The Commit: Peter Cooke

A big thanks to Peter Cooke for giving us some insight on his college commitment to Miami (Ohio)!

For those curious, the "I Love College Series" will begin sometime next week so keep an eye out for that! In the mean time, enjoy the interview...

Garrett: Before we talk about college, let’s talk about your high school performances this past spring. You were not only able to qualify for outdoor states in the 800, but you made it on to the medal stand with a personal best time of 1:54.30. What was it like to get on the podium in your final high school race?

 

Peter Cooke: A state medal was something I have always wanted since I started running my freshman year when I saw Connor Holm get one in the 1600. I came close my sophomore year twice in the 4x400 and 4x800. In the indoor season we missed a medal by half a second  in the 4x400. Then in outdoor we unfortunately had an off race in the state final. Then in my junior year an injury sidelined my spring season. To be able to finally get a state medal was just a great way to end my high school career.     

 

G: For the past few years, Radnor has been responsible for producing mid-distance studs like Watson Hanson, Andre Kelly, Connor Holm, and now yourself. How is it that Radnor continues to develop strong talent in the mid-distances?

 

PC: I have got to give it to our coaches. They push us to our limits in training every day, literally… every day. They really test our mental strength and I think this is what really help all of us.  

 

G: Let’s talk about your college decision. Where will you be continuing your academic and athletic career? What will you be majoring in (if you’ve declared)?

 

PC: I will be attending Miami (Ohio) and I will be majoring in computer science.

 

G: What other schools were you looking at? What made Miami (Ohio) stand out?

 

PC: I was looking at RPI, Virginia Tech, and Penn State. The funny thing was that I wasn't really considering Miami (Ohio) until the spring this year. My parents and guidance counselor kept recommending to apply to Miami so I did just that. I was unsure about the school because you don't hear about Miami over here on the east coast. Then on spring break this year I went up and visited it and Coach Chorny gave me a fantastic tour around campus and I just loved it.       

 

G: Last year, the Miami (Ohio) program garnered some attention for recruiting the Torpey twins as well as many other talented individuals. Did the recent high-level recruiting by Miami (Ohio) influence your decision?

 

PC:  I wouldn't say specifically the Torpey twins or individuals influenced my decision. I just wanted to train with people that were better than me. I want to really try and push myself in college and not stay the same. I personally find training with a group of people is importantly more fun and much easier than training by yourself.  

 

G: Have you had any discussions with the training staff in regards to what your training will be like? Was there a certain training philosophy the coaching staff that you felt would be beneficial to your development as a runner?

 

PC:  Coach Chorny told me he would be training me like a 800/1500 runner. I will be running a lot more than I am use to this upcoming year. I am very excited because I always felt my endurance was lacking because I didn't run XC until my senior year of HS because I played soccer.

 

G: You may have heard that the Redhawks just had an All-American in the 1500 (Andrew Dusing) this past spring who was considered an underdog throughout most of the post-season. What was your reaction to hearing that news?

 

PC:  I was honestly very shocked. I had no idea he was on that level or could run those types of times. It showed me that what the coach is doing training wise is working. It makes believe in his way of training and gets me excited to get up there.  

 

G: What kind of legacy/impact do you want to leave when your time with Miami (Ohio) is done? What are some of your goals for the next four to five years?

 

PC: I have not really thought about leaving a legacy at Miami, but I really want to make a big jump in my times all around.  I like to dream so I do have some big goals. I first want to break 1:50 in the 800m. Then I would want to try and run a sub 4 mile. I believe I have the basic speed to run these time so I just think the endurance training is missing.  

 

G: What is your advice to runners (or anyone for that matter) as they begin their college search?

 

PC: Find a college that fits your needs academically first then look at their track teams. It will work, so don't get too stressed out. Finally, go to the college you want to and not what someone else thinks you should do or wants you to do.

 

G: Finally, any shout outs?

 

PC: Shout out to Connor Holm, Andre Kelly, and Connor Zielinski for showing me what track was about. Shout out to my central league 4x4 team for being able to get the job done when it matters most. And finally a shout out to my the entire Radnor track team for making my last year my most fun!  

The Commit: Zach Skolnekovich

The interviews continue to roll here at Etrain! Next up in The Commit series is Zach Skolnekovich who was nice enough to take the time and answer our questions.

Be sure to look out for another interview later next week! I am also preparing the "I Love College" series once again which should be ready in the next two weeks or so. A lot more to come!

Garrett: Let’s start by talking about your senior year performances. In cross country, you were runner-up in the PIAA XC Championships (AA) and qualified for Footlocker Nationals. You later earned personal bests in the 800 and 1600/mile during the spring season which was capped off with a runner-up performance in the 3200 and a 5^th place performance in the 1600 (both AA). Have you done anything differently in your training to get to this level of fitness?

Zach Skolnekovich: Yes, I increased my mileage and lowered my paces. In my freshman and sophomore years, I ran about 35-45 miles a week and six days a week. In my junior and senior years, I ran 55-65 miles a week and seven days a week. Also, I began to run faster paces during my maintenance and long runs. In addition to increasing my mileage, I lifted two days a week. 

G: You and Ben Bumgarner have often raced each other throughout your high school running careers (16 times to be exact). Is it fair to say that you two have developed a rivalry of sorts?  

ZS: Ben is a great runner, and he really burst onto the scene this past year. I am happy for him because I know all the hard work that he put in to get where he is. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was a rivalry because I never liked to characterize a matchup like that. However, I really enjoyed and looked forward to racing him because I knew that he would bring out my best and that I would bring out his, and it was very fun toeing the line with him.

G: Quaker Valley has produced some top-tier teams and individuals over the past few years. What is it about this program that has led to so much success?
  

ZS: Two words: Coach Noyes. Noyes takes runners who ran a 5:50 mile in 8th grade, and turns them into a sub-5 miler by their senior years. Noyes also takes runners who ran a sub-5 mile in 8th grade, and turns them into a sub 4:20 miler by their senior years. He makes you mentally tough so when it comes down to the end of a race, you can push your body to the limit. Personally, Noyes was the best coach for me. He knew my abilities, limits, and how to get the best out of me. He would challenge me and play little mental games (as I like to call them) with me so that I would run the time that he wanted. To finish my tribute to Coach Noyes, he is the reason why our program and myself were so successful because he can take any average runner/team, and lead them to great feats.          

G: Let’s transition away from high school and talk about your college decision. Where will you begin your collegiate academic and athletic career? What will you be majoring in (if you have declared)?

ZS: I will be running cross country and track at William & Mary. I plan on majoring in finance, but will probably take general business classes my first year.

G: What were some of the other schools you were looking at? How did William & Mary stand out from the others?

ZS: I officially visited Penn State, NC State, Providence, Columbia, and William & Mary. I chose W&M because it simply felt right. I left both my unofficial and official visits wanting to commit on the spot (type of feeling). I could tell that W&M was the school for me because every conversation that I had about college ending with W&M.

G: Head coach Chris Solinsky was the first American to break the 27-minute barrier in the 10k. Did his credentials and experience as a professional influence your decision at all?

