By: Garrett Zatlin
PAST RANKINGS THIS SEASON
PAST RANKINGS THIS SEASON
Week 4 (10/12)--No changes
Week 5 (10/19)
Week 6 (10/26)--No changes
Week 7 (11/2)
Week 8 (11/9)--No changes
Week 9 (11/16)
49. Jacob Thomson, Sophomore, Kentucky (Wasn't Ranked)
-Thomson's departure from NC State must've hurt the Wolfpack this season (considering they only had four reliable scorers). The guy has been on fire but a bit off my radar considering his terrible Pre-Nats performance (123rd). However, once he entered the post-season, he made some noise. He was 4th at SEC's, 10th at regionals (Southeast), and 44th at nationals. He wasn't mind-blowing, but he did enough to get into the rankings.
47. Henry Wynne, Sophomore, Virginia (-3/44)
-There was a lot of inconsistency this season with Virginia. However, one guy that seemed to be reliable was Henry Wynne. Just like Yorks, his label as a miler gave me the view that he wouldn't be able to consistently finish so well in the longer races. Yet, Wynne continued to be a low-stick for a team that desperately needed one. His nationals finish was 59th, but it doesn't do his season justice.
45. Ben Rainero, Senior, Cornell (-3/42)
-Rainero is one of those grind-it-out runners who makes you work for it. He pushed the pace at Beantown and Heps and continued to thrive. He wasn't ever able to hang onto to those paces, but he always finished towards the front (just like NCAA's where he was 45th).
41. Malachy Schrobilgen, Junior, Wisconsin (-13/28)
-Rough season, but he had a solid race at Wisconsin. Unfortunately, injuries eventually got in the way of his season and he fell apart in the post-season. He's on here because he went out and proved that he's still talented. Unfortunately, one race won't cut it for him to stay in the top-40.
40. Brandon Doughty, Senior, Oklahoma (-7/33)
-Solid season from Doughty. He didn't shock anyone, but he was consistently towards the top and helped push Burcham to the fitness he's at now. I'm also pretty happy for this guy considering he was the first guy out of nationals last season. His nationals finish wasn't thrilling (82nd), but he did a lot for an Oklahoma team that wasn't supposed to make nationals coming into this season.
39. Izaic Yorks, Senior, Washington (+9/48)
-Since I started covering the NCAA, I have (for some reason) never been a fan of Yorks. I feel like I'm always overly critical and never giving him enough credit. This season was an example of that. Maybe it's because I think of him as solely a miler, but he surprised me at every meet. His 30th place finish at NCAA's wasn't what I expected, but if you look at the way he's run this season, it seems about right. Props to you Izaic Yorks.
15. Erik Peterson, Senior, Butler (+6/21)
-Like a lot of guys in the BIG East, Peterson was pretty underrated during this season. Excluding NCAA's, Peterson was top 10 at every race he ran in this season, and these weren't any easy meets. He ran at Panorama Farms (1st), Pre-Nats (8th), BIG East's (3rd), and Great Lakes (5th). Tack on his 12th place finish at nationals and this guy was one of the best in the business.
13. Matt McClintock, Senior, Purdue (-2/11)
Biggest Surprise of the Week
Week 5 (10/19)
Week 6 (10/26)--No changes
Week 7 (11/2)
Week 8 (11/9)--No changes
Week 9 (11/16)
KEY
· Bold: Had performances that influenced a strong change in the rankings
· (#/#): First number indicates how much the individual has moved in the rankings. A plus means they have improved in the rankings. A minus means they have regressed in the rankings. The second number indicates where they were ranked the week before
· (Wasn’t Ranked): Was not ranked the week before.
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50. Robert Denault, Senior, Villanova (-4/46)
-It had to be a rough season for the Villanova Wildcats. As a team, it was a struggle, but the top three were able to prosper...most of the time. Denault was always towards the top and pushing his teammates for a good portion of the season. He never stood out (77th at NCAA's) but he never had a bad race either.
