The 2023 USA Track and Field Indoor Championships crowned a new champion in the 60 meter dash. And this year’s winner was JT Smith of Texas A&M Commerce University. I’m not making this up, JT Smith was the NCAA Division 2 National Champion in 2022, and is now the national champion, ahead of all the pros. And even though JT’s college is now transitioning to Division 1 his victory is surprising enough until you see the field that he beat. Because the USA championship final included 4 collegiate runners, including 1 sprinter from a Division 3 school. NCAA track and field is highly competitive, and it’s about time that we recognize it for what it really is, basically professional track.

Collegiate runners beat professional runners all the time

Calling the USATF indoor 60m a national championship almost feels misleading at first glance. JT Smith won the 60m in 6.53 seconds, a time that will be converted down for record keeping in all likelihood because it was contested at altitude. Right now that race, which is his new personal best would rank 5th in Division 1. This means JT Smith is crowned the fastest sprinter in America without even being the fastest sprinter in all of college! College sprinters on both the men’s and women’s sides consistently run some of the fastest times in the world each year, and sprinters like Walter Dix and Richard Thompson as far back as 2008 have proven that college runners can complete an NCAA season and then continue directly on to Olympic competition and win individual medals. And the only reason their 100 meter Olympic medals were silver and bronze, is because they lost to Usain Bolt during one of his many world record performances.

This phenomenon is not exclusive to sprinting, this indoor season, Katelyn Tuohy broke two NCAA collegiate records, and is became the collegiate leader in four events. In fact, the only runners who have beaten her this season have been incredibly exceptional professional runners. But the sprinting events are something unique entirely indoors, where many of the world championship contending American sprinters like Trayvon Bromell and Christian Coleman, often elect not to run at the USATF national event. Amongst all the other pros who do show up, multiple collegiate runners often get the best of them.

NCAA athletes stand out from every Division 

When I was in college I watched Reggie Dixon finish second at his conference championship meet, then fourth at the USATF Indoor meet in the 60 meter dash. He followed that up winning an IC4A championship in the 60 meter, and finishing fourth at the NCAA Division 1 national meet. The following week he opened up his 100 meter outdoor season winning the Shamrock Invitational, against a bunch of other runners, myself included. What matters is that Reggie Dixon ran for Hampton University in the MEAC conference. Which is a far cry away from the SEC which is known for producing the best sprinters. Yet even he could hold his own with the pros as someone who lost his collegiate conference championship.

This year’s USA event featured sprinters from the Division 1 Pac 12 and Missouri Valley conferences, along with a Division 3 sprinter in the final. And the winner of the entire event was a former Division 2 sprinter, who will represent this year in Division 1 for the Southland conference. The influence of NIL opportunities will make it easier than ever for these athletes, and those in the future who are like them, to remain in college without fear of missing out on a big pay day. There is no established professional track and field league like the NFL or NBA. So professional contracts for track have essentially been reduced to signing sponsorship deals for individuals anyway. So JT Smith and others like him can basically “go pro” without leaving college, and still represent their university in a way that even a college football player cannot.

The Bottom Line

I had no idea who JT Smith was or what college he ran for before the USATF 60 meter final. And for that matter almost nobody did. But while performing on the biggest stage on National television, he got the job done. And he is now on the watch list to do it again come outdoors. But he may not even be the fastest runner in college right now. And for those who are fans of professional track and field, my advice is to tune in to the NCAA championships, in any division this March. Because some of the performances you will get to see are likely going to be just as competitive as anything else you’ll find just about anywhere else.

KNOW THE GAME. WIN THE GAME.

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