ZS: Yes, I would say they influenced my decision. For me, to be able to run under a coach with his credentials and experience is an incredible opportunity. Also, since he trained and competed at the highest level, I think our training will be top notch, and I will reach my greatest potential. Lastly, I think he will prepare our team for the mental grind that comes with competing in D1 athletics since he has had experience running D1 and professionally.

G: Have you discussed with the coaching staff what your training will be like? Was there a certain training philosophy the coaching staff had that you felt would be beneficial to your development as a runner?

ZS: I discussed my training with my coaches, and just got my training schedule for cross season. Coach Solinsky believes that the summer should be used to build a solid foundation that can be worked on during the season so there aren’t any planned workouts. Instead, he wants me to focus on my long runs, and throw in 2-4 progression runs a week. I think this will benefit me because it will make me strong so I can handle the jump to the 8k and 10k.

G: Did the idea of training and racing with PA alumni Cooper Leslie (formerly of Camp Hill) entice you to join the William & Mary program?

ZS: Cooper was actually my host for my official visit which made my visit very enjoyable because we got along well since he is also from Penn. To answer the question now, yes it did because I want to train and race with teammates that I get along with.

G: What kind of legacy/impact do you want to leave when your time with W&M is done? What are some of your goals for the next four to five years?

ZS: For cross country, I want to win NCAAs as a team. I know people are reading this and thinking that this kid is crazy (which I am, I run long distance). However, our recruiting class and returning W&M runners are very strong. Also, I believe Coach Solinsky will be able to bring in some national caliber runners in the coming years. If you combine all of those factors, I can see us winning or at least coming close to winning it all in the next 3-4 years. On the track, I would really like to qualify for NCAAs and run in Eugene.

G: What is your advice to runners (or anyone for that matter) as they begin their college search?

ZS: My advice would be to keep your options open. It never hurts to have a variety of schools to choose from. Also, don’t overthink it. I know that it is easier said than done, but when the school is right, you will know it.

G: Finally, any shout outs?

ZS: Shout out to my former assistant cross country coach, John “Pacman” Yankello. He was my training partner for my junior year cross and track and senior year of cross. He paced and pushed me during many long runs and workouts. He was a major factor in my development physically and mentally, and I wouldn’t be the runner I am now without him.

Sorry About That...

By: Garrett Zatlin

Well this is a bit embarrassing.

I should apologize to the readers that expected more content about the NCAA/PA Alumni. I got surprisingly busy with final exams, a rigorous internship, and attempting to get The Stride Report up and running (S/O to Jarrett and the rest of the crew for all of the support). Completely pausing all of my writing for Etrain was not the plan...

But now I'm back and will make an effort to stay involved once again! Here is my plan for the next few weeks..

-Begin the "I Love College" series
-Continue interviews for the "The Commit"
-Discuss some PA Alumni in general
-Anything else that you guys would like

As I attempt to write some of these posts, I'm going to need some help from you guys! I am currently making an Excel spreadsheet for the 2017 graduating class and where they are going to college. Any names you guys may have for this would be incredibly helpful. Here are the names I have so far...

-Nick Dahl (Yale)
-Nick Feffer (Dartmouth)
-Dave Whitfield (Virginia Tech)
-Matt D'Aquila (Middlebury)
-Will Griffin (Virginia Tech)
-Nate Henderson (Syracuse)
-Noah Affolder (Syracuse)
-Ben Bumgarner (Penn State)
-Brandon Hontz (Penn State)
-Ryan Barton (Penn State)
-James Abrahams (Penn State)
-Alex Tomasko (Penn State)
-Nick Wagner (Penn State)
-Zach Lefever (Pittsburgh)
-Zack Skolnekovich (William & Mary)
-Noah Curtin (Temple)
-Liam Galligan (Franciscan University of Steubenville)
-Eric Kersten (Lehigh)
-Griffin Mackey (Dartmouth)
-Connor McMenamin (Bucknell)
-Mark Provenzo (Duquesne)
-Seth Slavin (Lehigh)

Keep an eye out for future posts and updates!

Run on,
Garrett

The Commit

Shout out to Garrett Zatlin for putting together a really cool series, talking to Seniors about their college selections for next year. I think these posts turned out really well and figured I'd re-link them up since it's that time of year here where I start linking things apparently.

Matt D'Aquila
Nick Dahl
Dave Whitfield
Nick Feffer

You can check out Garrett's newest stuff at this link. His site is called The Stride Report and its pretty sick for any NCAA fans out there. I'd guess a large subgroup of readership is graduating to the NCAA ranks next season, some time to start studying up runners (and parents of runners).

Weekend Alumni Report / Other Notable Names I've Missed / I Need A Better Title

By: Garrett Zatlin

Ernie Pitone, Senior, Widener
This guy currently has the NCAA #1 time with a HUGE 14:08 5k personal best! That's a school record and a time that could put him in the discussion to be a title contender.

John Lewis, Sophomore, Clemson
I mentioned last week that Lewis would need to break the 1:48 barrier if he wants to be in the discussion for national championship qualifying. Sure enough, he did just that at LSU this past weekend where he ran a killer time of 1:47.95 (NCAA #25) to place third overall.

Sam Ritz, Sophomore, Columbia
This guy is one of the more underrated PA alum at the division one level. He's following the footsteps of experienced miler Rob Napolitano and it's beginning to pay off after running a personal best time of 3:45 this past weekend.

I said it in my last article and I'll say it again...anything can happen in the 1500 at Regionals. If that race gets too tactical, Ritz could easily snag a spot to the Big Dance.

Dom Perretta, Freshman, Penn State
This kid just does not quit! After running a strong PR of 3:46 last weekend, Perretta came back to place 5th in an absolutely LOADED 800 field at the Virginia Challenge. His time (and PR) of 1:47.29 currently puts him at 13th in the nation!

Scott Mason, Junior, Connecticut College
The Lehigh transfer is beginning to find great success at the division three level after running a personal best time of 14:47 two weekends ago. That time currently places him at 36th in the NCAA.

Mason also threw down a personal best time of 9:17 steeplechase this past weekend at Larry Ellis which is an NCAA #12 time.

Jaryd Flank, Senior, Muhlenberg
In just his second race of the season, Flank ticked off a solid time of 9:10 to place himself at NCAA #3 among division three steeplechasers. Keep an eye out for this guy as the season progresses.

Addison Monroe, Junior, Lock Haven
In just two races this season, Monroe has two big personal bests of 14:34 (NCAA #34) and 29:44 (NCAA #13). This guy is at the top of his game and is one of the better long-distance PA alum we have.

Ryan Thompson, Senior, Slippery Rock
Two weekends ago, we saw Ryan Thompson throw down a lethal 3:46 (NCAA #10) at the Bison Outdoor Classic. Thompson stepped up this past indoor season and is showing that he is not some one-season wonder. Hopefully, we'll get to see Thompson and fellow PA alum Caleb Gatchell (NCAA #18 1500) match up before the end of the regular season.

Matt McGoey, Sophomore, Pittsburgh
What a season Matt McGoey is having! It took a year for the Pitt Panther to adjust to collegiate competition, but he has really come into his own with personal best times of 3:47.99 (1500), 14:22 (5k), and 9:05 (3kSt.) this season! He is becoming much more consistent and beginning to really take advantage of his fitness.

