Horizon League's Championship Questions

After our trip to the MEAC Championships, this Friday and Saturday, we will spend Sunday at the Horizon League Championships. While the Horizon League may not have a ton of national qualifiers, it serves as a tough mid-major meet, featuring the grit of runners based in the Midwest, representing schools in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The meet will be hosted in Youngstown, Ohio, May 3-5.

Will Hannah Gaskins get Cleveland State's First Number One Finish?

Cleveland State started its track program during the 2016-17 school year. The Vikings have taken their lumps over the first two seasons, but the program is making progress. The program's biggest success story is Hannah Gaskins. The sophomore placed second in the Horizon League's Pentathlon during indoor season after a runner-up finish in the 2018 outdoor season.

If she can overcome the likes of defending outdoor champion, Detroit Mercy junior, Kyri Jackson, and this year's indoor champ, Youngstown State freshman, Olivia Jones, Gaskins will be the first ever Cleveland State competitor to win an individual event at a Horizon League Championship meet.

Gaskins also looks to score points for the Vikings in the high jump, as she is tied for sixth in conference with a high jump of 1.63.

Will Jaliyah Elliott be the first Horizon woman to run the 100-meter dash in under 11.5?

Youngstown State junior, Jaliyah Elliott, has been the biggest star of Horizon League women's track and field. The All-American qualified for this year's NCAA indoor 100-meter dash semi-finals, and is looking to regain her 100- and 200-meter dash crowns that she lost last year to then teammate, Keishawnna Burts.

Jaliyah Elliott's 100-meter dash time of 11.53 is the fastest in Horizon League history. Running under 11.5 isn't totally out of the question. Elliot's times have improved drastically over the past year. She had races in 2018 where she ran as slow as 11.98 and as fast as 11.57.

This season her slowest time was 11.74. She recorded her fastest time of 11.53 during the Hurricane Alumni Invitational in Miami. Elliott also ran 11.57 at this year's Texas Relays.

Can anybody defeat Chanel Gardner in the 400?

Oakland junior, Chanel Gardner, has owned the Horizon League when it comes to the 400-meter dash. She's won the last two indoor championships, and took last year's outdoor crown.

This year Gardner has the top time in the conference at 56.56. She sits ahead of Youngstown freshman Suerethia Henderson's time of 56.81. Indoor runner-up, Northern Kentucky senior BriAuna Keys is also a threat with a top time of 56.90.

Keys leads a trio of Norse runners as freshman Lynsey Shipley (57.05) and senior Samantha Shaw (57.24) are fourth and fifth in the conference.

Another runner that is perhaps the most dangerous in the race is Kayla Isom. The sophomore from Illinois-Chicago, has shown toughness at Horizon League meets, while running both the 400-meter dash, and the 800-meter run. Isom seems to get stronger as the race goes on, as her late charges have eliminated opponents in semi-final action, and lowered their placings in finals.

Who's going to win the 100-meter hurdles?

With three-time champ, Amber Ales, of Youngstown State now done with collegiate competition, the 100-meter hurdles championship is up for grabs.

Wright State senior, Brooklyn Mikesell, has clocked the top time this season. She ran 14.47 at the Jesse Owens Classic last weekend, and is the only senior in the Horizon League's top 20.

The rest of the field is a bunch of young guns ready to upset Mikesell's plans to go out as a champ. Junior, Kyri Jackson, of Detroit Mercy is a serious competitor with the second best time of the year at 14.62. The question is, will the toll of competing in the heptathlon effect her performance? Oakland freshman, Emily Schaub, is another heptathlon performer, and her time of 14.65 is the third best in the conference.

The top returning finisher in last year's championship is Kayla Thompson. The sophomore of Northern Kentucky placed third (14.55) behind Eles, and Melissa Kirchoff of Milwaukee in 2018.

Thompson was the only freshman in last year's final, and has the fourth best time in the conference this season at 14.73. Going into last year's championship meet, Thompson's best outdoor time was 14.99.

Behind Thompson is a trio of freshman ranking fifth through seventh. Monica Johnson of Cleveland State (14.74), Destiny Washington of Youngstown State (14.76), and Cleveland State's, Mijah Collier (14.77) all hope to be in the hunt for the finals of the 100-meter hurdles.

Other Horizon Faves

Before we wrap up, we'll be checking to see how freshman, Suerethia Henderson, does in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dashes. The Youngstown State rookie has the second best times in each event. Wright State's, Jennifer Ramsey, is a talented performer in the 400-meter run, 1600-meter relay, and long jump.

Cleveland State's, Tylar Mixon, should be in the mix in the 100- and 200-meter dash finals. Ashley Melvin, of Milwaukee has what it takes to win the high jump. She was a runner up as a freshman, but dropped to seventh last season. This year she enters the conference meet tied for the top jump at 1.71.

Youngstown State's, Chandler Killins, is fun to watch in triple jump action. She was fourth at last year's meet. Another triple jumper to watch is the always colorful, Aaziyah Woods. She's recently returned from injury, so it will be interesting to see how high she finishes.

Cleveland State's, Julianne Dorothal, will make some noise in the heptathlon as well.

Finally, IUPUI senior mid-distance runners, Allie Wright, and Amairany Cruz, are strong in the 800- and 1,500-meter runs, and will put points on the board in their final meet.