2017 FloXC Countdown

2017 FloXC Countdown: #24 Ole Miss Men

2017 FloXC Countdown: #24 Ole Miss Men

Follow our 2017 FloXC Countdown, where we rank the pre-season top 25 cross country teams and individuals heading into the NCAA season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 24 men's spot goes to Ole Miss, and here's why:

Aug 22, 2017 by Taylor Dutch
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Follow our 2017 FloXC Countdown, where we rank the pre-season top 25 cross country teams and individuals heading into the NCAA season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 24 men's spot goes to Ole Miss, and here's why:

Probable Top Four:

SR Sean Tobin (4:41 1500; 3:57 Mile; 62nd at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Derek Gutierrez (3:44 1500; 24th at '16 SEC XC, 162nd at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Ryan Manahan (1:46 800; 3:42 1500; 14:30 5K; 13th '16 SEC XC)
SR Trevor Gilley (3:41 1500; 14:03 5K)

Fifth Man Battle:

SR Mark Robertson (29:49 10K; 37th at '16 NCAA South XC; 235th at '16 NCAA XC)
JR Brandon Harvey (4:08 Mile; 9:19 3K SC; 42nd at '16 SEC XC)
FR Parker Scott (3:44 1500)
SO Robinson Snider (14:38 5K; 14th at '17 USATF Jr. 5K)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Waleed Suliman via Henrico, VA (1:51 800; 4:04 Mile; 24th at '16 FL XC)

Analysis:

The Ole Miss men's cross country team will take a hit without the graduating class of All-Americans MJ Erb, Craig Engels, Wes Gallagher, and Robert Domanic, but new senior leadership is ready to emerge in Sean Tobin, Derek Gutierrez, Mark Robertson, Trevor Gilley, and Ryan Manahan.

Tobin, Gutierrez, and Robertson are returning after gaining the valuable experience of competing on last year's stellar team that placed fourth at the NCAA cross country championships.

Tobin in particular has been especially on fire after notching personal bests of 3:41 in the 1500m, 3:57 in the mile, and a victory at the Irish national championships. Tobin was also a member of the victorious distance medley relay that won the NCAA indoor championship in March. Gutierrez will contribute after earning personal bests in the 800m (1:50), 1500m (3:44), and 5K (14:37) last spring, and Robertson should also be competitive after finishing 10th in the 5K with a new personal best at the SEC outdoor championships. Gilley hasn't raced for Ole Miss since February, but has been a consistent cross country scorer in previous years.

If Manahan returns for a fifth year of eligibility, he will make a big impact on the scoring squad. he notched an 800m personal best of 1:46 in the heats of the 800m at the USATF Outdoor Championships and competed in the semifinal. He also has distance running skills as seen by his 13th-place finish at the SEC cross country championships last fall.

Ole Miss is also getting a star freshman in Waleed Suliman who is arriving after finishing fifth in the Brooks PR mile where he set a personal best of 4:04. During his senior year, he placed 24th at the Foot Locker Championships. Although the team is on the older side, Suliman has the potential make an immediate impact.

FULL MEN'S RANKINGS HERE