Another season of NCAA competition has been completed which can only mean that the Zatlin Awards are ready for another round. If you don't already know, the Zatlin Awards are the hypothetical awards given out at the end of each season to recognize the accomplishments (well, mostly accomplishments) of runners around the nation.
FYI: The Spring track "Weekend Reviews" will start next week!
Notes:
-Awards are only based on the entire 2015-2016 indoor track season. Times from any other track and cross country seasons are not accounted for.
-Asterix indicate that the award involves some criteria
The “Who is that?” Award (Best Breakout Runner)*
Winner: Josh Thompson (Oklahoma State)
Other Nominees: Hector Hernandez (Texas A&M), Daniel Kuhn (Indiana), Anass Zouhry (Cal. St. Northridge)
Why: Before this season, very few had heard of the name Josh Thompson. He had been on Oklahoma State's varsity seven during cross country, but besides that he wasn't really considered to be in the mix for anything. Now for this season, he was arguably the most valuable runner for that team. Thompson threw down times of 3:58 and 2:23 (1k) and was the anchor for Oklahoma State's #2 All-Time DMR where he split 3:56. This kid is for real and I'm excited to watch him during outdoors.
Others such as Kuhn and Hernandez were excellent all season. Kuhn was arguably one of the most consistent runners in the nation while Hernandez made one of the biggest improvements of anyone to become 1:46 half-miler and All-American. As for Anass Zouhry, he didn't really become relevant until the later portion of the season where he ran 1:49 and 3:58. He certainly deserves some love.
*Must have completed a season track or cross country prior to the 2016 winter season. Freshmen are not eligible.
Can’t See The Haters Award (Fan Favorite)
Winner: Izaic Yorks (Washington)
Other Nominees: Edward Cheserek (Oregon), Sean McGorty (Stanford), Justyn Knight (Syracuse)
Why: Fans of distance running love an honest and fast race. Typically, guys like Thomas Curtin, Patrick Tiernan, and Edwin Kibichiy are responsible for making the pace fast. However, Yorks seemed to be one of the grinders this season who constantly gave fans something fun to watch. Yorks pushed Grant Fisher to line and ran 7:50, pushed McGorty to the line to run 3:53, and made a doubling Cheserek work for the DMR gold (where Yorks split 3:54). He forewent a highly probable gold in the open mile to focus on getting his teammates a DMR gold. Yorks ran an honest race, threatened Cheserek for DMR gold, and went all in for his teammates. You have to appreciate a runner like that.
Most people don't like rooting for the heavy favorite that dominates everyone. However, when you pull off the most impressive triple in NCAA history, you're gonna get some love from the fans. Cheserek put on a show at NCAA's and he's solidified himself as the GOAT (but that's for a separate post). As for McGorty, he never got a win this season and was out-kicked in every race he was in. That's gotta hurt and I think everyone was pulling for him to a win this season.
I threw in Justyn Knight because he is a class act in every interview he's done.
The 24/7 Award (Most Consistent)
Winner: Pierce Murphy (Colorado)
Other Nominees: Edward Cheserek (Oregon), Daniel Kuhn (Indiana), Luis Vargas (NC State)
Why: We could give Ches this award but what fun is that? Pierce Murphy was constantly on top of his game all season. He stayed tough against Ches in a 5k at Washington where he had a quick last lap and ran 13:40. He would later go on to do the exact same thing at MPSF championships in the 3k, where he kicked in for a win running 7:51. At NCAA's, he stay composed and once again relied on a strong finish to give him two All-American honors. Although he didn't race a lot, he consistently ran fast, and consistently did it in the same way.
The same could be said for Luis Vargas who actually preferred to push the pace in the middle of the race. His worse finish this season was a 7th place finish and never really had a bad race. Daniel Kuhn was one of my favorites as he consistently stepped up and improved in nearly every 800 he raced in. Unfortunately, he was the second man out of NCAA's.