Ned Willig, Senior, Michigan
At Mnt. SAC, we saw Ned take the lead and control the pace against a field that was capable of running much faster. Ned finished with a solid 3:45, but left knowing that he could have run faster. At Jesse Owens, he wouldn't have the luxury of an elite 1500 field to push the pace. Willig got the win, but had to settle for yet another 3:45.

Willig is clearly fit and in great shape. He just needs to find the right race to run fast. Until then, I imagine he'll shift his focus to the 800 and attempt to run a fast time in that event.

The Commit: Dave Whitfield

By: Garrett Zatlin

Dave Whitfield took some time to talk about his college decision in another article of The Commit series! Take a look at our conversation below...

Garrett Zatlin: Before we talk about your college commitment, let’s chat about some of your recent performances. During the winter season, you actually played hockey while running track, right? Talk a little bit about trying to balance those two during your junior and senior years.

Dave Whitfield: Yeah, I did play hockey and track during the winter. My junior year, I played for my high school and also a club team. It was very hard trying to fit all that in with indoor plus school work. Typically, I had club hockey practice 2 times during the week, after my track practice (daily). Then on Saturday, I would have meets at Lehigh in the morning followed by a high school game at night. On Sunday, I usually got a longer run in before my second club hockey game of the weekend; also followed by a high school practice at night. This whole entire process was very tiring and time consuming, but it was 2 sports that I loved to play. After I ran 1:53 my junior season, I cut back on the ice time by only playing for my high school this year. This helped me focus on getting the proper rest while getting more base work in.

GZ: 2016 was your breakout year where you ran 1:53 to PR by 2.5 seconds and win the District 12 title. Did you know that you had that kind of speed in you? What did a time and win like that do to your confidence?

DW: That exact race was probably one of the best days of my life. It opened so many opportunities in my life that I am very grateful for. After my sophomore season splitting 1:58 at districts, I had a goal set in my mind. I definitely wanted to go 1:54 by my junior season, and sub 1:51 by senior season. I had no clue that I was going to run that fast at districts, but I knew a pr was coming. I always tend to run really well at districts. That race was a huge confidence booster and indicator that I can run with the top guys in the state.

GZ: You had a really nice season opener at Neshaminy where you ran 1:56. Are you happy with where your fitness is right now?

DW: I am pretty happy with my first 800 of the season. I was expecting right around a 1:56 or lower for the first open 800.

GZ: According to MileSplit, you’re the 3rd fastest returner in the 800 from last season. What are your expectations for the rest of outdoor in 2017? Do you feel like there is any pressure on you to perform at a high level?

DW: It's very humbling coming back as one of the top 800 runners in the state. I don’t really want to dwell too much on last years time because it's a new season. I feel like there is a little bit of pressure keeping up with the top of the state and continuing to drop hot times. However, when I step on the line, all the anxiety goes away and it’s just about having fun at that point. Getting sub 1:51 and sub 49 for the 400 would be ideal this season. Also, I must get a state medal!!! I’ve been way too close to receiving one and it's so aggravating, so hopefully I’ll get one this year.

GZ: Now that our high school discussion is over, let’s get into what we are really here for. Where have you committed to go after high school? Have you declared your major yet?

DW: I just committed to Virginia Tech not too long ago and planning on majoring in Statistics!

GZ: What other universities did you look at? What made Virginia Tech standout?

DW: I've talked to a lot of universities but the few that stood out were Miami (FL), Boise State, and Pitt. Virginia Tech really stood out to me because of the people on campus. When I took a visit down there, everyone was very welcoming, friendly, and it just felt like home. I love the campus itself and the rich school tradition it exemplifies throughout everything they do. The person that stood out to me the most was Ben Fleming, a kid already committed to Tech in my recruiting class. He welcomed me in and showed me all around campus. I got the true, sincere feeling of Blacksburg within a weekend span.

GZ: Have you discussed with the coach what your training will be like? Was there a certain training philosophy mentioned that resonated with you?

DW: As a middle distance guy, I won’t just be training with the cross guys but I’ll actually be racing at all the home meets next year. I won’t be running varsity but I’m really excited to get the base and endurance early on for the track seasons. I’m gonna be more generated to run the 800/1500 than anything, which I’m also very excited about. With all the great training in the fall, my open 800 will be better than ever.

GZ: You’ll be entering a program that just won the indoor ACC championships and has all five of their sub-1:50 guys returning for next year. Tell us your thoughts on being able to compete and train with such an elite mid-distance group.

DW: This opportunity to run and train with the best is a blessing in itself. I never thought I would be running at this level, ever! The thought of it seems pretty crazy but I’m going to be ready to give it my all. I’m going to try my very best to stick with them and hopefully fill their shoes one day.

GZ: What are you most looking forward to about training and competing at the next level? Is there anyone you are excited to compete against?

DW: I’m looking forward to traveling to all the different universities for meets next year. I’m definitely excited to get that needed base work in early on in training. Endurance is the number one thing I tend to struggle with during workouts and races. If I can get that attribute down, who knows what kind of runner I can be in the near future. 

I am really excited to race some of the big name PA Alumni that I tend to look up to even to this day. Guys like Kevin James, Matt Wisner, Dom Perretta, Justin Jones, and John Lewis are runners that I’ve learned from just by watching them race at high level meets. I am also very excited to race against one of my good friends/rival, Steve Mcclellan, next year. Every time we race it’s always a positive outcome for both of us.

GZ: What is the impact you want to leave throughout your collegiate racing career?

DW: Hopefully, I can be on the hot 4x8 and DMR at some point in my collegiate career. Also, I hope to be one of the best 800 guys to come out of Virginia Tech.

GZ: What advice do you have for current juniors that are going through the college recruiting process right now?

DW: Definitely, do not wait for coaches to contact you. There are so many runners in high school, college coaches don't get a chance to reach out to everyone unless you're one of the top in your event. Try to email the college of your choice as soon as possible. The earlier, the better. Another tip is to try to be as versatile as possible with the events that you run. It will definitely help you out in your college process. In my 4 years I’ve only been geared toward 1 event. If you have the opportunity to try new events, don't be scared to experiment.

GZ: What is one thing we need to know about you?

DW: If I’m not running, sleeping, or reading Etrain, I’m always low key playing PS4. So, without a doubt add me on PSN if you want to see how I get down after track hours. (Dwhitty07)

GZ: Twitter plug?

DW: Follow your finest Bonner boy @King_Dave57. If you have any general questions about track or anything, do not be scared to message me. Im literally on twitter 24/7.

GZ: Any shout outs?

DW: Shoutout to my wonderful coaches at Bonner, especially Coach Kevin Kee and Greg Thomas. Another shoutout to Ryan Rastatter, Sean Sullivan, Ethan Cook, Tony Harper, and Alaina Johnson for pushing me throughout my 4 years of high school. One last shoutout to my future Brokies next year at VT. Go Hokies !

The Commit: Nick Feffer

By: Garrett Zatlin

The Commit is back with another PA senior that has committed to running in college! Nick Feffer of State College was nice enough to chat and give us some insight on his college commitment. Enjoy!


