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Three Sentences Or Less: 2023 D1 NCAA Outdoor Championship Women's 1500 Meters Preview
- Scotty Loughlin
- Jun 5, 2023
- 7 min read
Written by Scotty Loughlin, 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. Mia Barnett (UCLA)
Few women in the NCAA have been able to combine the firepower and tactical prowess that Mia Barnett has displayed since joining the UCLA Bruins. Her ceiling has raised in every race this season and she enters the national meet with the resume of someone who could finish in the top-four of the 1500 meter finals. Certain races of hers have been better than others, but for the most part, she is a very strong All-American pick.
2. Simone Plourde (Utah)
One of the most bullet-proof performers in the entire NCAA, Utah’s Simone Plourde has carried her momentum from a breakout indoor track season to the outdoor oval. Her elite closing speed and tactical brilliance should strike fear into anyone who finds themselves near this Ute prodigy at the bell lap. In theory, can she thrive in essentially any race scenario.
3. Klaudia Kazimierska (Oregon)
Among the breakout stars of 2023, Klaudia Kazimierska has bloomed into a reliable middle distance standout under Coach Shalane Flanagan. After earning an All-American honor in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships, this Polish Duck has elevated past the "dark horse" status and should be viewed as an All-American favorite going into Austin, Texas. The only question, however, is does she has enough upwards momentum to potentially compete for the national title this weekend?
4. Katelyn Tuohy (NC State)
Arguably the greatest distance running talent that the NCAA has ever seen, Katelyn Tuohy will attempt to deepen her treasure trove of trophies with a national title in the 1500 meters later this week. Her blend of elite fitness, high racing IQ and championship pedigree point to her being a heavy national title favorite. However, the more interesting development to watch will be how this race unfolds before Tuohy doubles back for the 5k.
5. Margot Appleton (Virginia)
The ACC champion over 1500 meters and an indoor All-American in the mile, Virginia’s Margot Appleton is a still-progressing star who has a nose for the finish line. With tactical intelligence and poise beyond her years, this Cavalier superstar may very well be the biggest threat to Katelyn Tuohy when it comes to NCAA gold.
6. Abbe Goldstein (New Mexico)
A national meet qualifier from a year ago, Abbe Goldstein has exhibited considerable improvement during her senior campaign. She will rely on her extensive experience and understanding of her competition to make a bid for her first-ever NCAA final.
7. Maddy Elmore (Oregon)
After testing the waters at every event from the 1500 meters to the 10k, Maddy Elmore has found a home in the metric mile. The redshirt freshman has truly broken out of the shadow of her superstar teammates following an out-of-nowhere 4:08 (1500) PR. Of course, trying to properly gauge expectations for this breakout talent is a bit tricky given that we had never seen her run anything close to 4:08 (1500) prior to the West Regional Championships.
8. Sophie O'Sullivan (Washington)
Rivaling Elmore and maybe Plourde as one of the biggest breakout performers in the PAC-12 this year, Washington’s Sophie O’Sullivan has rounded into the best form of her life. After a significant 4:08 (1500) PR at the West Regional Championships, she now has the potential to pick up her first All-American honor to accompany her rocket-fast times.
9. Lauren Freeland (Michigan State)
Making the most of the East Regional Championships, Lauren Freeland peaked at the perfect time and was able to run a 1500 meter personal best of 4:14 en route to her first national meet appearance on the outdoor oval. While not always super consistent, this Michigan State ace has had multiple moments where she has done fairly well in a tactical setting.
10. Kimberley May (Providence)
After raising eyebrows at the Raleigh Relays with a 1500 meter PR of 4:13, Kimberley May has followed the lead of fellow teammate Shannon Flockhart to become one of the most complete middle distance runners that the BIG East has to offer. With 2:42 speed for 1000 meters, May is a far greater threat to some of the top women in this field than a few people may realize.
11. Gabrielle Wilkinson (Florida)
A long-time veteran over 800 meters, Florida’s Gabrielle Wilkinson has leveled up her tactical prowess upon transitioning to a 1500 meter focus. She also holds more national meet experience than a majority of the women in this young field. Those intangibles will be invaluable when navigating championship rounds.
12. Maia Ramsden (Harvard)
While her 1500 meter personal best may not be atop the list of the women in this field, Maia Ramsden has proven time and time again that she is one of the most reliable performers that the NCAA has to offer. Her strength and racing IQ led her to two All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships and it would be short-sighted to not forecast the possibility of another pair of accolades being earned in Austin, Texas. And let's not forget, this Harvard star holds a mile PR of 4:31 from this past winter...
