivered on high expectations this winter, running 3:57 in the mile with an aggressive front-running style at Boston University. In fact, he ran 3:57 twice on that same track! Paired with a 3rd place finish at the Ivy League Indoor Championships, you could argue that Henz was just as consistent as Givens was in the mile this winter.

*Redshirt freshmen are not considered for this award. Athletes who have freshman eligibility stemming from the pandemic extension are not included in this award. International freshmen are included amongst these candidates unless we have a reason to believe that they do not meet our above criteria. Athletes who began their NCAA eligibility last spring and are competing in their first season of indoor track are considered true freshmen.

Nominees: Roisin Willis (Stanford), Juliette Whittaker (Stanford), Hayley Kitching (Penn State), Klaudia Kazimierska (Oregon), Riley Chamberlain (BYU), Taylor Rohatinsky (BYU), Billah Jepkirui (Oklahoma State), Natalie Cook (Oklahoma State)

Roisin Willis (Stanford)

She ran 1:59 for 800 meters...twice. One of those being at altitude. She won a national title over a teammate who also ran one of the fastest times in collegiate history. She was a pivotal member of a DMR lineup that won NCAA gold. Naturally, you can see why Willis is favored to win this award.

Juliette Whittaker (Stanford)

It's true, Willis has gotten the better of Whittaker in their two 800 meter battles this season. But Whittaker has arguably been just as valuable/productive. The Stanford rookie not only ran 2:00 (800) twice -- once being at altitude en route to an NCAA silver medal -- but she also ran 4:33 in the mile and was able to double back from the 800 meter prelims to help the Cardinal women secure NCAA gold in the DMR.

Hayley Kitching (Penn State)

She may not be the same half-mile star that Willis and Whittaker are, but Hayley Kitching deserves your respect. The Nittany Lion rookie ran 2:06 for 800 meters back in late January and then stuck around the 2:03 to 2:04 range for the rest of the season. That, in turn, led to her earning silver at the BIG 10 Indoor Championships.

Klaudia Kazimierska (Oregon)

It doesn't feel like Klaudia Kazimierska is a true freshman given her poise and dominance this winter. The Oregon ace was phenomenal in the mile this winter, earning a clutch 4:32 PR in the event just four hours after splitting 3:16 for 1200 meters on the lead-off leg of the Ducks' DMR. A 6th place All-American finish in the mile last weekend completes a very strong resume for this Polish middle distance runner.

Riley Chamberlain (BYU)

We knew that Riley Chamberlain had the potential to be a top talent for BYU, but we didn't expect her to reach that point as a true freshman. The rookie ace ran 4:33, 4:34 and 4:36 in the mile this season (as well as 4:43 on the national stage). Chamberlain was also an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Indoor Championships and even though she struggled, she shattered expectations this winter.

Taylor Rohatinsky (BYU)

Yet another pleasant surprising for BYU this winter was Taylor Rohatinsky. The true freshman caught fire as early as December and carried that momentum into the rest of the season. Marks of 4:33 and 4:37 in the mile allowed Rohatinsky to be in contention for a national qualifying spot, although she scratched out of that event to focus on the DMR. And when you combine her DMR value with her open mile value, it's easy to see why this Cougar youngster is listed among our candidates.

Billah Jepkirui (Oklahoma State)

There wasn't a single bad result on Billah Jepkirui's resume this winter. She first ran 2:49 (1k), then ran 4:35 (mile) and then ran 9:04 (3k) and 4:39 (mile) at the same meet. The Kenyan recruit would later post a 4:37 mile time at the BIG 12 Indoor Championships to win gold and earn a 4:34 altitude conversion. Jepkirui was arguably the most dynamic rookie among this group over the last few months.

Natalie Cook (Oklahoma State)

Outside of Willis and Whittaker, it would be safe to say that Natalie Cook's 5k effort from back in December was the most impressive rookie performance that we saw this winter. A personal best of 15:24 for that distance is insanely fast, but the Cowgirl rookie also struggled throughout the rest of the season. Cook was absent from competition, was a DNF at the Husky Classic and finished last in the 5k on the national stage. And yet, despite all of that, her 5k PR from December still keeps her in consideration.

*Evaluates nationally competitive distance talents who were not expected to make the leaps in fitness that they did this winter. Prior seasons are used as a very loose comparison tool when attempting to list nominees. Does not include true freshmen or athletes who were in their first season (not necessarily of indoor track) of NCAA competition.

Nominees: Mahamed Sharif (UConn), Conor Murphy (Virginia), Luke Houser (Washington), Ronan McMahon-Staggs (UCLA), Ethan Strand (North Carolina), Liam Murphy (Villanova), Aidan Ryan (Washington), Lexington Hilton (Arkansas), Ethan Brouw (New Mexico)

Mahamed Sharif (UConn)

Going into the Boston University Last Chance meet, Mahamed Sharif was already having a breakout season, running 1:48 for 800 meters (just a day before) and consistently posting 1:49 marks prior to that. But then the Husky star ran an incredible and unexpected 1:46 mark over the half-mile distance. That was enough to get him to the national stage where he finished 12th overall.