49. Jacob Thomson, Sophomore, Kentucky (Wasn't Ranked)
-Thomson's departure from NC State must've hurt the Wolfpack this season (considering they only had four reliable scorers). The guy has been on fire but a bit off my radar considering his terrible Pre-Nats performance (123rd). However, once he entered the post-season, he made some noise. He was 4th at SEC's, 10th at regionals (Southeast), and 44th at nationals. He wasn't mind-blowing, but he did enough to get into the rankings.
48. Frankline Tonui, Junior, Arkansas (Wasn't Ranked)
-Arkansas had a different number one runner in every meet they ran in this season. While Jack Bruce was the top Razorback at NCAA's (23rd), Tonui was by far the most consistent runner on that squad and was a crucial scorer. He took the last All-American spot at NCAA's (40th) which seems fitting when you consider that he was always just out of reach of either the win or being Arkansas' number one. His patience paid off.47. Henry Wynne, Sophomore, Virginia (-3/44)
-There was a lot of inconsistency this season with Virginia. However, one guy that seemed to be reliable was Henry Wynne. Just like Yorks, his label as a miler gave me the view that he wouldn't be able to consistently finish so well in the longer races. Yet, Wynne continued to be a low-stick for a team that desperately needed one. His nationals finish was 59th, but it doesn't do his season justice.
46. Ernest Kibet, Senior, Louisville (Wasn't Ranked)
-The man was far from perfect this season. He failed to be the front-runner I thought he could be and simply couldn't match up with his teammate Kibichiy. However, once the post-season rolled around, he found his groove. He was 12th at ACC's, 6th at regionals, and then a shocking 18th at nationals. He gained a lot of momentum during the post-season and I've got to hand it to him, when the best of the best gathered, he didn't shy down from the challenge.
-The man was far from perfect this season. He failed to be the front-runner I thought he could be and simply couldn't match up with his teammate Kibichiy. However, once the post-season rolled around, he found his groove. He was 12th at ACC's, 6th at regionals, and then a shocking 18th at nationals. He gained a lot of momentum during the post-season and I've got to hand it to him, when the best of the best gathered, he didn't shy down from the challenge.
45. Ben Rainero, Senior, Cornell (-3/42)
-Rainero is one of those grind-it-out runners who makes you work for it. He pushed the pace at Beantown and Heps and continued to thrive. He wasn't ever able to hang onto to those paces, but he always finished towards the front (just like NCAA's where he was 45th).
44. Hayden Hawks, Senior, Southern Utah (+1/45)
-Throughout the entire season I always praised Hawks for his leadership skills, but always criticized him for not being able to compete with the elites of the NCAA. Although he wasn't able to keep up with the best names in the nation, he still got an All-American spot (35th) and that beat my expectations. He's done a lot for his team and come through when needed. He'll keep his spot in the rankings.
43. Omar Hassan, Senior, UMBC (-2/41)
-Hassan joins a large group out of the Mid-Atlantic region that didn't get a lot of love during the season, but showed what they were capable of at nationals. The senior from UMBC finished 27th overall and was actually towards the front of the pack at nationals. He's not afraid to go after some of these races and you've got to commend him for that.
42. Trent Lusignan, Senior, South Dakota State (Wasn't Ranked)
-Lusignan deserves recognition that I never gave him. He was 4th at Roy Griak, 20th at Wisconsin, and now 24th at nationals. I knew he was talented, but I could never figure out just how good he was. Luckily, his weekend in Louisville fixed that.
41. Malachy Schrobilgen, Junior, Wisconsin (-13/28)
-Rough season, but he had a solid race at Wisconsin. Unfortunately, injuries eventually got in the way of his season and he fell apart in the post-season. He's on here because he went out and proved that he's still talented. Unfortunately, one race won't cut it for him to stay in the top-40.
40. Brandon Doughty, Senior, Oklahoma (-7/33)
-Solid season from Doughty. He didn't shock anyone, but he was consistently towards the top and helped push Burcham to the fitness he's at now. I'm also pretty happy for this guy considering he was the first guy out of nationals last season. His nationals finish wasn't thrilling (82nd), but he did a lot for an Oklahoma team that wasn't supposed to make nationals coming into this season.
