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Three Sentences Or Less: 2023 D1 NCAA Outdoor Championship Men's 800 Meters Preview
- Finn Birnie
- Jun 6, 2023
- 7 min read
Written by Finn Birnie, edits and additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin
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Editor's Note: Our TSR writers were asked to produce three sentences or less of analysis on every entrant in every distance event for every division. We will be slowly rolling out these previews leading up to the outdoor national meet. Stay tuned!
The below names are ordered by seeding (via qualifiers list)
1. Aidan McCarthy (Cal Poly)
This Mustang middle distance star has continued to get better and better under the new direction of Coach Ryan Vanhoy. He has been a consistent 1:47 (800) performer this season, but he truly stamped his authority over the half-mile event with a blazing 1:46.26 mark at the West Regional Championships to secure the overall win. While this may be McCarthy’s first-ever NCAA Championship, he is going to be a handful for his competitors given his ability to thrive in essentially any race scenario thrown at him.
2. Sam Whitmarsh (Texas A&M)
This still-young Aggie ace usually comes up big when the field is loaded and he proved that both this season and last spring with a pair of silver medals over 800 meters at the SEC Championships. Whitmarsh is an aggressive front-runner who has the ability to hang on to the front pack rather than fade. Look for him to apply the pressure early in Austin, Texas.
3. Abdullahi Hassan (Wisconsin)
Abdullahi Hassan is a runner who has flashed so much potential throughout the years, but he finally looks like a complete, national-caliber 800 meter runner this spring. He has been as clutch as they come for the Badgers and he boasts some valuable experience on the national stage. He should fare relatively well in a race that is fast from the gun or requires some quick turnover at the end.
4. Crayton Carrozza (Texas)
Texas middle distance star Crayton Carrozza is someone who you could argue as a legitimate national title contender this weekend. The silver medalist over 800 meters from the NCAA Indoor Championships has been terrific this season, flexing both speed and strength as he has mastered the art of doubling on championship stages. The Longhorn star is in the best shape of his life and if he is within striking distance of the leaders with 200 meters to go, then you could see Carrozza take home NCAA gold.
5. Christopher Conrad (Missouri)
Christopher Conrad is a true veteran of the game and this certainly isn't his first rodeo. The Tiger talent has been having the best season of his life and his run at the West Regional Championships was nothing short of remarkable, ultimately posting a 1:46 (800) PR. We don't always know what we're going to get out of Conrad, but he has never looked this good before.
6. Matthew Erickson (Oregon)
Within a three-day span, Oregon's Matthew Erickson went from being a "good" runner to one of the top 800 meter runners in the West region. A PR in both the prelims and the finals at the West Regional Championships, en route to an overall personal best of 1:46, was enough to propel him to his first NCAA Championship. No one has momentum quite like Erickson right now, although his limited experience and out-of-nowhere PRs make him quite the wild card as we go into the national meet.
7. Sam Ellis (Washington)
Washington star Sam Ellis is as versatile as a Swiss Army knife. His combination of speed, strength, race IQ and experience has allowed him to excel this season over 800 meters. We saw him earn bronze over 1500 meters at last year's outdoor national meet, leaving us with some comfort that he can put himself in an All-American position yet again in 2023.
8. AJ Green (Kansas)
Kansas standout AJ Green has been having a season to remember, battling with the best men in the nation over the last few months. Numerous 1:47 (800) clockings prove that he is consistent and can handle an honest pace. While he may lack the championship experience relative to some of his competitors, he has at least proven that he can be fairly reliable.
9. Kash Powell (Long Beach State)
Kash Powell has been the breakout star of the season. Going from 1:51 to 1:47 over 800 meters in just four races is nothing short of remarkable. He is an extremely exciting prospect with a ton of upside, although he has never faced a field that could apply this much pressure on him.
10. Yusuf Bizimana (Texas)
Texas superstar Yusuf Bizimana is the reigning indoor 800 meter national champion and is the national title favorite for this weekend. Simply put, he is "that guy". His deadly speed, seriously underrated strength and refined tactical awareness leaves his opponents with very few possibilities in terms of how they could pull off an upset.
11. Mehdi Yanouri (Oklahoma State)
Former JUCO star Mehdi Yanouri has been electric for the Cowboys this spring and three 1:46 clockings over 800 meters make him one of the most consistent athletes in the nation for this distance. Yanouri has put together validating performance after validating performance, showcasing a high level of consistency. He'll likely be viewed as an All-American favorite, although the jump from the JUCO level to the D1 national stage could be a challenge.
