Track & Field 2k22: Cincinnati Preview

Yes it is early, but we are kicking off the "Track & Field 2k22" season. The theme of the season is "Rise of the Woman." The meaning of the theme is that it is simply time. It is time for women's sports to have a serious space in the minds of sports fans. We are not comparing women's sports to men's sports. Women's sports are unique and show everyone that times are progressing and anything is possible.

Cincinnati finished second to Houston in the American Athletic Conference during last year's outdoor championship meet. The Bearcats have a ton of talent returning next season. High jumper Taylor Beard shook up things as she became an All-American during her second indoor season and continued to shine repeating the feat in her first outdoor season. Beard earned her first collegiate win at the McCravy Green Invitational to begin the indoor season. From there she won her next three meets and qualified for the NCAA indoor championships.

During the outdoor season Beard won at the Clark Wood Invitational before taking her first conference championship win. She qualified for the NCAA outdoor championship meet and also competed at the USA Olympic Trials.

Caisja Chandler is on course to become the best sprinter in school history. Like Beard, the 2020 All-American also competed at this year's USA Olympic Trials. Chandler has run Cincinnati's fastest times in the indoor 60 meters and 200 meters as well as the outdoor 100 meters, 200 meters, 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay.

Last season she placed second in the 200 meters and 400-meter relay at the conference championship meet. Chandler also placed third in the 100 meters at the same meet. She ended her college season by competing in the preliminary rounds at the NCAA championships.

Talented jumper Kennedy Marable is back for another year. Last season she was the runner-up in the triple jump at the American Athletic Conference championship meet. During the season she won the triple jump at the Kentucky Invitational and Oliver Nikoloff Invitational. She had success in 2020 at the conference championship as well with a third place finish.

Ellie Leather, a native of England and transfer from Fresno State, made a splash last season with conference championship wins in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter finals. During the indoor season she qualified for the NCAA indoor championship meet in the mile. Leather has the fastest indoor time in the mile and outdoor time in the 1,500 meters in school history. During the outdoor season she collected wins in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters in the Kentucky Invitational and was a member of the distance medley relay squad that won the Tennessee Relays. Leather also grabbed a win in the 5,000 meters at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational.

During indoor season she won the mile and distance medley relay at the H-Town SpeedCIty Series IIII.

Other notable talents that are returning next season include Victoria Abunaw. After transferring from Akron in 2019, she became Cincinnati's top hurdler. Last season she earned an indoor win at the University of Akron Campbell Invitational and an outdoor victory at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational. Katie Straus is a strong multi-event athlete who placed second at the conference championship meet in the heptathlon. Anaya Dees should have a strong year as a jumper. She captured her first collegiate win as a freshman at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational when she won the long jump.

Jane Sensibaugh is a top thrower in the American Athletic Conference. She placed third in the discus throw at the championship meet. Faith Banks and Alicia Thorpe also are expected to give the Bearcats an edge in the 200 meters, 400 meters as well as the 400-meter relay and 1,600-meter relay races.

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