2017 FloXC Countdown

2017 FloXC Countdown: #18 Tulsa Men

2017 FloXC Countdown: #18 Tulsa Men

The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes rank No. 18 on the 2017 FloXC Countdown.

Aug 28, 2017 by Johanna Gretschel
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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. 18 men's spot goes to the Tulsa, and here's why:

Probable Top Five:

SR Benjamin Preisner (8:09 3K; 14:04 5K; 8:49 3K SC; 72nd at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Henry Pearce (14:11 5K; 29:41 10K; 106th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Adam Roderique (8:10 3K; 14:19 5K; 30:31 10K; 76th at '16 NCAA XC)
JR Austin Del Rosso (8:10 3K; 14:30 5K; 8:49 3K SC; 169th at '16 NCAA XC)
JR Isaac Dobos (8:20 3K; 14:31 5K; 9:05 3K SC; 159th at '16 NCAA XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Scott Beattie via England (1:53 800; 3:51 1500; 8:28 3K; 48th at '17 World Jr. XC)
Isaac Akers via England (8:18 3K; 1st at '16 U17 England XC)
Peter Lynch via Ireland (8:33 3K; 14:42 5K; 25th at '16 Euro Jr. XC)

Analysis:

With the graduation of Luke Traynor, the 2017 cross country season marks the first in four years that the Golden Hurricane do not have a returning All-American to lead the squad, according to head coach Steve Gulley.

Yet he's far from worried.

That's because Traynor is the only graduate of a squad that placed 11th last year at NCAAs. Steeplechase specialist Benjamin Preisner, 72nd in Terre Haute and 10th in the Midwest Region last year, now leads the pack. All five projected scorers have run 14:31 or faster in the 5K. Gulley also expects several members of his star-studded recruiting class to make an immediate impact on the varsity.

"We feel we could have one of the deepest teams we have ever had, especially if one or two of the incoming freshmen can give us some additional depth," Gulley said via email of his 2017 roster. "We feel we have one of the most underrated recruiting classes in the country, with two or three of these guys having the ability to walk in and make our top seven."

FULL MEN'S RANKINGS HERE