By Citius Mag Staff
February 19, 2025
With all due respect to the Dempsey Indoor Facility and the Tyson Track Center, when it comes to indoor track racing in 2025, the East Coast is where it’s at. And for the first time since 2019, the U.S. Indoor Championships are back at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island this Saturday and Sunday, February 22-23.
For the second year in a row, spots on Team USA are up for grabs as the rescheduled 2020 2025 World Indoor Championships are set for Nanjing, China. Each event’s top two qualified finishers will earn their seats on the plane, should they choose to accept. There will be quite a few new World champions crowned as reigning champs Christian Coleman (60m), Ryan Crouser (shot put), Tara Davis-Woodhall (long jump), Bryce Hoppel (800m), and Elle St. Pierre (3000m) are not entered in the U.S. championship. But that just means there will be plenty of hardware up for grabs and rising stars eager to make a name for themselves.
A full list of entries can be found here as well as a full schedule of events. The primetime window of Day 2 competition will be shown from 1-3pm on Sunday, Feb. 23 on NBC and Peacock (subscription required).
Here are a few of the most intriguing storylines to watch as the two-day championship plays out along the FDR Boardwalk:
Will experience or youth prevail in the 60m dash?
If the only 60-meter race you’ve watched recently was the Millrose Games, it’s understandable that you’d bet big on a pair of youngsters fresh out of college—Jacious Sears and Marcellus Moore—to cruise to their respective national titles. But a long racing resume tends to pay dividends on the brightest stages, and veterans like Ronnie Baker and Trayvon Bromell on the men’s side and Celera Barnes and Mikiah Brisco on the women’s will be tough to take down with team spots on the line. But with two other accomplished and experienced sprinters out of the meet (Noah Lyles and Aleia Hobbs), it’s entirely possible that the sprint podium will be a refreshing mix of new blood and familiar faces.
Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Can anyone stop Josh Hoey?
2024 was a year of near misses for 25-year-old Josh Hoey, who was the first man out for both the indoor and outdoor U.S. teams. But so far in 2025, Hoey hasn’t left much to doubt when it comes to racing, going three for three on wins so far this season with American records in the 800m and 1000m in two of those outings. Given that Hoey successfully outdueled Hoppel—the reigning World indoor and U.S. champ—at Millrose and Hoppel won’t be making the trip to New York, Hoey has to be considered the heavy favorite to finally get his chance at a Team USA berth.
Who comes out on top in a wide-open women’s 800m?
It’s been a while since the women’s 800m felt this unpredictable. For years, Ajee’ Wilson and Raevyn Rogers had two podium spots more or less spoken for, and the explosive entrance of Athing Mu on the world scene in 2021 only narrowed the path for others to make the team. But so far this year, the best American 800m runners are mostly still in college, and neither Juliette Whittaker nor Michaela Rose decided to throw their hat into this particular professional ring. So Wilson, who’s only managed a 2:02.31 so far this season, will vie for the win against the likes of Olivia Baker, Nia Akins, Sage Hurta-Klecker, and more, as the top eight entrants all sport seed times between 2:00.00 and 2:01.00. Who comes out on top will more likely be the product of excellent positioning and racing instincts rather than who can post the fastest mark.
Which heavy hitters will be going for gold in the women’s distance?
The women’s 1500m and 3000m will surely be two of the most highly-anticipated events of the whole weekend given the talent that’s crammed into both fields. Heather MacLean, Sinclaire Johnson, and Dani Jones have opted to focus on the 1500m, which takes place on Day 2, while MacLean’s teammate, World Indoor 1500m medalist Emily MacKay, has entered just the 3000m along with 5000m Olympian Whittni Morgan. Among the double entrants are Nikki Hiltz, Shelby Houlihan, and Katelyn Tuohy, all of whom could be in the mix for one or both podium spots. These two events could easily see athletes finish in fifth or sixth place who could conceivably medal in Nanjing, such is the depth of American middle distance at the moment.
Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Can Hobbs Kessler win his first national title—or two?
Hobbs Kessler may have two World medals (road mile gold and indoor 1500m bronze) and a shiny new 3:46 mile personal best, but the 21-year-old has yet to win a U.S. title over any distance or surface. But with no Yared Nuguse or Cole Hocker on the entry lists for Saturday, Kessler has to be considered the favorite in the 1500m, and possibly also the 3000m, where he’s got the second-fastest PB. In 2024, Kessler proved he’d leveled up tactically by making the Olympics in both the 1500m and 800m (plus kicking his way to the aforementioned World Indoor medal), so he should have both the fitness and the racing toolbox to come home with at least one USATF gold medal.
Will Vashti Cunningham keep her streak alive?
It’s been a full decade since high jumper Vashti Cunningham lost a U.S. Indoor title, which is a pretty wild stat considering Cunningham was still in high school when she picked up her first national crown. She enters the competition something of an unknown quantity, as she hasn’t competed since finishing fifth in the Olympic final (her best result of three appearances at the Games). Cunningham also lost her outdoor title streak last summer in Eugene, finishing third at the 2024 Trials, but with fourteen USATF gold medals on her shelf already at 27 years old, it feels premature to proclaim the Reign of Vashti to be over—at least until we see what kind of form she shows up in this weekend.
What happens when three big names are fighting for two spots?
In at least a few events, there are some serious international contenders who may be hard-pressed simply to make the smaller roster of a World Indoor squad simply because the U.S. is top-heavy with talent. In the women’s 60H, one of the six fastest athletes in the world this year will not be contending for gold in Nanjing because Masai Russell (7.76, world #1), Grace Stark, and Alia Armstrong (7.81, T-world #5) are all American. Similarly, one of Team USA’s three 6-meter pole vaulters (Sam Kendricks, KC Lightfoot, and Chris Nilsen) will be staying home, although unlike the hurdles, there’s a likely candidate for odd man out as Lightfoot has only cleared 5.65m, finishing seventh, in his sole competition of the year so far.
When all is said and done, there may still be some ambiguity over Team USA spots as several athletes have expressed hesitation about cramming World Indoors into a busy 2025 competition schedule, but don’t let that take away from the fun. Regardless of what happens next, the head-to-head clashes on tap for Ocean Breeze are well-positioned to deliver.
Citius Mag Staff