The Qdoba Award (Most Underrated Runner)
Winner: Sam Prakel (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Robert Heppenstall (Wake Forest), Will Kincaid (Portland), Colby Gilbert (Washington)
Why: There were plenty of guys who could have won this award, but I felt that Prakel had to be one of the most under appreciated runners out there. Throughout his first few seasons, Prakel was a guy who hung around the 4 minute mark and didn't really compete with the guys towards the front of a race. However, when all of Oregon's top tier seniors graduated, Prakel elevated his game and has become a clutch athlete for the Ducks. Prakel threw down a 3:57 at the Husky Classic and came back a few weeks later to secure Oregon's DMR a spot at nationals (with no Cheserek). Oh, and did I mention that he was an All-American? This kid has done so much for an Oregon team that really needed another piece to compliment Haney and Cheserek.
Colby Gilbert was a close second to Prakel. Gilbert was often overshadowed by Yorks despite running 2:25, 3:59, and 7:50. Did I also mention that he was a crucial piece of their DMR that ran 9:27 at Alex Wilson with Yorks on the 800 leg? Gilbert did a lot of work this season while Yorks got a lot of credit (but rightfully so). Will Kincaid was a top-tier runner early in the season running an effortless 7:48 and 13:44 (to beat Futsum). He looked incredibly smooth in both races and his kick seemed effortless. Unfortunately, he got injured later on and didn't attend nationals.
Finally, we have to give some love to Robert Heppenstall. The freshman had multiple sub-1:50 runs, but was never in the conversation to make nationals. Not only did Heppenstall run 1:47 at ACC's and qualify for nationals, but he eventually went on to be an All-American. He certainly wasn't the freshman everyone had imagined to be an All-American...
The Chipotle Award (Most Overrated Runner)
Winner: Thomas Joyce (California)
Other Nominees: Cole Williams (Georgetown), Jordy Williamsz (Villanova), Ryan Schnulle (Florida)
Why: I was really pumped for Thomas Joyce this season. He had such a breakout season last spring running 3:39 for 1500 and he had beat so many big names, that you had to think he would at least make some noise on the indoor scene...right? Unfortunately that answer was no. Joyce ended the season running 4:04 and 8 flat which is decent for most, but is not anywhere near his outdoor marks.
Jordy and Cole didn't have the best season as a milers. They did put a lot of time into their relays, but they both had only one good race. Other than that, they failed to make any noise. Cole Williams was very disappointing at NCAA's while Jordy failed to do anything individually (his best race was a 3:59 split at NCAA's). They certainly could've been better.
Ryan Schnulle is an interesting nominee as well. Schnulle has really fallen apart the last few track seasons after being an All-American that often contested for the 800 title. There have been so many expectations for him, but he hasn't quite returned to where he once was.
The Comeback Kid Award (Runner That Has Best Overcome Adversity)*
Winner: Edward Cheserek (Oregon),
Other Nominees: Julian Oakley (Providence), Henry Wynne (UVA), Shaquille Walker (BYU)
Why: It does get kinda boring putting Ches as the winner for these kinds of awards, but Cheserek had the single best triple of anyone in the NCAA. He won the 5k in 13:47 and then came back 30 minutes later to run 3:52 and win the DMR title (oh and win the 3k the next day). There was plenty of doubt that he couldn't pull that triple off when you consider the circumstances he was under. King Ches deserves this award.
Looking at the other nominees, Shaquille Walker had the flu during this 800 final and still placed third. That's just raw talent at it's finest. Henry Wynne also went from being the 25th on the performance list and almost not making NCAA's, to becoming an NCAA champion. That is pretty outstanding and clearly he was only focused on himself and not the competition he was facing.
Julian Oakley is a bit of a favorite of mine. At BU, he was having an excellent race, but took a hard fall and ended the race with a DNF. With only a few weekends left in the season, Oakley didn't panic and ran 3:58 to make NCAA's and finish as an All-American. It's not the flashiest story, but he got the job done.
*The "adversity" could have been from previous seasons or current seasons
No Guts No Glory Award (Gutsiest Runner)
Winner: Thomas Curtin (Virginia Tech)
Other Nominees: Donavan Brazier (Texas A&M), Sean McGorty (Stanford), Izaic Yorks (Washington)
Why: Thomas Curtin has won this award once, and he unsurprisingly wins this again. Curtin's style is to take it hard from the gun which is what he did at Doc Hale, ISU, and NCAA's. He set up a fast race for Ches in the 5k (at NCAA's) and made him work for it. He also did the same thing against Marc Scott and came back with a wicked kick to repass Scott for the win. There are very few people who are as gutsy as Curtin so he deserves this win.