Garrett: Let’s begin by talking about your most recent indoor season. At states, you decided to forgo the open 800 to stay fresh for the 4x800. Why is it that State College puts such a strong emphasis on the success of their relays?

Nick Feffer: I think it has a lot to do with the culture of our team. Ever since I was a freshman, I saw the older guys doing what was best for the rest of the group. Cather took on an enormous quad to help us win Districts four years ago. Milligan skipped on individuals at indoor states so that our DMR would have a competitive shot. I felt that I was just doing what was expected of me by skipping the open 8. I wanted to give my teammates my best effort in the DMR and helping them medal was more important than trying to snag an individual place.

Also another more personal part of my decision was that I just didn’t think I could run as fast as I would be happy with from the “slow” heats. I might’ve been able to pull out a 1:55 or something and grab 7th or 8th but again, I decided it would be better to save energy for the mile leg of the DMR.

G: State College is considered one of the best programs in the state for developing 800 meter runners. Why is that the case and do you feel like there is any pressure on you to uphold that legacy?

NF: It’s just kinda been that way for as long as I can remember. My coach, Steve Shisler, has a special place in his heart for 4x800s; he’s on the PSU squad that holds the Penn Relays record. So that could be a factor. Otherwise, I think it’s because we are a low-mileage, high intensity program and that kind of training works well for 800s. In terms of upholding the legacy, I see it more as pride in a way rather than pressure. Knowing that some incredible 800 runners have come before me, I trust in my training and the results come in the races.

G: You’ll be entering this outdoor season as one of the top returners in the 800. Do you feel like there is any pressure on you to perform at a high level? What are your goals for your final season of high school competition?

NF: Yeah this is where the pressure comes in. I was ecstatic last year when I realized I was the top junior in the 800 at states (not by much), and I told myself then that I wanted to win the thing as a senior. I do feel like I have somewhat of a target on my back due to how close the race was last year, and with the Affolders coming in and Hoey looking more and more like an 800 guy rather than a miler, I know it’ll be a tough race. Looking forward to it being a fast one though. Timewise, I think I have a 1:51 somewhere in the tank, I just have to find it on the right day. 

G: Let’s transition away from high school and discuss your future plans. Where will you continue your academic and athletic career? Have you declared a major yet?

NF: I’m excited to be studying and running at Dartmouth College up in New Hampshire. I’ll be majoring in biomedical engineering, with a focus towards medical school post-graduation.

G: What other universities were you looking at? What made Dartmouth stand out?

NF: I was looking at basically all of the other Ivy League colleges and Penn State as well, due to location. I took a bunch of official and unofficial visits which were a blast (shoutout @Ryan Thrush), but I felt that Dartmouth had the best fit for me. I really liked the guys on the team and the trails around campus are great for training.

G: Have you had any discussions with the Dartmouth coaching staff about your future training? How will your training there differ from high school?

NF: From what I remember on my visits and conversations with Coach Harwick and Coach Phelps, the training won’t be too much different from my training at State High. A couple workouts a week, tempos and intervals, lifting occasionally. I’ll probably have to up my mileage a little bit though.

G: There are many PA alumni that are either currently running (or are committed to run) in the Ivy League. What are your thoughts about racing many familiar faces at the collegiate level?

NF: It’s a little daunting to be honest haha! It’s cool to see alumni running well and winning Heps and things like that. It’s a little scary knowing that I’ll be racing some PA legends but I mean there are always going to be fast kids in races, so the way I see it is I’ll just have more friends to talk to at meets.

G: Your 800 PR will make you one of the top half-milers on Dartmouth’s team. What kind of contributions are you looking to make in your first few seasons of competition?

NF: I was kind of happy when I realized that. One of the reasons I shied away from some other Ivy schools was their incredible depth in the mid-distance (@Columbia). I guess I don’t want to have to start from the bottom, so to speak. I’m really excited to have a part to play on the team from day one and I’d like to run at Heps in my freshman year. I’m not sure how reasonable that is, but it would definitely be cool.

G: What advice do you have for runners (or anyone for that matter) as they start their own college search?

NF: A few things...

1.     Start early. The recruiting process is pretty long and grueling and the more time you have the better.

2.     Reach out. This is the most important part. I didn’t get “recruited” by Dartmouth per se; I sent the coaches an email saying, “Hi I’m Nick, these are my times, can we talk?” and got the ball rolling from there. If you’re not fast enough to run for the school, the coach will probably tell you, but 1) you haven’t lost anything 2) you put yourself on the coach’s radar as someone who really wants to go to their school and that will sit well with them when you do hit their qualifying standards.

3.     Recruitment standards on websites are waaay fast. Don’t be afraid to send an email if you haven’t hit them just yet.

4.     If anyone has questions about Ivy League/Dartmouth recruiting or Dartmouth in general, feel free to shoot me a Twitter dm. I’ll be happy to help.

G: What is something you wished we asked you, but didn’t? What would your answer be?

NF:

Q: “Why are you so short?”

A:  ...

G: You’ve got some pretty fire tweets. How can people follow you on Twitter?

NF: I really appreciate that, although I don’t think anyone on my team will admit it. The handle is @feffrey98. Thanks!

G: Any shout outs?

NF: Shout out to HC. You’ll make it someday bud.

Let's See How This Goes...

By: Garrett Zatlin

Our PA Alumni deserve more attention.

Not just the guys in D1, but D2, D3, and NAIA as well. Heck, even college club runners deserve some love (looking at you Evan Hatton).

I've been with Etrain for over two years now and it has been an outstanding experience. I never thought when I first joined that we would have a professional runner like Craig Lutz reach out and help promote the blog. I never thought that a random prediction article would make the front page of LetsRun. I never thought we would have national champions follow us on Twitter. All of this just from having fun and writing a few articles.

But sometimes, I have to be honest with myself. Our audience is heavily Pennsylvania based and the most read posts in the NCAA section are typically the ones discussing PA alumni. Our readers care more about how Ned Willig is doing compared to how some Oklahoma State guy got 6th at nationals when he was projected to get 2nd.

And quite frankly, I don't blame them! Our alumni are simply more relevant. These are guys we grew up watching, competed against, and read about in Etrain's articles.

After thinking about this for nearly two months, I've decided that I will be shifting the focus of my writing for the blog towards our PA alumni. There are so many guys that I simply don't know. They deserve to get more attention. How did I not know that SRU's Ryan Thompson ran 4:05 this season? How would I have known that All-American Jaryd Flank was a PA alum if Jarrett and Fox didn't point it out to me? The list goes on.

But that's not it...

We still have a solid amount of readers from outside of the state. Readers from Boston, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and so on come to Etrain for content about NCAA distance running. Completely eliminating that focus and only benefitting the PA readers would be a bit unfair to those people in those cities.

And that's why I thought it may be a good time to experiment.