39. Izaic Yorks, Senior, Washington (+9/48)
-Since I started covering the NCAA, I have (for some reason) never been a fan of Yorks. I feel like I'm always overly critical and never giving him enough credit. This season was an example of that. Maybe it's because I think of him as solely a miler, but he surprised me at every meet. His 30th place finish at NCAA's wasn't what I expected, but if you look at the way he's run this season, it seems about right. Props to you Izaic Yorks.
38. Morgan McDonald, Sophomore, Wisconsin (-1/37)
-He joins his teammate Schrobilgen as one of the guys on this list that didn't race at nationals. He was their ace for a lot of the season and was the first man out at regionals. Hopefully he'll help that Wisconsin team rally for next year.
37. Lawrence Kipkoech, (Rs.) Freshman, Campbell (-10/27)
-Kipkoech dropped a decent bit in the rankings due to a post-season that wasn't as grand as I expected it to be. The man started off the season great with a close race against Erik Peterson and then an 18th place at Pre-Nats. However, once the 10k's started he didn't seem to have the same spark. He was 11th at the Southeast region and the last man to make it into nationals. Once he got to nationals, he couldn't keep up with a fast pace and faded to 131st. It wasn't a great season ending for a guy that has All-American talent. That said, I think we're going to see big things from him during track. Watch out for him in the 5k this indoor season.
36. Kyle Eller, Junior, Air Force (+3/39)
-Eller had a dominant last few meets of the season that was topped off by an All-American 28th place finish at NCAA's. He took over the role as leader from Corona those last few meets and made them one of the best duo's in the NCAA.
35. Cerake Geberkidane, Sophomore, Oklahoma State (-3/32)
-Much like Miller, Geberkidane took the position of front-runner for most of the season. He grabbed some solid wins with fast times throughout the season and established himself as a threat in the NCAA. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to handle the 10k distance perfectly which led to him struggling at NCAA's (125th). He's got plenty of room to improve and I think we'll see him prosper during his next two years here.
34. Chartt Miller, Sophomore, Iona (-5/29)
-I wasn't big on the Iona guys coming into this year. One of those reasons was due to their lack of a front-runner...and then Chartt Miller happened. The sophomore stepped up to take the lead role and proved his worth by defeating big time names, most notably Ferlic, Werley, and Lafond. He never contended for a win, but he was consistent and finished a solid 43rd at nationals. There's a lot of room to improve for this guy.
33. Grant Fisher, Freshman, Stanford (+7/40)
-It's really tough to say if Fisher met expectations or not. He didn't blow anyone away until he got to nationals where he stepped up and placed 17th overall. He clearly has amazing talent, I just wish that we got to see more of him throughout the season.
30. Dylan Lafond, Junior, Illinois (+8/38)
-I'm a big fan of Lafond for a lot of reasons. He was a D2 transfer that had a big impact and got himself some recognition in a crowded D1 field. He also created some spark on an Illinois team that has been off the radar for years now. He has now turned that program around and they could be a team threat for 2016. He's still got some learning to do, but his 29th place at NCAA's shows that he's for real.
29. John Dressel, Freshman, Colorado (Wasn't Ranked)
33. Grant Fisher, Freshman, Stanford (+7/40)
-It's really tough to say if Fisher met expectations or not. He didn't blow anyone away until he got to nationals where he stepped up and placed 17th overall. He clearly has amazing talent, I just wish that we got to see more of him throughout the season.
32. Meron Simon, Senior, NC State (-1/31)
31. Sam (George?) Parsons, Junior, NC State (-1/30)
-The NC State duo had a rough day at NCAA's with Parsons finishing 63rd and Simon finishing 130th. Still, they exemplified excellent leadership skills and were constantly towards the top of field despite being in one of the deepest conferences and regionals in the nation.30. Dylan Lafond, Junior, Illinois (+8/38)
-I'm a big fan of Lafond for a lot of reasons. He was a D2 transfer that had a big impact and got himself some recognition in a crowded D1 field. He also created some spark on an Illinois team that has been off the radar for years now. He has now turned that program around and they could be a team threat for 2016. He's still got some learning to do, but his 29th place at NCAA's shows that he's for real.
