The Collegiate Top 50 At A Glance

By Garrett Zatlin

One of the things that has made this blog so successful is the trademark “Top 50” rankings that Etrain has done throughout the years. It has garnered the attention of runners all around Pennsylvania and is now an annual topic of debate. “The 50”, as Etrain has now titled it, is what makes this blog unique.

Now it is time for the NCAA to get a list of it’s own. It’s a list that deserves attention to detail and isn’t based strictly off of times. Team atmosphere, potential, experience, history, and even track performances all play some kind of role when I prepare my picks. This criteria and method of selection doesn’t always have the most support. In fact, just the other day, fellow writer Alex Fox and I debated multiple aspects of the list (where he eventually convinced me to make a switch). Yet in my mind, I believe that my approach is the most effective.

So we should just hop straight into the list then, right? Well like Etrain, I enjoy the idea of giving a little preview before we get into the meat and bones of this whole ordeal. So who were the guys that just missed the list?

Just Missed (In no particular order)
-Darren Fahy (Georgetown)

-Cosmas Boit (UTEP)

-Danny Martinez (Portland)

-Michael Sublette (Princeton)

-Aaron Bartnik (Minnesota)

-Tyler King (Washington)

-Amos Kosgey (Eastern Kentucky)

-Robert Denault (Villanova)

Denault, Boit, and Fahy were probably the closest to making the list. I was trying to find an argument to get Boit on the list. He has been super underrated and in the shadows of Rotich the past couple of seasons. Unfortunately, he’ll have to stay in those shadows for now, but hopefully not for too much longer. Then we have guys like Denault and Fahy who were solid and consistent throughout last season. For Denualt, when it came down to either him or his counterpart (who you can probably guess), his counterpart won. It’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts with McEntee no longer around. I expect Fahy to eventually climb onto the list, but for now, he'll have to wait his turn.

But what kind of writer would I be if I didn’t recognize my bias?  This next list of guys are all runners that I am big fans of and we’re considered for the list at one point or another. They don’t exactly have the credentials others do (which is why I took them off), but I’ve got a feeling they can do big things this upcoming season.

Who To Watch (In no particular order)

-Dominic Deluca (Cornell)

-Jack Boyle (Columbia)

-Tanner Anderson (Oregon)

-Elijah Armstrong (Boise St.)

-Jason Crist (Indiana)

-Stuart Robertson (Virginia Tech)

I have a bit of a soft spot for the Ivy League right now. I’m loving the improvements that the teams are going through and the fast individuals that keep coming out of nowhere. Deluca’s 4^th place at Heps and 19^th place at Northeast Regionals last year got me real excited. I’m expecting big things from him as he transitions into his sophomore year. Jack Boyle is another guy I have my eye on. I grew up watching him tear apart xc courses and lay down some solid two mile times. While he hasn’t quite hit the marks that I thought he’s been capable of, his year-to-year progression is still encouraging. I’ll be watching to see if he can step it up to the next level during his junior year.

I’m also a fan of two freshmen that will be toeing the line for Oregon and Boise St. In my mind, Tanner Anderson has to be the most underrated national champions ever. The guy wins NXN, only to have the spotlight stolen by Fisher who grabbed his second national title at Footlocker. Not only that, but Anderson isn’t even considered as Oregon’s best recruit! The sub-4 miler, Matthew Maton, has the glory for now and the attention will be on him. Anderson doesn’t seem to have the pressure to perform outside of the Oregon program, but I have a feeling he will catch the attention of a lot of people later this fall. Armstrong is another guy that I feel is pretty under the radar. I’ve watched Armstrong since he was a freshman in high school and I just knew the kid was going to be something special. He’s competed against some of the biggest names in the country like Hunter and Brannigan and has displayed his excellent strength in the process. Armstrong might not catch attention from many since he’s not in a top tier program. Nevertheless, I’ll be watching him to see how he fares on the collegiate scene.

“Yeah that’s great Garrett, but what about the list? C’mon give us something.”

Total By Class

29 Seniors (including 5^th years)

16 Juniors

4 Sophomores

1 Freshman

Clearly, seniority rules the NCAA. Experience is so key when it comes down to the big time races no matter what level you compete at. It was a little bit of a bummer to realize that I only had four sophomores on the list. That said, those four sophs are outstanding and I have high hopes for all of them. And of course, there’s that one lone freshman. Is that freshman pick as obvious as you think it is? You’ll just have to wait and find out…

Total By Region

Mountain: 10

Northeast: 8
Great Lakes: 8

West: 8

Southeast: 6

Midwest: 4
Mid-Atlantic: 3

South: 2

South Central: 1

It’s tough to go into this one without giving too much away. The South and South Central are pretty disappointing mainly because most of the teams there are sprinting/middle distance oriented. There are a couple of names that have the potential to make some noise, but without significant competition I couldn’t find it in my heart to put more southern guys on the list. Although the southern regions might not get much love, I’m big on the Great Lakes region this season. There are so many guys from so many different schools that no one’s title as “King of The Great Lakes” is safe. The battle for power in that region will be very interesting to watch.

So I’ll leave you with some questions…

-Who is that freshman and where did I place him?

-How many guys does Colorado have in the top 50? What about Syracuse? Stanford? Oregon?

-Who is the guy you are looking out for to make a splash this season? Biggest bust?

Only two more days until the NCAA Top 50 release begins!

Run on,

Garrett