Brazier reminds me of Curtin. He believes his best chance to win a race is to take it out hard from the gun. He isn't afraid to pursue records and if anyone is going to beat him, they're going to have to hurt to do it.
As I mentioned in the "Most Consistent" award, Yorks pushed each race as hard as he could. Running under 3:55 takes guts and requires the race being fast from the gun. Taking a mile out in 1:55 isn't easy for anyone. The same goes for McGorty who don't seem to be intimidated by competition, and doesn't7 mind opening up the race faster than usual.
Pumped Up Kicks Award (Most Impressive Performance)
Winner: Edward Cheserek 5k/DMR/3k Triple (@ NCAA's)
Other Nominees: Thomas Curtin 13:37 5k (@ ISU), Izaic Yorks 3:53 Mile (@ MPSF Champs), Donavan Brazier 1:45 800 (@ Texas A&M Team Invite)
Why: Are we really surprised? Cheserek's triple was the best triple in NCAA history and the way he did it was incredible. No contest here.
Curtin's 5k at ISU was outstanding. He made the race fast right out off the line and even though he got passed late in the race by Scott, he still made the pass back and won the race in a ridiculous sub-60 close.
Yorks running 3:53 was the fastest collegiate mile by an American in the NCAA. Taking it out in 1:58 and coming back in 1:55 is very impressive especially when you consider that he beat McGorty in the process.
And of course, the 1:45 from Brazier was the 5th fastest indoor collegiate 800 of all time.
Batman and Robin Award (Best Racing Duo)
Winner: Cheserek/Haney (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Kidder/Harris (Penn State), Bile/Bartelsmeyer (Georgetown), Kincaid/Buchanan (Portland)
Why: Cheserek and Haney were the best one-two punch this year. Haney dominated the mile and was less than a second away from an NCAA title. He also now holds the Oregon mile record and was on the DMR that qualified the Ducks for nationals. Cheserek, on the other hand, is straight up dominant. As amazing as he is, he can't do everything on his own, which makes Haney the best partner.
Kidder and Harris dominated the 800 and DMR, but at NCAA's they both failed to make an impact with Harris not making the 800 final and Kidder falling to 7th overall (in the 800) which is why they didn't win this award. The same can be said for the Gtown duo who also dominated the DMR and mile, but couldn't make enough noise at NCAA's to beat Cheserek and Haney. Kincaid and Buchanan were a close number two as both were able to qualify for the NCAA 3k and threw down a pair of excellent 5k's. They were probably the best 1-2 punch in the 3k and 5k this year.
PA Don’t Play Award (Best Season by Pennsylvania Alumni)*
Winner: Colin Abert (Penn State)
Other Nominees: Ryan Gil (Oregon), John Lewis (Clemson), Dan Jaskowak (Virginia Tech), Thomas Coyle (Stanford), Ean DiSilvio (Penn State)
Why: Abert was an animal this season who could do it all. Throughout the season he dropped his mile time down to an incredible 4:03 while he also clocked a 3:48 1500. It also doesn't hurt to mention that he ran an incredible 8:08 3k as well. He was consistently towards the front of his races and played a crucial part in the success of Penn State this year as he qualified for the mile finals at BIG 10's (where he placed 8th) and subbed in for Kidder during the DMR at NCAA's. Oh, and did I mention that he did all of this as a freshman? Although there may be guys who ran a second or two faster in some of these races, Abert was consistently at the top of his game especially when you consider how young he is.
Ryan Gil was another close one, but he only focused on the mile throughout the season as he tried to get under 4. Unfortunately, he would end the season with a 4:01.99 as his best. Still, it's a great time for the Oregon senior who hasn't run nearly that fast in his past few years at Georgetown.
John Lewis may have been the most consistent of all the PA alum running 1:49 FOUR times this season (his PR was 1:49.39). Lewis raced against some of the top fields in the nation and was able to get some terrific experience. He will have to improve his tactical side of racing, but we should be very excited to watch him for the next few track seasons.
Dan Jaskowak was another guy that has really stepped up his game recently. I was actually able to watch him race, and he definitely seems to be getting into the groove of being a miler. He ran 4:04 this season along with running 8:05. He also played a key role in the success of their DMR this season (even though they just barely missed out on nationals).
