For many professional track and field stars in the U.S., the indoor season will conclude this weekend at the 2025 USATF Indoor Championships. For the nation’s top athletes, the meet will be a stepping stone toward the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China—the first global championship of the year.
From Saturday, February 22 to Sunday, February 23, sprinters, field event specialists, and distance runners will face off at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, New York. Though the field isn’t as strong this year with several high-profile athletes opting to focus on other meets, there’s still plenty to get excited about.
Here’s everything you need to know, including broadcast information and storylines, heading into the national championship.
How to Watch
If you can’t make it to Staten Island to watch in-person, you can tune in to the live broadcast. On Saturday, the meet will be streamed on USATF.TV ($9.99 for a 30-day pass).
NBC will show the majority of the finals on Sunday starting at 1 p.m. EST. You can also live stream the championship on Peacock (requires a subscription) starting at the same time.
What to Watch
Women’s 1500 and 3,000 meters
After serving a four-year ban, Shelby Houlihan didn’t waste any time making a statement in her return to elite competition. On February 8, the 32-year-old clocked 4:20.30 in the mile at Boston University, a world-leading time in the event. This weekend will mark the first time Houlihan has competed at a national championship since 2020, when she won the 1500 and 3,000 meters at the U.S. indoor championship in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
But reclaiming her titles won’t be easy with Nikki Hiltz also racing the 1500 and 3,000 meters. The 2024 world indoor silver medalist is coming off a breakthrough season, which included a seventh-place finish in the 1500 meters at the Paris Games and a new personal best of 3:55.33, which is No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list behind Houlihan’s American record. With two national titles on the line, who will come out on top in this highly anticipated match-up?
The 3,000 meters on Saturday will also feature Whittni Morgan, who is fresh off an 8:28.03 victory at the Millrose Games (currently No. 4 in the world this year). Sunday’s 1500-meter final will include 2021 Olympian Heather MacLean, 2022 national champion Sinclaire Johnson, and 4:22 miler Dani Jones, among other standouts.
Men’s 3,000 meters
The long-distance event will be Hobbs Kessler’s first race in a tough double at the meet. The two-time world championship medalist, who turns 22 in March, is competing in the 3,000 meters on Saturday and the 1500 meters on Sunday in an attempt to claim two national titles.
Two weeks ago, Kessler finished second to Yared Nuguse, who shattered the world record in the mile at the Millrose Games before Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke it five days later. Kessler’s time of 3:46.90 catapulted him to No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list in the event.
While Kessler will face tough opponents, like Dylan Jacobs and Matt Wilkinson in the 3,000 and Vince Ciattei and Sam Prakel in the 1500, the country’s best runners won’t be making an appearance at the meet. Notably, 5,000-meter world record-holder Grant Fisher, Olympic champion Cole Hocker, and Nuguse won’t race at Staten Island this weekend. And Kessler didn’t hold back when asked about their absence by Race Results Weekly. “I think what we should be focused on is titles, big meets, and not running fast at [Boston University],” Kessler said. “It is what it is.”
Men’s 800 meters
After breaking the American record in the 800 and 1,000-meter events, Josh Hoey is back for more this weekend. The 25-year-old kicked off his racing in January by setting the U.S. record in the 1,000 meters (2:14.48) at the Quaker Invitational in Philadelphia. In early February, he beat Fisher on his way to victory in the 1500 meters (3:33.66) at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. A week later at the Millrose Games, Hoey obliterated the previous indoor American record (1:44.21) set by Donavan Brazier, winning the 800 meters at the Millrose Games in 1:43.90. He also beat outdoor record-holder Bryce Hoppel, who ran 1:44.19 for second. If Hoey wins the 800-meter crown, it will be his first national title.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