29. John Dressel, Freshman, Colorado (Wasn't Ranked)
-When Colorado needed him the most, he stepped up and gave them more than most collegiate runners could give their entire career. He raised some eyebrows after being the Buffs second man at PAC-12's (6th overall) and solidified himself as threat to his competitors for the next three years after he placed 26th at NCAA's. Dressel may not have been the best Colorado runner this season, but he may have been the most important.
28. Thomas Awad, Senior, Penn (+8/36)
-This guy just does. not. quit. It was clear that he was struggling throughout the regular season. He was far off from the top-pack and lost his role as the top Penn runner for a while. However, once Heps came around, Awad took over. He defended his Ivy League title and went on to place 4th at Mid-Atlantic regionals. Once nationals came around, he didn't let up. The Penn senior ended up in 14th overall which far exceeded expectations coming into the meet. Looks like he just wanted it more.
*At NCAA's, Pearson finished 25th, Winter finished 33rd, and Moussa finished 42nd
-This guy just does. not. quit. It was clear that he was struggling throughout the regular season. He was far off from the top-pack and lost his role as the top Penn runner for a while. However, once Heps came around, Awad took over. He defended his Ivy League title and went on to place 4th at Mid-Atlantic regionals. Once nationals came around, he didn't let up. The Penn senior ended up in 14th overall which far exceeded expectations coming into the meet. Looks like he just wanted it more.
27. Ammar Moussa, Senior, Colorado (-10/17)
26. Connor Winter, Senior, Colorado (-6/20)
25. Morgan Pearson, (Rs.) Senior, Colorado (-6/19)
-I can't imagine what it must've been like to run so well at nationals and STILL lose. These guys have been running so consistently all season and never really had a bad race. I'll admit that they didn't seem to have quite the same spark as they did the past few years, but they all ran well this season and still ended up as All-Americans (except Moussa)*.*At NCAA's, Pearson finished 25th, Winter finished 33rd, and Moussa finished 42nd
24. Lane Werley, Senior, UCLA (+2/26)
-As I said all throughout the season, Lane Werley has his mojo back. After a successful season sophomore campaign, his junior year cross country season was sub-par in comparison. Now in his senior year, he came back and consistently grabbed top finishes. He topped off his senior season with a 21st All-American place finish. He's been an outstanding leader for this team for so long now and to go out like this must feel pretty good.
23. Patrick Corona, Senior, Air Force (0/23)
-Corona didn't get a lot of love from during the early part of the season, but he continued to shine in meets packed with talent. He always seemed to be the 'x-factor' in every field he raced in. He had a rough day at NCAA's placing 115th (which gives me a reason to put the CSU duo ahead of him). Still, this guy led his team throughout the season and got them to the national championship.
22. Shaun Thompson, Senior, Duke (-4/18)
-The guy beat Curtin this season at the Princeton Interregional and constantly pushed the pace at ACC's and regionals. He has a lot of guts and deserves some credit for his fearlessness. Yes, his national performance was poor (95th) but he had a breakout season and to dismiss him from the rankings after one off-race would be a mistake.
-As I said all throughout the season, Lane Werley has his mojo back. After a successful season sophomore campaign, his junior year cross country season was sub-par in comparison. Now in his senior year, he came back and consistently grabbed top finishes. He topped off his senior season with a 21st All-American place finish. He's been an outstanding leader for this team for so long now and to go out like this must feel pretty good.
23. Patrick Corona, Senior, Air Force (0/23)
-Corona didn't get a lot of love from during the early part of the season, but he continued to shine in meets packed with talent. He always seemed to be the 'x-factor' in every field he raced in. He had a rough day at NCAA's placing 115th (which gives me a reason to put the CSU duo ahead of him). Still, this guy led his team throughout the season and got them to the national championship.
