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One Sentence Previews: 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships Men's 800 Meters (D1)

  • Gavin Struve
  • Mar 8, 2022
  • 3 min read

Additional contributions by Garrett Zatlin


1. Brandon Miller (Texas A&M)

The most significant favorite in any distance event, Miller’s front-running style and superior talent means that he could run away from the field en route to his first NCAA title.


2. Moad Zahafi (Texas Tech)

The Texas Tech star likely has the best chance of knocking off Miller given his 1:44 credentials, but limited NCAA experience means that he has a wide range of possible.


3. John Rivera (Ole Miss)

Rivera seems like he has a silver or bronze medal in reach if he maintains his consistency, but he could also be the main title pick if Miller falters for some reason.


4. Jonathan Jones (Texas)

Jones is incredibly talented and proved that after running 1:46 earlier this year, but he has only contested one collegiate 800 meter race before this weekend and that inexperience could be a hinderance for him on the national stage, especially if the prelims or finals turn tactical.


5. Kieran Taylor (Arkansas)

Taylor is a shrewd veteran runner who is probably the best pick outside of the favorites to finish as an All-American given his tactical savvy, extensive experience and recent breakthrough season.


6. Yusuf Bizimana (Texas)

Equally adept at the mile, Bizimana’s incredible strength and underrated positioning skills should make him a favorite to earn his third All-American honors in as many tries.


7. Aman Thornton (Clemson)

A breakout talent in the same vein of former Clemson Tiger Kameron Jones, Thornton has tons of raw talent, but his inexperience racing at an elite level is a bit concerning and his latest effort the ACC Indoor Championships didn't alleviate any of those concerns.


8. Ayman Zahafi (Miami)

Despite this being his first year at the D1 level, we like Zahafi’s All-American odds given how he has transitioned from the D2 realm, showing off impressive consistency this winter.


9. Luis Peralta (Oregon)

The Oregon ace seems due for a major performance if he can put his national meet struggles behind him and combine his experience from those meets with the middle distance prowess that he has demonstrated this winter.


10. Miles Brown (Michigan)

A true freshman and now Michigan’s school record holder, Brown has as high a ceiling as any in this field, and while he likely won’t take the crown this year, we like him to make the final and hang with the contenders given his brief, but impressive track record.


11. Cole Lindhorst (Texas)

Viewed more as a miler while at Air Force, Lindhorst has stepped down in distance since returning to his home state and he arguably has a better body of work in this event than his higher-seeded teammates, making him a solid All-American candidate.


12. Sean Dolan (Villanova)

The BIG East champion at this distance was an All-American in the mile last year and should be able to use his knack for strategic racing to give himself a shot at making the finals and earning All-American honors.


13. Cole Johnson (Michigan)

The experienced Wolverine veteran proved during his breakout season that he has the skill and tactical acumen to hang with the nation’s most elite middle distance talents, but will he be able to handle the pressure of his first-ever national meet?


14. Marco Vilca (Texas Tech)

A backend qualifier for the second year in a row as just a sophomore, Vilca has valuable national meet experience on his resume, but he also has a history of underwhelming in conference meets and national meets.


15. Tiarnan Crorken (Ole Miss)

A skilled miler, Crorken has stuck to the two-lap affair in his first NCAA season, and his 1:46 PR from last summer implies he should be taken more seriously as an All-American contender despite his lower seed.


16. Sam Austin (Florida)

Austin is a true freshman who has been at his best in loaded races, meaning that he could find himself in a favorable situation at the NCAA Indoor Championships, especially in a fast heat as a time qualifier.


Final Predictions:

  1. Brandon Miller (Texas A&M)

  2. John Rivera (Ole Miss)

  3. Moad Zahafi (Texas Tech)

  4. Kieran Taylor (Arkansas)

  5. Yusuf Bizimana (Texas)

  6. Sean Dolan (Villanova)

  7. Luis Peralta (Oregon)

  8. Miles Brown (Michigan)

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