Coyle and DiSilvio also get thrown in as nominees. Coyle ran a solid 1k clocking running 2:25 and also threw down a 4:05. Although it wasn't his best season, he was still able to be a crucial piece of Stanford's DMR at nationals. DiSilvio gets some love for a very solid pair of PR's which include an 8:07 3k and a 14:19 5k.
How Do You Spell That? Award (Coolest Name)
Winner: Church LaForrest (Memphis)
Other Nominees: Futsum Zienasellassie (NAU), Tre'tez Kinnaird (OKST), Robert Heppenstall (Wake Forest)
Why: Typically, Zienasellassie wins this hands down. However, Church LaForrest is just a great name and it helps that he was pretty decent this year as well.
Tre'tez Kinnaird was close behind LaForrest, but he doesn't have the awesome last name to win it. Heppenstall is just fun to say.
The Mike Ditka Award (Best Coach)
Winner: Andy Powell (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Mark Wetmore (Colorado), Greg Metcalf (Washington), Brandon Bonsey (Georgetown)
Why: I feel like this is a pretty easy one to give. Andy Powell lost crucial pieces last year in Jenkins, Geohegan, Winn, and Gregorek. You'd think that it'd take a while for a program to rebuild from that right? Nope. Not Oregon. They simply reload. Haney became Oregon's mile record holder while Cheserek was just cool being Cheserek. Prakel played a crucial part in getting the DMR qualified and getting points in the mile at NCAA's. Let's also not forget that Powell developed senior Grant Grosevenor into a stud 800 runner who split 1:47 on their relay. Finally, let's throw in freshman Matthew Maton who ran 7:53 in the 3k and ran a solid lead-off leg in the DMR to put Oregon in the mix for the title. Props to you Andy Powell. You are one of the best of a reason.
Mark Wetmore has to get some credit for putting some speed into his XC guys. Murphy and Pearson tore up the 3k and 5k while Zach Perrin and Connor Winter both went under four minutes in the mile. That's not typical of the Colorado Buffalo's.
Greg Metcalf also did an outstanding job this season and made sure to keep some solid support around Izaic Yorks who improved to one of the best in the NCAA. Behind him, Colby Gilbert and the Nelson brothers (I'm assuming they're brothers) covered everywhere that Yorks couldn't. At the end of the day, Metcalf had developed two 7:50 3k runners and three guys at 4 minutes or faster for the mile.
Finally, Brandon Bonsey continues to do an excellent job with the Georgetown distance program which put FOUR guys under four minutes in the mile. Two of them were at 3:58 while the other two were at 3:57. Joseph White made some noise in the 800 this season while three more Hoyas also went under 8 minutes in the 3k. Overall, Bonsey had a terrific season keeping his guys at the top. The only problem was that they had such a terrible showing at NCAA's.
You Da Real MVP Award (Most Valuable Runner in the NCAA)
Winner: Edward Cheserek (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Izaic Yorks (Washington), Sean McGorty (Stanford), Justyn Knight (Syracuse), Clayton Murphy (Akron),
Why: Obviously, Cheserek is the best. He pulled off the greatest triple that the NCAA (or even the nation) has ever seen. He not only won his races, but he won them in dominating fashion. He is one of the greatest runners even in the NCAA and this past season (especially at nationals) gives him this award.
If Cheserek didn't exist, Yorks would be getting this award. The man threw down some incredible times this season which included a 1:47.89, 3:53, and 7:50. His range is absolutely incredible and I can't remember the last time we saw someone with the range he has. He selflessly deferred running the mile at NCAA's to help his teammates get gold in the DMR. Although it didn't work out, Yorks showed that he was the best competitor on the track every weekend and he deserves plenty of credit for his accomplishments this season.
Justyn Knight and Sean McGorty were great this season, but didn't quite have the edge that Yorks and Ches did. McGorty never won a race this season while Knight was barely able to hang on to the leads he did have. They both ran extremely well, but will need to step it to another level if they want this award.
Finally, Clayton Murphy was probably third on my list. He dominated both the 800 and Mile this season and honestly probably could've won the mile if decided to drop the 800. The way he went about dominating his races was outstanding especially when you consider that he beat arguably the greatest 800 field ever assembled at NCAA's.