22. Shaun Thompson, Senior, Duke (-4/18)
-The guy beat Curtin this season at the Princeton Interregional and constantly pushed the pace at ACC's and regionals. He has a lot of guts and deserves some credit for his fearlessness. Yes, his national performance was poor (95th) but he had a breakout season and to dismiss him from the rankings after one off-race would be a mistake.
21. Jerrell Mock, Sophomore, Colorado St. (+4/25)
20. Abbey Jefferson, Junior, Colorado St. (+4/24)
-There a lot of great 1-2 punches out there, but these two have to be the best pair in the nation. They have been absolutely lethal to their opponents and have been right on each other's backs the entire season. Between them, only Jefferson had one off-day. To top off a very successful season, Jefferson finished 13th while Mock was 19th. They definitely finished above expectations and have now set even higher expectations for the upcoming track seasons.
19. Jim Rosa, (Rs.) Senior, Stanford (+15/34)
20. Abbey Jefferson, Junior, Colorado St. (+4/24)
-There a lot of great 1-2 punches out there, but these two have to be the best pair in the nation. They have been absolutely lethal to their opponents and have been right on each other's backs the entire season. Between them, only Jefferson had one off-day. To top off a very successful season, Jefferson finished 13th while Mock was 19th. They definitely finished above expectations and have now set even higher expectations for the upcoming track seasons.
19. Jim Rosa, (Rs.) Senior, Stanford (+15/34)
-Yes, I know Jim finished 6th at NCAA's, but it's tough to put him in the top 10 or 15 when he only ran in the post-season. He had a very lack-luster finish at PAC-12's by placing 20th and then took it easier in a region that became tactical (West). To see him going all-out at nationals was great, but he didn't have much of a season so it's not fair to place him ahead of guys who ran the entire season.
18. Jacob Burcham, Junior, Oklahoma (+4/22)
-When Jacob Burcham left high-school with a 4:02 mile PR, everyone expected him to blow away his collegiate competition. Instead, Burcham has struggled to really have much of an impact on the track with his best performance being a 3:44 1500 (which converts to roughly 4-flat for a full mile). Just when you think that Burcham would be left as an after-thought, he comes out this cross country season and slowly picks apart his competition. His 4th place at Panorama Farms was surprising but nothing spectacular. His 11th at Wisconsin? That was spectacular. He continued his streak with a pair of runner-up finishes at BIG 12's and regionals (where he gave Marc Scott a run for his money). He ended his stand-out season with a killer 16th place at nationals. Could this be the year we see him breakout on the track? My guess is yes...
-When Jacob Burcham left high-school with a 4:02 mile PR, everyone expected him to blow away his collegiate competition. Instead, Burcham has struggled to really have much of an impact on the track with his best performance being a 3:44 1500 (which converts to roughly 4-flat for a full mile). Just when you think that Burcham would be left as an after-thought, he comes out this cross country season and slowly picks apart his competition. His 4th place at Panorama Farms was surprising but nothing spectacular. His 11th at Wisconsin? That was spectacular. He continued his streak with a pair of runner-up finishes at BIG 12's and regionals (where he gave Marc Scott a run for his money). He ended his stand-out season with a killer 16th place at nationals. Could this be the year we see him breakout on the track? My guess is yes...
17. Joe Rosa, (Rs.) Senior, Stanford (-7/10)
-Yes, I did push him back a bit. I may have over rated him slightly throughout the season, but he was a crucial part to a team that never ran fully stacked until nationals. He kept it somewhat close against Ches at the Washington Invite and then put up a pair of 8th place finishes at conferences and regionals. Unfortunately, he ended up in 97th at NCAA's, but considering how much of an impact he had this season, I'll keep him in the top-20.
16. Edwin Kibichiy, Junior, Louisville (-2/14)
-Kibichiy was a true ace for a Louisville team that had a very up and down season. He contended for a title at ACC's and regionals, and even though he never got that title, he was a true threat that wasn't afraid to take the pace out hard. His 41st place at NCAA's wasn't ideal, but he was one of the best out there this season.
-Kibichiy was a true ace for a Louisville team that had a very up and down season. He contended for a title at ACC's and regionals, and even though he never got that title, he was a true threat that wasn't afraid to take the pace out hard. His 41st place at NCAA's wasn't ideal, but he was one of the best out there this season.