Conor Murphy (Virginia)

Make no mistake, Conor Murphy was plenty talented before this indoor track season. However, nothing on his resume suggested that he would be this good, this dynamic and this much of an All-American contender. He had only run 1:48 (800) prior to this winter, but then went on to run 1:47...twice. He also earned a huge 3:55 mile PR which allowed him to advance to the national stage and earn 6th place All-American honors. His prior mile PR was 4:00, a time that he posted last spring on the outdoor oval.

Luke Houser (Washington)

Look, don't get us wrong, Luke Houser was already a talented, nationally competitive name prior to this season. But despite being an All-American talent last spring (5th at the outdoor national meet), we didn't expect him to run times of 3:52 (mile) and 7:46 (3k) and then go on to win the national title over an extremely top-heavy field.

Ronan McMahon-Staggs (UCLA)

The consistently of someone who was so new to this level of competition was super impressive. Ronan McMahon-Staggs thrived this winter, posting times of 3:57 then 3:56 and then 3:54 in the mile. He also ran 1:48 for 800 meters. The national meet was the only time he didn't dip under four minutes this season and when you think about his victory over former Campbell/Arkansas star Amon Kemboi, it's easy to say that this UCLA standout was one of the biggest breakout runners of the season.

Ethan Strand (North Carolina)

We knew that Ethan Strand was talented and that he would one day be a nationally competitive name. However, we didn't necessarily know when that would happen and how much of a nationally competitive he would actually be. But then the Tar Heel star ran 3:55 (mile) and split 3:53 on the anchor leg of his DMR. Strand later ran 7:46 over 3000 meters to upset teammate Parker Wolfe for the ACC title before helping North Carolina earn a 6th place finish in the DMR at the NCAA Indoor Championships. What a pleasantly surprising season for this Alabama native...

Liam Murphy (Villanova)

Much like Ethan Strand, we felt confident that Liam Murphy was going to improve this winter. However, what we didn't expect was for him to become a multi-faceted distance star. The Villanova sophomore ran 3:55 in the mile and 7:45 for 3000 meters while helping the Wildcats secure one of the top times in the nation in the DMR. For a guy who ran 3:59 (mile) and 8:07 (3k) last winter, that's a big-time jump.

Aidan Ryan (Washington)

Yes, it's true, Aidan Ryan was a D3 legend before he even finished his time at Williams. Times of 3:56 (mile) and 7:54 (3k) made it known that he could be competitive in any division. But after running no faster than 3:59 in his mile debut for this season, Ryan then ran a 7:53 (3k) PR and a jaw-dropping 3:53 (mile) PR. That latter mark put Ryan on the national stage after seemingly being a non-factor for most of the winter months.

Lexington Hilton (Arkansas)

Sure, Lexington Hilton may not have been one of the national meet participants like the guys above him were, but his progression was still outstanding. At Arkansas State, he held times of 8:07 (3k), 14:10 (5k) and and 29:20 (10k). Now? He has run 3:58 (mile) and 7:48 (3k), taking down top talents this season like Michael Power, Joey Nokes, Aidan Troutner, Devin Hart, Anthony Camerieri and more.

Ethan Brouw (New Mexico)

Arguably one of the more underappreciated middle or long distance talents in the NCAA this winter, Ethan Brouw had an unbelievable breakout season. Prior to this year, the Lobo runner had never gone faster than 1:51 (800) on the outdoor oval or 1:51 (800) on the indoor oval (the latter being at altitude). But in 2023, Brouw ran 1:48 at altitude and then ran 1:47 at the Husky Classic to secure his spot to the indoor national meet. Few men were more pleasantly surprising than he was this season.

*Evaluates nationally competitive distance talents who were not expected to make the leaps in fitness that they did this winter. Prior seasons are used as a very loose comparison tool when attempting to list nominees. Does not include true freshmen or athletes who were in their first season (not necessarily of indoor track) of NCAA competition.

Nominees: Michaela Rose (LSU), Kelly-Ann Beckford (Houston), Wilma Nielson (Bradley), Katherine Mitchell (Boston College), Annika Reiss (Northern Arizona), Margot Appleton (Virginia), Sadie Sargent (BYU), Jasmine Fehr (Tennessee), Sarah Carter (Colorado State)

Michaela Rose (LSU)

Some of you will say, "Wait, but Michaela Rose was already nationally competitive last spring! She had already run 2:02 (800) coming into this season." And that's true! Rose was a top talent as just a rookie last spring. But the leap from "good" to "great" to "elite" is EXTREMELY hard to deliver on. And frankly, Rose is now in the "all-time" great territory for 800 meters strictly based on her times. Marks of 2:01 and 2:00 (twice) ultimately leading to a bronze medal on the national stage is a jump not too many people expected.