The “Who is that?” Award (Best Breakout Runner)*
Winner: Josh Thompson (Oklahoma State)
Other Nominees: Hector Hernandez (Texas A&M), Daniel Kuhn (Indiana), Anass Zouhry (Cal. St. Northridge)
Why: Before this season, very few had heard of the name Josh Thompson. He had been on Oklahoma State's varsity seven during cross country, but besides that he wasn't really considered to be in the mix for anything. Now for this season, he was arguably the most valuable runner for that team. Thompson threw down times of 3:58 and 2:23 (1k) and was the anchor for Oklahoma State's #2 All-Time DMR where he split 3:56. This kid is for real and I'm excited to watch him during outdoors.
Others such as Kuhn and Hernandez were excellent all season. Kuhn was arguably one of the most consistent runners in the nation while Hernandez made one of the biggest improvements of anyone to become 1:46 half-miler and All-American. As for Anass Zouhry, he didn't really become relevant until the later portion of the season where he ran 1:49 and 3:58. He certainly deserves some love.
*Must have completed a season track or cross country prior to the 2016 winter season. Freshmen are not eligible.
Can’t See The Haters Award (Fan Favorite)
Winner: Izaic Yorks (Washington)
Other Nominees: Edward Cheserek (Oregon), Sean McGorty (Stanford), Justyn Knight (Syracuse)
Why: Fans of distance running love an honest and fast race. Typically, guys like Thomas Curtin, Patrick Tiernan, and Edwin Kibichiy are responsible for making the pace fast. However, Yorks seemed to be one of the grinders this season who constantly gave fans something fun to watch. Yorks pushed Grant Fisher to line and ran 7:50, pushed McGorty to the line to run 3:53, and made a doubling Cheserek work for the DMR gold (where Yorks split 3:54). He forewent a highly probable gold in the open mile to focus on getting his teammates a DMR gold. Yorks ran an honest race, threatened Cheserek for DMR gold, and went all in for his teammates. You have to appreciate a runner like that.
Most people don't like rooting for the heavy favorite that dominates everyone. However, when you pull off the most impressive triple in NCAA history, you're gonna get some love from the fans. Cheserek put on a show at NCAA's and he's solidified himself as the GOAT (but that's for a separate post). As for McGorty, he never got a win this season and was out-kicked in every race he was in. That's gotta hurt and I think everyone was pulling for him to a win this season.
I threw in Justyn Knight because he is a class act in every interview he's done.
The 24/7 Award (Most Consistent)
Winner: Pierce Murphy (Colorado)
Other Nominees: Edward Cheserek (Oregon), Daniel Kuhn (Indiana), Luis Vargas (NC State)
Why: We could give Ches this award but what fun is that? Pierce Murphy was constantly on top of his game all season. He stayed tough against Ches in a 5k at Washington where he had a quick last lap and ran 13:40. He would later go on to do the exact same thing at MPSF championships in the 3k, where he kicked in for a win running 7:51. At NCAA's, he stay composed and once again relied on a strong finish to give him two All-American honors. Although he didn't race a lot, he consistently ran fast, and consistently did it in the same way.
The same could be said for Luis Vargas who actually preferred to push the pace in the middle of the race. His worse finish this season was a 7th place finish and never really had a bad race. Daniel Kuhn was one of my favorites as he consistently stepped up and improved in nearly every 800 he raced in. Unfortunately, he was the second man out of NCAA's.
The Qdoba Award (Most Underrated Runner)
Winner: Sam Prakel (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Robert Heppenstall (Wake Forest), Will Kincaid (Portland), Colby Gilbert (Washington)
Why: There were plenty of guys who could have won this award, but I felt that Prakel had to be one of the most under appreciated runners out there. Throughout his first few seasons, Prakel was a guy who hung around the 4 minute mark and didn't really compete with the guys towards the front of a race. However, when all of Oregon's top tier seniors graduated, Prakel elevated his game and has become a clutch athlete for the Ducks. Prakel threw down a 3:57 at the Husky Classic and came back a few weeks later to secure Oregon's DMR a spot at nationals (with no Cheserek). Oh, and did I mention that he was an All-American? This kid has done so much for an Oregon team that really needed another piece to compliment Haney and Cheserek.
