By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The following is a list of 10 women’s storylines to follow Feb. 16-18 at the USATF Indoor Championships at Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico. The meet returns to Albuquerque for the first time since 2020 and the ninth time overall.

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Hall aims for historic double

Anna Hall, an adidas professional, has the potential to not only secure her first U.S. national title in the indoor pentathlon, but the reigning World Championships heptathlon bronze medalist, is also pursuing another championship in the 400 meters.

Hall, who captured the NCAA Division 1 pentathlon and heptathlon crowns last year at Florida along with the U.S. national heptathlon title, is expected to square off against reigning pentathlon champion Chari Hawkins.

Hall is trying to become the first female athlete in meet history to win the pentathlon championship and any track title in the same year.

Hall previously competed in the high jump in 2018 at the U.S. Indoor Championships in Albuquerque during her junior year at Valor Christian High in Colorado, then took third in 2019 as a senior in the pentathlon in New York.

Erica Bougard won the pentathlon and long jump crowns in 2017 in Albuquerque. Marla Runyan is the only female competitor to win the pentathlon and a running title, but she captured the former in 1996 and the 3,000-meter crown in 2000.

Hall clocked a lifetime-best 51.45 seconds Jan. 28 in the 400 at the Razorback Invitational, making her the top seed in Albuquerque, in addition to her leading mark in the pentathlon of 4,618 points.

Hawkins won last year in Washington with a personal-best 4,492 points.

Erin Marsh, a Duke graduate and last year’s Division 1 indoor pentathlon runner-up, is also entered, in addition to reigning NCAA Division 2 pentathlon champion Cheyenne Williamson of Saginaw Valley State.

Shaina Burns, Hope Bender and Colorado’s Avery McMullen have also surpassed the 4,200-point barrier.

Hobbs back in championship hunt against two-time winner Brisco

The careers of Aleia Hobbs and Mikiah Brisco have been connected since their days at LSU and the friends and national champions will add another chapter in the women’s 60-meter dash in Albuquerque.

Brisco is the two-time champion and the reigning World Indoor Championships silver medalist.

Hobbs is the world leader at 6.98 seconds.

And the adidas professional competitors are two of the four athletes in American indoor history who have produced sub-7 performances.

Brisco is looking to become the first female athlete to win three in a row in the 60 since Gwen Torrence prevailed from 1994-96.

Hobbs is seeking her first title since winning the U.S. national crown in the 100-meter dash in 2018, the same year she swept the NCAA Division 1 championships in the 60 and 100 at LSU.

Marybeth Sant-Price, who earned the World Indoor Championships bronze medal in Serbia after securing runner-up in Washington last year, is also scheduled to compete.

Gail Devers, the only American female sprinter with multiple sub-7 efforts, is the only U.S. champion to eclipse the 7-second barrier, capturing the title in 6.99 in 1993.

Cunningham seeks seventh heaven in high jump

Vashti Cunningham, representing Nike and the Nevada Gazzelles, is looking to capture her seventh consecutive indoor high jump title, matching the all-time mark for consistency in the event established by Eleanor Montgomery and her championship reign from 1963-69.

Cunningham has won indoor crowns in Albuquerque in 2017, 2018 and 2020, and is again a significant favorite in a field that also features JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, a sophomore at Emerald Ridge High in Washington.

Gero-Holt, 16, was the youngest member of Team USA at the World U20 Championships in Colombia, where she finished 17th in the heptathlon. She also set the freshman national record in the heptathlon last year with 5,401 points and matched the all-time freshman outdoor high jump mark by clearing 6-0.75 (1.85m).

Arika Harbo of Concordia-St. Paul, the reigning NCAA Division 2 indoor and outdoor high jump champion, is expected to compete, along with Division 2 outdoor runner-up Mercedeez Francis of Tiffin.

Zarriea Willis of the Nevada Gazzelles, the 2019 Division 1 indoor high jump champion at Texas Tech, is entered, as well as Nissi Kabongo of Stephen F. Austin, who cleared 6-0.75 on Feb. 10 at Houston.

Middle-distance opportunities finally materialize

Ajee’ Wilson has dominated the women’s 800 meters at the U.S. Indoor Championships, winning the title the past three times it has been contested and six occasions overall in her career, in addition to a 600-meter crown in 2017 and 1,000-meter victory in 2019.

With Wilson, who triumphed in the 600 race Feb. 11 at the 115th Millrose Games, not scheduled to compete and two-time U.S. outdoor 800 winner Athing Mu also not entered, the opportunity to crown a new national champion will emerge in Albuquerque.

