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Three Sentences Or Less: 2024 D2 NCAA Outdoor Championship Women's 800 Meters Preview
- Marissa Kuik
- May 23, 2024
- 6 min read
Written by Marissa Kuik, edits and additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin & Gavin Struve
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 athletes are ordered alphabetically to match the start list
1. Elizabeth Acheson (U-Mary)
After surprising the Division Two landscape with a 2nd place finish in this event at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships, Elizabeth Acheson looks to be setting herself up for a repeat performance. She has run a slew of 2:07 half-mile marks while refining her speed with a few 400-meter efforts. After a three-year absence from the top of the NCAA scene, how might Acheson react to again being among the hunted rather than one of the hunters?
2. Alaysia Brooks (Ursuline (OH))
Alaysia Brooks is rounding into championship form at just the right time, but we kind of expected that. She seems to perform at her best in the biggest meets, as evidenced by a convincing first national title this past winter and a PR for a four-second win at her conference meet this spring. Assuming Brooks holds that form, she should be your easy national champion in an event that appears to be just as wide-open as it was few months ago.
3. Sofia Camacho (Azusa Pacific)
There was a possibility Sofia Camacho was not going to qualify for the outdoor national meet, but she was able to put together a solid last chance effort to thrust herself into the mix. What makes Camacho special is her range — she has competitive personal bests in the 800 meters, the 1500 meters and the 5k. That combination of strength and speed should serve her well when trying to make the finals.
4. Taryn Chapko (Grand Valley State)
Even though she's seeded pretty low in this field, it would be foolish to bet against Taryn Chapko. Her ability to always find a way into a final and finish on the podium is uncanny -- and she should do the same again in 2024. Chapko seemingly always peaks at the right time and has unrivaled levels of experience and poise compared to her competitors, giving her one of the highest baselines for success in this event.
5. Kate Dawson (Pittsburg State)
It has been a while since Kate Dawson ran the 2:08 half-mile mark that ultimately got her into this outdoor national meet. However, a recent 4:22 (1500) mark would have qualified her in a second event if she wished and more importantly, that performance suggests that Dawson is still quite fit. Remember, she was nearly a top-half All-American in this event just 10 weeks ago.
6. Ellie Frye (Dallas Baptist)
Ellie Frye is making her first-ever national meet appearance thanks to a major PR early in the season. This sophomore's lack of experience, and the time between when she ran her seed time (March) and now, might make it difficult for her to advance past the first round. However, this event is inherently unpredictable and could introduce some variability that Frye welcomes.
7. Lina Hanich (Academy of Art)
After running 2:06 (800) at a last chance meet at APU, Lina Hanich is riding considerable momentum and went from “only” being in the mix for a podium spot to pushing herself into top-three contention in our eyes. Plus, she has been incredibly consistent in her other half-mile efforts, making her a good name to bet on.
8. Katie Heck (Fort Lewis)
Even though Katie Heck has been up and down this season, she seems to be peaking at the right time and has traditionally done so for national meets. What she could struggle with, however, is racing on tired legs if she reaches the final for both this event and the metric mile on the same day.
9. Jadyn Herron (CSU-Pueblo)
After her first season at CSU-Pueblo, Jadyn Herron has slowly improved, now making her way to the outdoor national meet as a sophomore. While this will be the first event that she has qualified for individually, CSU-Pueblo knows how to produce middle distance stars which bodes well both for Herron's present and future.
10. Lieke Hoogstein (Adams State)
After winning the RMAC title over 800 meters by beating out the likes of Jessica Simon and Aryelle Wright, Lieke Hoogstein has as much upside as anyone heading into this outdoor national meet. Hoogstein placed 7th against many of these same women at the 2024 indoor national meet and that should provide a solid floor for her to build upon now that she looks as fit as ever.
11. Nicole Lawrence (Adams State)
It has been a while since Nicole Lawrence raced a half-mile which makes projecting her finish to the postseason quite tricky. Her last few races have come in the metric mile and those outings were not as strong as some of her previous marks. Lawrence does have experience at the national meet, but she is currently lacking the momentum that other women in this field possess.
12. Marian Ledesma (Western Washington)
Although it looks like Marian Ledesma has been up and down this season, her marks are actually very similar to how she looked last year before finishing 5th overall in this event at the outdoor national meet. She may not be the most consistent runner, but Ledesma clearly knows how to race which will be a huge asset going into the preliminary rounds.
13. Ines Macadam (Tiffin)
Ines Macadam has stood on the podium before (at the 2023 indoor national meet) so she has experience and success making it through the preliminary rounds. Plus, with strong complementary PRs in both the 400 meters and the 1500 meters, Macadam has a good balance of strength and speed which could serve her well going into and throughout this race.
14. Isabel Marsh (Adelphi)
While it has been a couple of seasons since Isabel Marsh has made it out of the preliminary rounds at a national meet, she has the experience to do so once again. Her times are right there with everyone else’s and with such a mixture of newbies and veterans in this field, Marsh will have experience on her side to get her to the final.
15. Katherine Marsh (Adelphi)
Katherine Marsh had a very similar build-up to this outdoor national meet -- and comparable performances at past national meets -- as her above-listed sister. Katherine and Isabel often switch back and forth when they race against each other. Who will have the upper-hand at this meet we are not sure, but Katherine Marsh was recently over a second faster than her sister at the Northeast-10 Championships.
16. Lydia McGlocklin (NW Missouri)
After helping her team to a 6th place finish in the DMR at the 2024 indoor national meet, Lydia McGlocklin qualified for a postseason berth in her first individual event this spring. The sophomore has been consistent this season, running 2:08 on many occasions, but it remains to be seen whether her youth holds her back or if running a relay leg in a championship setting was experience enough to instill McGlocklin with added confidence.
17. Megan Roxby (Simon Fraser)
Qualifying for both the 1500 meters and the 800 meters is no small feat, but attempting to compete in both at the outdoor national meet is a daunting task. Although Megan Roxby has the experience and ability to advance to the finals in the half-mile, multiple rounds of multiple events might take it out of her.
18. Jessica Simon (Adams State)
While this Grizzly has this field's second-fastest seasonal best over 800 meters, Jessica Simon could be a wildcard. She has some inconsistency to grow through and has often run fast during the regular season before having a few challenges in trying to advance to the half-mile finals. This spring, she has backed up her strong altitude-converted time with several marks close to her PR and was the RMAC runner-up, so perhaps her postseason fortune looks different this year.
19. MaKenna Thurston (Minnesota State)
In a very impressive performance at the NSIC Championships, MaKenna Thurston took down Khot Juac over 1500 meters in a time of 4:25. While she's competing in the half-mile, Thurston demonstrated a lot of strength in that race that will benefit her even while moving down in distance. Combine that with her extensive postseason experience and it's easy to envision Thurston advancing to the finals.
20. Lainy Williams (Southwest Baptist)
With the last qualifying time in this event, Lainy Williams will look to advance to her first final at a national meet. However, it helps that she's been in this position before considering that she's contesting the 800 meters at the outdoor national meet for the third consecutive year.
21. Aryelle Wright (Colorado Mines)
Aryelle Wright's consistency is always her biggest asset, but she will have a number of competitive names to beat out if she wants to win her first-ever national title. She also stumbled a bit in her most recent outing: The RMAC Championships. However, as long as she dusts herself off, Wright should be near the front and will match or improve upon the bronze medal that she recently took at the indoor national meet.