Colby Gilbert was a close second to Prakel. Gilbert was often overshadowed by Yorks despite running 2:25, 3:59, and 7:50. Did I also mention that he was a crucial piece of their DMR that ran 9:27 at Alex Wilson with Yorks on the 800 leg? Gilbert did a lot of work this season while Yorks got a lot of credit (but rightfully so). Will Kincaid was a top-tier runner early in the season running an effortless 7:48 and 13:44 (to beat Futsum). He looked incredibly smooth in both races and his kick seemed effortless. Unfortunately, he got injured later on and didn't attend nationals.
Finally, we have to give some love to Robert Heppenstall. The freshman had multiple sub-1:50 runs, but was never in the conversation to make nationals. Not only did Heppenstall run 1:47 at ACC's and qualify for nationals, but he eventually went on to be an All-American. He certainly wasn't the freshman everyone had imagined to be an All-American...
The Chipotle Award (Most Overrated Runner)
Winner: Thomas Joyce (California)
Other Nominees: Cole Williams (Georgetown), Jordy Williamsz (Villanova), Ryan Schnulle (Florida)
Why: I was really pumped for Thomas Joyce this season. He had such a breakout season last spring running 3:39 for 1500 and he had beat so many big names, that you had to think he would at least make some noise on the indoor scene...right? Unfortunately that answer was no. Joyce ended the season running 4:04 and 8 flat which is decent for most, but is not anywhere near his outdoor marks.
Jordy and Cole didn't have the best season as a milers. They did put a lot of time into their relays, but they both had only one good race. Other than that, they failed to make any noise. Cole Williams was very disappointing at NCAA's while Jordy failed to do anything individually (his best race was a 3:59 split at NCAA's). They certainly could've been better.
Ryan Schnulle is an interesting nominee as well. Schnulle has really fallen apart the last few track seasons after being an All-American that often contested for the 800 title. There have been so many expectations for him, but he hasn't quite returned to where he once was.
The Comeback Kid Award (Runner That Has Best Overcome Adversity)*
Winner: Edward Cheserek (Oregon),
Other Nominees: Julian Oakley (Providence), Henry Wynne (UVA), Shaquille Walker (BYU)
Why: It does get kinda boring putting Ches as the winner for these kinds of awards, but Cheserek had the single best triple of anyone in the NCAA. He won the 5k in 13:47 and then came back 30 minutes later to run 3:52 and win the DMR title (oh and win the 3k the next day). There was plenty of doubt that he couldn't pull that triple off when you consider the circumstances he was under. King Ches deserves this award.
Looking at the other nominees, Shaquille Walker had the flu during this 800 final and still placed third. That's just raw talent at it's finest. Henry Wynne also went from being the 25th on the performance list and almost not making NCAA's, to becoming an NCAA champion. That is pretty outstanding and clearly he was only focused on himself and not the competition he was facing.
Julian Oakley is a bit of a favorite of mine. At BU, he was having an excellent race, but took a hard fall and ended the race with a DNF. With only a few weekends left in the season, Oakley didn't panic and ran 3:58 to make NCAA's and finish as an All-American. It's not the flashiest story, but he got the job done.
*The "adversity" could have been from previous seasons or current seasons
No Guts No Glory Award (Gutsiest Runner)
Winner: Thomas Curtin (Virginia Tech)
Other Nominees: Donavan Brazier (Texas A&M), Sean McGorty (Stanford), Izaic Yorks (Washington)
Why: Thomas Curtin has won this award once, and he unsurprisingly wins this again. Curtin's style is to take it hard from the gun which is what he did at Doc Hale, ISU, and NCAA's. He set up a fast race for Ches in the 5k (at NCAA's) and made him work for it. He also did the same thing against Marc Scott and came back with a wicked kick to repass Scott for the win. There are very few people who are as gutsy as Curtin so he deserves this win.
Brazier reminds me of Curtin. He believes his best chance to win a race is to take it out hard from the gun. He isn't afraid to pursue records and if anyone is going to beat him, they're going to have to hurt to do it.
As I mentioned in the "Most Consistent" award, Yorks pushed each race as hard as he could. Running under 3:55 takes guts and requires the race being fast from the gun. Taking a mile out in 1:55 isn't easy for anyone. The same goes for McGorty who don't seem to be intimidated by competition, and doesn't7 mind opening up the race faster than usual.
