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NCAA XC Class Recruiting Class Countdown #3: University of Colorado Men

NCAA XC Class Recruiting Class Countdown #3: University of Colorado Men

Sep 16, 2013 by Mitch Kastoff
NCAA XC Class Recruiting Class Countdown #3: University of Colorado Men
National championships aren’t gift-wrapped. Though these perennial powerhouses may have their appeal, recruiting isn’t easy. Neither is signing.

The fall will soon be upon us and Flotrack is ranking the top NCAA recruiting classes for the fall. Who will have an immediate impact on a team’s top five? What team is built for longevity?

The University of Colorado Buffaloes

All statistics are based on the ASICS Fast 100 Rankings. The cutoff times selected were the 100th fastest marks in the country last season. See the complete list here.

# of sub-15:30 5k - 2
# of sub-9:08 3200m – 3
# of sub-4:13 1600m – 1
# of sub-1:53 800m – 1
# of NXN / FL Qualifiers – 2

“What makes Colorado even scarier is incoming freshman-stud Ben Saarel. He is all the hype. He is the real deal... Oh yeah, don't forget Zach Perrin of Montana who was 10th at Foot Locker this past year and is a sub-3200m kid along with fellow Montana prep Adam Peterman, who will be in the mix up front as well."

Ben Saarel (Park City, UT); Park City HS
800m – 22nd
1600m – 2nd
3200m – 2nd


 
The best recruit in the country has to be worth extra points. Do we really need to add anything to convince you? ... really? Okay. Where to start... He was the ’12 Gatorade Utah Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, won Foot Locker West, and then took fourth at FL Finals (15:13). That's the basic stuff.

In our ’12 Foot Locker Boys preview, we said that after “... he won the “B” heat of the 3200m at the Arcadia Invitational in 9:01.46. It’s finally time for Saarel to step it up to the elite section.” With what happened this outdoor season, that may have been an understatement.

Saarel was an absolute monster this spring. But it wasn’t his wins at the adidas Dream Mile, his win over Bernie Montoya at the Arcadia 3200m (this time, in the elite section), a win at the Mt. SAC mile (also over Montoya), and a double at the Utah State Track and Field Championships (1:51.13 for 800 and 4:07.95 for 1600m, at altitude…) that made us anxious for his future – it was the new elite club he had just joined and its elder members.

Robert Johnson over at LetsRun gave plenty of praise and some historical context for Saarel after his adidas Dream Mile win. LetsRun typically doesn’t like to hype up high schoolers, but Saarel was clearly a special case. With a huge aerobic engine, lethal finishing speed, and the guidance of coach Mark Wetmore, Saarel’s collegiate career will be one to watch.

Ryan Fenton Note: Immediately after filming Saarel's Dream Mile WOW, Fenton said that Saarel would win in New York. The dude's good.

Zach Perrin (Kalispell, MT); Flathead HS
3200m – 25th

Perrin ended his prep career nicely with three Montana state titles – one in cross country and two on the track in the 1600m and 3200m. That fall, he placed eighth at Foot Locker West before having a huge race in San Diego, where he finished tenth at nationals. He holds the Montana state 3200m record from his 8:55 run at Arcadia.

How will Perrin fare at CU? Though it's not a big indicator of things to come, The CU Time Trials and Alumni Run is a nice start. Historically, the veterans usually let the young guys win that early season race. Who was high-fiving across the line this year? 

Saarel and Perrin.

Adam Peterman (Missoula, MT); Hellgate HS
3200m – 23rd

While Perrin had the dream senior year, the Buffs get the other huge talent from the Big Sky state. Last fall, Peterman finished second at NXN Northwest (he did not run nationals) and took 23rd at Foot Locker West. At the ’12 Montana State XC Meet, he finished runner-up to Perrin, which was a small improvement from his third place finishes sophomore and junior year.

Here’s where it all comes full circle. Last spring, Peterman ran 8:57.10 for 3200m at the Arcadia Invitational. But he wasn’t in the elite section. Like Saarel, his win came out from one of the seeded heats.

Though Peterman finished the CU Time Trial in 26:59 (11th overall), he’s another “The Treasure Stater” that you should watch in the next few years as he dropped his 3200m PR from 9:26.75 to 8:57.10 between his junior and senior year.

No - we’re not going to make a buried treasure joke.

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