15. Erik Peterson, Senior, Butler (+6/21)
-Like a lot of guys in the BIG East, Peterson was pretty underrated during this season. Excluding NCAA's, Peterson was top 10 at every race he ran in this season, and these weren't any easy meets. He ran at Panorama Farms (1st), Pre-Nats (8th), BIG East's (3rd), and Great Lakes (5th). Tack on his 12th place finish at nationals and this guy was one of the best in the business.
14. Martin Hehir, Senior, Syracuse (+2/16)
-Like Bennie and Knight, Hehir didn't have a single bad race this entire season. He was constantly towards the top and was always a crucial scorer. I'll also give him some credit for handling the shift in who the new front-man was. The 2014 ACC champion wasn't even in the top-2 on his team during 2015! Yet, he found his role and was rewarded with a team championship after his 9th place finish at nationals. 13. Matt McClintock, Senior, Purdue (-2/11)
12. Mason Ferlic, Senior, Michigan (0/12)
-These two had a very nice rivalry going on towards the end of the season. McClintock got the best of Ferlic at BIG 10's, but Ferlic returned the favor at regionals when he took the Great Lakes title. These two were clearly talented and constantly showed up against some of the best competition in the nation. In the end, I'll give Ferlic the edge. He got a win at the Greater Louisville Classic and took the title at the bigger meet (regionals). Neither had a good NCAA's performance* but if you look at the entire season, they have to be proud of what they accomplished.
*Ferlic finished 67th while McClintock fell to 133rd
11. Colin Bennie, Sophomore, Syracuse (+4/15)
-Throughout the entire season I said that Colin Bennie was for real. He sat in the shadows of Knight and Hehir but continued to grind until all of the sudden, he finishes 8th at nationals. He never had a bad race the entire season and in every meet I watched him in, you could tell he gave it his all. Props to Bennie for a fantastic season.
10. Jonah Koech, Freshman, UTEP (-2/8)
*Ferlic finished 67th while McClintock fell to 133rd
11. Colin Bennie, Sophomore, Syracuse (+4/15)
-Throughout the entire season I said that Colin Bennie was for real. He sat in the shadows of Knight and Hehir but continued to grind until all of the sudden, he finishes 8th at nationals. He never had a bad race the entire season and in every meet I watched him in, you could tell he gave it his all. Props to Bennie for a fantastic season.
10. Jonah Koech, Freshman, UTEP (-2/8)
-The best freshman this season was not Maton. It was not Dressel. It was not Fisher. It was a Kenyan transfer who apparently ran a 1:46 half-mile at altitude and had such raw talent that he would wreck-havoc on every XC course he stepped foot on. However, his youth did have him come up short in a couple meets (a lot of those short-comings were to his teammate Rotich). 11th place may not be the best indicator of what he's capable of, but we still have a three XC seasons to see what he else he can do.
9. Jonathan Green, Sophomore, Georgetown (+4/13)
-Throughout the entire season Green never disappointed. He was an amazing team leader for a squad that had a lot of offseason controversy (and lost some crucial pieces). It was tough to know just how good this guy was considering his biggest competition was Tiernan whom he consistently came up short against. However, we got an idea of his talent level when he finished 5th at NCAA's. The maturity level (in terms of racing) is incredibly surprising and is a good sign for his teammates in the future (the same thing could be said for Knight).
9. Jonathan Green, Sophomore, Georgetown (+4/13)
-Throughout the entire season Green never disappointed. He was an amazing team leader for a squad that had a lot of offseason controversy (and lost some crucial pieces). It was tough to know just how good this guy was considering his biggest competition was Tiernan whom he consistently came up short against. However, we got an idea of his talent level when he finished 5th at NCAA's. The maturity level (in terms of racing) is incredibly surprising and is a good sign for his teammates in the future (the same thing could be said for Knight).
