NCAA XC Class Recruiting Class Countdown #2: Providence College Women
NCAA XC Class Recruiting Class Countdown #2: Providence College Women
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 Providence College Friars
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-17:30 5k - 3
# of sub-10:40 3200m – 4
# of sub-4:55 1600m – 3
# of sub-2:21 800m – 1
# of NXN / FL Qualifiers – 3
The Wood Report: Providence College Women (#2)
“What makes the Providence recruiting class so good is the amount of girls with high-level quality cross country running experience in high school. Every single one of the athletes listed above in the recruit section, were big-time prep runners.”
Remember that time that the Friars were national champions for 20 minutes? That was a surprise for everyone. But after some protests and scoring recalculations, Providence was announced as the runner-up to the Oregon women.
Was that a surprise? To some, yes. Providence was ranked eighth in the USTFCCCA National Coaches’ Poll prior to the NCAA Championships, but we thought they were very, very underrated (according to The Butler Projects, Providence was slated to finish second, which they did). When speaking with coach Ray Treacy via telephone a few weeks ago, he wasn’t surprised either.
So coming off their best showing at NCAAs since they claimed the national title in 1995, it’s no surprise that the Friars have the second best incoming class in the nation.
Ashley Erba (Warsaw, IN); Warsaw Community HS
View Fast 100 rankings
If Erba can stay healthy, she’s one to watch. The Hoosier is absolute class on the track and from what we saw at the beginning last fall, on the cross country course as well.
Her biggest highlight was her 16:18.21 win at the '12 New Balance Outdoor National 5k. It was a US#2 mark, but it was her improvement over the last year that jumped out at us. In 2011, Erba’s 3200m PR was 10:40.04. That’s a cool 5:20 per mile pace. In case you want to skip the quick math, her win at NBON was 5:14.85 pace.
We were pumped for Erba this fall, but her last three meets were mixed. The season-long battle between her and in-state rival and eventual Foot Locker champion Anna Rohrer ended with Erba finishing runner-up to Rohrer at the Indiana State Meet. However, Erba bounced back with a win at NXN Midwest, but deferred her spot in Portland, OR to make a run at Foot Locker Nationals. Unfortunately, Erba had an off day at FL Midwest and finished 65th.
Then things got worse. That disappointing finish was actually her last race of her year as she picked up three stress fractures in her right foot. That was that.
Coach Treacy said that Erba has been progressing nicely, albeit slowly. Will she have an impact this fall after not running for five months and beginning training in July?
Catarina Rocha (Peabody, MA); Peabody HS
View Fast 100 rankings
1600m – 82nd
3200m – 20th
She’s a model of consistency, well-grounded, and is already in the Providence squad. Rocha is a three-time Foot Locker Finalist and has quite the progression at Balboa Park – 31st in 2010, 7th in 2011, and 2nd in 2012. She also won two consecutive Massachusetts State Cross Country state titles in 2011 and 2012.
Add those big-time performances on the national stage to a ninth place finish overall (she was second in the “slower” section) at the NBON two-mile in 10:26.20 and you have someone who can make an immediate impact.
Speaking of which, Rocha made her collegiate debut last Saturday at the Stony Brook Invitational where she finished seventh in 18:40.48. Assistant Coach Kevin Myles said, “It was a great start to Catarina Rocha’s college career…”
Jillian Fanning (Manlius, NY); Fayetteville-Manlius HS
View Fast 100 rankings
If we’re talking about consistency on the national-level, then we don’t have to look any further than the leader of Fayetteville-Manlius for the last two years. Fanning has run four NXN championships, won four NXN team titles, finished in the top-10 twice, and has been her team’s number one runner twice.
She finished 29th in 2009, 6th in 2010, 4th in 2011, and 21st in the muddy 2012. Her sophomore year when she finished 6th overall, Fanning actually was FM’s number three. The team’s second finisher? Providence sophomore Katie Sischo.
Keelin Hollowood (Saratoga Springs, NY); Saratoga Springs HS
View Fast 100 rankings
First, a short story about Hollowood. Back home in New York, the steeple is king (or in this circumstance, queen). One other state that runs the race at the high school level is Texas.
While the girls walked to the line for the Texas Relays Girls 2kST, I was talking to a coach from TX about the quality of steeplechasers down south. Just as I was singing the praises of New York steeplechasers, lo and behold, I saw that Saratoga High School had made the trip all the way down to Austin, TX.
There was Hollowood to back up my all talk. As an added note, former Texas Longhorn and NY State Champion Brian Rhodes-Devey was there on the mic to make it even sweeter.
The New York-native had run NXN a total of five times: 40th in 2008, 25th in 2009, 55th in 2010, 28th in 2011, and 48th in 2012. There’s a reason why New York gets its own NXN region.
Hollowood has also already made her collegiate debut at the UNH Duel Meet in Durham, NH. The freshman was Providence’s sixth finisher (21st overall) with her 18:41 run.
Bryanna Allison (Lowell, MA); Lowell HS
View Fast 100 rankings
1600m – 73rd
Known for more of her speed as a miler (she’s also run 2:53.32 for 1k), Allison made her collegiate debut with Rocha at the Stony Brook Invitational. She was Providence’s eighth woman with a 19:52.18 finish.
