SR Martin Hehir (3:59 Mile; 7:53 3K; 13:30 5K; 28:27 10K; 38th NCAA XC ’14)

SO Justyn Knight (3:39 1500; 13:34 5K; 143rd NCAA XC '14)
SR Dan Lennon (14:12 5K; 28:46 10K; 45th NCAA XC ’14)

SO Colin Bennie (4:04 Mile; 8:07 3K; 13:53 5K; 95th NCAA XC ’14)

JR Joel Hubbard (4:00 Mile; 14:06 5K; 165th NCAA XC '14)

A very talented Syracuse team returns in 2015 deadset on improving on their fifth place finish from a year ago. Senior Martin Hehir will lead the Orange, a consistent low stick for this veteran crew. Last year, 'Cuse placed four in the top 45 at NCAAs, which was good enough for fifth despite super-frosh Justyn Knight having an off day (143rd). After both Hehir and Knight had outstanding track seasons this spring, the duo appear capable of top-20 finishes in Louisville, just the boost that the Orange need to overcome the loss of 2014 All-American MJ Erb, who transferred to Ole Miss. 

Senior Dan Lennon will also be key for 'Cuse to get back on the podium for the first time since 1957. Lennon just missed out on an All-American honor last fall with his 45th place finish, and he'll be expected to improve on that in 2015 after running a big 28:46 10K PR this spring. Lennon was 15th in that event at NCAAs in June. 

More help will come from sophomore Colin Bennie, who placed a respectable 95th as a redshirt freshman in Terre Haute. Bennie will enter 2015 with a lot of momentum after some solid performances on the track this past spring, including a 13:53 5K that lowered his PR by more than a minute.

With the addition of Tulsa transfer Adam Palamar, the Orange will receive an NCAA veteran with some serious track wheels. Palamer has 3:38 1500 speed, which should be favorable on the flat Louisville course in November. 

 

The loss of Erb will be a tough blow for Syracuse, but the expectation is for Knight to fill that void. The Canadian proved his budding superstardom by running 13:34 at Payton Jordan (a national junior record, BTW), and then backed it up with a sixth place finish at NCAAs. In addition, Knight showed that his rough day at NCAA XC was just a fluke as he was 25th at World junior XC in March, the highest finish of any athlete from North America. Perhaps no one will improve on their NCAA finish more than Knight in 2015. 

This team should be even more dangerous in 2015 than they were last year. Anything short of a top three finish would be incredibly disappointing for this talented group.