Kelly-Ann Beckford (Houston)

It was no secret coming into this year that Kelly-Ann Beckford was talented. She was, after all, the D2 800 meter champion from last spring. But after transferring to Houston, we weren't sure how her 2:05 PR in the half-mile event would hold up at the D1 level. Of course, Beckford would go on to run times of 2:09 then 2:05 then 2:04 and then 2:02, the latter eventually allowing her to qualify for the national meet.

Wilma Nielsen (Bradley)

Wilma Nielsen already held a strong half-mile time prior to joining the Braves (running 2:02). She was even a surprise national qualifier in this event during the spring of 2021. But Nielsen hadn't run anywhere near 2:02 over the last few seasons...until this winter. The Bradley ace ran 2:02 for 800 meters and also posted three 2:03 marks as well (en route to All-American honors). But what really shocked us was her incredible 2:38.95 (1k) effort which legitimately scared the NCAA record. And for those reasons, Nielsen has a shot at winning this award.

Katherine Mitchell (Boston College)

Much like Nielsen, we always knew that Katherine Mitchell was talented. She had run 2:04 for 800 meters last spring and even qualified for the outdoor national meet as well. But no one could have expected her to run a nine-second PR over 1000 meters (2:44), win the ACC title in the 800 meters with a new PR (2:03) and then run 4:35 in the mile after running no faster than 4:50 last winter. On paper, Mitchell may be the most improved in terms of every aspect of her resume.

Annika Reiss (Northern Arizona)

We knew that Annika Reiss had made improvements this past fall, but she had never run faster than 4:46 (converted or unconverted) coming into this season. That, however, all changed after Reiss ran a converted 4:36 mile mark, improved that to 4:33 with another conversion and then surprisingly emerged as an All-American in the event despite being one of the last seeds.

Margot Appleton (Virginia)

Virginia's Margot Appleton began to show signs that she was a nationally competitive name last spring, running 4:17 for 1500 meters...but what she did this winter blew us away. The Cavalier ace ended up running 4:33 (mile) and 9:00 (3k converted) before going to the national meet and earning a monumental 4th place finish in the mile at the indoor national meet. Appleton was already "good" coming into this season, but she skipped "great" and went straight to "outstanding".

Sadie Sargent (BYU)

One of our favorite runners here at TSR, Sadie Sargent had herself an incredible winter campaign. The BYU runner had a solid cross country season, but ventured to the indoor oval with modest personal bests of 4:47 (mile) and 9:11 (3k). Those times, of course, were ultimately destroyed. Sargent ended up running 4:35 and 4:36 in the mile as well as 8:57 and 8:59 for 3000 meters. The rising BYU star would ultimately qualify for the indoor national meet in the 3k, adding to the long list of exciting surprises on the Cougars' roster.

Jasmine Fehr (Tennessee)

Jasmine Fehr, a former Portland runner who now competes for Tennessee, was always a fine distance talent, but she wasn't even remotely nationally competitive when you look back at her times. But whatever Coach Sean Carlson did ultimately worked as Fehr threw down unbelievable personal bests of 9:09 (3k) and 15:38 (5k). She wouldn't compete on the national stage after pulling out due to a rumored injury, but almost no woman in this group improved more (quantitatively) than she did.

Sarah Carter (Colorado State)

Read this...makes sense why she's listed here, huh?

*Must have run attached at least once this winter. Multiple races over the span of a certain timeframe do not count as a lone "performance". However, performances that are amplified by the results of other meets/individuals with appropriate context are included. TSR writers can vote for the performance that they believe is either the most impressive, the most entertaining or the most surprising.

Nominees: Yusuf Bizimana's late kick gives him NCAA title over 800 meters after Navasky Anderson DQ, Anass Essayi nearly misses NCAA mile record with 3:50 PR, Joe Waskom runs 3:51 mile PR to lead seven other Huskies under four-minutes, Luke Houser stuns the NCAA by winning tactical mile national title, Drew Bosley runs NCAA 3k record of 7:36, Dylan Jacobs runs 13:11 (5k) for NCAA #3 all-time mark (indoors), Ky Robinson runs brilliant 5k race en route to 13:11 PR and win at Boston University, Fouad Messaoudi runs perfect race to win 3k national title, Ryan Schoppe splits 3:52 on the anchor leg to give Oklahoma State's DMR an NCAA record

Yusuf Bizimana's late kick gives him NCAA title over 800 meters after Navasky Anderson DQ

Yes, Navasky Anderson's DQ is the reason why Bizimana is being listed for this award. But to be clear, that DQ was warranted. Plus, the way that this Texas star timed his move and executed in the final moments of that race was brilliant. Truthfully, there's a good argument that the Longhorn talent would have won anyways even if he was't impeded.

Anass Essayi nearly misses mile record with 3:50 PR

It's not just that Anass Essayi ran some insanely fast time that gets him listed for this award. It's the fact that he also ran well enough to be competitive for the win in a narrow battle to the line. It's one thing to get dragged to an elite mark, but it's another thing to post an elite mark while still being competitive for the win.