I have decided to launch my own website! It's a site that will have pretty much the same content you see here along with a few other new things that I wanted to try out. I've always wanted to start a project like this and I think now may be the best opportunity. So here it is! Expect the site to launch next week...

thestridereport.com

PA Alumni At Nationals

By: Garrett Zatlin

Division 1

• Ned Willig (Michigan)
• Michigan's Ned Willig was the only D1 athlete to qualify for an individual distance event after running a 3:58 mile PR at Boston. Unfortunately, Willig drew a tough preliminary heat which included three Oregon Ducks, a 3:56 miler, and plenty of other talent. Willig was in a great spot early on in the race, but just like many other top-tier names, he wasn't prepared for the quickening pace established by Oregon. Willig eventually finished last in his heat with a time of 4:05. He may not have made the final, but this is arguably the best track season of his collegiate career so far.

• Dan Jaskowak (Virginia Tech)
• As one commenter pointed out, Jaskowak was never really a mid-distance guy in high school. He often thrived in races like the 3200 or 5k. However, this Virginia Tech program has really helped Jaskowak develop his leg-speed. The senior was able to split a 2:53 at ACC's in the DMR lead-off leg and was later able to get VT to the front at NCAA's where he split ~2:55. On top of that, Jaskowak was able to run a 2:22 1k earlier in the season! This guy has some really solid range.

Division 2

• Caleb Gatchell (Hillsdale)
• The Hillsdale senior was already an All-American in the 1500 after placing 7th at outdoor NCAA's last spring. In 2017, Gatchell returned to the big stage with the only difference being that he would run 100 meters further on an indoor track. After matching his 4:06 mile PR in the prelims, Gatchell took advantage of his raw speed to split a 2:59 last 1200 and place 6th at nationals to become an All-American for the second time in his career. That 4:06 was also paired with an 8:21 3k PR from earlier in the season.

• Ethan Gatchell (Cedarville)
• The younger Gatchell brother didn't flinch on the big stage when he got the baton for Cedarville's DMR. As just a sophomore, Gatchell dropped a huge 1:52 high to get his team in a great position. Their relay would eventually finish 8th to clinch the final All-American spot.

• Ryan Thompson (Slippery Rock)
• I'll be 100% honest, I haven't heard much about Ryan Thompson and I'm not sure why. The man is absolutely killing it! The Slippery Rock High School graduate stayed close to home and attended SRU which may have given him an edge when trying to adjust to his new collegiate-level of training. As a senior, Thompson was able to drop some incredible times. He ran a 4:05 mile PR in early February which was fast enough to qualify him for nationals. He also ran an 8:27 3k PR as well. Unfortunately, Thompson didn't advance to the mile final at NCAA's. Still, this has been one heck of a season for Thompson and he is one person that will definitely be on my radar for this upcoming spring season.
• S/O to the commenter for pointing out my miss.

Division 3

• Ernie Pitone (Widener)
• It was a tough race for Pitone ended up as the first man out of the finals despite running 4:15 in the prelims. That would be a heartbreaking finish for most seniors, but Pitone made up for that with an excellent 3k performance where he ran 8:21 and placed 6th overall. After this weekend, Pitone can now boast that he is a five-time All-American throughout his collegiate career (if we include all three seasons).

• Jon Perlman (Middlebury)
• It was an excellent season for Jon Perlman. As just a sophomore, Perlman was able to get a 4:12 mile PR and qualify for nationals at the Tufts Final Qualifier meet. Unfortunately, Perlman's youth caught up to him and he failed to make the final after running a 4:17 in the prelims. Despite not advancing, this was huge experience for the young guy who will likely return back to the championships later on in his career.

• Jaryd Flank (Muhlenberg)
• What a story Jaryd Flank has been! A little known PA high schooler has now become one of the best distance runners in division three. Flank first attacked the DMR with a strong anchor leg that got his Muhlenberg teammates All-American honors with a 7th place finish. Unfortunately, I don't know the relay split, but it seems like it only gave Flank more confidence. The Muhlenberg senior dueled with Pitone and settled for 8th in the 3000 (8:23) to gain his second All-American performance of the weekend.

• Anthony Calatoni (Muhlenberg)
• As the 800 leg of the Muhlenberg DMR, Calatoni stepped up to the plate and laid down a solid 1:53 split to keep Muhlenberg in the All-American conversation. He's only a junior and should be able to make plenty of noise this outdoor season as well as next year.

• Noah Falasco (RPI)
• How did I miss a national champion?! Granted, it was in the DMR so it was easy to overlook. Still, this is a big deal regardless of what event we're talking about. One of the commenters was nice enough to point out that Falasco was on RPI's winning relay and was able to get a solid split 1:56 to keep RPI at the front. The best part? Falasco is just a true freshman.

• Mason Hepner (Dickinson)
• The Dickinson senior had a huge breakout season with three substantial PR's that included a 1:55, 4:12, and 8:39. That 4:12 mile PR was good enough for Hepner to qualify for D3 nationals. Hepner was the last man to make it out of the preliminaries and into a very underrated mile final. Although Hepner finished last in that final, he still got a PR (by .1 seconds).

If there was anyone I missed be sure to let me know! 

Take Aways From Nationals

By: Garrett Zatlin

It was certainly a crazy weekend of nationals with lots to talk about. Here are some of the biggest takeaways I had from the meet. You can find the full results here...NCAA D1 INDOOR RESULTS

800

• Rutto, Arroyo, and Joseph fail to make final
• When making my predictions, I kept Joseph out of the finals due to his history of struggling in the prelims. Sure enough, his prelim troubles happened again with this instance being a bit more unlucky than anything else. The final came down to a kick and I like to think that Joseph could've closed in that final like he did at ACC's.
• Rutto was a big surprise to not make it out of the prelim. Some people thought he could win and most of our writers had him finishing in the top three. But that's what happens when you have a loaded 800 field such as this.
• Another NCAA championship where Arroyo fails to make the final or become All-American. He's got so much talent, but just can't seem to figure out how to race in championships.

• UTEP Frosh Duo Are For Real
• Both of these freshmen were aggressive with their race strategies. In fact, we actually saw Saruni give Drew Piazza a nice little shove which resulted in Saruni being DQ'd. If he had not been DQ'd, Saruni finishes 6th. Korir, on the other hand, asserted himself to the front-pack, timed his move well, and ended up with a title. Could he be the next Edward Cheserek of the 800? 
• S/O to Alex Fox who was very high on this duo early on in the season. He was impressed with their racing ability and he turned out to be right.

• Robert Heppenstall quietly finishes 5th
• The Wake Forest sophomore now has three track seasons under his belt. In each of those seasons, he's qualified for nationals and been an All-American. Talk about clutch...

Mile

• First Thing's First: KERR UPSETS CHES
• What. A. Race. The race was incredibly slow for an NCAA final with the first 800 being 2:10. When people started to make their moves and push the pace, Ches seemed cool, calm, and relaxed. He probably didn't think that a redshirt freshman from New Mexico could out-kick him in a slow tactical race. But Josh Kerr proved him and the whole world wrong when he was able to break the King with a 53 second last 400. 
• Does Kerr still have that kick in a sub-four minute race? Maybe, maybe not. But Cheserek should've learned his lesson after getting out-kicked by Jordy Williamsz at Penn Relays in a scenario very similar to NCAA's.
• I must admit it, Caleb Gatchell was a big fan of Josh Kerr very early on and he's looking real smart right around now.

