2021 Pac-12 Athletes Olympic Track & Field Trials Preview

A total of 50 Conference men and women are set to compete in Eugene this weekend

Posted on June 18, 2021


  By Steve Ritchie, SuperWest Sports

Twenty-three Pac-12 women and 27 Pac-12 men are entered in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials underway at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus.

Here’s a link to Day One Results.

Some of those competing are long shots to actually make the team, but a surprisingly large number are ranked in the top 10 in their respective events.

Regardless of where they finish, the experience they all gain will be helpful in their development as elite track and field athletes.

Needless to say, there are many former athletes from the Conference of Champions competing in the Trials as well.

In keeping with our Pac-12 coverage this season, however, we have limited our list to those who have eligibility remaining or who completed their collegiate careers in 2021.

In most cases, the top three finishers at the Trials will be on the U.S. Olympic Team, but there will be exceptions as some top finishers may not have recorded an Olympic qualifying time or mark.

Depending on the world rankings, some athletes who have the Olympic standard, but finish lower than third could make the team.

Here is the list by school with the athlete’s entry mark and their rank among entrants in their event. Below the listing is an analysis of which of these athletes have the best chance to go to Tokyo.

(Note: Cal’s standout hammer thrower Camryn Rogers is a Canadian.)


Arizona Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Johnnie Blockburger40044.7112
Jordan GeistShot Put21.59m7
Bisoye OloyedeHammer73.22m9
Justice SummersetHigh Jump2.25m16
Shannoon Meisberger400 Hurdles55.709
Samantha NoennigShot Put18.25m15

Arizona State Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Jamar Marshall110 Hurdles13.4917
Kentre Patterson110 Hurdles13.5620
Turner WashingtonDiscus66.264

Colorado Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Eduardo Herrera500013:24.4621
Madison Boreman3000 Steeple9:48.0932
Micaela DeGenera15004:09.3824
Sage Hurta8002:00.6218

Oregon Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Isaiah GriffithTriple Jump16.68m5
Jonathan Harvey400 Hurdles49.6416
Cole Hocker15003:35.3510
Cole Hocker500013:18.9514
Jackson Mestler3000 Steeple8:27.6513
Ben MilliganHigh Jump2.25m16
Cooper Teare500013:12.2710
Micah Williams10010.0011
Jack Yearian15003:37.2425
Rhesa FosterLong Jump6.57m20
Alysah HickeyLong Jump6.59m18
Kiana PhelpsDiscus58.73m15
Dominique RuotoloTriple Jump13.66m10

Oregon State Athlete

AthleteEventMarkRank
Kaylee Mitchell3000 Steeple9:48.3033

Stanford Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Liam ChristensenJavelin74.78m18
Ella Donaghu15004:09.6627
Julia Heymach15004:09.8928
Virginia MillerJavelin54.49m12
Alexa Rossum20022.9629

USC Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Isaiah Jewett8001:44.684
McKay JohnsonShot Put21.45m8
Matthew KatnickShot Put20.76m13
Cameron Samuel400 Hurdles48.686
Earnie SearsHigh Jump2.30m6
Angie Annelus20022.164
Anna Cockrell100 Hurdles12.544
Anna Cockrell400 Hurdles54.685
Bailey Lear40051.0211
Morgan SmallsHigh Jump1.91m8
TeeTee Terry10010.892
TeeTee Terry20022.6920
Lanae-Tava Thomas20022.6518

UCLA Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Harrison SchrageLong Jump7.97m18
Shae Anderson400 Hurdles55.217
Shae Andreson40051.1614
Alyssa WilsonDiscus60.768
Alyssa WilsonHammer69.94m9

Washington Athletes

AthleteEventMarkRank
Cass Elliott400 Hurdles50.0725
Elijah MasonDiscus60.67m20
Jonah WilsonShot Put20.08m18
Katie Rainsberger3000 Steeple9:32.1211
Katie Rainsberger, 3000 Steeplechase, 9:32.12 (#11)


Washington State Athlete

AthleteEventMarkRank
Paul Ryan15003:37.0421
As noted earlier, a number of the Pac-12 athletes who qualified for the Trials are definitely long shots to make the team.

Anyone above a number 12 ranking would do well to make it to the finals in their event.

The other athletes I have assigned to one of three groups, Great Chance, Legitimate Shot, and It Could Happen.


Great Chance

Anna Cockrell, USC — She is in great shape and running really well in both hurdle races. These are “rhythm events” and she has a very good rhythm and great confidence after NCAAs. Her chances are likely better in the 100 Hurdles.

Terry

TeeTee Terry, USC — The women’s sprint races are loaded with talented runners. But Terry has had a great season in the 100, and apart from Sha Carrie Richardson she has as good a chance as anyone.

Turner Washington, ASU — The top five men in the discus competition are separated by just a few feet.

Washington passed on the shot at the Trials in order to concentrate on the discus. Good decision, and I believe he will win the event.


Legitimate Shot
Jewett

Isaiah Jewett, USC — The Trojan senior comes in as the number four 800 runner which should give him a very good chance to go top three.

The problem is that the three guys above him are in the top ten in the world. If one of them slips up, Jewett could make it.

Cole Hocker & Cooper Teare, Oregon — The two Duck runners are tough to handicap.

Oregon’s Hocker and Teare

Hocker will be up against runners like Matthew Centrowitz and Craig Engels in the 1500, and Teare, and Hocker will face the likes of Lopez Lomong and Paul Chelimo in the 5000.

Hocker and Teare faced tough competition at NCAAs and performed beautifully. And the Hayward crowd will be rooting hard for them.

It reminds me of the 2000 Trials when Stanford’s Gabe Jennings and Michael Stember made the U.S. team.


It Could Happen

Angie Annelus, USC — The Trojan sprinter made the 2019 World Championship team so she is certainly capable. But she hasn’t had her best year to this point.

Still, she is only running the 200 while most of her competition will have to go through the rounds of the 100 meters and could be ripe for the picking.

Williams

Micah Williams, Oregon — Another hometown favorite in Eugene, Williams has an explosive start, but couldn’t quite hold off his fast finishing rivals at the NCAAs.

If he can deal with the pressure, which has to be tough for a college freshman, Williams has an outside shot.

Cameron Samuel, USC — Rai Benjamin and Sean Burrell should take the top two spots in the 400 Hurdles, but the third spot is wide open.

Samuel’s best time ranks him sixth, but a half-second is all that separates third from sixth. This is a race where most likely any of the finalists could grab that third place, including Samuel.

For more Olympic Trials coverage, visit our friends at Track & Field News.




—More from Steve Ritchie—