NCAA DMR

As I've said before the DMR is my favorite part of indoor track and field. It's a really cool event that combines a lot of aspects of running and I wish we could see it more on the top level. So I took a little time to flip through some numbers and look at the potential top DMRs right now in the NCAA.

Oregon
It's been a while since Oregon was truly relevant in the DMR, really since the Galen Rupp days. And they have even had Wheating and Centro and Greer come through but it hasn't meant much. Maybe this is the year? They have the NCAA champion in Ed Cheresek, the super frosh who looks destined to run sub 4 if he focuses in on it. Mac Fleet is the NCAA champion at 1500m and spent the summer running in the 3:38ish and 1:46 range, improving his PRs nicely. Mike Berry I believe still has a year of eligibility as well and he is an unbelievable 400m guy who can run in the 44 mark in the right race outdoors, especially on a split. Boru Guyota is a 1:48 guy a year ago with a 1:47 PR, Jeremy Elkiam is a sub 4 miler with great strength, Russell Hornsby is a sub 1:50 guy with good strength and quietly Eric Jenkins is sitting back waiting to make a statement on the track. He's a sub 13:20 guy with sub 4 minute mile speed. Also I'm not sure on Dunbar's eligibility, but just throw another sub 4 type in there and you have great depth and ability in the Oregon locker room. Lastly Brett Johnson is a sub 4 and 1:50 type to throw in the mix.

Also I love Oregon, I got a new Oregon sweatshirt for Christmas. I'm gonna rep them all day.
Nova
Nova has had the pieces to compete in the DMR for years. Fitzsimons was a 1:47 low guy on a split out of HS with great strength and is starting to come into his own with PA's own Sam Ellison who has a PR at 1:47 in the open 8 and a penn relays split at 1:47.3. Ellison may have the fastest 800m mark of anybody from PA history, somebody would have to check the stat on that but it's up there. These guys are stud 800m men.

But they aren't the real strength of the Nova DMR argument, that belongs to Sam McEntee and Jordan Williamsyz, the two foreign boys who flanked Merber at Swat a couple years back. They are both 3:36ish types who can run 3:55 miles give or take. They are fast and Williamsyz has some nice 800m speed which makes him arguably the best 1200m league in the NCAA.

Young Ben Malone was added to the roster, Josh Lampron sits on the bench, both a couple high school studs at 1500m down around 3:45. And you can't forget Rob Denault a sub 4 miler a year ago indoors or perhaps the biggest weapon of all Patrick Tiernan, the freshman who was 9th at NCAAs in XC! He has dropped a 3:49 before the big XC improvements.

Penn State
PSU loses their stud 800m man Cas Loxsom, but they didn't even utilize him last year and still ran one of the best marks in the NCAA. They still have all 4 members of their second place squad from a year ago. Robby Creese is a dynamic sub 4 anchor runner and Brandon Kidder is coming off a breakthrough outdoor season a year ago. Add in Zavon Watkins, who has already opened with an impressive 1200m and has split 1:47.99 before ... as a sophomore in high school. Plus we have Cheltenham's own Brandon Bennent-Green whose PR is in the 45s.

Oklahoma State
After getting 5 different guys under 4 minutes indoors, OK State went out and added another star in Chad Noelle, a sub 4 miler transfer from Oregon. OK State has Kirubel Erassa and Thomas Farrell back as sub 4 guys a year ago. Erassa was in the mix to be a 3k champion for the orange cowboys last year indoors before being dragged a bit by Jenkins. Plus this team is going to be a little pissed after getting beat in XC by a couple squads. They just need to find some speed at 800m because this is really a group of 5k guys with the exception of Noelle. But they made it last year to the title match and I expect to see them back.

Stanford
Jim Rosa is coming off a stunning XC season where he ran amazing at Nats. And he has his work cut out for him if he wants to make this relay. Tyler Stutzman and Mike Atchoo were a pair of sub 4 milers for this team who bookended the relay in the big meets. Atchoo proved he can kick hard at the NCAA level against top level competition leading to a variety of sneeze jokes.

The problem right now for the Cardinals is going to come at 800m. They lose Ferris and Stutzman was their top guy last outdoor season. They would prefer to have him at 1200. Stanford will rely on a big year for PA's own Luke Lefebure. He has been on the verge of a break out season for years now and this may be the year. If it is, Stanford will be very dangerous.

Marco Bertolotti is another who could surprise. There you go Bobby. And hey maybe Sean McGorty can sneak his way in there somehow?

Wisconsin
The Badgers had a disappointing XC season, but they are much better built for the track this year. The squadron features Alex Hatz, a sub 3:40 man at 1500m this year and Rob Finnerty, a 4:01 high school miler who, when it clicks, is down around 3:40 himself, and lastly Austin Mudd, a guy with sick range at 800 and 1500 stretching from 1:47ish to 3:40ish. He could be the best 1200 guy in the NCAA if he goes after it, but he has realistic NCAA title hopes in the mile with his kicking ability.

Outside of the big three you got Zach Mellon, a stud high school 800m guy who can still run under 1:50 yearly. Also Reed Conner has found a way to run down around 3:44 despite being a great strength and 5k kind of guy first and foremost. Reed was an anchor of a national champion DMR in high school.

Arkansas
Kemoy Campbell is a baller, there is no other way to spin it. He didn't finish his XC season perfectly, but he is Jamacian and a front runner, a couple qualities that don't play to your advantage at a muddy, cold, windy meet in Indiana. But Kemoy ran sick indoors last year and was right in the mix to win the 3k over Lawi. He can run a great anchor leg and he is fearless. 3:41.00 and 13:32 PRs to work with.

To build around Kemoy they have a few nice pieces. Drew Butler ran the 12 on a national champ team in college and can run strong at that distance when healthy. Patrick Rono has a PR at 1:46.49 and is no joke of a runner at that distance. Tomas Squella as a freshman last year ran 1:46 indoors in an absurd race. He has rarely came even close to that mark, but if things click he is dangerous. Ryan Thomas ran 1:48 last year outdoors, he was another freshman with killer ability. Stanley Kebenei ran a 3:47 in the 1500 a year ago which is another solid mark to consider.

Sleeper pick: Colorado 
Ben Saarel, the stud freshman in Boulder, was a sick miler in HS with great potential to break the 4 minute barrier in the right race. Pair him with Jake Hursyz who ran 3:40 a year ago and 3 other teammates who have run 3:47 or faster and new arrival Morgan Pearson. The team is the NCAA XC champs and if they can find some speed they will be dangerous.