Joe Waskom runs 3:51 mile PR to lead seven other Huskies under four-minutes

It's true, we don't consider overall team efforts as a "singular" performance for these awards. However, competition does improve the context of certain results. And if I had told you coming into this season that someone would run a 3:51 mile PR and fend off seven other sub-four milers in the process, you would be stunned if they weren't listed in this category by the end of the season.

Luke Houser stuns the NCAA by winning tactical mile national title

If Joe Waskom wasn't going to win the mile national title, then Anass Essayi was going to (and vice versa). And if the race was super tactical and played out properly, then guys like Isaac Basten had a real shot at gold. But truthfully, no one really gave Luke Houser a chance to win it all despite running a 3:52 mile PR coming into the national meet. And even though he was leading from the front, Houser was still able to make perfectly-timed moves en route to a stunning NCAA mile title victory.

Drew Bosley runs NCAA 3k record of 7:36

Strictly in terms of time, you can't deny that this was the best performance of the season. We knew Drew Bosley was talented, but we didn't think he was going to run 7:36 for 3000 meters, easily breaking the former record set by Yared Nuguse from a year prior. And that surprise factor is what makes this nomination that much harder not to vote for.

Dylan Jacobs runs 13:11 (5k) for NCAA #3 all-time mark (indoors)

In December, five collegiates ran top-10 all-time marks over 5000 meters. But if I had told you that none of those men would end up as the fastest collegiate in the country this season, you would have probably been surprised. That's what makes Dylan Jacobs' 13:11 (5k) from Boston University so impressive. Even in a year as insanely loaded as this, he still posted the fastest time.

Ky Robinson runs brilliant 5k race en route to 13:11 PR and win at Boston University

Sure, Ky Robinson's 13:11 (5k) PR was just the slightest bit slower than Dylan Jacobs' NCAA-leading mark in the event, but Robinson's overall finish (a win) arguably gives him a slightly better result than what Jacobs earned. Robinson was nearly perfect in his execution during that December-time race and took down a loaded field en route to the victory.

Fouad Messaoudi runs perfect race to win 3k national title

Tactically, this may have been the best race of the season. Fouad Messaoudi sat right behind Drew Bosley last weekend in the men's 3000 meters. And before Bosley could get to the line, Messaoudi swung off the curve to get a stride or two ahead of the NAU star for NCAA gold.

Ryan Schoppe splits 3:52 on the anchor leg to give Oklahoma State's DMR an NCAA record

Yes Ryan Schoppe split an incredibly fast time on the anchor leg and yes, Oklahoma State's DMR got the NCAA record. But what really made this result so impressive was that Ryan Schoppe pulled away from a 3:52 miler (Kieran Lumb) in the final moments of the race despite starting just a few strides behind him. That is why this performance is listed among these other nominees.

*Must have run attached at least once this winter. Multiple races over the span of a certain timeframe do not count as a lone "performance". However, performances that are amplified by the results of other meets/individuals with appropriate context are included. TSR writers can vote for the performance that they believe is either the most impressive, the most entertaining or the most surprising.

Nominees: Roisin Willis wins 800 meter national title in 1:59 at altitude, Katelyn Tuohy runs NCAA mile record of 4:24, Katelyn Tuohy runs NCAA 3k record of 8:35, Katelyn Tuohy splits 4:23 on anchor leg of NC State's DMR to finish 3rd at ACC Indoor Championships, Juliette Whittaker holds off Lauren Gregory's big surge on anchor leg of DMR to win national title, Olivia Howell stuns the country by winning mile national title over Lauren Gregory

Roisin Willis wins 800 meter national title in 1:59 at altitude

A true freshman running 1:59 for 800 meters at altitude en route to an NCAA gold medal over one of the most top-heavy fields in collegiate history a day after running two 800 meter races. That should be enough of a reason why this performance is listed among these nominees.

Katelyn Tuohy runs NCAA mile record of 4:24

No woman in NCAA history had ever run under 4:25 in the mile...until Katelyn Tuohy. Yes, her NCAA mile record of 4:24 is super impressive, but it feels even more impressive when you consider that Tuohy has gernerally been viewed as an aerobic-centric talent.

Katelyn Tuohy runs NCAA 3k record of 8:35

The previous NCAA 3k record was 8:41. Katelyn Tuohy ran 8:35. No, that's not a typo. Tuohy smashed the previous collegiate record by six seconds, taking down a handful of upper-tier pro athletes at the Millrose Games. Heck, she even got competitive with Alicia Monson and Whittni Orton towards the tail-end of that race!