• Thompson and Maton Struggle
• If anyone was going to upset Cheserek I felt confident that it would be Thompson. Of course, that didn't happen and the 3:56 miler fell back to a disappointing 6th place finish after failing to have the kick that the opposition did. 
• I may look smart for keeping Maton out of my top eight predictions, but it still surprised me when I saw that he fell to 9th overall. Oregon usually performs extremely well at NCAA's and this was just not the weekend for Maton who also finished dead last in the 3000.

3000

• It Was Rather...Predictable
• This was where most of our writers (except Caleb) did very well in the predictions. Of the eight All-American spots, I predicted four of them exactly correct with a few other individuals a spot or two off. What was predicted by most of our writers ended up becoming true...
• Ches did his thing and got the win
• Knight was fresh and got runner-up
• Gilbert and Scott held their own
• Klecker and Barraza finished off their breakout seasons with All-American finishes

• Ben Saarel: What Happens If He Doesn't Double?
• After finishing an unexciting 8th place in a tactical mile, Saarel ended up placing a disappointing 15th in the 3000. If he opted out of the mile, does he place higher in the 3000? If he doesn't have the 3000 later on does he push the pace in the mile? I think there were a few different scenarios that could've benefitted Saarel.

5000

• Polar Opposite of the 3000...Plenty of Surprises
• Guys like Alfred Chelanga, Amon Terer, and Tyler Day really threw off a lot of our predictions. I don't think anyone doubted their talent level, but there wasn't a whole lot that indicated they could be All-Americans. 

• More Impressive Buffalo: Klecker 4th In 3000 vs Dressel 4th In 5000
• I just thought it was a good question to throw in. 

DMR

• Did Anyone Want To Win This Race?
• There were so many high quality DMR's that failed to race their best guys. Ole Miss was the only exception and it paid off with them winning the title. Here are some of the relays that left out some of their best talent...
• Oregon didn't run any of their sub-four milers (Cheserek, Maton, Gorman).
• Oklahoma State did not run 3:56 miler Josh Thompson or 3:58 miler Matthew Fayers.
• UTEP's Jonah Koech had such a poor lead-off leg that they weren't able to get back into it. They didn't run Michael Saruni either.
• Virginia Tech did not run either of their 1:46 guys (Piazza and Joseph) and did not run sub-four minute miler Neil Gourley.
• New Mexico did not run Josh Kerr
• Georgetown didn't run Joe White (1:46 800 PR)

• There Were Some Good Decisions...
• Virginia Tech still found a strong lead-off leg (Daniel Jaskowak) who ran 2:53 at ACC's and then 2:55 at nationals. Vincent Ciattei proved to be one of the most underrated milers in the NCAA after splitting a 3:58. The Hokies also had Gourley and Piazza become All-Americans in their individual events.
• Josh Kerr wound up defeating the King of collegiate track and field. 
• The other "no-runs" are up for debate.

Overall

• Erik Peterson and Colby Gilbert Underwhelmed
• In the 5000, we saw Peterson (NCAA #4) and Gilbert (NCAA #2) fail to hit expectations. Peterson held his own by placing 6th overall, but Gilbert fell to 15th overall.
• In the 3000, we saw a flip of performances with Peterson (NCAA #8) drop to 13th while Gilbert (NCAA #1) place 5th.
• Are these horrendous performances? No. Both of these guys left as All-Americans. Still, both of them had run so well all season and never had a bad race. I thought for sure that one of these guys would walk away with two All-American honors. I also thought that we would see at least one of these guys get a top three finish. Unfortunately, that just didn't happen.

• Marc Scott Impressed
• Before this weekend, Scott had never doubled on the national stage, had only one All-American performance on the track, and failed to make nationals last outdoor season. Of course, that all changed after he finished second in the 5000 and third in the 3000. Scott left College Station as the fourth highest individual scorer at the championships.

• Foreign Dominance
• 800
1. Emmanual Korir (Kenyan)
2. Drew Piazza (American)
3. Joe White (American)
4. Isaiah Harris (American)
5. Robert Heppenstall (Canadian)
6. Daniel Kuhn (American)
7. Blair Henderson (American)
• DQ: Michael Saruni (Kenyan)

• MILE
1. Josh Kerr (Scottish)
2. Edward Cheserek (Kenyan)
3. Sampson Laari (Ghanaian)
4. Neil Gourley (Scottish)
5. Adam Palamar (Canadian)
6. Josh Thompson (American)
7. Liam Dee (English)
8. Ben Saarel (American)

• 3000
1. Edward Cheserek (Kenyan)
2. Justyn Knight (Canadian)
3. Marc Scott (English)
4. Joe Klecker (American)
5. Colby Gilbert (American)
6. Cole Rockhold (American)
7. Brian Barraza (American)
8. John Dressel (American)

• 5000
1. Edward Cheserek (Kenyan)
2. Marc Scott (English)
3. Amon Terer (Kenyan)
4. John Dressel (American)
5. Alfred Chelanga (Kenyan)
6. Erik Peterson (American)
7. MJ Erb (American)
8. Tyler Day (American)

2017 NCAA Indoor Predictions: Garrett Zatlin

By: Garrett Zatlin

800

1. Joe White (Georgetown)
2. Emmanuel Korir (UTEP)
3. Eliud Rutto (Middle Tennessee State)
4. Drew Piazza (Virginia Tech)
5. Robert Heppenstall (Wake Forest)
6. Daniel Kuhn (Indiana)
7. Craig Engels (Mississippi)
8. Isaiah Harris (Penn State)

Whether we like it or not, multiple mid-distance stars will be going home early. I didn't like making this decision, but I see Patrick Joseph and Michael Saruni ending their weekend early. Two 1:46 guys not making the final is a bit hard to believe, but the level of depth at the 800 this year is insane. Saruni is very young and inexperienced. Joseph, historically, has struggled in the preliminary rounds at NCAA's. Of course, I'm sure they'll end up proving me wrong and blowing away the field. 

As for my picks, I really like Joe White this year. He has been on fire this year with big wins over big names. He can kick hard, run from the front, and contend with anyone in the nation. What's not to like? Korir is super talented and could very well win this, but he's a bit young and that's a concern for me. Heppenstall is super clutch in the post-season, Kuhn is due to become an All-American, and Craig Engels is sneaky good in championship races. 

Mile

1. Edward Cheserek (Oregon)
2. Josh Thompson (Oklahoma State)
3. Ben Saarel (Colorado)
4. Josh Kerr (New Mexico)
5. Dillon Maggard (Utah State)
6. Neil Gourley (Virginia Tech)
7. Jonah Koech (UTEP)
8. Liam Dee (Iona)

Like the 800, a lot of these picks are based on how the preliminary heats are structured. The first heat is incredibly talented and will be the toughest to get out of. However, I think it will be fast enough to the point where we see six men make the finals from that heat.

As for the actual final race, Cheserek is going to win whether the pace is fast or slow. He isn't going to lose unless he gets careless. However, if anyone can beat Ches it will be Thompson who has been absolute monster this season with a PR of 3:56. As for Saarel, he's one of the few Colorado guys that can be called a miler. He competed at the Olympic Trials in the 1500 and is simply more talented than the guys behind him.