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 Providence College Friars
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-17:30 5k - 3
# of sub-10:40 3200m – 4
# of sub-4:55 1600m – 3
# of sub-2:21 800m – 1
# of NXN / FL Qualifiers – 3
The Wood Report: Providence College Women (#2)
“What makes the Providence recruiting class so good is the amount of girls with high-level quality cross country running experience in high school. Every single one of the athletes listed above in the recruit section, were big-time prep runners.”
Remember that time that the Friars were national champions for 20 minutes? That was a surprise for everyone. But after some protests and scoring recalculations, Providence was announced as the runner-up to the Oregon women.
Was that a surprise? To some, yes. Providence was ranked eighth in the USTFCCCA National Coaches’ Poll prior to the NCAA Championships, but we thought they were very, very underrated (according to The Butler Projects, Providence was slated to finish second, which they did). When speaking with coach Ray Treacy via telephone a few weeks ago, he wasn’t surprised either.
So coming off their best showing at NCAAs since they claimed the national title in 1995, it’s no surprise that the Friars have the second best incoming class in the nation.
Ashley Erba (Warsaw, IN); Warsaw Community HSView Fast 100 rankings
If Erba can stay healthy, she’s one to watch. The Hoosier is absolute class on the track and from what we saw at the beginning last fall, on the cross country course as well.
Her biggest highlight was her 16:18.21 win at the '12 New Balance Outdoor National 5k. It was a US#2 mark, but it was her improvement over the last year that jumped out at us. In 2011, Erba’s 3200m PR was 10:40.04. That’s a cool 5:20 per mile pace. In case you want to skip the quick math, her win at NBON was 5:14.85 pace.
We were pumped for Erba this fall, but her last three meets were mixed. The season-long battle between her and in-state rival and eventual Foot Locker champion Anna Rohrer ended with Erba finishing runner-up to Rohrer at the Indiana State Meet. However, Erba bounced back with a win at NXN Midwest, but deferred her spot in Portland, OR to make a run at Foot Locker Nationals. Unfortunately, Erba had an off day at FL Midwest and finished 65th.
Then things got worse. That disappointing finish was actually her last race of her year as she picked up three stress fractures in her right foot. That was that.
Coach Treacy said that Erba has been progressing nicely, albeit slowly. Will she have an impact this fall after not running for five months and beginning training in July?
Catarina Rocha (Peabody, MA); Peabody HSView Fast 100 rankings
1600m – 82nd
3200m – 20th
She’s a model of consistency, well-grounded, and is already in the Providence squad. Rocha is a three-time Foot Locker Finalist and has quite the progression at Balboa Park – 31st in 2010, 7th in 2011, and 2nd in 2012. She also won two consecutive Massachusetts State Cross Country state titles in 2011 and 2012.
Add those big-time performances on the national stage to a ninth place finish overall (she was second in the “slower” section) at the NBON two-mile in 10:26.20 and you have someone who can make an immediate impact.
Speaking of which, Rocha made her collegiate debut last Saturday at the Stony Brook Invitational where she finished seventh in 18:40.48. Assistant Coach Kevin Myles said, “It was a great start to Catarina Rocha’s college career…”
Jillian Fanning (Manlius, NY); Fayetteville-Manlius HSView Fast 100 rankings
If we’re talking about consistency on the national-level, then we don’t have to look any further than the leader of Fayetteville-Manlius for the last two years. Fanning has run four NXN championships, won four NXN team titles, finished in the top-10 twice, and has been her team’s number one runner twice.
She finished 29th in 2009, 6th in 2010, 4th in 2011, and 21st in the muddy 2012. Her sophomore year when she finished 6th overall, Fanning actually was FM’s number three. The team’s second finisher? Providence sophomore Katie Sischo.
Keelin Hollowood (Saratoga Springs, NY); Saratoga Springs HS
View Fast 100 rankings
First, a short story about Hollowood. Back home in New York, the steeple is king (or in this circumstance, queen). One other state that runs the race at the high school level is Texas.
While the girls walked to the line for the Texas Relays Girls 2kST, I was talking to a coach from TX about the quality of steeplechasers down south. Just as I was singing the praises of New York steeplechasers, lo and behold, I saw that Saratoga High School had made the trip all the way down to Austin, TX.
There was Hollowood to back up my all talk. As an added note, former Texas Longhorn and NY State Champion Brian Rhodes-Devey was there on the mic to make it even sweeter.
The New York-native had run NXN a total of five times: 40th in 2008, 25th in 2009, 55th in 2010, 28th in 2011, and 48th in 2012. There’s a reason why New York gets its own NXN region.
Hollowood has also already made her collegiate debut at the UNH Duel Meet in Durham, NH. The freshman was Providence’s sixth finisher (21st overall) with her 18:41 run.
Bryanna Allison (Lowell, MA); Lowell HSView Fast 100 rankings
1600m – 73rd
Known for more of her speed as a miler (she’s also run 2:53.32 for 1k), Allison made her collegiate debut with Rocha at the Stony Brook Invitational. She was Providence’s eighth woman with a 19:52.18 finish.
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