Boling and Harding could clash with Coleman, Steiner and Battle face potential showdown with White, in addition to Alfred, Aquilla, Piperi and Ross competing as top college performers, plus Gittens’ season opener at Clemson

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Six collegiate-leading athletes and the fastest women’s 4x400-meter relay lineup in NCAA Division 1 are scheduled to compete, along with several elite professionals highlighted by Nike sprinter Christian Coleman, on Friday and Saturday at the Tiger Paw Invitational at the Clemson Track and Field Indoor Complex.

The meet could also showcase the Texas debut of Bowerman Award finalist and reigning Division 1 indoor high jump and pentathlon champion Tyra Gittens, who recently transferred from Texas A&M.

There are also a pair of matchups featuring the top two collegiate sprinters in both the men’s and women’s 200 meters Saturday, as well as showdowns involving the Nos. 2 and 3 NCAA competitors in the men’s 60-meter hurdles Friday and men’s triple jump Saturday.

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Both 200 fields are only enhanced by the presence of elite professionals, with American and Nike athlete Kayla White and Jamaican Danielle Williams expected to join an already deep women’s field led by reigning Division 1 indoor champion Abby Steiner of Kentucky – who shares the collegiate indoor record at 22.38 – and U.S. Olympian Anavia Battle of Ohio State, who has run 22.76 this season. 

The men’s clash involving Georgia’s Matthew Boling (20.27) and Javonte Harding of North Carolina A&T (20.33) is also scheduled to include Americans and Nike athletes Christopher Belcher and Coleman, who hasn’t run an indoor 200 since 2017 while competing for Tennessee.

Steiner has won nine consecutive indoor 200 races, including her title and record-equaling performance last year at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., but the last setback for the Kentucky senior came in 2020 at the Tiger Paw Invitational against Battle by a 22.66 to 22.86 margin.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to run a 200 on a banked track for the first time this season and seeing what I can do as we gear up for SECs and NCAAs,” said Steiner, who hasn’t run the 200 since Jan. 15 when she clocked 22.58 on a flat oversized track at Kentucky.

“The plan is to run (the 60, 200 and 4x400), but it will be determined as the weekend goes on.”

Joining Steiner and Battle, along with White and Williams, are expected to be a trio of Texas athletes in Rhasidat Adeleke, Julien Alfred and Kynnedy Flannel, all ranked in the top 10 in Division 1.

Kennedy Lightner of Kentucky, the No. 4 collegiate indoor 200 competitor, is also scheduled to be in the field with Coleman, Belcher, Boling and Harding.

Boling and Lance Lang of Kentucky, both ranked in the top 10 in the men’s 60-meter dash, could also square off Friday against Coleman and Belcher.

Alfred, the collegiate women’s 60-meter leader at 7.10, is expected to face Adeleke and Steiner, as well as White and Jamaican athlete Jeanine Williams in Friday’s competition.

Steiner could also be included Saturday on Kentucky’s 4x400 relay, the collegiate leader at 3:28.62, which could match up against No. 3 Texas (3:30.69).

Randolph Ross of North Carolina A&T, the top-ranked collegiate competitor in the men’s 400 at 45.37, could encounter potential matchups with fellow top 10 athletes Dwight St. Hillaire of Kentucky and Tyler Johnson of Ohio State.

Ross is also scheduled to run the 4x400 for the Aggies, looking to improve on their No. 2 collegiate performance this season of 3:03.39 in a test against No. 6 Kentucky (3:05.01).

Both collegiate shot put leaders are expected to participate Saturday, with U.S. Olympian Adelaide Aquilla of Ohio State returning to action following a week off to compete against Jamaican Olympian, along with World Indoor and Outdoor silver medalist Danniel Thomas-Dodd.

“I’m excited to throw against these great athletes. I think it will be a good tuneup meet and an intense one right before we get into championship season,” said Aquilla, who achieved a mark Jan. 22 of 62-7.75 (19.09m) at South Carolina.

“It should be some very good competition and a way to show what coach and I have been working on. Last week was a very beneficial week off for me. We were able to refine some of the things we were working on in the throw and have a mental reset before the final stretch of indoor, as well as get in some more work in the weight room.”

Adrian Piperi of Texas, who produced a 70-4.50 (21.45m) effort Feb. 5 at New Mexico, will be joined by teammate and fellow top 10 collegiate athlete Jalil Brewer in the men’s shot put competition.

Leonard Mustari of North Carolina A&T, No. 2 in the 60 hurdles at 7.58, leads five Division 1 competitors in the top 10, along with No. 3 Devon Brooks of host Clemson (7.64).

Virginia’s Owayne Owens, the second-ranked collegiate triple jumper this season at 53-11 (16.43m), is expected to square off with No. 3 Clarence Foote-Talley of Ohio State at 53-9 (16.38m), along with Luke Brown of Kentucky, another top 10 competitor.

Paula Salmon of North Carolina A&T, the third-ranked collegiate athlete in the women’s 60-meter hurdles at 7.89, could meet fellow top 10 performers Masai Russell of Kentucky and Rayniah Jones of Central Florida in the final.

Kentucky’s Alexis Holmes, who could join Steiner and Russell on the 4x400 relay, is also scheduled to compete in the 400, along with two additional sub-52.50 athletes in Texas’ Kennedy Simon and South Carolina’s Stephanie Davis.

Ayman Zahafi of Miami (Florida), No. 3 collegiately in the men’s 800 at 1:47.80, is also scheduled to race.

Gittens is entered in the high jump and long jump, with the potential to be tested right away for the Longhorns.

“I’m excited to get some jumps under my belt,” Gittens said.

The women’s high jump features top 10 competitors in defending Division 1 outdoor champion Rachel Glenn of South Carolina, Kansas’ Rylee Anderson and Georgia’s Elena Kulichenko.

In addition to Gittens and Texas teammate Ackelia Smith in the women’s long jump, the entries also include American Sha’Keela Saunders, Jamaican Chanice Porter and Akela Jones of Barbados.

Virginia Tech teammates Rachel Baxter and Julia Fixsen, tied for second among collegiate athletes at 14-8.25 (4.48m), lead the women’s pole vault field, which also includes Louisville’s Gabriela Leon.

Auburn’s Madi Malone and Virginia Tech’s Rebecca Mammel, both ranked top 5 in Division 1 in the women’s weight throw, are expected to compete, in addition to Georgia’s Titiana Marsh squaring off against Jamaican Olympian and World Indoor silver medalist Kimberly Williams in the triple jump.

The men’s pole vault is expected to showcase Kansas’ Zach Bradford and Kentucky’s Keaton Daniel in a showdown of top 10 collegiate competitors, with the men’s long jump highlighted by a trio of potential NCAA qualifiers in Isaiah Holmes of Miami (Florida), Brandon Hicklin of North Carolina A&T and Texas’ Stacy Brown, Jr.