Josh Kerr has a lethal kick and I like his chances to surprise a lot of people at the line. Maggard and Gourley have waited patiently to be All-American milers and this year they should be able to pull it off. Koech has had some great experience in big time races and Liam Dee is not afraid to stick his nose into fast races. 

3000

1. Edward Cheserek (Oregon)
2. Justyn Knight (Syracuse)
3. Colby Gilbert (Washington)
4. Joe Klecker (Colorado)
5. Morgan McDonald (Wisconsin)
6. Erik Peterson (Butler)
7. Brian Barraza (Houston)
8. Clayton Young (BYU)

When I first heard that Cheserek was doing the triple, I was convinced that he wouldn't be able to pull off the 3k win. But the more and more I thought about it, I realized that not only was it possible, but probable. If we assume that the mile prelim and the 5000 are tactical, then the two hard efforts will be during day two of competition (mile final and the 3000). There's a good chance that the 3000 turns tactical (because it always does) and that Ches completes the historic triple. That's just how I see it.

I think Colby Gilbert is an extremely underrated talent this season. People will be quick to point out that he lost to Cheserek, but it seems pretty clear to me that no other distance runner besides the King is on Gilbert's level. I do, however, think he'll have some tired legs from the 5000 and get hawked by Knight in the final straightaway.

With the exception of Erik Peterson, the rest of my top eight will all be fresh and that's a huge plus in my eyes. Barraza and Klecker have shown tremendous improvement this season while Justyn Knight and Morgan McDonald have already established themselves as elite. Clayton Young has simply run too fast this season to not be All-American.

5000

1. Edward Cheserek (Oregon)
2. Colby Gilbert (Washington)
3. MJ Erb (Mississippi)
4. Marc Scott (Tulsa)
5. Erik Peterson (Butler)
6. Zach Herriot (Virginia)
7. John Dressel (Colorado)
8. Alex Short (San Francisco)

Cheserek will win in a tactical race and shake off Colby Gilbert just when we thought he might have a chance. After those two, I see MJ Erb stepping up and taking bronze. In his four races this season, he's had two PR's, two wins, and no finish outside of the top two. That's enough to convince me that he'll be top three.

Others like Marc Scott and Erik Peterson are guys that dominate during the regular season, but struggle in the post-season. On the track, Peterson been All-American only once (8th place in 2016 Outdoor 10k) while Scott has NEVER been All-American. While that does concern me, I think these two have taken it to another level this season and should be locks to be All-American. 

Others like Zach Herriot and Alex Short have great experience and rarely have a poor race. Dressel has been on fire as of late and I think he'll carry that momentum into nationals.

DMR

1. Oklahoma State
2. UTEP
3. Mississippi
4. Arkansas
5. Oregon
6. Stanford
7. Indiana
8. New Mexico

-Oklahoma State will win because of my blind faith in Josh Thompson.

-UTEP will take silver because they have two 1:46 guys and a sub-four minute miler.

-Mississippi will finish third because they have some of the best mid-distance runners in the nation along with a reliable anchor.

-Jack Bruce is really good and will surprise a lot of people when he anchors Arkansas home to a four place finish.

-Oregon always performs extremely well in the post-season. They are too deep of a squad to not finish in the top eight.

-Stanford is incredibly underrated and so is their anchor Jack Keelan.

-Daniel Kuhn on the 800 and an underrated freshman named Kyle Mau on the anchor is good enough for 7th.

-As long as their other legs don't completely blow up, Josh Kerr will pull out All-American for his teammates.

The Alumni Report

By: Garrett Zatlin

The regular season is done and NCAA's are quickly approaching (they start this weekend)! I thought this would be a good time to recap how some of our alumni have done...

Syracuse
-Kevin James
-Dominic Hockenbury
-Griffin Molino

Overall, this Syracuse trio had a pretty decent winter as they thrived in the longer races like the 3000 and 5000. James finished this winter with three collegiate PR's which included 4:15, 8:13, and 14:35. He ran those 3k and 5k PR's in his final two races of the season.

Molino also earned collegiate PR's of 8:28 and 15:02 this winter.

Yet, it was redshirt freshman Dominic Hockenbury getting some attention after he ran 14:41 and 8:26. With three years of eligibility still left, expect big things from this kid in the future.

It's going to take some time, but don't be surprised to see one of these guys at nationals in the next two years.

Penn State
-Dominic Perretta
-Colin Abert
-Billy McDevitt
-Jaxson Hoey
-Brad Rivera

It seems like there has been a complete overhaul of this Penn State program in the past year. Almost all of their top talent are underclassmen.

Let's start with Billy McDevitt who had a quiet, but respectable season after running PR's of 1:50 and 4:09! It's taken some time, but the past two years of training are paying off for him.

Meanwhile, we saw Colin Abert put together another nice season with times of 4:07 and 8:10. Neither of those times were PR's, but they weren't far off either. Look for Abert to better his times this outdoor season. He is due for a personal best.

Let's shift our focus to the freshmen duo of Jaxson Hoey and Dominic Perretta. Hoey struggled early on and was eventually shut down for the rest of the winter. He finished with times of 1:58 and 4:25, but this isn't unusual for freshman entering a intensive program like Penn State. Like plenty of other PA alumni, we'll have to give him some time to adjust.

Perretta, on the other hand, needed no adjustment time at all as he was an absolute animal this season! The Nittany Lion freshman ran times of 1:48.17 (NCAA #21), 2:23 (1k), and 4:17. He also split 2:55 on the 1200 leg of his DMR. Willig may be the one going to nationals, but Perretta might be the PA Alumni Winter MVP...

Lastly, I think we have to give some recognition and thanks to former state champion Brad Rivera who had a respectable four years at Penn State. He set up countless fast races as a pace rabbit and provided excellent leadership and experience on a team that had only one other senior on their mid-distance/long distance squads.

Pittsburgh
-Nate Sloan
-Nick Wolk
-Matt McGoey
-Billy Caldwell
-James Hare
-Sebastian Curtin
-Aaron Lauer
-Chris Pastore
-Alex Archer

Let's start by talking about Nate Sloan who has been the leader of his class. The redshirt sophomore earned PR's of 4:08 and 1:53 this season. He struggled at ACC's, but you can't take away his talent. 4:08 with two years of eligibility left? Sounds like an exciting future.

Others in that junior class also include Caldwell, Hare, and Lauer. It was a slow start for Caldwell, but he finished the season with a nice PR of 4:11. Conversely, James Hare took advantage of his early season fitness and earned PR's of 2:30 (1k) and 4:19. Aaron Lauer may not have PR'd, but he did run times of 8:20 and 14:47.

Unfortunately, the older guys like Pastore and Archer struggled a bit this winter with neither individual coming all that close to their PR's.

But the future is still very bright for the Panthers with guys like Matt McGoey, Nick Wolk, and Sebastian Curtin. In his second year with the team, Curtin has seen some outstanding improvement in his 3k with a PR of 8:17.

McGoey is another sophomore that has broken out as of late. It took him some time to adjust in his first year of collegiate racing, but the North Allegheny alumni threw down PR's of 8:21 and 4:06 this winter. That 4:06 came at ACC's where he was able to qualify for the finals (where he eventually ran 4:09).