Katelyn Tuohy splits 4:23 on anchor of NC State's DMR to finish 3rd at ACC Championships

When Katelyn Tuohy got the baton in the DMR at the ACC Indoor Championships, the Wolfpack women were completely out of contention for the win. A handful of superstar anchors were carrying the baton for other teams and NC State was just too far back. But then Tuohy slowly climbed up the field, clicking off ridiculous splits to a point where we asked, "Could she actually win this?" The NC State women placed 3rd, but that 4:23 anchor split was arguably one of the most impressive performances that we saw from this phenom talent this winter.

Juliette Whittaker holds off Lauren Gregory's big surge on DMR anchor leg to win NCAA gold

It's hard to say who this award should actually go to. But it was Juliette Whittaker, a true freshman who was coming back from the 800 meter prelims, on the anchor leg who got the overall win for Stanford's DMR. And while Gregory's split was faster, the true Cardinal rookie overcame a major challenge to bring home a very clutch win.

Olivia Howell stuns the country by winning mile national title over Lauren Gregory

This may not have been the single-fastest distance result that we saw this winter, but it was arguably the best executed race and maybe the most entertaining. And by some standards, that may equal being the "Best Performance" of the season. Olivia Howell was, after all, a massive underdog and timed her kick at the end perfectly to upset Lauren Gregory. A 4:34 mile mark en route to NCAA gold roughly converts to 4:28.

*Considers performances throughout the entirety of the 2023 indoor track season. Success relative to seasonal expectations or success relative to historical accolades of the program are factored into account when listing nominees.

 Nominees: Andy Powell (Washington), Dave Smith (Oklahoma State), Chris Miltenberg (North Carolina), Vin Lananna (Virginia), Ricardo Santos (Stanford), Jeremy Sudbury (Iowa State), John Gondak (Penn State), Marcus O'Sullivan (Villanova)

Andy Powell (Washington)

Eight men (seven attached) who ran 3:55 or faster in the mile. Four of those men scored in the mile last weekend, including the national title winner, Luke Houser. Both Nathan Green and Cass Elliott ran sub-1:47 for 800 meters, the latter contesting the event on the national stage. The Huskies posted the second-fastest DMR time ever, smashing the old record. Kieran Lumb and Brian Fay both ran 7:43 for 3000 meters. The former was an All-American in that event and the latter also ran 13:16 for 5000 meters (NCAA #10 all-time). Naturally, you can see why Powell is nominated...

Dave Smith (Oklahoma State)

Sure, Oklahoma State may not have had the same depth as Washington, but their firepower was arguably just as good (and in some respects, better). Fouad Messaoudi evolved into someone who was one of the best distance runners in the NCAA while Ryan Schoppe now sits among the top-15 of that group. Alex Maier, in what wasn't even his best season, still ran 7:43 (3k) and 13:11 (5k) en route to two All-American honors. Juan Diego Castro ran 2:20 (1k), Hafez Mahadi ran 1:48 (800) and the Cowboys easily broke the NCAA DMR record, taking down the Huskies in the process. This was one heck of a season for Dave Smith who developed and peaked his athletes better than most coaches did.

Chris Miltenberg (North Carolina)

Sure, everyone knows how great Parker Wolfe is (he finished 5th in the 5k last weekend), but the rise of Ethan Strand and Jesse Hunt gave this team some high-powered options. Strand ran 3:55 (mile) and 7:46 (3k) while Hunt ran 2:20 (1k) and 3:56 (mile). Both men won ACC titles and they were both part of the Tar Heels' DMR that earned All-American honors (and ran 9:19 earlier this season). Tack on veteran Jack Aho who was quietly excellent this winter, running 3:59 (mile) and 7:49 (3k), and you can't help but give Chris Miltenberg a ton of credit for what he has done with this group.

Vin Lananna (Virginia)

This nomination is pretty straight forward. The Cavaliers had five men -- Conor Murphy, Wes Porter, Gary Martin, James Donahue and Nathan Mountain -- run under four minutes in the mile this season, most of them by a lot. Murphy ended up being a dynamic All-American while Derek Johnson complemented this group with his 13:39 (5k) PR.

Ricardo Santos (Stanford)

Yes, we all know how great Ky Robinson, Charles Hicks and Cole Sprout are. But truthfully, this wasn't their best season. However, what Ricardo Santos has done is begin to build-out a foundation that doesn't solely rely on his three-headed superstar monster. Thomas Boyden ran 3:57 in the mile. Devin Hart ran 13:29 for 5000 meters (and qualified for the national meet). John Lester ran 1:46 (800) and 3:58 (mile), qualifying for the national meet in the former event. And now suddenly, Stanford isn't reliant on just three guys anymore -- they are surprisingly well-rounded.

Jeremy Sudbury (Iowa State)

Nehemia Too (3:57) and Chad Johnson (3:59) were solid milers and Johnson even ran as fast as 13:33 for 5000 meters back in December. But the real reason why Jeremy Sudbury is listed here is because of his incredible work with Iowa State's 800 meter runners. Jason Gomez and Cebastian Gentil both ran 1:46, Darius Kipyego and Peter Smith both ran 1:47 and Emanuel Galdino ran 1:49. That's four guys under 1:48 for 800 meters and five guys under 1:50.

