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Three Sentences Or Less: 2024 D1 NCAA Indoor Championship Women's DMR Preview

  • Writer: Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
    Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
  • Feb 29, 2024
  • 4 min read

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.


The below teams are ordered by seeding (via qualifiers list)

Predictions coming next week!

1. Washington Huskies

With Chloe Foerster (mile) and Carley Thomas (800) both deciding to take on individual prelims before the DMR, the chances of Washington winning this national title have certainly dropped a good bit. Even so, the Huskies likely have the best alternates in this field. With women such as Sophie O'Sullivan and Marlena Preigh available, it's plenty reasonable to think that this group can still earn a top-half All-American honor.


2. Providence Friars

The good news for Providence is that Kimberley May and Shannon Flockhart, their two most important DMR legs, can realistically double back from the mile prelims. The bad news, consequentially, is that Kimberley May and Shannon Flockhart aren't going to be fresh for the DMR. Those two women should still be good enough for the Friars to be All-American favorites, but the aim for NCAA gold will now be far more challenging.


3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The formula for Notre Dame is simple: If they can give the baton to Olivia Markezich within striking distance of the leaders, then the Fighting Irish will more likely than not win the national title. Of course, the "striking distance" for Markezich is larger than most given that she has split 4:22 on the anchor leg of this relay before.


4. BYU Cougars

Could the BYU women win the DMR national title? With Riley Chamberlain scratching from the mile prelims and remaining fresh with Sadie Sargent on day one, the Cougars will have their two most high-impact pieces at 100% next Friday. And while Meghan Hunter likely won't be on the 800-meter leg (she's running the 800-meter prelims), Krystie Solomon should at least be good enough to keep this group in contention for gold.



5. Stanford Cardinal

Both Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker proved last year that they could effectively double back from the 800-meter prelims and still win the DMR national title. The problem, however, is that lead-off leg Melissa Tanaka has since graduated and her replacement, Lucy Jenks, is going to run the 5k on day one (along with Amy Bunnage). On paper, that is going to leave Stanford with a sizable hole in their lineup that they don't seem to have a good answer for.


6. Oklahoma State Cowgirls

Taylor Roe is running the 5k, Billah Jepkirui is going to run the mile and Gabija Galvydyte is going to run the 800 meters. I don't see any of those women doubling back, meaning that the Cowgirls will likely field a secondary lineup. If they do, then a backend All-American honor would be considered a job well done, at least in my eyes.


7. Oregon Ducks

Both Klaudia Kazimierska and Silan Ayyildiz are set to run the mile prelims next weekend. However, Maddy Elmore was scratched out of that event (likely to be fresh for the DMR) and Mia Barnett just ran 4:33 in the mile last weekend. Pair those two women with a 2:03 (800) runner in Ella Nelson and you get an Oregon lineup that is still capable of winning the national title.


8. Penn State Nittany Lions

With Hayley Kitching entered in the 800 meters and Kileigh Kane entered in the mile, it would a bit surprising if we saw Penn State field their top DMR lineup at the national meet. The good news is that between Madaline Ullom, Florence Caron and Victoria Vanriele, the Nittany Lions still have the proper personnel to remain in the All-American hunt.


9. Arkansas Razorbacks

While there may not be the same level of star power in this lineup compared to a few others, Arkansas should actually have one of the more complete and fully fresh DMRs on the national stage. Tianna LoStracco and Mary Ellen Eudaly proved to be very effective lead-off and anchor legs earlier this season and Mia Cochran just dropped an incredibly encouraging 4:34 mile PR two weeks ago! While it's unlikely that this team will have Ainsley Erzen or Sanu Jallow for this relay, Analisse Batista (2:05 for 800 meters) should be a more-than-serviceable replacement.



10. Boston College Golden Eagles

With Molly Hudson scratching out of the mile, it seems like the Boston College women are going all-in for the DMR. And while they are entered as one of the backend seeds, they're also one of the few fresh "A" lineups in this field. Hudson and Natalie Millerova are two lethal milers to have on either end of a DMR, giving the Golden Eagles a good argument to be favored for an All-American spot.


11. Virginia Cavaliers

Margot Appleton and Anna Workman are both entered in the mile prelims. And while they could double back to the DMR, that's probably not necessary, especially if one/both of those women make it to the mile finals. Fielding a fresh Caroline Timm should keep this relay respectable, but it's not going to be easy for UVA to finish in the top-eight.


12. Florida Gators

Parker Valby won't be in this lineup given that she'll be racing the 5k shortly before the DMR. It's also unlikely that Flomena Asekol runs in the DMR, especially with the 3k and possibly the mile finals on tap for day two. Elise Thorner, a 4:35 miler, has looked great this season, but she'll need some help if this team is going to threaten for a top-eight honor.

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