Cheserek Could Go For The NCAA Triple

Cheserek Could Go For The NCAA Triple

Galen Rupp’s 2009 performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships continues to be the greatest individual distance feat in the history of NCAA indoor track. Ho

Dec 20, 2015 by Gordon Mack
Cheserek Could Go For The NCAA Triple
Galen RuppÂ’s 2009 performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships continues to be the greatest individual distance feat in the history of NCAA indoor track. However, we could become witnesses to an even better feat come March 2016 as RuppÂ’s triple could be in jeopardy to an even more impressive Edward Cheserek triple.

A few days ago Edward Cheserek himself hinted at the possibility when being interviewed by Taylor Dutch at the 2015 Bowerman Awards in San Antonio, TX.



Taylor: If it was all up to you. What are your favorite events if you had to pick?
Cheserek: I would pick anything from mile to the 5k so I would rather maybe do everythingÂ… whatever coach ask me to do iÂ’ll do it.
Taylor: Everything. So mile, 3k, 5k?
Cheserek: Yeah. If they ask me to do everything iÂ’ll do whatever they ask me to do for the team, to support the team to win another title.

The 5,000m & Mile & 3,000m triple has never been done before. Lawi Lalang's 2014 attempt failed at the hands of Edward Cheserek and Anthony Rotich. But, with some big names gone could Cheserek make the triple attempt this upcoming season?

For perspective here is a list of all the impressive male doubles/triples in NCAA indoor history:

5,000m & Mile & 3,000m Triple:
No One Ever

5,000m & 1,600m (DMR) & 3,000m Triple:
2009 Galen Rupp (Oregon)

The final 400m of Oregon's DMR win. Galen Rupp splits 3:57

5,000m & 3,000m Double:
2000 David Kimani (South Alabama)
2001 David Kimani (Alabama)
2003 Alistair Cragg (Arkansas)
2004 Alistair Cragg (Arkansas)
2012 Lawi Lalang (Arizona)
2014 Edward Cheserek (Oregon)
2015 Eric Jenkins (Oregon)

Mile & 3,000m Double:
1968 Jim Ryun (Kansas)*
1971 Marty Liquori (Villanova)*
1979 Suleiman Nyambui (UTEP)*
1980 Suleiman Nyambui (UTEP)*
1982 Suleiman Nyambui (UTEP)*
1988 Joe Falcon (Arkansas)
1999 Bernard Lagat (Washington State)
2013 Lawi Lalang (Arizona)
*3,000m race was 2 Miles

1,600m (DMR) & 3,000m Double:
2002 Adrian Blincoe (Villanova)

880yd (DMR) & 2 Mile Double:
1972 Sid Sink (Bowling Green)

1,600m (DMR) & Mile Double:
1995 Kevin Sullivan (Michigan)
1997 Julius Achon (George Mason)
2008 Leonel Manzano (Texas)
2011 Miles Batty (BYU)
2015 Edward Cheserek (Oregon)

1,200m (DMR) & Mile Double:
1994 Niall Bruton (Arkansas)
2000 Gabriel Jennings (Stanford)

Mile (DMR) & 880yd Double:
1969 Frank Murphy (Villanova)
1972 Dave Wottle (Bowling Green)

1,200m (DMR) & 800m Double:
2004 Nate Brannen (Michigan)

Now the question is will coach Andy Powell let him triple again in 2016 in order to win a team title?

So what would it take for Oregon to defend their team title?
Typically the menÂ’s team title is won with around 50 pts (2009-2015). If Edward Cheserek chooses to simply double (scoring 20 pts) that leaves the Ducks with 30 pts to make up with the rest of their roster. And with the likes of Eric Jenkins, Will Geoghegan, Parker Stinson, Johnny Gregorek, Colby Alexander, Daniel Winn all gone due to graduation, it will be a lot of pressure on the younger guys to step up.

The Oregon depth at 3k/5k is not the same as 2015. So you can expect Cheserek to run the 3k/5k. The question is do you run Cheserek in the mile for insurance or do you trust the following roster to score the remaining 30 pts?

Notable Returners: Blake Haney (mile/DMR), Sam Prakel (mile/DMR), Niki Franzmair (800/DMR), Devon Allen? (60H), Marcus Chambers (400/DMR), Jeramy Elkaim (3k), Jake Leingang (3k/5k), Matthew Maton (Mile/3k)

Sure you could imagine a scenario that this squad can score 30 pts but why not have Cheserek run the mile in return securing an NCAA team title, making NCAA history, and giving Cheserek a good head start to finally win the Bowerman Award in 2016?