Allie Wilson of Atlanta Track Club, along with adidas professional Kaela Edwards and first-year New Balance athlete Kristie Schoffield – the reigning NCAA Division 1 outdoor 800 champion from Boise State – are all entered, along with Camel City Elite winner Brenna Detra, a Wisconsin graduate.

Nia Akins of the Brooks Beasts, Michaela Meyer from Nike Union Athletics Club, Baylor graduate and On Running competitor Aaliyah Miller – the 2021 Division 1 indoor champion – plus adidas professional Sammy Watson, the 2018 Division 1 outdoor winner, and Nike athlete McKenna Keegan are also scheduled to compete.

Addy Wiley, a freshman at Huntington University in Indiana who ran an NAIA indoor record 2:02.33 on Feb. 10 at Grand Valley State, is also expected to participate. Wiley, who also achieved the NAIA indoor mile all-time mark of 4:32.15 on Feb. 4 at the Camel City Elite Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C., is also entered in the 1,500.

Erica Moore was the last U.S. indoor 800 winner in 2012, before Ajee’ Wilson won the past six championships in 2013, 2014 and 2016, followed by 2018, 2020 and 2022.

New champions will also be crowned in the women’s 1,500 and 3,000, as New Balance competitors Heather MacLean and Elle Purrier-St. Pierre are also not competing in New Mexico.

MacLean will be representing the U.S. on the 4x2-kilometer mixed relay Feb. 18 at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.

Whittni Orton-Morgan, Elly Henes, Emily Mackay, Nikki Hiltz, Sage Hurta-Klecker, Courtney Wayment, Gabbi Jennings, Val Constien, Abby Nichols, Hannah Steelman and Eleanor Fulton are all athletes expected to be in contention for one or both of the 1,500 and 3,000 championships.

Ealey aspires for huge homecoming effort

Chase Ealey, a graduate of Los Alamos High in New Mexico, prevailed in 2020 in Albuquerque to secure back-to-back titles, before placing second last year in Washington behind friend and fellow Nike professional athlete Maggie Ewen.

Ealey, who won Feb. 11 at the 115th Millrose Games with a world-leading 65-8.75 (20.03m), is targeting sole possession of the American indoor record after equaling the 2016 mark of 66-3.75 (20.21m) achieved by Michelle Carter.

Ealey earned a silver medal with the performance at last year’s World Indoor Championships in Serbia, before capturing gold at the World Outdoor Championships with a 67-3 (20.49m) effort.

Ewen won last year’s indoor crown at The Podium with a 64-11.25 (19.79m) performance and Ealey was runner-up at 62-8 (19.10m). Ewen took third at Millrose with a mark of 63-11.50 (19.49m).

Jessica Woodard, Felisha Johnson and Rachel Fatherly are also scheduled to compete.

Johnson inspired to clear big domestic hurdle

Alaysha Johnson has been one of the most active American competitors this indoor season, completing a stretch of five meets in two weeks in Europe, earning a combined three victories and two more top-three performances in the women’s 60-meter hurdles at events in Czech Republic, France and Germany.

Although Johnson won the NACAC gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles in August in the Bahamas, along with competing last year in both the World Indoor Championships in the 60 hurdles and World Outdoor Championships in the 100 hurdles, she is still in search of her first U.S. national crown.

Johnson, who has produced nine sub-8 performances this season including a lifetime-best 7.82 seconds Feb. 4 in France, is looking to improve on her runner-up effort last year at The Podium. She also took second in the 100 hurdles in June at the USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Tonea Marshall and Anna Cockrell, both Nike professional athletes, are scheduled to compete along with ASICS competitor Taliyah Brooks and Duke assistant coach Cha’Mia Rothwell.

Lolo Jones, who won three consecutive titles from 2007-09, is also entered after running five 60 hurdles races this season. Jones, 40, clocked 8.35 at an American Track League event Jan. 21 in Iowa.

Moon returns to site of memorable first title

Katie Moon, then Katie Nageotte, produced one of the most remarkable pole vault performances in U.S. indoor championship history by outlasting Sandi Morris and Jenn Suhr in 2018 with a 16-1.25 (4.91m) clearance in Albuquerque.

Moon, who also won in 2019 in New York, placed second last year behind Morris in Washington and is looking to build off the momentum of her victory with a 15-9.25 (4.81m) clearance Feb. 11 at the 115th Millrose Games with her return to New Mexico in search of a third career indoor crown.

