FloTrack's NCAA Individual Qualifier Picks

Nov 11, 2015 by Meg Bellino

TEAM PROJECTIONS | RESULTS | PREVIEWS | PREDICTION CONTEST

Based on these TEAMS we project advancing to the NCAA Championships, below are the individuals who we think will make it to the Big Dance. We realize the NCAA selects 38 individuals who will compete in Terre Haute, and we are only listing the initial top 4 individuals from each region, with the remaining selections being made by the NCAA committee. May the odds be ever in your favor!

John Mascari (Indiana State): Though he was only 30th at this year's Pre-Nationals, we can't count out one of 2014's top returners. Mascari's bread and butter is the 10K, and he'll be gunning to repeat his 2014 Regional title.

Matt McClintock (Purdue): Fresh off his first Big Ten XC Championship, this Boilermaker, 19th in the NCAA last fall, should easily contend with the front pack of this deep region.

Erik Peterson (Butler): Peterson has been having quite the fall after winning the Virginia Panorama Farms Invite, finisining eighth at Pre-Nationals, and third in the Big East. We like his chances of winning the individual title and making his second consecutive NCAA appearance.

Morgan McDonald (Wisconsin): Though the Badgers could finish third and qualify as a team, McDonald looks to be their best shot of Badger representation in Louisville with an injured Malachy Schrobilgen not at 100%.

Alsu Bogdanova (Eastern Michigan): The Mid American Conference Champion took down Western Michigan foe and NCAA qualifier Maria McDaniel for her first individual crown and led the Eagles to the team title, and she's not stopping there.

Sofia Gallein (Eastern Michigan): Gallein was 11th in this race last year and only 105th in Terre Haute. This NCAA Steeplechase qualifier has got her eyes on improving after disappointing Pre-Nationals and MAC finishes.

Maria McDaniel (Western Michigan): This up-and-coming stud was 54th in Terre Haute one year ago as a freshman and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor 5K. She was 25th at Pre-Nationals and knows how to hang with the women of the Big Ten.

Shaelyn Sorensen (Wisconsin): With NCAA runner-up Sarah Disanza out of the picture, Sorensen has risen to the occasion for the Badgers. After placing seventh at the Big Ten Championships, she cemented herself as a contender for a spot in Louisville.

Jacob Morgan (Kansas): Morgan had a breakthrough day at the Big 12 Championships when he finished 5th overall, just behind Oklahoma's Brandon Doughty.

Jacob Burcham (Oklahoma): The Oklahoma Sooner is returning from a standout performance at the Big 12 Championships where he finished second and improved upon last year’s finish by 11 places.

Brandon Doughty (Oklahoma): Burcham’s teammate is also returning from a great performance at the Big 12 Championships. Doughty finished fourth overall in the conference, and should continue the successful streak at the Midwest Regional.

Toby Hardwick (Iowa State): The sophomore finished seventh at the Big 12 showdown and is looking for his first shot at the NCAA Championships.

Erin Teschuk (NDSU): The All American is poised to return for another year of Midwest Region dominance after winning her conference and coming off of a track season where she finished fifth in the NCAA steeplechase final.

Alyssa Schneider (Illinois): Schneider is returning from a solid third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and secured a fourth-place finish at the Roy Griak Invitational, both showing that she can contend in competitive race situations.

Sharon Lokedi (Kansas): Lokedi has been improving all season long, first with a fourth-place finish at the Pre-National Invitational and most recently with all conference honors at the Big 12 Championships where she finished 11th.

Ingeborg Loevnes (Oklahoma State): The Oklahoma State standout is returning from a third-place finish at the Big 12 Championships and is fresh from not racing very frequently this season.

Antibahs Kosgei (Alabama): The newly-crowned SEC Champion should have no problem rolling over the competition in his home state. He's All American material, if he can adjust to the 10K.

Arse'ne Guillorel (Samford): The Samford sophomore was 14th in this race last year, and has not finished worse than fourth place in any races this fall. His improvement showed when he contended with the Oklahoma State squad at the Alabama Crimson Classic, where he finished fourth.

