Remember These 14 NCAA Standouts

Remember These 14 NCAA Standouts

For various reasons, these NCAA champions and All American athletes either didn't compete this indoor season or ran unattached. However, these NCAA standouts will prove to be threats during the outdoor season.

Mar 18, 2017 by Taylor Dutch
Remember These 14 NCAA Standouts
For various reasons, these NCAA champions and All-American athletes either didn't compete this indoor season or ran unattached. Although they haven't been in the spotlight for some time, these NCAA standouts will prove to be threats during the outdoor season. 

Distance

Molly Seidel (NCAA Champion '15 10K, '15 XC, '16 Indoor 3K, '16 Indoor 5K)

After an extremely successful 2015-16 campaign, Notre Dame's Molly Seidel suffered from on-and-off injuries that forced her to sit out of the 2016 outdoor season. She made the decision, in an epic announcement video, to return for a fifth year at Notre Dame. But unfortunately caught the injury bug once again during indoors. Seidel should return this spring to compete in the NCAA outdoor season for the first time since 2015, when she won the national title over 10K. 


Sean McGorty (2nd '16 NCAA 5K, 2nd '16 NCAA Indoor 3K)

The Stanford All-American redshirted the indoor season and returns to the track after finishing second in both the NCAA outdoor 5K and indoor 3K. McGorty also helped the Cardinal men to a runner-up finish at the 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championships. 

Grant Fisher (5th '16 NCAA XC, 6th '16 NCAA 5K)

McGorty's younger teammate Grant Fisher also redshirted the indoor season after finishing a stellar fifth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Prior to the fall season, Fisher captured a sixth-place finish and a personal best of 13:30 in the NCAA 5K final. 



Cerake Geberkidane (11th '16 NCAA 5K)

Oklahoma State's Cerake Geberkidane redshirted the indoor season after finishing a career best of 11th in the 5K at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships. In the same season, he also posted a personal best of 13:51 in the 5K at the Stanford Invitational. 

Morgan McDonald (7th '16 NCAA XC, 5th '16 NCAA 5K)

After running a 3K personal best of 7:51 at the Armory Track Invitational and qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships, Morgan McDonald was forced to scratch due to a nagging injury. However, the Wisconsin Badger should return for the outdoor season, which saw a fifth-place finish from McDonald in the NCAA 5K last year. 

Sam Prakel (5th '16 NCAA 1500m, 4th '16 NCAA Indoor Mile)

The Oregon middle distance standout redshirted the indoor season after competing for the Ducks in cross country. During the 2016 track season, Prakel captured two top five finishes at the NCAA outdoor and indoor championships. 

Sharon Lokedi (5th '16 NCAA XC, 6th '16 NCAA XC)

After a breakthrough cross country season that saw a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, Sharon Lokedi ran just one mile race indoors. She should return in the spring as a threat in the 10K distance, over which she finished sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last year. 

Allie Ostrander (2nd '15 NCAA XC, 8th '16 Trials 5K)

Ostrander is another athlete who has unfortunately caught the injury bug. As a freshman, she finished an impressive second place at the NCAA Cross Country Championships but suffered from injury during the following indoor track season. By the end of the 2016 outdoor season, Ostrander made her return at the Olympic Trials, where she placed eighth in the 5K with a personal best of 15:24. 

Frankline Tonui (2nd '16 NCAA Steeplechase)

The Arkansas standout didn't qualify for the indoor championships this winter but should return to full strength this spring after a breakthrough 2016 season in the steeplechase. Tonui finished second at NCAAs with a personal best of 8:30. 



Edwin Kibichiy (8th '16 NCAA XC, 3rd '16 NCAA Steeplechase)

Louisville's steeplechase All-American Edwin Kibichiy is poised to return to competition after finishing a breakthrough eighth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. He also captured a third-place finish in the steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last year. 

Angel Piccirillo (20th '16 NCAA XC, 2nd '16 NCAA Indoor Mile)

The Villanova middle distance specialist ran out of indoor eligibility but returns to compete in outdoor after running several solid marks unattached. She notched a season best in the mile of 4:37 and a 9:10 3K performance. 

Sprints

T.J. Holmes (2nd '16 NCAA 400m hurdles)

Florida's T.J. Holmes competed in the open 400m at the 2017 SEC Indoor Championships, where he finished third in his heat. He also contributed to the Gators' school record of 3:02.73 in the 4x400m relay. Last year, Holmes followed his teammate all the way to a runner-up finish and PR in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and should return strong this season. 



Kiah Seymour (2nd '16 NCAA 400m hurdles)

The Kentucky 400m hurdler redshirted the 2017 indoor season but competed unattached along the way. She posted a personal best of 8.46 in the 60m hurdles and season bests of 23.87 in the 200m and 52.91 in the open 400m. With promising results in the open sprints and shorter hurdle distance, Seymour is poised to improve upon her 2016 NCAA finish in her signature event.

Shayla Sanders (7th '16 NCAA 4x100m, 7th '16 NCAA Indoor 60m, 

Florida will return a star sprinter in Shayla Sanders, who comes back after finishing second in the 100m at the NACAC U23 Championships last summer. Last year, she posted personal bests in nearly every distance she competed in -- 22.77 in the 200m, 11.13 in the 100m, and 7.17 in the 60m -- and should return just as strong this outdoor season.