Pumped Up Kicks Award (Most Impressive Performance)
Winner: Edward Cheserek 5k/DMR/3k Triple (@ NCAA's)
Other Nominees: Thomas Curtin 13:37 5k (@ ISU), Izaic Yorks 3:53 Mile (@ MPSF Champs), Donavan Brazier 1:45 800 (@ Texas A&M Team Invite)
Why: Are we really surprised? Cheserek's triple was the best triple in NCAA history and the way he did it was incredible. No contest here.
Curtin's 5k at ISU was outstanding. He made the race fast right out off the line and even though he got passed late in the race by Scott, he still made the pass back and won the race in a ridiculous sub-60 close.
Yorks running 3:53 was the fastest collegiate mile by an American in the NCAA. Taking it out in 1:58 and coming back in 1:55 is very impressive especially when you consider that he beat McGorty in the process.
And of course, the 1:45 from Brazier was the 5th fastest indoor collegiate 800 of all time.
Batman and Robin Award (Best Racing Duo)
Winner: Cheserek/Haney (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Kidder/Harris (Penn State), Bile/Bartelsmeyer (Georgetown), Kincaid/Buchanan (Portland)
Why: Cheserek and Haney were the best one-two punch this year. Haney dominated the mile and was less than a second away from an NCAA title. He also now holds the Oregon mile record and was on the DMR that qualified the Ducks for nationals. Cheserek, on the other hand, is straight up dominant. As amazing as he is, he can't do everything on his own, which makes Haney the best partner.
Kidder and Harris dominated the 800 and DMR, but at NCAA's they both failed to make an impact with Harris not making the 800 final and Kidder falling to 7th overall (in the 800) which is why they didn't win this award. The same can be said for the Gtown duo who also dominated the DMR and mile, but couldn't make enough noise at NCAA's to beat Cheserek and Haney. Kincaid and Buchanan were a close number two as both were able to qualify for the NCAA 3k and threw down a pair of excellent 5k's. They were probably the best 1-2 punch in the 3k and 5k this year.
PA Don’t Play Award (Best Season by Pennsylvania Alumni)*
Winner: Colin Abert (Penn State)
Other Nominees: Ryan Gil (Oregon), John Lewis (Clemson), Dan Jaskowak (Virginia Tech), Thomas Coyle (Stanford), Ean DiSilvio (Penn State)
Why: Abert was an animal this season who could do it all. Throughout the season he dropped his mile time down to an incredible 4:03 while he also clocked a 3:48 1500. It also doesn't hurt to mention that he ran an incredible 8:08 3k as well. He was consistently towards the front of his races and played a crucial part in the success of Penn State this year as he qualified for the mile finals at BIG 10's (where he placed 8th) and subbed in for Kidder during the DMR at NCAA's. Oh, and did I mention that he did all of this as a freshman? Although there may be guys who ran a second or two faster in some of these races, Abert was consistently at the top of his game especially when you consider how young he is.
Ryan Gil was another close one, but he only focused on the mile throughout the season as he tried to get under 4. Unfortunately, he would end the season with a 4:01.99 as his best. Still, it's a great time for the Oregon senior who hasn't run nearly that fast in his past few years at Georgetown.
John Lewis may have been the most consistent of all the PA alum running 1:49 FOUR times this season (his PR was 1:49.39). Lewis raced against some of the top fields in the nation and was able to get some terrific experience. He will have to improve his tactical side of racing, but we should be very excited to watch him for the next few track seasons.
Dan Jaskowak was another guy that has really stepped up his game recently. I was actually able to watch him race, and he definitely seems to be getting into the groove of being a miler. He ran 4:04 this season along with running 8:05. He also played a key role in the success of their DMR this season (even though they just barely missed out on nationals).
Coyle and DiSilvio also get thrown in as nominees. Coyle ran a solid 1k clocking running 2:25 and also threw down a 4:05. Although it wasn't his best season, he was still able to be a crucial piece of Stanford's DMR at nationals. DiSilvio gets some love for a very solid pair of PR's which include an 8:07 3k and a 14:19 5k.
How Do You Spell That? Award (Coolest Name)
Winner: Church LaForrest (Memphis)
Other Nominees: Futsum Zienasellassie (NAU), Tre'tez Kinnaird (OKST), Robert Heppenstall (Wake Forest)
Why: Typically, Zienasellassie wins this hands down. However, Church LaForrest is just a great name and it helps that he was pretty decent this year as well.