12. Jacob Rodin (North Dakota State)
Jacob Rodin is another middle distance standout who has been mighty consistent this spring with numerous 1:47 and 1:48 efforts over 800 meters. The North Dakota State veteran is a fierce competitor who has taken down some of the nation's finest on the outdoor oval. He is certainly an underdog, but he is also far better than some people may realize.
13. Nicholas Plant (Virginia Tech)
Hokie rookie Nick Plant has had a breathtaking freshman season thus far. A stunning victory over 800 meters at the ACC Championships was impressive enough (en route to a 1:47 PR), but to do it in the manner that he did was incredible. Plant comes into the national meet with a significant lack of championship experience, but he has been racing like an established veteran as of late rather than a wide-eyed youngster.
14. Will Sumner (Georgia)
For a true freshman, Will Sumner's talent level and tactical understanding are beyond incredible. He knows exactly where and when to make his moves and he looks effortless in doing so. His SEC half-mile title came as no surprise, and despite his inexperience, he cannot be dismissed as a national title contender.
15. Navasky Anderson (Miss State)
If anyone can go toe-to-toe with Texas ace Yusuf Bizimana, it's Mississippi State standout Navasky Anderson who may have the most raw talent over 800 meters in this field. Anderson looks to be in fine form this spring despite his limited schedule. Don't be surprised if he tries to employ another aggressive front-running racing style as he attempts to get ahead (and stay ahead) of Yusuf Bizimana.
16. Tarees Rhoden (Clemson)
Clemson middle distance star Tarees Rhoden is a very exciting athlete to watch. His front-running tactics can sometimes be overly aggressive, but he doesn't fade nearly as hard as other athletes would with that approach. He is a major x-factor heading into this weekend, but an All-American accolade is certainly in the cards for him.
17. Sean Dolan (Villanova)
Sean Dolan is a seasoned veteran over the 800 meter distance and he has been quietly piecing together yet another strong campaign around the oval. An adept racer who is comfortable with both tactical and time trial-esque settings, this Villanova standout may still be due for his best performance of the season. And if you look at his history, Dolan usually peaks for championship races.
18. Tiarnan Crorken (Ole Miss)
Tiarnan Crorken has always been a nationally competitive middle distance runner, but this season, he has been more electric than ever. The British half-miler is a sound tactician who also has no issues with a fast race (as evidenced by his 1:46 PR at the Texas Relays). The Rebel standout was an All-American at this distance back in the winter of 2022, but may be better equipped for the national stage now than he was back then.
19. Ahmed Kadri (Eastern Kentucky)
Ahmed Kadri is possibly going to have the busiest weekend of his life as he attempts the extraordinary steeplechase/800 meter double. The Colonel distance talent handled the unprecedented double seemingly with ease at the East Regional Championships. However, trying to handle that double yet again (in fields that will be far more competitive) leave us uncertain about what we should expect from him this week/weekend.
20. Conor Murphy (Virginia)
Conor Murphy is a jack of all trades, dabbling between the 800 meters and the 1500 meters at a nationally competitive level. Look for Murphy to use his strength and versatility to navigate the rounds, much like he did at the indoor national meet where he became an All-American in the mile.
21. Olivier Desmeules (Penn State)
The BIG 10 indoor 800 meter champion has had a fairly turbulent season, but was able to produce when it really mattered, and that is why he is going to the NCAA Championships in his first individual event. When he's in top form, this Nittany Lion ace is very hard to beat in a tactical setting, something that he showed throughout the winter months. He's a bit of an underdog, but not by as big of a margin as some would think.
22. Baylor Franklin (Ole Miss)
One of the most experienced half-milers in this field, this Rebel veteran is no stranger to the bright lights that is the NCAA Championship. A master at navigating the rounds, Baylor Franklin could legitimately be a top-five All-American if he's prepared for how the finals unfold (assuming he qualifies). Remember, this is a guy who has run 1:45 (800) before during the summer of 2022, something that makes him incredibly dangerous in this field.
23. Dugion Blackman (Hampton)
This rising Pirate star has been sailing under the radar for some time now, but let it be known that he has been stacking great performance after great performance. Dugion Blackman’s consistency and ability to read races as they unfold is what ultimately helped him qualify for his first NCAA Championship. He is another name who is unafraid to keep things honest, so don't be surprised if you see him near the front during the prelims in Austin, Texas.
24. Handal Roban (Penn State)
Handal Roban may just be the cream of the crop when it comes to the super-talented Penn State 800 meter crew. The bronze medalist in this event from the indoor national meet has been superb this spring, thriving in a variety of race settings. However, for consistent as he has been, he'll likely need to crack the 1:47 (800) barrier to return to his All-American ways.
