The start lists for the 2025 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s outdoor track and field championships have been announced. Here's a look at heats you don't want to miss when action begins on the track.
Heat 3 men’s 100 meters
Ten men have run sub-10 seconds in the 100 meters this year (all-conditions), but only six of those men ran sub-10 in East or West first round competition. 50 percent of those six will line up in heat three of the men’s 100 meters when Washington State’s Mason Lawyer, Auburn’s Kayinsola Ajayi and Arkansas’ Jordan Anthony take the track.
While plenty of eyes will be on Anthony regardless of who’s in his heat since he ran 9.75, Lawyer and Ajayi’s presence makes it far from a guarantee that Anthony will be able to coast to the finals. Only the top two from each heat automatically advance so one of the three could be on the outside looking in.
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Heat 3 women’s 200 meters
Heat 3 of the women’s 200 meters is loaded, and the pressure will be on with it being the final heat of the event's semifinals. The NCAA leader, South Carolina’s JaMeesia Ford, is in the event in lane six. The fastest freshman sprinter in the country, TCU’s Indya Mayberry, is in lane five. Ford’s teammate Cynteria James is in lane four, with hopes of making the final to boost South Carolina’s team title odds.
Speaking of the team title, No. 2 Southern California and No. 3 Texas A&M have a runner in this heat. Dajaz DeFrand is representing the Trojans in lane seven and Camryn Dickson is representing the Aggies in lane nine.
Like other heats, only the top two can clinch an auto-berth to the finals. I just named five of the eight women in the heat. The stakes will be high to close the 200 meters.
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Heat 1 men’s 400 meters
The three fastest 400 meter times this year were ran by Florida State’s Micahi Danzy, Alabama’s Samuel Ogazi and Texas A&M’s Auhmad Robinson, respectively. Those three men will be lined up across lanes four through six in heat one of the men’s 400 meters, battling for the two spots that automatically advance to the finals.
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Heat 2 women’s 800 meters
Heat two of the women’s 800 meters has BYU’s Meghan Hunter, North Florida’s Smilla Kolbe, Arkansas’ Sanu Jallow and North Carolina’s Makayla Paige to name a few. Those are the third, fourth, seventh and 13th-best all-time performers in the women’s outdoor 800 meters. Only the top two from the heat will be guaranteed a spot in the final. That means two all-time level performers will be in limbo for a heat, waiting on the time of the next heat. A spot in the final could come down to who has the best kick.
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