Based upon the performances this year and the entry sheets, this is what is projected for this weekend:
1) Our women's team is very good but not as strong as our men's team. Last year we finished 4th, 33 points behind first place FSU 23 points behind Miami and 10 points behind the hated Hoos, while edging Clemson by .5 and Duke by 3.5.
2) We have no entries in the 60, 5K, high jump and pentathlon as compared to the men who are only not represented in the 5K.
3) We are strongest in the field events led by our pole vaulters. Rachel Baxter is back for her 5th year looking to add to her string of three gold medals plus a silver medal as a frosh. She is joined by Georgia transfer Julia Fixsen and they are seeded 1-2 which could yield 18 points.
4) We are strong in the triple jump with Russian (and Kansas transfer) Victoria Gorlova seeded first and backed by sixth seed Hailey Huston Myles. Gorlova is also a third seed in the long jump.
5) Our throwers are also very strong. We are seeded 2-3 in the shot put with Essence Henderson and Fiona Richards. In the weight throw we are seeded 2-4 with Michigan State transfer Rebecca Mammel and Sara Killinen.
6) Czech freshman Barbora Malikova is not seeded in the 400 since she has not run it this season. She was a 2020 Olympian and should best the field. I am projecting her to do so.
7) Lindsey Butler is the returning champion in the 800 and top seed. We have a number of runners (Ballowe, Boone, Torino) who might score in the event although Ballowe is the only seeded runner among the three at seventh,
8) We might pick up a point or two in the mile with Ava Hassebrock and a point or two in the 200 or 60 hurdles with freshman Layla Andersen. She has a bright future.
9) Our distance medley relay, which runs tonight, is the top seed. Anything less than a top-3 finish is a bad omen.
10) Our top competitor is projected to be NC State although FSU worries me the most. NC State has an incredible pack (pun intended) of distance runners; they were the 2021 NCAA Cross-Country champions. They are projected to rack up 51 points in the 3 distance events and could score even more. In a meet where 100 points should win and there are 17 events, 51 is a lot of points.
11) Miami and FSU are projected to finish behind NC State with Clemson close behind. The good news is that all three will battle each other for points in the 60, 200, 400 and 800.
12) Oh, by the way, we could and should, win this. I have us for 103 points, followed by State-78, Miami-75, FSU-65, Clem-61, Duke-60, ND-58. If we have a bad day, it could be a 7-team race.
13) Virginia? Ha. Another point in the Commonwealth Clash for the Hokies. They could help us by winning the mile with the top seed to keep points away from FSU and NC State.
14) The meet is being run simultaneously with the men's meet at Rector Field House. Go Hokies!