It's far too early to try to score a virtual meet, but a quick look at the Ivy performance list (
http://www.tfrrs.org/lists/787.html
) suggests a few things:
The women's meet will continue to have more parity. The big three indoors may still be Princeton, Cornell, and Columbia, but others could break up that group.
*Several years of excellent recruiting have given Harvard a lot of strength on the track (mostly frosh) and in the field (mostly upperclasswomen). They have a balanced squad with the potential to score well in almost every event, except perhaps the distances. This is a really dangerous team.
*Dartmouth is more lopsided, but has several opportunities to score first-place points--and much more than just D'Agostino. Though she likely could contribute major points in three events (based on current form), the Green have a lot of backup in the middle-/distance events and may not need her to do it. Strength in the throws and pentathlon should help offset gaps in the jumps/hurdles.
*Another up-and-comer is Penn. They have a hole in the distance events--whose points will probably be widely distributed anyway--but the Quakers have contenders for the win in all the races at least through 800m, and potential scorers in most of the field events.
*Both Yale and, somewhat surprisingly, Brown have individual highlights but are not (yet, at least) showing the event coverage to be competitive with the other teams.
So far, last year's top three teams are showing some (some) vulnerability.
*Princeton is not demonstrating great depth, but has individuals to contend for a top-three finish in every race on the track and the potential to score big points in the jumps. Weakness in the throws/pentathlon should not keep them from being favored to defend their title, particularly because:
*Columbia, which came oh-so-close last year, hasn't had Sharay Hale compete yet. If she's out of the Heps, that would be a major blow; but the Lions, who haven't done much yet in the distances, still have outstanding scoring potential in the field and could once again finish as a top three team even without her.
*Cornell scored in every event at last year's indoor meet--had any team ever done that before?--but was contending for wins in only a few events, and finished a well-beaten third. (The 2011 results:
http://hepstrack.com/championships/indoor-heps/womens-indoor-heps-team-scores/the-2010s/2011-2/
) This year's squad also seems to lack truly dominant individuals so far--with the major exception of Melissa Hewitt--but again has excellent event coverage, and could improve from last year's finish.
Bottom line:
Some of the Ivy schools have not yet been in session. As they move into the heart of the season over these next few weekends--and particularly as their distance runners are unleashed--the dope sheets should change. But as of right now, to me it looks like Princeton to repeat; Columbia/Cornell very close behind; and *at least* one other team pushing those three very hard.