John Gondak (Penn State)

The Nittany Lions were the only team in the NCAA that could match Iowa State's middle distance depth and prowess. In fact, they may have actually been deeper! Penn State had SIX men run 1:48 or faster this season over 800 meters. Oliver Desmeules and Handal Roban went 1-2 at the BIG 10 Championships over that distance before Roban earned bronze on the national stage. Oh, and according to TFRRS, those six men consist of four freshmen, one sophomore and one junior. Is "800U" back?

Marcus O'Sullivan (Villanova)

Yet another Pennsylvania-based middle distance powerhouse is Villanova. Liam Murphy evolved into a true star, running 3:55 (mile) and 7:45 (3k), while Charlie O'Donovan and Sean Dolan ran 3:56 and 3:57 in the mile, respectively. Tack on a 1:47 (800) mark from Dolan who also ran 2:20 (1k), as well as a top-ranked DMR lineup, and it's fair to say that Marcus O'Sullivan capitalized on the upper-tier talents that his roster boasted this winter.

*Considers performances throughout the entirety of the 2023 indoor track season. Success relative to seasonal expectations or success relative to historical accolades of the program are factored into account when listing nominees.

Nominees: Diljeet Taylor (BYU), Maurica Powell (Washington), Shalane Flanagan (Oregon), Laurie Henes (NC State), JJ Clark (Stanford), Nick Stenuf + Staff (Alabama), Dave Smith (Oklahoma State), Matt Sparks (Notre Dame), Joe Franklin (New Mexico)

Diljeet Taylor (BYU)

The BYU women should not have been this good considering how young they were. Freshmen Riley Chamberlain and Taylor Rohatinsky looked like top-tier veterans in the mile. Sadie Sargent evolved into a true national-caliber name. Lexy Halladay-Lowry became far more versatile. McKenna Lee ran 15:45 for 5000 meters. Jenna Hutchins began to rebound from a slow start to her collegiate career. Aubrey Frentheway was a top-10 runner in the 5k this winter. Claire Seymour somehow peaked again to earn All-American honors. Alena Ellsworth was one of the better half-milers in the NCAA this season despite not qualifying for the national meet. What an unbelievable coaching job by Diljeet Taylor.

Maurica Powell (Washington)

Up until the national meet, the Washington women were on fire. Carley Thomas looked as sharp as ever and seemed to be a good candidate for All-American honors in the 800 meters. Marlena Preigh made phenomenal progress in her 800 meter times to qualify for the national meet. Sophie O'Sullivan was a vital piece for Washington's DMR and also ran 4:33 in the mile. Anna Gibson also emerged as one of the most consistent milers in the NCAA. Oh, and the Huskies ran the NCAA record in the DMR...not too shabby, huh?

Shalane Flanagan (Oregon)

This season was all about development for the Oregon women, but they still found significant success with Izzy Thornton-Bott, Klaudia Kazimierska and Maddy Elmore. The former two qualified for the national meet as individuals while Elmore gave the Ducks a third competitive miler with a new PR of 4:35. That's largely where our discussion ends, but this was a very good first year for Shalane Flanagan.

Laurie Henes (NC State)

I mean, what more can we really say? Laurie Henes is just awesome. Katelyn Tuohy is an all-time phenom. Kelsey Chmiel is one of the most reliable postseason veterans in the NCAA. Sydney Seymour peaked when she absolutely had to. Sam Bush ran 8:54 for 3000 meters and helped the NC State women earn All-American honors in. theDMR. We even saw Grace Hartman show promise with a 4:39 mile PR. Simply put, it was business as usual for Laurie Henes and the NC State women.

JJ Clark (Stanford)

There is a very good argument for JJ Clark to win this award. Yes, his elite rookie duo of Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker were beyond incredible this winter, but it's not just those two women who give Clark a shot at winning this award. Instead, it was his decision-making. Clark's decision to put Melissa Tanaka on the lead-off leg of their DMR is probably what won them the national title. To know that he could put both Willis and Whittaker back on the DMR on a double and STILL win the national title was also bold (but it worked). Separately, Riley Stewart ran 4:37 (1600), Melissa Tanaka ran 4:37 (mile) and Ellie Deligianni ran 4:39 (mile). And with Zofia Dudek qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 5k, it's hard to dislike anything about this roster.

Nick Stenuf + Staff (Alabama)

This one is a little bit tricky. The Alabama women definitely deserve to have a coach listed among these nominees. But with Will Plamer's departure to Florida and Nick Stenuf's late hire, it's hard to know exactly who should be listed here. Regardless, Hilda Olemomoi and Mercy Chelangat were elite as always while Flomena Asekol was so much better than we were expecting her to be, earning a bronze medal last weekend. And yes, since she ran in an Alabama singlet this winter, Amaris Tyynismaa's 8:55 (3k) time is factored into this nomination.