8. Marc Scott, Senior, Tulsa (-1/7)
-Scott wins the Wisconsin Invite and still gets ranked behind the two guys he beat. He and Tiernan were the only ones entering NCAA's undefeated and when you consider their strong performances throughout the entire season, it's was an impressive streak of wins (especially for Scott). The Tulsa senior put his wins in perspective with his 10th place finish at NCAA's, but he has to be commended for his excellent racing throughout 2015.
7. Pierce Murphy, Senior, Colorado (+2/9)
-Colorado never had a true low-stick until this season. He was a consistent ace and became the go-to man. Murphy was the top Colorado runner in every meet they ran in this season. His 3rd place finish this past weekend solidified his stand-out 2015 campaign and proved just how important he has been to Wetmore and his teammates. He may not have gotten a gold medal, but he can leave XC behind knowing he gave everything he had for his team.
-Scott wins the Wisconsin Invite and still gets ranked behind the two guys he beat. He and Tiernan were the only ones entering NCAA's undefeated and when you consider their strong performances throughout the entire season, it's was an impressive streak of wins (especially for Scott). The Tulsa senior put his wins in perspective with his 10th place finish at NCAA's, but he has to be commended for his excellent racing throughout 2015.
7. Pierce Murphy, Senior, Colorado (+2/9)
-Colorado never had a true low-stick until this season. He was a consistent ace and became the go-to man. Murphy was the top Colorado runner in every meet they ran in this season. His 3rd place finish this past weekend solidified his stand-out 2015 campaign and proved just how important he has been to Wetmore and his teammates. He may not have gotten a gold medal, but he can leave XC behind knowing he gave everything he had for his team.
6. Sean McGorty, Junior, Stanford (0/6)
-McGorty's only win this season came at a relatively low-key Stanford Invite where he pulled Fisher through a fast time. Besides that, a guy this talented never got a shot at being the first to cross the line. Still, he's shown some outstanding leadership skills when you consider that the Rosa's were getting back into racing shape and Korolev was gone. In all, he had excellent strength and he showed it with his 7th place finish.
-McGorty's only win this season came at a relatively low-key Stanford Invite where he pulled Fisher through a fast time. Besides that, a guy this talented never got a shot at being the first to cross the line. Still, he's shown some outstanding leadership skills when you consider that the Rosa's were getting back into racing shape and Korolev was gone. In all, he had excellent strength and he showed it with his 7th place finish.
5.
-4th place at NCAA's sounds a lot better than 143rd. It's amazing what a difference a year makes. The kid has grown so much and has matured to such an amazing level. To think we get to watch this kid for another 2.5 years is incredibly exciting. Once Cheserek is gone, is he next in line for the title?
-4th place at NCAA's sounds a lot better than 143rd. It's amazing what a difference a year makes. The kid has grown so much and has matured to such an amazing level. To think we get to watch this kid for another 2.5 years is incredibly exciting. Once Cheserek is gone, is he next in line for the title?
4. Anthony Rotich, Senior, UTEP (-1/3)
3. Thomas Curtin, Senior, Virginia Tech (-1/2)
2.
-The Tiernan, Curtin, Rotich, shuffle has been an interesting one the entire season. Tiernan entered NCAA's undefeated while Curtin went on a rampage of major wins (which included a victory over Cheserek) while Rotich defeated McClintock and consistently edged out his teammate, Koech. In the end, Tiernan proved that his easy schedule did not show his true talent by being the only one to actually challenge Cheserek for the title. While he didn't get the win, he still defeated the rest of the field pretty soundly and showed tremendous guts. Meanwhile, Rotich and Curtin had off-days at NCAA's finishing 15th and 22nd. So the question becomes "who had the better season"? I give it to Tiernan because he never had a chance to show that he was as good as his wins showed. Plus, he didn't shy down from his biggest chance (NCAA's). Curtin is 3rd considering his win over Cheserek and as well as wins against deep fields at ACC's and Southeast regionals.
