The championships for both men and women begins tonight and runs through Saturday.
Since we joined the ACC, the men have won 5 indoor titles and FSU has won 10. Last year we tied with FSU with each team scoring 117 points. This year we should be the favorite as we are projected to outscore FSU 135-105 based upon the best times recorded so far this season. The only other team with a shot is UVa who is projected to score 82. The projected score for the 4th place team is 55 points for Notre Dame but they are hosting the meet and the host team usually outperforms expectations. There are a number of factors that could effect the outcome. In middle distance and distance events (800m, mile, 3000m, 5000m) there are often runners with top times in multiple events but they may choose not to run in all of the events in which they are highly rated. This is a factor that could impact VT since these events account for 54 of our projected points. Additionally, all tracks are not equal; some produce better times than others. Additional factors include things such as bad exchanges on the relays (there are 2 relays a 4x400 where we are seeded first and the distance medley where we are seeded 2nd) and injuries. We are projected to win the mile (Diego Zarate), the 5000m (Pete Seufer), and the 400m (Jacory Patterson who is our best bet at the NCAAs). FSU will score heavily in the long jump and 60m hurdles. Those 2 events account for 50 of their 105 projected points. Not coincidentally, it is those 2 events plus the high jump where we are unlikely to score any points. I don't expect to beat the Noles by 30 but we should be able to notch another championship. We would be a bigger favorite but Isaiah Rogers who finished second in both weight events last year (worth 16 points) is red-shirting. We will not own the pole vault like we have in the past but do have a freshman and a sophomore who should contribute 12-15 points to our total.

On the women's side, we are a strong candidate to gain our first indoor championship since 2008. Since we joined the ACC we have won twice, Miami has won 5, Clemson 5 and FSU 3. We are projected to score 112 points, followed by Miami with 79, FSU with 67 and Clemson with 65 (UVa in the middle of the pack at 43). Like the men, our biggest strength is the middle and distance events as we are projected to score 51 points in those 4 events alone. Since it is likely that some of the runners will not run every event in which they are ranked, I would expect that our total will be 10-15 less in those 4 events. Look for Caitlin Tate to score big in the 200m and 400m, Sarah Edwards to be near the top in the mile, Sara Freix to possibly win both the 3000m and 5000, Rachael Baxter to win the pole vault and both relay teams to challenge for first place. While I don't think we win the meet by 30, I do believe that the women will also bring another championship to Blacksburg.

The men's track team is probably VT's most accomplished program since we joined the ACC and is not showing any signs of falling back to the pack. We seem to lose 2-3 top performers every year but always challenge for the championship. Next year's team should be just as strong.

Go Hokies!