13. Izzy Thornton-Bott (Oregon)
Even after taking steps up in her fitness during the cross country and indoor track seasons, Izzy Thornton-Bott has found another gear this spring, setting personal bests in four events. The 1500 meters is her calling card and the Duck veteran will be able to rely on her prior NCAA experience to take a shot at her first All-American finish on the outdoor oval. And if the pace is fast, then this Oregon ace has a good shot of being able to put herself in contention after running her 4:08 (1500) PR twice this season.
14. Shannon Flockhart (Providence)
A returning All-American in this event, Providence’s Shannon Flockhart has transcended the moniker of being an exciting, up-and-coming talent and now garners the respect of an established, national-caliber star. The Friar ace has not lost an individual race during this entire outdoor track season, including preliminary heats, so it’s safe to say that she is as tactically sharp as she can be going into the national meet.
15. Billah Jepkirui (Oklahoma State)
It feels like Billah Jepkirui has been around the NCAA much longer than she actually has been due to her consistent dominance in the BIG 12 where she has won titles in the DMR, the mile and most recently, the 1500 meters. The skillset of this rising Cowgirl runner would benefit from a pace that’s not all-out from the gun, but also not a completely mellow sit-and-kick affair. Look for her to time her move from 300 meters out rather than 150 meters or 200 meters out.
16. Laura Pellicoro (Portland)
A cross country All-American who spreads her wings in the middle distance sector of track, Laura Pellicoro brings valuable national meet experience that will give her a mental edge over some of the less experienced women in this field. Her resume gives this Portland veteran a very nice blend of speed and strength that, in theory, should give her a realistic shot of making it out of the prelims.
17. Olivia Howell (Illinois)
The reigning NCAA champion in the mile and the second-highest returner in this event from last year’s national meet (to Flockhart), Illinois’ Olivia Howell sharpened her 800 meter speed this season in an attempt to improve her already-lethal final gear at the bell lap of the 1500 meters. And in a world without the Wolfpack star, Howell could very well be considered the national title favorite.
18. Melissa Riggins (Georgetown)
Melissa Riggins burst onto the scene at the Bryan Clay Invitational where she finished as the top collegiate in a loaded 1500 meter field, running a 4:10 personal best in the process. A two-time BIG East champion over 800 meters, Riggins will rely on her top-tier speed to couple with the flashes of brilliance that she has shown in the metric mile. And as we saw at the Bryan Clay Invite, the finishing prowess of this Hoya talent makes her plenty dangerous.
19. Silan Ayyildiz (South Carolina)
A three-time national champion in her native Turkey, Silan Ayyildiz has had no trouble acclimating to NCAA competition and making a name for herself. With another season of experience under her belt, and a 4:10 (1500) PR from the summer of 2022, this SEC champion should be a legitimate contender to earn a backend All-American honor this weekend.
20. Tiana LoStracco (Bradley)
Bradley’s Tiana LoStracco has shattered expectations and has redefined her profile as a nationally competitive name just by surviving the blistering-fast 1500 meter regional rounds that she was part of. Although she is relatively unknown at the national level, LoStracco is a multi-time Missouri Valley champion and is playing with house money as she’ll attempt to upset some of the favorites and advance to the finals.
21. Amina Maatoug (Duke)
As a versatile threat over both the 1500 meter and the 5k distances, Amina Maatoug should not be forgotten when she toes the line. While she’s unlikely to fade late in the race, the biggest question mark for her will be how she rebounds from a spring campaign that has been good, but not quite as strong as what we saw from her during the winter months.
22. Anna Gibson (Washington)
A battle-tested veteran, Anna Gibson has competed at this distance on three occasions this season, likely in the hopes of cleaning up the tactical errors that have seen her struggle to reach the finals of national meets in the past. This Husky star is hungry to write a new chapter that ends with an All-American honor and in terms of 1500 meter experience, few women in this field can match what this Washington ace brings to the table.
23. Rylee Penn (Cincinnati)
Perhaps the most improved middle distance runner in the country this season, Cincinnati’s Rylee Penn has emerged as one of the most dangerous 1500 meter runners in the nation who also possesses elite 800 meter speed. While inexperience on the national stage may cause hesitation, make no mistake, Penn has enough raw talent to warrant an All-American finish in the right scenario.
24. Flomena Asekol (Alabama)
Tactical concerns surrounding Flomena Asekol were erased at the NCAA Indoor Championships as she cruised to a masterclass 3rd place finish. While she hasn’t exactly carried that momentum in a linear fashion throughout the outdoor track season, the Crimson Tide star has proven that she can navigate the rounds and finish highly when it matters most. When it comes to positioning, she has improved a lot in 2023.
