2026 NCAA indoor men’s sprint preview
By Jordan Cheng
Editor’s note: The 2026 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships begin on Friday in Fayetteville, Ark. LetsRun.com has already previewed the men’s and women’s distance events. Now, thanks to sprint fanatic and LRC visitor Jordan Cheng, a student at Cal State-Long Beach, we have a detailed preview of the men’s sprints as well. Enjoy.
*Schedule, entries & results *TV & Streaming *All LRC 2026 NCAA Indoor coverage
Men’s 60 (Saturday, 5:40 p.m. ET)
Few events in track & field are as high-octane as the 60m dash. The race is over in less than seven seconds, and a winning championship performance requires nerves of steel with the ability to perform through rounds.
Despite Jordan Anthony’s resounding upset over the field last year, historically the #1 seed has won the title more times than not. Over the past 10 championships, six of those titles have been won by the #1 seed, and would likely have been seven had Terrence Jones not false-started in 2022.
2025: No
2024: Yes
2023: Yes
2022: No (Terrence Jones, the #1 seed, false started)
2021: Yes
2019: Yes
2018: No
2017: Yes
2016: Yes
2015: No
This year’s lineup is led by Auburn’s Kayinsola Ajayi, the most recent from a very successful cohort coached by Leroy Burrell. Ajayi comes in having tied the NCAA record of 6.45, and has ample national and international experience, placing sixth at last year’s World Championships in the 100 meters while representing Nigeria.
However, if anyone could upset Ajayi, Texas Tech’s Malachi Snow is the one to do it. Snow, who exploded onto the national scene as a freshman in 2024 following a prolific indoor and outdoor season, has made himself known as a double danger in the time since, winning Big 12 titles in the 60m and 60m hurdles in the span of 20 minutes. He comes in with a seed time of 6.48 (converted from 6.46 at altitude in Lubbock). If he wins both titles at NCAAs, he according to dyestat “would match the feat of Tennessee’s Willie Gault (1983) and Florida’s Grant Holloway (2019).”
#6 seed Jelani Watkins was one of the most highly-recruited high school sprinters in his class, and despite transferring from LSU following an extremely successful freshman year, hasn’t slowed a step at Arkansas.
Other storylines:
– Can Tennessee’s Davonte Howell, seeded at 6.49, help put the Volunteers in contention for a team title?
-Ajayi isn’t the only Auburn Tiger in the field — he will be joined by teammates Omari Lewis and Israel Okon. How many points can they score?
Author’s pick: Ajayi and Coach Burrell know how to run well. I have a hard time picking anyone other than him.
Men’s 200 (Saturday, 6:40 p.m. ET)
USC’s Garrett Kaalund comes into the 200 as the 3rd fastest man in indoor history with a time of 20.06. Between the rounds, a sea-level track, and potential for a poor lane draw (World Athletics eliminated the 200m from the World Indoor Championships because of the event’s dependency on a good lane), Kaalund is unlikely to break the world record of 19.92, set by Frankie Fredericks in 1996…but you never know. The NCAA record of 20.02 by Houston’s Elijah Hall is under threat, though.
Kaalund is seeded nearly a quarter of a second faster than #2 Jelani Watkins, but Watkins is a competitor. If Kaalund has a poor day, Watkins will be there.
Other storylines:
–Wanya McCoy of Florida and Watkins are both going to be counted on for critical points in the team battle.
Author’s pick: Kaalund is the heavy favorite, with no one particularly close. Something will have to REALLY go wrong for him to not walk away with it.
Men’s 400 (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET)
The story of this year’s indoor 400m is a battle of the young vs the old.
True freshman Jonathan Simms has been taken to a new level at Georgia, where in January he made his NCAA debut in the 400m with a time of 44.62, tied for the 5th-fastest time in history.
Despite coming in with the top seed, Simms is not the favorite. That honor belongs to Samuel Ogazi of Alabama, the SEC champion, 2024 Olympic finalist, and reigning NCAA outdoor champion.