Tre'tez Kinnaird was close behind LaForrest, but he doesn't have the awesome last name to win it. Heppenstall is just fun to say.
The Mike Ditka Award (Best Coach)
Winner: Andy Powell (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Mark Wetmore (Colorado), Greg Metcalf (Washington), Brandon Bonsey (Georgetown)
Why: I feel like this is a pretty easy one to give. Andy Powell lost crucial pieces last year in Jenkins, Geohegan, Winn, and Gregorek. You'd think that it'd take a while for a program to rebuild from that right? Nope. Not Oregon. They simply reload. Haney became Oregon's mile record holder while Cheserek was just cool being Cheserek. Prakel played a crucial part in getting the DMR qualified and getting points in the mile at NCAA's. Let's also not forget that Powell developed senior Grant Grosevenor into a stud 800 runner who split 1:47 on their relay. Finally, let's throw in freshman Matthew Maton who ran 7:53 in the 3k and ran a solid lead-off leg in the DMR to put Oregon in the mix for the title. Props to you Andy Powell. You are one of the best of a reason.
Mark Wetmore has to get some credit for putting some speed into his XC guys. Murphy and Pearson tore up the 3k and 5k while Zach Perrin and Connor Winter both went under four minutes in the mile. That's not typical of the Colorado Buffalo's.
Greg Metcalf also did an outstanding job this season and made sure to keep some solid support around Izaic Yorks who improved to one of the best in the NCAA. Behind him, Colby Gilbert and the Nelson brothers (I'm assuming they're brothers) covered everywhere that Yorks couldn't. At the end of the day, Metcalf had developed two 7:50 3k runners and three guys at 4 minutes or faster for the mile.
Finally, Brandon Bonsey continues to do an excellent job with the Georgetown distance program which put FOUR guys under four minutes in the mile. Two of them were at 3:58 while the other two were at 3:57. Joseph White made some noise in the 800 this season while three more Hoyas also went under 8 minutes in the 3k. Overall, Bonsey had a terrific season keeping his guys at the top. The only problem was that they had such a terrible showing at NCAA's.
You Da Real MVP Award (Most Valuable Runner in the NCAA)
Winner: Edward Cheserek (Oregon)
Other Nominees: Izaic Yorks (Washington), Sean McGorty (Stanford), Justyn Knight (Syracuse), Clayton Murphy (Akron),
Why: Obviously, Cheserek is the best. He pulled off the greatest triple that the NCAA (or even the nation) has ever seen. He not only won his races, but he won them in dominating fashion. He is one of the greatest runners even in the NCAA and this past season (especially at nationals) gives him this award.
If Cheserek didn't exist, Yorks would be getting this award. The man threw down some incredible times this season which included a 1:47.89, 3:53, and 7:50. His range is absolutely incredible and I can't remember the last time we saw someone with the range he has. He selflessly deferred running the mile at NCAA's to help his teammates get gold in the DMR. Although it didn't work out, Yorks showed that he was the best competitor on the track every weekend and he deserves plenty of credit for his accomplishments this season.
Justyn Knight and Sean McGorty were great this season, but didn't quite have the edge that Yorks and Ches did. McGorty never won a race this season while Knight was barely able to hang on to the leads he did have. They both ran extremely well, but will need to step it to another level if they want this award.
Finally, Clayton Murphy was probably third on my list. He dominated both the 800 and Mile this season and honestly probably could've won the mile if decided to drop the 800. The way he went about dominating his races was outstanding especially when you consider that he beat arguably the greatest 800 field ever assembled at NCAA's.
This was an outstanding recap of all the great efforts given throughout the indoor season. Thank you for all the detailed information on all the events you give throughout the season in both the high school level and the college level. We all enjoy your analysis.
ReplyDelete^ Dude couldn't have said it any better. Really underrated writing here. Can't help but ask though, what about the 800 duo out of A&M for the batman/robin duo award?
DeleteThanks so much! There may not be too many comments, but the views are still flowing in at a steady rate so it's much appreciated!
DeleteAs for the Brazier/Hernandez duo, I'm not gonna lie they kinda slipped my mind...not sure how. Quite honestly, they were probably the second best duo up there to only Ches/Haney. My bad on that one.