Christoph Graf (South Alabama): He stole the last individual spot in 2014, and we think he can do it again. He'll need to bounce back from only finishing third in the Sun Belt Championships, a title he won in 2014.

Hillary Rono (Middle Tennessee St.): Rono finished fifth at the Conference USA Championships, packed in the middle of the talented UTEP runners. That is a 14 place improvement for Rono, who looks to be the Blue Raiders best shot for NCAAs.

Chelsea Blaase (Tennessee): Blaase was runner-up to Dominique Scott at the SEC Championships and should face no individual challengers for the South crown. She's got her sights on finishing better than 10th (her position in 2014) in Louisville, a spot she was disappointed with last fall.

Katelyn Greenleaf (Alabama): Greenleaf has been enjoying much success in her senior season at Alabama, most recently finishing seventh at SECs. She was 12th in this race last year - JUST missing the last individual spot. With that in mind, she'll stay as close to Blaase as she can to punch her ticket to Louisville.

Rachael Reddy (Alabama): After transferring from Texas, this US Jr. 5K Champion has been an immediate impact for the Alabama squad. After winning the Memphis Twilight and Cowboy Jamboree, she was 16th at SECs. If she can inch closer to her teammate Greenleaf, she'll be headed to Louisville.

Maria Larsen (Florida): Freshman Larsen has been the Gators best runner all fall, placing 21st at Notre Dame and Pre-Nationals. Not bad for a freshman. She beat Reddy by one spot at SECS, and if she races smart she should advance.

Ben Rainero (Cornell): Rainero has improved leaps and bounds in 2015, with the latest example being a 20 place drop at Heps— 24th in 2014, the Cornell senior was 4th two weeks ago. His 11th place finish at Pre-Nats proved that he’s taken the next step to join the nation’s elite.

Kevin Dooney (Yale): An All-American in Terre Haute a year ago, Kevin Dooney has righted the ship after a bumpy start to his senior season that included a 54th place finish at Pre-Nats. The Irishman proved his true mettle, however, with his runner-up placing at Heps.

James Randon (Yale): Randon has improved steadily in his three seasons at Yale, going from 31st at Heps in 2013 to 16th last year, and then 5th in 2015. The junior will look to work with his experienced teammate Dooney to punch his ticket to NCAAs.

Brian Masterson (Dartmouth): Four individuals, four representatives from the Ivy League. Dartmouth senior Brian Masterson is looking to make it back to NCAAs after a two year hiatus, and his sixth place finish at Heps should have him liking his chances.

Christina Melian (Stony Brook): Melian has been on fire in 2015, as she won the Battle in Beantown and finished an impressive 10th at Pre-Nats. The junior should contend for the win on Friday, which is astounding considering that she has never qualified for Nationals.

Dana Giordano (Dartmouth): The Ivy League runner-up for two straight seasons, Dartmouth senior Dana Giordano has loads of experience on the national stage, including a 31st place finish at NCAAs in 2013. She’ll be up front contending for the win tomorrow.

Emily Durgin (Connecticut): Durgin was an NCAA qualifier a year ago, and just finished runner-up at the AAC Championships.

Courtney Smith (Harvard): Just a sophomore, Harvard’s Courtney Smith is on the cusp of stardom after finishing 16th at Wisco and most recently third at Heps.

Tommy Awad (Penn): The two-time Ivy League champion was an All-American in Terre Haute last fall, and should contend for the W tomorrow after finishing third in the Mid-Atlantic in 2014. Awad had a fantastic spring on the track, most notably with his 13:33 5K PR.

Hassan Omar (UMBC): Expect the UMBC senior to “Retrieve” an NCAA bid tomorrow at Princeton since he was just seconds behind the Villanova power trio on this very course last month. If you don’t get that pun, then shame on you.

Khalil Rmidi Kinini (Maryland Eastern Shore): The MEAC champion Kinini’s inexperience might be a cause for concern at Regionals (he was 62nd at Mid-Atlantic in 2014), but his sixth place showing at the Princeton Invite was promising nonetheless.

Lucas Stalnaker (Navy): The region’s top Naval officer, Lucas Stalnaker has won four out of five races in 2015, with his lone loss being a solid 21st place finish at Notre Dame.