The indoor 400m is a tactical affair, almost another event compared to its outdoor twin. It is difficult to pass on an indoor track, especially at high speeds, so winning is heavily dependent on taking the lead going into the second lap. At SECs two weeks ago, Simms’ inexperience showed, and he was trounced by Ogazi, who ran an aggressive race.
Following a surprise 3rd-place finish in the 400m at last year’s outdoor championships, #3 seed Jordan Pierre transferred from Arkansas-Pine Bluff to Arkansas, where he placed 2nd at SECs and ran 45.06, taking more than two seconds off his indoor 400m PR.
Following a tumultuous series of injuries and a transfer from USC to Florida, Justin Braun comes to Fayetteville as part of a Florida squad seeking a team victory. Braun, who has run 6.55 in the 60m, has dangerous speed for a 400m runner and will be in contention should either of the favorites have an off day.
#16 seed Jack Stadlman of USC almost didn’t make it into the meet, but that doesn’t make him any less dangerous. The USC true freshman won the Big 10 title two weeks ago in a close race against #5 seed Jake Palermo, the 2025 champion.
Other storylines:
– It’s rare for true freshmen to make the indoor championship for the 400 meters, which is dependent on years of strength and speed training. This year there are four, with Simms, Stadlman, Jayden Horton-Mimms of Florida, and Andrew Salvodon of South Carolina.
– Arizona State’s Jayden Davis comes in with one of the fastest PRs in the field at 44.99, but hasn’t shown similar speed this year. Will he spring an upset?
Author’s pick: Ogazi and Simms are matched pretty closely in speed, but Ogazi has the experience edge — even though he is still just 19 years old, Ogazi has been running in the NCAA for three years and at the international level even longer than that. I think he takes this one.
Men’s 60m hurdles (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET)
If the 60m is a high-octane event, then the 60-meter hurdles may as well be rocket-powered. Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn, who is the defending NCAA indoor champion, defending NCAA outdoor champion, defending USA outdoor champion, and World Championship finalist, is the favorite, even though his 7.46 season’s best is only 3rd in the NCAA this year.
Tharp finished 6th in the 110 hurdles at Worlds last year (Kevin Morris photo)
Bradley Franklin of Samford, the top seed at 7.41, is mostly unknown at the national level, never having made an NCAA final, but is feared regionally, with a double 60/60mh win at the Southern Conference marking his latest victory. Only Grant Holloway (7.35) and Trey Cunningham (7.38) have run faster as collegians.
Texas Tech’s Malachi Snow, doubling back from the 60, comes in with the best speed in the field and a hunger for a title after an injury-riddled 2025.
Ja’Qualon Scott of Texas A&M has no lack of championship experience, having made multiple podium finishes in the 60mh, 110mh, and 400mh, but has yet to win a title in any.
Author’s pick: Few events in track are as unforgiving, and each of the top seeds come in as real contenders… but it’s hard to bet against a US champion. Tharp FTW.
Men’s 4×400 (Saturday, 7:55 p.m. ET)
In 2019, 3:04.24 would have safely made it into the championship as the #4 seed. This year, that time means you’ll be watching the meet from the couch.
South Carolina’s time of 3:00.86 is the 2nd fastest time in history — but you won’t see an official world record this weekend no matter what they run, since World Athletics requires each member of the team to be the same nationality.
However, it’s hard to call them favorites when they didn’t even win their conference meet. Florida won the direct head-to-head at SECs, and Arkansas won the event from a different section.
The 4×400 relay this year is flush with star power, including #3 Alabama with Samuel Ogazi, #5 Texas A&M, who have one of the most prolific anchors in the NCAA, Auhmad Robinson, #6 USC with Garrett Kaalund, and #8 Georgia with Jonathan Simms. Whether any of them can help their team win following rounds of their individual event and relay prelims remains to be seen.
Author’s pick: Florida comes in as one of the top seeds, and the 2022 iteration of this team are the NCAA record holders in the outdoor 4×400. Coach Holloway knows how to win a 4×400, so I’m going with them.
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More: *Schedule, entries & results *TV & Streaming *All LRC 2026 NCAA Indoor coverage
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