2016 DI NCAA XC ChampionshipsOct 24, 2016 by Gordon Mack
Ten Missing Men Who Could Swing The NCAA XC Title Race
Ten Missing Men Who Could Swing The NCAA XC Title Race
These ten men who haven't raced yet could swing the NCAA title race.
With postseason cross country just around the corner, there are few runners with a potential major impact who have more or less skipped the regular season entirely. They're not done yet, though. Depending on how they look in the postseason, all 10 of these men can alter the NCAA meet in a big way.
Track PB: 14:08
2015 XC: Redshirted
2016 XC: Tempo Run at San Francisco XC Invitational
The insertion of redshirt freshman Alex Ostberg into the Stanford lineup will, at worst, make a podium finish safe for the Cardinal. And if Stanford's fifth man is off, Ostberg could step up and score if needed.
IMPACT: Podium Team -> Potential Top-Two Team
Track PB: 14:02/29:13
2015 XC: 83rd at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
Michigan's top returner, Ben Flanagan will solidify the Wolverines' lineup as a potential top-15 squad. Flanagan is a borderline All-American talent, which will drastically lower Michigan's team score potential heading into the postseason.
IMPACT: Top-25 Team -> Potential Top-15 Team
Track PB: 13:51/30:13
2015 XC: 125th at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
If Cerake Geberkidane ends up competing for the Cowboys, OSU suddenly has a scary top four. The Cowboys top three is already strong with sub-four miler Joshua Thompson and NJCAA transfers Hassan Abdi and Sylvester Barus. Geberkidane, coming off a breakout track season, would give the Oklahoma State the potential for a single-digit finish. If he runs at all.
IMPACT: Top-15 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
Track PB: 7:48/13:20
2015 XC: Second at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
The Wildcats are currently on the outside looking in as an NCAA team qualifier. The addition of 2016 Olympian Patrick Tiernan immediately gives Villanova a chance to finish top two in the Mid-Atlantic region with a guaranteed low stick. Tiernan told FloTrack last weekend that he's healthy and will likely debut at the Big East meet.
IMPACT: Not In NCAA meet -> Potentially In
Track PB: 13:52/29:06
2015 XC: Fifth at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: 42nd at Paul Short Run (Illness)
Fifth-place finisher Jonathan Green has not been himself lately after his 42nd finish at Paul Short and DNS at the Wisconsin Invite. If Green can get himself back into 2015 form, the Hoyas are back to being the top-10 team we expected during the preseason.
IMPACT: Top-20 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
Track PB: 1:46/4:00
2015 XC: 11th at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Fifth at Joe Piane XC Invitational
Jonah Koech didn't run at the Pre-National Invite, but if he finished a totally reasonable second overall there, the Miners would have tied Colorado for third. Koech was 11th at last year's NCAA championship as a true freshman. UTEP will make a huge leap if Koech returns to the grass.
IMPACT: Top-20 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
Track PB: 13:51/29:17
2015 XC: Fifth at Wisconsin adidas XC Invitational (Injured)
2016 XC: DNF at Nuttycombe Wisconsin XC Invitational (Dehydration)
Malachy Schrobilgen is coming off an injury plagued 2015 season. Unfortunately, Schrobilgen DNF'd at the Wisconsin Invite. Schrobilgen has proven he is a top-15 talent. If Schrobilegen is able to put his DNF behind him and run with teammate Morgan McDonald this postseason, the Badgers are a comfortable top-10 squad.
IMPACT: Top-20 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
Track PB: 14:15/28:36
2015 XC: Fourth at NJCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
The addition of NJCAA transfer Andrew Ronoh will turn the Razorbacks into a very strong podium team. Ronoh ran an impressive 28:36 10k on the track last year. If Ronoh finished near Arkansas' third/fourth men, the Razorbacks would have finished much closer to the Oregon Ducks at Pre-Nationals.
IMPACT: Top-Six Team -> Potential Podium Team
Track PB: 4:01
2015 XC: In High School
2016 XC: 23:17 at Stanford XC Invitational
Thomas Ratcliffe's cross country debut was extremely impressive. Ratcliffe demonstrated at the Stanford Invite that he has the potential to be an All-American as a true freshman. If he can live up to that, the Cardinal men will have an even more formidable lineup to match up against Northern Arizona, the current NCAA title favorite.
IMPACT: Podium Team -> Potential National Title Team
Track PB: 7:53/13:49
2015 XC: 59th at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
The hidden gem among the teams at the Wisco/Pre-Nats/Penn State weekend was the Virginia men. The Cavaliers' No. 4 man was 15th overall and just 11 seconds behind their No. 1. If you add Henry Wynne to their lineup not only do they potentially win the PSU National Open, but they also show an impressive top-five spread that could lead to an unexpected top-five finish at NCAAs.