Moon, a Nike professional and the reigning Olympic and World Championships gold medalist, is expected to be joined by the top two competitors in U.S. high school history in Capital High seniors and Northwest Pole Vault Club members Amanda Moll and Hana Moll, both Washington signees.

Bridget Williams, the runner-up at Millrose Games, and PUMA professional Gabbi Leon – the reigning NCAA Division 1 outdoor champion representing Louisville – are also entered. Williams achieved a lifetime-best 15-7.75 (4.77m) clearance Feb. 4 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston.

Rachel Baxter, a Virginia Tech graduate and last year’s Division 1 indoor champion, is also scheduled to participate along with 2017 World Championships qualifier Emily Grove.

March to 50 continues for Michta-Coffey

Maria Michta-Coffey has more career national titles than the combined total of every other female athlete competing in Albuquerque, securing her 46th championship Feb. 11 at the 115th Millrose Games by winning the 1-mile racewalk crown in 6:53.83.

Michta-Coffey, 36, is seeking her first 3,000-meter indoor racewalk crown since 2018 in New Mexico, which capped a streak of nine consecutive victories at the U.S. indoor final. Michta-Coffey won 2-mile titles in 2015 and 2017, along with seven 3,000 championships during that dominant stretch.

Miranda Melville prevailed in 2019 in New York and Robyn Stevens won in 2020 in Albuquerque, with the event not being held last year in Washington.

Michta-Coffey took third in 2020, her last indoor loss, before winning the past two years in the mile event at the Millrose Games.

Melville, 33, is also entered. She prevailed against Michta-Coffey in the U.S. 35-kilometer outdoor championship event Jan. 15 in Santee, Calif., by a 2:57:22 to 2:58:39 margin. 

Katie Burnett, 34, representing Harrier Track Club, is also scheduled to compete after taking third at Millrose and fifth in the 35-kilometer final.

Stewart pursues new world order in weight throw

Janeah Stewart, representing New York Athletic Club, matched the all-time global mark in the women’s weight throw Jan. 21 at Vanderbilt with her 84-foot effort (25.60m), equaling the 2017 U.S. title performance of Gwen Berry in Albuquerque.

Stewart, who finished fourth at last year’s national final at The Podium in Washington, is seeking her third career championship following titles in 2019 and 2020, the latter in New Mexico.

Berry is the only athlete to surpass the 25-meter mark in Albuquerque.

Brooke Andersen, the reigning World gold medalist in the hammer throw, produced a personal-best 82-3 (25.07m) performance Feb. 4 at Penn State, elevating to the No. 5 all-time competitor.

Janee’ Kassanavoid, the World Championships bronze medalist in the hammer throw and reigning U.S. weight throw champion, is also entered.

DeAnna Price, the 2018 weight throw national champion in Albuquerque, is also expected to compete. Price is the No. 9 athlete in history at 81-0.75 (24.71m).

Andersen, Kassanavoid and Price are all Nike professional athletes.

Annette Echikunwoke, who is equal to the No. 7 all-time performer at 81-3.50 (24.78m), is also scheduled to participate, as well as Erin Reese – No. 6 in history at 81-9.25 (24.93m) – representing Velaasa.

Burks tries to soar to three-peat in loaded long jump field

Quanesha Burks captured the women’s long jump championship in 2020 in Albuquerque with a leap of 22-2.25 (6.76m) and prevailed again last year in Spokane with a 21-6 (6.55m) effort, but the potential for a third consecutive title will be a challenging task, especially with one of the deepest fields at the meet.

Burks is attempting to become the first female athlete to three-peat in the long jump since Janay DeLoach Soukup won three straight from 2011-13.

Tara Davis-Woodhall, a fellow Olympian with Burks in 2021, is also entered, along with last year’s indoor runner-up Tiffany Flynn, plus Monae’ Nichols and 2019 winner Kate Hall-Harnden.

Shakeela Saunders, Kendell Williams and Rhesa Foster are also expected to jump, all pursuing the American-leading mark of 22-3.50 (6.79m) produced Feb. 11 by Oregon All-American Alysah Hickey at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

The last 7-meter performance at the U.S. Indoor Championships came from Jackie Joyner-Kersee and her 23-4.75 (7.13m) effort in 1994 in Georgia. DeLoach Soukup just missed in 2011 in Albuquerque, winning the title with a 22-11.25 (6.99m) leap.