Head Coach:
Jason Vigilante (2nd Year)

Last Year:
2nd HEPS

2nd Mid-Atlantic Region

22nd NCAA

 

Probable Top Five:

SR Sam Pons (8:07 3k; 14:14 5k; 11th Mid Atlantic XC '13; 112th NCAA XC '13)

SR Eddie Owens (8:46 3k Steeple; 14:16 5k; 19th Mid Atlantic XC '13; 226th NCAA XC '13)
SR Matt McDonald (8:17 3k; 14:25 5k; 29:53 10k; 134th NCAA XC '13)

SR Connor Martin (14:48 5k; 8:57 3k Steeple; 207th NCAA XC '13)

JR Michael Sublette (14:27 5k; 30:14 10k)

 

Impact Freshman/Recruits:

Kenan Farmer - Walton, GA (4:11.47 1600m; 9:05 3200m)

Zachary Albright - St. Paul, LA (4:12.65 1600m; 9:10.67 3200m)

Noah Kauppila - Marquette, MO (4:10.46 Mile; 8:54.45 3200m; 39th FL '13)

Liam Mullett - The Pingry School, NJ (4:18.89 1600; 9:04.88 3200m; 15th FL '13)

Robert Stone - Millburn, NJ (4:16.98 1600m)

Wolfgang Beck - Gig Harbor, WA (4:13.08 1600m; 9:03.22 3200m; 6th NXN '13)
Garrett O'Toole - Middlesex, MA (4:01.89 Mile, 8:19 3k)

 

Analysis:
Well, the Tigers lost a lot from last year’s number 22 finish. Tyler Udland, Chris Bentdsen, and Alejandro Arroyo Yamin. The first two being quality 10,000 track runners. They will be missed.

 

Coach Jason Vigilante has used his charisma and  coaching credentials to land  a recruiting class that can only be described as “sick.” Undoubtedly, the best recruiting class in Princeton history.

 

We picked Princeton to get to the big dance, but cutting their amazing freshman class some slack, we have them dropping 8 spots from last year. Still, if one or two of their frosh talents step up, we could be eating a lot of crow.

 

Princeton’s schedule is a rough one. The emphasis that they have to put on their Heps, Ivy League, and their own Princeton Invitational, before they even get to the Regional, might tax their youngsters. A lot will depend on Vigilante’s ability to stagger his lineups and keep people fresh.

 

Three seniors in Sam Pons, Matt McDonald, and Connor Martin will lead the Tigers into action. Pons being the best of the bunch.

 

Freshman Garrett O’Toole is not known as a great cross country runner, but it is hard to discount his talent. His 4:01 mile was much talked about last spring and if running with other talented collegians can strengthen Garrett, he might give people something to new to talk about.

 

Having said that, O’Toole, will  have to rise high to surpass his freshman compatriots. Noah Kauppila, from Missouri, was  highly recruited by many  top cross country programs.

 

Wolfgang Beck, from the celebrated Gig Harbor, Washington program, was 6th in the NXN last year and that is no small feat. Can he bring that to the college scene?

 

Another nice factor are genetics. Case in point:  Kenan Farmer, whose father, Jimmy Farmer, was a top track and cross runner at NC State back in the day.. He did run 4:11 in the spring and was a quality Georgia cross runner in 2013. So the Tigers may not have his services right away.

 

Freshman bring a lot of ifs, but this class is slated to put Princeton in the hunt for years to come.

 

With Columbia and Harvard getting stronger every year, Princeton will have some Ivy League company to compete against just to get to the NCAA.

#30 Women's Team - BYU
#31 Men's Team - Florida