IMPACT: Top-25 Team -> Potential Top-Five Team
No. 10: Alex Ostberg
Stanford | Freshman
Track PB: 14:08
2015 XC: Redshirted
2016 XC: Tempo Run at San Francisco XC Invitational
The insertion of redshirt freshman Alex Ostberg into the Stanford lineup will, at worst, make a podium finish safe for the Cardinal. And if Stanford's fifth man is off, Ostberg could step up and score if needed.
IMPACT: Podium Team -> Potential Top-Two Team
No. 9: Ben Flanagan
Michigan | Senior
Track PB: 14:02/29:13
2015 XC: 83rd at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
Michigan's top returner, Ben Flanagan will solidify the Wolverines' lineup as a potential top-15 squad. Flanagan is a borderline All-American talent, which will drastically lower Michigan's team score potential heading into the postseason.
IMPACT: Top-25 Team -> Potential Top-15 Team
No. 8: Cerake Geberkidane
Oklahoma State | Junior
Track PB: 13:51/30:13
2015 XC: 125th at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
If Cerake Geberkidane ends up competing for the Cowboys, OSU suddenly has a scary top four. The Cowboys top three is already strong with sub-four miler Joshua Thompson and NJCAA transfers Hassan Abdi and Sylvester Barus. Geberkidane, coming off a breakout track season, would give the Oklahoma State the potential for a single-digit finish. If he runs at all.
IMPACT: Top-15 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
No. 7: Patrick Tiernan
Villanova | Senior
Track PB: 7:48/13:20
2015 XC: Second at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
The Wildcats are currently on the outside looking in as an NCAA team qualifier. The addition of 2016 Olympian Patrick Tiernan immediately gives Villanova a chance to finish top two in the Mid-Atlantic region with a guaranteed low stick. Tiernan told FloTrack last weekend that he's healthy and will likely debut at the Big East meet.
IMPACT: Not In NCAA meet -> Potentially In
No. 6: Jonathan Green
Georgetown | Junior
Track PB: 13:52/29:06
2015 XC: Fifth at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: 42nd at Paul Short Run (Illness)
Fifth-place finisher Jonathan Green has not been himself lately after his 42nd finish at Paul Short and DNS at the Wisconsin Invite. If Green can get himself back into 2015 form, the Hoyas are back to being the top-10 team we expected during the preseason.
IMPACT: Top-20 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
No. 5: Jonah Koech
UTEP | Sophomore
Track PB: 1:46/4:00
2015 XC: 11th at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Fifth at Joe Piane XC Invitational
Jonah Koech didn't run at the Pre-National Invite, but if he finished a totally reasonable second overall there, the Miners would have tied Colorado for third. Koech was 11th at last year's NCAA championship as a true freshman. UTEP will make a huge leap if Koech returns to the grass.
IMPACT: Top-20 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
No. 4: Malachy Schrobilgen
Wisconsin | Senior
Track PB: 13:51/29:17
2015 XC: Fifth at Wisconsin adidas XC Invitational (Injured)
2016 XC: DNF at Nuttycombe Wisconsin XC Invitational (Dehydration)
Malachy Schrobilgen is coming off an injury plagued 2015 season. Unfortunately, Schrobilgen DNF'd at the Wisconsin Invite. Schrobilgen has proven he is a top-15 talent. If Schrobilegen is able to put his DNF behind him and run with teammate Morgan McDonald this postseason, the Badgers are a comfortable top-10 squad.
IMPACT: Top-20 Team -> Potential Top-10 Team
No. 3: Andrew Ronoh
Arkansas | Sophomore
Track PB: 14:15/28:36
2015 XC: Fourth at NJCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
The addition of NJCAA transfer Andrew Ronoh will turn the Razorbacks into a very strong podium team. Ronoh ran an impressive 28:36 10k on the track last year. If Ronoh finished near Arkansas' third/fourth men, the Razorbacks would have finished much closer to the Oregon Ducks at Pre-Nationals.
IMPACT: Top-Six Team -> Potential Podium Team
No. 2: Thomas Ratcliffe
Stanford | Freshman
Track PB: 4:01
2015 XC: In High School
2016 XC: 23:17 at Stanford XC Invitational
Thomas Ratcliffe's cross country debut was extremely impressive. Ratcliffe demonstrated at the Stanford Invite that he has the potential to be an All-American as a true freshman. If he can live up to that, the Cardinal men will have an even more formidable lineup to match up against Northern Arizona, the current NCAA title favorite.
IMPACT: Podium Team -> Potential National Title Team
No. 1: Henry Wynne
Virginia | Junior
Track PB: 7:53/13:49
2015 XC: 59th at NCAA XC Championships
2016 XC: Not Competed
The hidden gem among the teams at the Wisco/Pre-Nats/Penn State weekend was the Virginia men. The Cavaliers' No. 4 man was 15th overall and just 11 seconds behind their No. 1. If you add Henry Wynne to their lineup not only do they potentially win the PSU National Open, but they also show an impressive top-five spread that could lead to an unexpected top-five finish at NCAAs.
IMPACT: Top-25 Team -> Potential Top-Five Team
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