-The Tiernan, Curtin, Rotich, shuffle has been an interesting one the entire season. Tiernan entered NCAA's undefeated while Curtin went on a rampage of major wins (which included a victory over Cheserek) while Rotich defeated McClintock and consistently edged out his teammate, Koech. In the end, Tiernan proved that his easy schedule did not show his true talent by being the only one to actually challenge Cheserek for the title. While he didn't get the win, he still defeated the rest of the field pretty soundly and showed tremendous guts. Meanwhile, Rotich and Curtin had off-days at NCAA's finishing 15th and 22nd. So the question becomes "who had the better season"? I give it to Tiernan because he never had a chance to show that he was as good as his wins showed. Plus, he didn't shy down from his biggest chance (NCAA's). Curtin is 3rd considering his win over Cheserek and as well as wins against deep fields at ACC's and Southeast regionals.
1. Edward Cheserek, Junior, Oregon (0/1)
-If you actually need a reason, then do you even follow the sport?
-If you actually need a reason, then do you even follow the sport?
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Just Missed
Ben Saarel, Junior, Colorado
Michael Clevenger, Senior, Notre Dame
John Whelan, Junior, Washington St.
Philo Germano, Sophomore, Syracuse
Jack Bruce, Sophomore, Arkansas
Michael Clevenger, Senior, Notre Dame
John Whelan, Junior, Washington St.
Philo Germano, Sophomore, Syracuse
Jack Bruce, Sophomore, Arkansas
Kevin Dooney, Senior, Yale
John Mascari, Senior, Indiana St.
Kicked Off
Kevin Dooney, Senior, Yale (Last Ranked 35)
John Mascari, Senior, Indiana State (Last Ranked 43)
Jordy Williamsz, Senior, Villanova (Last Ranked 47)
Antibahs Kosgei, Junior, Alabama (Last Ranked 49)
Dallin Farnsworth, Freshman, BYU (Last Ranked 50)
Kevin Dooney, Senior, Yale (Last Ranked 35)
John Mascari, Senior, Indiana State (Last Ranked 43)
Jordy Williamsz, Senior, Villanova (Last Ranked 47)
Antibahs Kosgei, Junior, Alabama (Last Ranked 49)
Dallin Farnsworth, Freshman, BYU (Last Ranked 50)
New Additions
Jacob Thomson, Sophomore, Kentucky
Frankline Tonui, Junior, Arkansas
Ernest Kibet, Junior, Louisville
Trent Lusignan, Senior, South Dakota State
John Dressel, Freshman, Colorado
Jacob Thomson, Sophomore, Kentucky
Frankline Tonui, Junior, Arkansas
Ernest Kibet, Junior, Louisville
Trent Lusignan, Senior, South Dakota State
John Dressel, Freshman, Colorado
Biggest Surprise of the Week
Jack Bruce, Sophomore, Arkansas (unranked)
MVP of the Week
Edward Cheserek, Junior, Oregon
Notes
-Cheserek wins his third straight title. It puts him in the conversation as the GOAT. Clear MVP of the Week.
-Surprise of the Week goes to Jack Bruce who is just a sophomore at Arkansas. He had been decent all season, but showed no indications that he would finish 23rd at nationals. His season performances weren't enough to get him in the rankings, but he was fantastic at this meet.
-Dooney and Mascari needed to be All-Americans if they were going to stay in the rankings. Neither accomplished that.
-It's odd to see Dressel ranked in the top-30 after not being ranked last week. Clearly he had a great season, but I needed one more good race to put his season together. His 26th at NCAA's did just that.
-Saarel barely raced at all this season, so although his 31st place was impressive, he didn't have many other performances to back him up.
-Surprise of the Week goes to Jack Bruce who is just a sophomore at Arkansas. He had been decent all season, but showed no indications that he would finish 23rd at nationals. His season performances weren't enough to get him in the rankings, but he was fantastic at this meet.
-Dooney and Mascari needed to be All-Americans if they were going to stay in the rankings. Neither accomplished that.
-It's odd to see Dressel ranked in the top-30 after not being ranked last week. Clearly he had a great season, but I needed one more good race to put his season together. His 26th at NCAA's did just that.
-Saarel barely raced at all this season, so although his 31st place was impressive, he didn't have many other performances to back him up.
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