Blanca Fernandez (Temple): The Owl senior is a perfect 5-for-5 in 2015, including victories at Paul Short and the Princeton Invite. The Spaniard was a U23 1500 champion back home, and is excelling on the XC course in her first NCAA cross country season. Dark horse, no doubt.

Morgan Szekely (La Salle): The two-time A-10 champ was an NCAA qualifier last year as a freshman, and her fifth place finish at Mid-Atlantic in 2014 makes her the top returner this season.

Kelly Robinson (Navy): Robinson was the dreaded fifth individual at Regionals in 2014, just missing out on a trip to NCAAs. The Patriot League champ has another year under her belt now, and a two race winning streak heading into Friday’s contest.

Ashley Montgomery (Penn): The Quaker junior has come from relative obscurity to find her spot among the region’s elite, as Montgomery finished fourth at Heps just one season removed from a 47th place showing in the same race. Perhaps her most impressive performance was her 11th place finish at Notre Dame, a 45 spot improvement from a year prior.

Chris Walden (Cal): The returning cross country All American is coming off of a 10th-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships and looking to improve upon his 17th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

John Whelan (Washington State): Whelan is returning from leading the Washington State Cougars to a sixth-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships where he finished ninth overall. Whelan's performance was just three seconds behind Stanford All American Joe Rosa.

Michael Williams (Washington State): Williams also had a breakout performance at the Pac-12 Championships when he finished 12th overall, beating out a number of strong competitors including the Colorado duo of Connor Winter and Morgan Pearson.

Jeff Thies (Portland): The Portland athlete finished 48th in the competitive Wisconsin Invitational back in October, which indicates his strength in large competitive fields. He most recently finished 17th in the West Coast Conference.

Carolina Johnson (UCLA): The UCLA Bruin turned out a breakthrough performance at the Pac-12 Championships where she finished ninth overall and earned Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year honors.

Marissa Williams (Cal): The freshman has shown numerous times this season that she is an aggressive racer, and Regionals should be no different as she just finished 13th at the Pac-12 Championships and is looking more ready than ever.

Elena Burkard (USF): Burkard is coming off of a fourth-place finish at the West Coast Conference Championships, and has improved with each week after starting the season with injury.

Danielle Shanahan (Loyala Marymount): Shanahan recently finished second at the West Coast Conference Championships, and is coming off of a year where she finished 19th in the west and barely missed qualifying for last year’s championships.

Shaun Thompson (Duke): The Duke senior showed no fear by chasing Thomas Curtin in the early miles at Pre-Nats, and his seventh place finish in Louisville proved that he’s All-American material in 2015.

Lawrence Kipkoech (Campbell): The freshman was a breakout performer on the track last spring, and his dominating win at the Big South Champs over his teammate Amon Terer showed that he’s incredibly fit. Kipkoech’s runner-up finish at Panorama Farms was also legit.

Amon Terer (Campbell): Kipkoech’s fellow Kenyan Amon Terer showed his potential with his 10th place finish at Pre-Nats, and his 29:22 10K PR proves that he only gets better with the increase in distance.

Mark Derrick (North Carolina): Derrick had an off day at ACCs (21st), but his NCAA experience combined with his solid 39th place finish at Wisco should propel him to Louisville as an individual.

Samantha Jones (Wake Forest): Jones has strung together four straight top-10 finishes, with her latest being a sixth place performance at ACCs.

Allie Buchalski (Furman): The SoCon champ won the ‘B’ race at Pre-Nats, and her 20:17 finish would have been good for 14th in the big race. Buchalski was ninth at Regionals last fall as just a sophomore.

Letitia Saayman (Coastal Carolina): The South African made waves last fall by running barefoot at chilly Terre Haute, but she's turning heads for more than just her lack of shoes in 2015. The Big South champ was 11th at Pre-Nats.

Ednah Kurgat (Liberty): Kurgat has been the runner-up for two straight races, as she was second to Furman's Buchalski at Pre-Nats and again the bridesmaid at the Big South Championships, this time to Coastal Carolina’s Saayman.