But the addition of Nick Wolk is what really catapulted this program to a new level. As a true freshman, Wolk registered PR's of 4:14 and 8:15.

The Panthers remind me a lot of the Sixers. They've had their fair-share of struggles in the past, but now they have new leadership, a young squad to build off of, and budding super-stars that could give them the push they need to enter the next level.

Lehigh
-Matt Kravitz
-Clay Stabolepszy
-Ryan Paradise
-David Fletcher
-Ryan Grace
-Joe Espinal
-James Chappell
-Patrick Reilly
-Brian Arita
-Jeff Kirshenbaum

I suppose the best place to begin would be with the mid-distance crew which has produced some surprises. Clay Stabolepszy and Ryan Paradise led the 800 crew this year as they were able to throw down times of 1:55 and 1:56 respectively. Surprisingly, top-tier recruits like Joe Espinal (1:51 HS PR) and David Fletcher (1:53 HS PR) struggled a bit in the 800 as Fletcher ran 1:58 and Espinal never broke 2:00.

James Chappell and Ryan Grace finished indoor track with season bests of 2:02.

However, the longer distance guys saw a bit more success. As a true freshman, Matt Kravitz looked like Superman as he earned PR's of 2:31 (1k), 4:08, and 8:25. He was complimented by Patrick Reilly who earned a HUGE 5k PR of 14:26 at the Patriot League Championships.

In addition to Kravitz and Reilly, true freshman Jeff Kirshenbaum also found his groove as he now owns a PR of 14:47.

Brian Arita finished the season with a 3k PR of 8:46. However, he failed to match his 5k PR of 14:53 after running a season best of 15:22.

Duquesne
-Rico Galassi
-Jeff Van Kooten
-Hunter Wharry
-Chris Kazanjian
-Michael Bove
-Jake Heinauer
-Cordon Louco

Rico Galassi has been the leader of this team for a few years now and he continues to drop his PR's. He didn't run the 5000 this season, but he did earn a 3000 PR of 8:21. Behind Galassi was sophomore Jeff Van Kooten who ran a PR of 8:30.

But the real name to watch seems to be redshirt sophomore Chris Kazanjian who threw down solid times of 8:38 and 14:54 this season. Close behind Kazanjian was Hunter Wharry who ran PR's of 8:35 and 15:01. Also joining the distance crew was former Pitt Panther Cordon Louco who ended up running 15:25 in his first indoor season with the Dukes.

Michael Bove led the team in the mid-distance events with a season best of 1:55 in the 800.

Bucknell
-Jacob Stupak
-Kyle Adams
-Sean Conway

I may have missed a name or two on this squad, but that's only because this is a team that boasts incredible depth. Kyle Adams is one of the top middle distance runners on the team and has been for the past few seasons. This past winter, the junior was able to run a 1k PR of 2:31 and run a season best of 1:55 (his indoor PR is 1:54). Overall, he was incredibly consistent.

Although the team is filled with experienced juniors and seniors, guys like Stupak and Conway have had big impacts on the team as freshmen. Stupak ran a very nice 4:17 to compliment his 8:41. Conway focused more on the middle distances as he recorded times of 51.3 and 1:56.

Penn
-Ross Wilson
-Brenden Shearn
-Lyle Wistar
-Jeff Wiseman
-Elias Graca

Despite Sam Webb not running this season (lets assume he was redshirted), there was still plenty of other performers on Penn's mid and long distance squads.

Brenden Shearn may not have run PR's this season, but he still posted respectable times of 8:32 and 14:23. Ross Wilson, on the other hand, was able to PR after running excellent times of 4:09 and 8:14. He also registered a 14:36 5k (13 seconds off of his overall PR).

We didn't get to see much of Lyle Wistar. He only ran one event (the 3000) where he had a season best of 8:35.

In the mid-distances, Wiseman and Graca led the way for Penn. Both athletes ran 1:52 while Graca also added on a 2:29 1k.

Columbia
-Sam Ritz
-Alek Sauer

They might be the best duo of PA alumni out there. This season we saw Ritz and Sauer tear up the mid-distance events. These two both recorded very fast 1k times of 2:24. In the mile, Sauer ran 4:13 while Ritz ran a killer 4:06 at the Armory. Both are life time bests.

Duke
-Alec Kunzweiler
-Kyle Francis
-Matt Wisner

Duke's mid-distance programs have treated our PA alumni well. As Wisner entered ACC's, he never lost an 800 to someone in his conference. Although he had an off day at ACC's, he still finished the season with PR's of 1:50 and 2:26. Not bad for the rookie.

Kyle Francis ended his season with a season best of 1:52.

Alec Kunzweiler may have only run 4:13, but a lot of his races this winter were devoted to relays.

Villanova
-Casey Comber
-Andrew Marston
-Paul Power

This Wildcat trio can not be slowed down. Casey Comber was an animal after recording times of 4:07 and 8:15 to compliment Andrew Marston's 4:12 and 8:15. Let's also keep in mind that Marston had an absolutely incredible 5000 at Big East's where he gave Erik Peterson a run for his money by placing second in a time of 14:17.

Paul Power rounded out this group with times of 4:19 and 8:51.

Others
There are simply too many individuals to cover them all. However, you can check out their TFRRS profiles that I have linked below. Let me know if I missed anyone!

-Dan Jaskowak
-Alex Milligan
-Cooper Leslie
-Liam O'Connell
-Andrew Stone
-John Lewis
-Ned Willig (running at NCAA's this weekend in the mile)
-Carrick "Rock" Fortna
-Joseph Maguire
-Mike Kolor
-Ben Szuhaj
-Scott Mason
-Jack Carmody
-Chris Sanders
-Luke Myers
-Bryce England
-Jake Brophy
-Xavier Sauvegeau
-Dominic DeLuca

Notable D2 & D3 Performers
Ernie Pitone (Widener) has had himself a heck of a season. The former O'Hara runner had two PR's this season with times of 4:11 and 8:17. Pitone will be contesting both events at NCAA's this upcoming weekend. Pitone could very well become All-American after running the 3000/mile/5000 triple at his conference meet and winning all three meets.

In addition to Pitone, Muhlenberg's Jaryd Flank will also be entered in the 3000 with an excellent seed time of 8:20. Flank will also run on Muhlenberg's DMR.

However, it's at D2 nationals where we could see Hillsdale's Caleb Gatchell make another run at becoming All-American in the mile. Gatchell is entered with an outstanding PR of 4:06 which is pair with some great 800 speed. If things get tactical, we could see Gatchell as an All-American once again...or maybe even better.

In the DMR, we'll actually get to see Caleb's little brother, Ethan Gatchell, on Cedarville's relay. Hillsdale was actually one of the team that could've bumped Cedarville out of NCAA's. Could you imagine how fun that dinner conversation would've been for the Gatchell family?

Finally, Middlebury's Jon Perlman was a name I missed when initially looking over the heat sheets (shoutout to the commenter that pointed this out). After running a 4:12 at Tufts Last Chance Meet, Perlman will contest the mile with Pitone at NCAA's.