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Three Sentences Or Less: 2023 D2 NCAA Indoor Championship Men's 800 Meters Preview
- John Cusick
- Mar 9, 2023
- 5 min read
Written by John Cusick, 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 indoor national meets. Stay tuned!
The below list is ordered by seeding
1. Oussama El Bouchayby (Angelo State)
Oussama El Bouchayby is the Division Two collegiate record holder in this event, making him the title favorite on paper. But does this unexpected breakout star have the tactical awareness to traverse the preliminary rounds? If he gets through to the finals, then he’ll prove to be a formidable opponent for the rest of the field, especially if the pace becomes honest.
2. Reece Sharman-Newell (CSU-Pueblo)
This CSU-Pueblo half-miler has a chance to be the next 800 meter great in his school's storied history. The unreal raw speed and recently improved strength of Reece Sharman-Newell makes him one of the scariest athletes in this field. He poses the biggest threat to everyone else contesting this event.
3. Wes Ferguson (Nebraska-Kearney)
Wes Ferguson is your reigning indoor national title winner in this event and that alone makes him the favorite in 2023 when you start analyzing his race tactics. The Loper star is arguably the best tactician in this field which is highlighted by the fact that he has lost just one 800 meter race over the last calendar year. He'll be looking for his third-straight 800 meter national title and a win against this field will cement his legacy as one of the sport's greatest D2 middle distance runners ever.
4. Titus Lagat (Lee (Tenn.))
While it’s true that Titus Lagat has been inconsistent on the national stage, his new personal best of 1:48 (800) is a top-five mark in the history of Division Two. He’s one of the most experienced runners in this field and his familiarity with his opponents gives him an outside shot of taking home his first national title. At the same time, trying to figure out which version of Lagat we'll see this weekend is admittedly a tricky task.
5. Butare Rugenerwa (West Texas A&M)
Butare Rugenerwa owns an outdoor national title in this event and when you combine that with his proven racing ability, he’s probably the safest All-American pick you can have this weekend (outside of maybe Ferguson). The West Texas A&M star has the firepower to compete with anyone in this field and when paired with his experience, there's a (likely small) chance that he could secure his second national title in the half-mile.
6. David Cardenas (Adams State)
This Grizzly half-miler specialist has vastly improved this season as showcased by his 4:03 mile PR in early February. That newfound strength should help him navigate the preliminary rounds in comfortable fashion. His elite turnover will at least give him a shot at holding off the rest of the competitors for a national title in the latter stages of the finals.
7. Dylan Burrows (Oklahoma Christian)
This will be the second national meet for Dylan Burrows and the biggest question will be, how much has he grown since his last appearance? He has held his own against top-tier names multiple times during the regular season, but how Burrows fares in a deeper, more crowded field will ultimately determine whether or not he becomes an All-American.
8. Jared Gregoire (MSU-Moorhead)
It’s been quite the freshman season for Jared Gregoire as he has found himself in the top-10 of the national leaderboard over 800 meters this season. The MSU-Moorhead rookie has nothing to lose and if he can just make it to the finals, an All-American finish would be quite the start to his collegiate campaign. Of course, the constant debate of inexperience vs upside for athletes as young as Gregoire has never been more prevalent.
9. Drew Dailey (Shippensburg)
Drew Dailey has flashed incredible half-mile talent throughout his Shippensburg career. Getting out of the preliminary rounds, however, will be the most pivotal aspect of his weekend. Because if he does get through to the finals, then he could be a valuable sleeper pick to upset a handful of higher seeds.
10. Tanner Maier (Minnesota State)
Tanner Maier finished 3rd in this event at the NCAA Indoor Championships last winter -- and that was effectively the beginning of his breakout year. But (roughly) 365 days later, it’s been an up and down ride for the Minnesota State ace. He has shown us elite firepower in the past, but we have yet to truly see that from him this winter, leaving us to wonder if a postseason peak could be in store for Maier this weekend.
11. Braxton Bruer (MSU-Moorhead)
Braxton Bruer is the second MSU-Moorhead athlete in the field and it will also be his first time at a national meet. Much like his teammate, there’s nothing for Bruer to lose at the end of the day. If he can make the final, then the natural volatility of the event could work out in his favor.
12. Drew Weber (Western Washington)
Drew Weber has quietly improved his strength and consistency during the 2023 indoor track season, making him a viable All-American threat despite his lower seed. While his dynamism theoretically allows to be competitive in most race scenarios, we also don't know if he simply has enough top-end speed to keep up with the top entrants in this field.
13. Scott Spaanstra (Grand Valley State)
It feels like Scotta Spaanstra has been around forever, but this will only be his second opportunity to compete on the national stage as an individual. He’ll look to add a second All-American trophy to his resume, but will likely need the best race of his career to achieve that.
14. Kendall Branan (Indiana (PA))
Kendall Branan is as pure of an 800 meter runner as they come. Having never broken the 1:50 (800) barrier in his career, it’s more than likely that he’ll need to join that club in order to make the finals. But this is also someone who has run 1:51 (800) or faster three times this season, potentially suggesting that he may be due for a true breakout race.
15. Tim Thompson (Colorado Mines)
There are lots of questions about how Tim Thompson will fare at the national meet. His 3rd place finish at the RMAC Indoor Championships signals that he can rise to the occasion, but can he do so again when faced with an entirely different field with entirely different racing tendencies?
16. Kewani Campbell (Lincoln (MO))
Kewani Campbell is an All-American 400 meter hurdler which makes his inclusion on this list somewhat surprising. He’s got the raw speed necessary for this event as well as incredible consistency when looking at his times. If he can take advantage of the overwhelming talent in this field en route to breaking the 1:50 barrier, then another All-American honor could very well be in his future.