Brian Barraza (Houston): Barraza has two wins under his belt, a 25th-place showing at Pre-Nationals and finished fourth in the AAC Championships. Though he put up a fight with Marc Scott and his Tulsa teammates, Barraza should breeze through this regional onto Louisville.

Cameron Villarreal (Texas A&M): Villarreal is on the upswing after a slow start at his home invitational. His eighth-place at the SEC Championships was his best by 20 places and he’ll use home field advantage tomorrow to qualify.

Charles Mathenge (Stephen F Austin): Mathenge was 20th in the competitive Pre-Nationals field and finished seventh in this race last year. He recently lost the Southland Conference to Iliass Aouani of Lamar, but should be able to hang with the front group and solidify his spot at NCAAs for the second consecutive year.

Iliass Aouani (Lamar): Aouani was crowned Southland Conference Champion this fall, but only finished 119th at the deep Wisconsin Invite. Though he has excelled in smaller fields, he’ll need to keep calm and trust his newfound success if he wants to advance.

Cali Roper (Rice): Roper was 22nd at Pre-Nationals and has two wins and a runner-up performance under her belt this season. After finishing 47th at NCAAs last fall, no doubt she’s itching to get back and claim that All America award she just missed in 2014.

Karis Jochen (Texas A&M): Jochen has been having a coming out of sorts type of season. She made a statement at her home invitational in September by besting the competition by seven seconds and dipped under 20:00 by finishing fifth at SECs. With the home crowd supporting her, she’ll try and hang with Dom Scott as long as possible.

Sandie Raines (Texas): Raines has all the parts to be an All American, including an NCAA Indoor 5K eighth-place All American finish! For whatever reason, things have not clicked for the Longhorn this fall, as she fell to 23rd at the Big 12 Championships. She was 10th at the Texas A&M Invite in 20:54 in September and knows this course, and if she puts it together, can contend for an individual spot.

Maggie Montoya (Baylor): Montoya was 11th at the super fast Wisconsin Invitational, but only finished fifth at the Big 12 Championships. No matter, she was 44th at NCAAs last fall and will easily improve upon her 2014 12th-place South Central finish.

Jerrell Mock (Colorado St.): One-half of CSU’s power duo, Jerrell Mock won the Mountain West by a solid 14-seconds on a brutally tough course in Reno. The sophomore was 53rd at NCAAs last fall as just a frosh.

Jefferson Abbey (Colorado St.): The other heavy-hitting Ram, Jefferson Abbey got off to a quick start in 2015 by winning Roy Griak. His sixth place finish at Pre-Nats wasn’t too shabby, either.

Hayden Hawks (Southern Utah): The 2015 Big Sky champ was eighth in this region a year ago, and should be in that type of shape after placing 5th at Notre Dame. His off day at Pre-Nats (55th) was just that, an off day.

Tyler Day (Northern Arizona): Just a freshman, NAU’s Tyler Day led the Lumberjacks to a runner-up finish at the Big Sky Champs despite lacking perennial national contender Futsum Zienasellassie in 2015. Day was third at conference, and Friday will be his first collegiate 10K.

Hannah Everson (Air Force): Everson has a been a revelation in 2015. The senior came out of nowhere to finish second at Pre-Nats, as she was just 53rd in the Mountain region last fall and has never qualified for NCAAs. Now, with another impressive race at the Mountain West Champs (3rd), Everson has a shot to win tomorrow in Albuquerque.

Makena Morley (Montana): Third at Foot Locker last December, Montana frosh Makena Morley has sailed under the radar this fall in part because she doesn’t attend a large school. Don’t sleep on her talent, however, as Morley won the Big Sky title by a commanding 10 seconds.

Jocelyn Caro (Texas Tech): Red Raider junior Jocelyn Caro was 14th in this region in 2014, and just recorded her highest career Big 12 finish (7th). Considering that she was only 26th at conference last season, the expectation is that she’ll make similar gains on Friday at Regionals.

Melanie Townsend (Northern Arizona): NAU junior Melanie Townsend didn’t have a great day at the Big Sky Championships, finishing 5th and 27 seconds behind Morley, but her NCAA experience (56th in 2014) makes her impossible to ignore.