Dave Smith (Oklahoma State)

The core of this team was largely three women, but that trio turned out to be a very good group. Gabija Galvydyte, despite some late-season struggles, ran 4:32 in the mile back in December and was a key DMR piece. Taylor Roe was a superstar as always, earning bronze in the 3k at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Billah Jepkirui turned out to be excellent in nearly every distance, ultimately thriving as a competitive name in the mile. And when you throw in some promising development from Sivan Auerbach, we thought it would be best to list Dave Smith for this award.

Joe Franklin (New Mexico)

The Lobos weren't quite as dominant as a few of their past distance teams have been, but they still had plenty of firepower and great depth. Amelia Mazza-Downie (15:18), Gracelyn Larkin (15:37), Samree Dishon (15:45 converted) were awesome in the 5k. Meanwhile, Stefanie Parsons (4:34) and Elise Thorner (4:37 converted) gave this team a respectable presence in the mile. Overall, it was another very solid year for a deep roster.

*Must have run attached this season. Voters can choose to vote for the best distance runner this season or the most valuable distance runner this season.

Nominees: Dylan Jacobs (Tennessee), Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State), Drew Bosley (Northern Arizona), Anass Essayi (South Carolina), Joe Waskom (Washington), Luke Houser (Washington), Yusuf Bizimana (Texas)

Dylan Jacobs (Tennessee)

Dylan Jacobs ran the fastest 5k time in the nation this winter and just barely missed the 3k collegiate record. He also went on to win the 5k national title while earning an All-American honor in the 3k. It isn't ridiculous to suggest that Jacobs was the best distance runner in the NCAA this year, but will our writers see him as the "Most Valuable"?

Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State)

Being part of a record-breaking DMR, a national title-winning DMR and securing a 3k national title, all while flexing tremendous times and great tactics this winter, makes it really hard not to pick Fouad Messaoudi for this award. The only possible thing holding him back is that his seasonal times, while incredible, aren't necessarily the near-record-breaking marks that Bosley, Jacobs, Essayi and Waskom hold.

Drew Bosley (Northern Arizona)

Breaking the 3k collegiate record has to hold a lot of weight, as does a 13:13 (5k) mark from December. And when you consider his front-running prowess, as well as his silver and bronze medals on the national stage, there may actually be an argument for Bosley to win this award.

Anass Essayi (South Carolina)

Anass Essayi was an absolute monster this season regardless of who he faced. He took Amos Bartelsmeyer to the line at Boston University, settling for a runner-up finish in a near-collegiate mile record of 3:50. That, of course, came just a few weeks after he ran 7:41 for 3000 meters. Sure, Essayi didn't win gold on the national stage (he placed 3rd in the mile), but his times from this season could match what we saw from Bosley or Jacobs.

Joe Waskom (Washington)

It would have been nice for Joe Waskom to be better than 4th place in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Even so, his 3:51 mile time was beyond impressive, especially when you consider who he beat. And when pairing that with his 2:18 (1k) mark, the middle distance talent that Waskom showed this winter is potentially the best of this bunch.

Luke Houser (Washington)

The first half of his season, while good, wasn't necessarily worthy of a "Most Valuable" vote. But then Luke Houser ran 3:52 in the mile and won the mile national title. And from February 26th to the indoor national meet, no one in this group performed better (overall) than Houser (largely because it was just two races).

Yusuf Bizimana (Texas)

Yes, he won the national title in the 800 meters off of a DQ, but if you look at what Bizimana did throughout this season, he is plenty of worthy of that win. He was the fastest man over 800 meters this season, clearly thrived at altitude and had the best speed in that national meet half-mile field.

*Must have run attached this season. Voters can choose to vote for the best distance runner this season or the most valuable distance runner this season.

Nominees: Katelyn Tuohy (NC State), Roisin Willis (Stanford), Juliette Whittaker (Stanford), Lauren Gregory (Arkansas), Taylor Roe (Oklahoma State), Amina Maatoug (Duke), Hilda Olemomoi (Alabama)

Katelyn Tuohy (NC State)

An NCAA record in the mile. An NCAA record in the 3k. A top-10 all-time mark in the 5k. A 4:23 anchor split on NC State's DMR. Two national titles that were won with ease. What more could you really want?

Roisin Willis (Stanford)

What an incredible year for Roisin Willis. The true freshman was undefeated in every individual race that she toed the line for. She only finished 2nd over 800 meters at the Razorback Invitational because someone else (Michaela Rose) ran faster in a different heat. Willis ran 1:59 for 800 meters TWICE. One of those times came at the national meet (at altitude) en route to gold...after running two races the day before. This will likely go down as one of the single-greatest freshman seasons that a middle or long distance runner has ever had in the NCAA.

Juliette Whittaker (Stanford)

Yes, it's true, Juliette Whittaker did fall behind Willis in their two head-to-head battles. Even so, running 2:00 on two separate occasions while earning silver at the NCAA Indoor Championships is still insanely impressive. And when you consider her mile prowess, running 4:33 in that event this winter, Whittaker actually offers greater versatility than Willis does.

