Noting The Collegiates

Just The Facts

The Expanding Scope

With more than 200 teams representing universities and colleges from 28 states, the national's capitol and four foreign countries (Ireland, Puerto Rico, France and Canada) coming to compete, the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in the largest annual college sports event that takes place in the New York metropolitan area. The 28 states, in alphabetical order, are: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.

The Blade Jumper

Marie-Amelie LeFur is a college competitor from Montpellier, France, who also lost a leg in an automobile accident. She has become of the world's leading Paralympians, taking second in the 100m dash in Beijing in 2008. A world indoor champion, LeFur is entered into the 60- and 200-meter dashes as well as the long jump at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. If her long jump takeoff remains consistent with videos of her jumping online, her takeoff comes from her prosthetic leg.

Running, Catching & Jumping

While Marquise Goodwin is a star wide receiver for the Texas Longhorns' football team, he has even more up-side as a long jumper. That's because the former World Junior Champion is the national high school record holder in the event (26-10) and has his eyes on the Olympic Games in London this summer. He will be competing at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in the championship section of the 60m dash.

A New Chairman of the Boards?

The first Irish college team to compete in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational will be the men's squad from Dublin City University. Among the team's stars is miler John Coghlan, the son of seven-time Millrose Games' Wanamaker Mile champion Eamonn Coghlan. That storyline will last, as Coghlan and his Dublin teammates will also run in the Distance Medley Relay at the Millrose Games at The Armory on Feb. 11. "My role there is as a parent, coach and a nervous dad," said the father.

Bracing For Impact

The direct economic impact of the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on New York City is expected to exceed more than $4 million as nearly 5,000 athletes, staff and fans will descend upon the region for several days. This impact comes at the annual low ebb of the tourism calendar for the Big Apple, giving hotels and retailers a shot in the arm between the holidays and the coming of spring. The New Balance Collegiate Invitational is just one of more than 100 events scheduled at The Armory this year.

A Throwing Story

Texas freshman Ryan Crouser — a native Oregonian — might be in a position to throw a scare into the meet record in the shot put. The large rookie (6-foot-7, 240 pounds) threw 64-8 1/2 in his college debut, currently good for third nationally. The top six college throwers in the nation right now include five seniors and Crouser. He threw the high school shot more than 77 feet last winter.

Welcome To The Apple...

Mississippi State's star quarter-miler Tavaris Tate will be competing at The Armory for the first time in his career. Tate, who has run a 44.84 outdoor best, is entered individually in both the 200m and 400m dashes at the New Balance Collegiates. He will also likely run for Miss State's 4x400m, a championship contender.

... And Happy Returns

Texas A&M Coach Pat Henry has brought his LSU and Texas A&M teams to the New Balance Collegiates for many years. Last year his Olympic hopeful 400-meter star, Jessica Beard, was named as the meet's Outstanding Female Athlete.

Comin' Home Again

It wasn't long ago that Dalilah Muhammad, then a star at Benjamin Cardozo High in the City, was an Armory All-Star and New York State Gatorade Athlete of the Year. Now the University of Southern California hurdler and sprinter is returning to The Armory as an All-American, a distinction she earned at the NCAA Championships last summer in the 400-meter hurdles. She will be running in both the 500m dash and the 60m hurdles here at New Balance Collegiates.

A New Place of Power

It's not like Central Florida became a serious player on the women's track & field scene overnight, but it certainly hasn't taken long for Coach Caryl Smith Gilbert — herself an All-American sprinter at UCLA — to build a top-10 program. Her program boasts two of the nation's top sprinters in freshman Octavious Freeman and Aurieyall Scott along with a couple of local stars well-known to The Armory crowd. They are long jumper Jen Clayton (Nyack, N.Y.) and sprinter Dominique Booker (East Orange, N.J.).

With Eyes On London

Tina Sutej — Arkansas' college record-setting pole vaulter — is poised to represent Slovenia at the 2012 Olympic Games, but she is far from the only foreign Olympic hopeful set to compete at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Jack Pfeifer has uncovered American college athletes from 27 countries who could find a spot on a national team in London. Note that this list doesn't count the athletes competing for colleges from Canada, Puerto Rico, France and Ireland.