Lauren Gregory (Arkansas)

Few women have meant more to their respective teams than what Lauren Gregory has meant to Arkansas. Her incredible and heroic DMR anchor legs have helped the Razorbacks become an elite relay when frankly, they didn't have the personnel to reach that point. She ran 4:31 in the mile this year and also bypassed the 5k at the indoor national meet despite running 15:34 for that distance (and she has run even than that faster before). Gregory barely missed gold in both the DMR and the mile last weekend which, admittedly, was tough to see for someone who has been so consistently great for so long.

Olivia Markezich (Notre Dame)

We knew that Olivia Markezich was going to be good this winter after she had a phenomenal cross country season. But when she opened up her indoor track campaign with a huge 8:50 (3k) mark, we realized that she was in store for something special. The Notre Dame star would largely focus on the mile and the DMR until the national meet as she developed her speed and ran a new 4:34 mile PR. And on the national stage, she once against utilized her underrated turnover to snag silver at the line from Taylor Roe over 3000 meters.

Amina Maatoug (Duke)

She may not have had a great national meet showing, but there's an argument that no distance runner in the NCAA, maybe not even Katelyn Tuohy, was more versatile than Amina Maatoug this winter. The newest Duke superstar ran times of 2:03 (800), 4:29 (mile converted) and 8:55 (3k) over the last few months. The Netherlands distance ace was also able to take on a challenging workload at the ACC Indoor Championships, contesting the DMR (1st), the 800 meters (3rd) and the 3k (2nd). In terms of utility, no team got more of that out of their top talent(s) than Duke did with Maatoug.

Hilda Olemomoi (Alabama)

Hilda Olemomoi was just really, really good this winter. There's just no other way to say it. She ran 15:17 (5k) at the beginning of the season and ran 8:45 (3k) towards the tail-end. The former JUCO star and current Alabama ace placed 2nd overall in the 5k at the indoor national meet and later placed 5th in the 3k. As far as raw talent goes, there wasn't any true long distance runner who could get closer to Tuohy than Olemomoi could.

Men

Garrett: Handal Roban (Penn State)

Maura: Handal Roban (Penn State)

Ben: Handal Roban (Penn State)

Finn: Handal Roban (Penn State)

Scotty: Handal Roban (Penn State)

Women

Garrett: Roisin Willis (Stanford)

Maura: Roisin Willis (Stanford)

Ben: Roisin Willis (Stanford)

Finn: Roisin Willis (Stanford)

Scotty: Roisin Willis (Stanford)

Men

Garrett: Ethan Brouw (New Mexico)

Maura: Liam Murphy (Villanova)

Ben: Luke Houser (Washington)

Finn: Luke Houser (Washington)

Scotty: Ethan Strand (North Carolina)

Women

Garrett: Jasmine Fehr (Tennessee)

Maura: Sarah Carter (Colorado State)

Ben: Michaela Rose (LSU)

Finn: Jasmine Fehr (Tennessee)

Scotty: Michaela Rose (LSU)

*Tie-broken via Maura Beattie

Men

Garrett: Drew Bosley runs NCAA 3k record of 7:36

Maura: Fouad Messaoudi runs perfect race to win 3k national title

Ben: Joe Waskom runs 3:51 mile PR to lead seven other Huskies under four-minutes

Finn: Ryan Schoppe splits 3:52 on the anchor to give Oklahoma State's DMR an NCAA record

Scotty: Drew Bosley runs NCAA 3k record of 7:36

Women

Garrett: Katelyn Tuohy runs NCAA 3k record of 8:35

Maura: Olivia Howell stuns the country by winning mile national title over Lauren Gregory

Ben: Katelyn Tuohy runs NCAA 3k record of 8:35

Finn: Olivia Howell stuns the country by winning mile national title over Lauren Gregory

Scotty: Olivia Howell stuns the country by winning mile national title over Lauren Gregory

Men

Garrett: Andy Powell (Washington)

Maura: Andy Powell (Washington)

Ben: Andy Powell (Washington)

Finn: Andy Powell (Washington)

Scotty: Andy Powell (Washington)

Women

Garrett: Diljeet Taylor (BYU)

Maura: Laurie Henes (NC State)

Ben: JJ Clark (Stanford)

Finn: JJ Clark (Stanford)

Scotty: JJ Clark (Stanford)

Men

Garrett: Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State)

Maura: Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State)

Ben: Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State)

Finn: Fouad Messaoudi (Oklahoma State)

Scotty: Dylan Jacobs (Tennessee)

Women

Garrett: Katelyn Tuohy (NC State)

Maura: Katelyn Tuohy (NC State)

Ben: Katelyn Tuohy (NC State)

Finn: Katelyn Tuohy (NC State)

Scotty: Katelyn Tuohy (NC State)