2017 FloXC CountdownSep 9, 2017 by Dennis Young
2017 FloXC Countdown: #6 Williams Men
2017 FloXC Countdown: #6 Williams Men
2017 FloXC Countdown: #6 Williams Men
Follow our 2017 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top ten cross country teams and individuals in the NCAA this season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 6 men's spot goes to Williams, and here's why:
SR Ben Decker (14:52 5K; 44th at '16 NCAA XC; 105th at '15 NCAA XC)
SR Austin Anderson (14:30 5K; 81st at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Liam Simpson (14:45 5K; 105th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Griffin Colaizzi (14:47 5K; 122nd at '16 NCAA XC; 91st at '15 NCAA XC)
JR Zeke Cohen (15:10 5K; 170th at '16 NCAA XC)
SO Peter Kirgis (15:17 5K)
JR Mitchell Morris (14:51 5K)
FR Aidan Ryan (4:14 1600; 9:09 3200; 13th at '16 NXN NY)
Aidan Ryan via New York, NY (4:14 1600; 9:09 3200; 13th at '16 NXN NY)
Jake Lange via San Francisco, CA (9:18 3200)
It feels like there are two types of national-level programs this year--the ones scrambling to adapt to the unusually hilly course at nationals, and the ones in ridiculously hilly towns who are looking forward to it. Some teams with no hills near campus (Naperville, Illinois, is extremely flat) will do just fine, of course, but Williams is not in that group. "We've had to make slight changes when the courses are so fast--we love the hilly stuff. We can't avoid all the hills in Williamstown," says long-time head coach Pete Farwell.
His 39th team hasn't fallen off a bit. The Ephs have three proven studs in seniors Ben Decker, Austin Anderson, and Liam Simpson. Those three are all in the top 60 returners; if Griffin Colaizzi and Zeke Cohen come back full strength from injuries, then that's five men already in the top 100 returners. But if they don't, there's a large group of dudes ready to replace them. Perhaps the most interesting among them is freshman Aidan Ryan, who was in the top 15 at NXN NY and in the top 10 at the New York Feds meet before running 9:09 on the track. But Farwell says, "I'll be holding [the freshmen] back for a while. I like to let them take a year to adapt to the program, then sophomore year you'll be really good."
Beyond Colaizzi, Cohen, and Ryan, there are at least five more top-seven candidates on this roster, if not more. Farwell likes it that way, telling me that, "We've always tried to have a good second seven, and this year, we're strong [there]. And there are some guys in the third seven who think they could make the top 12 for the NESCAC meet."
Despite being an extremely consistent presence in the DIII top 10--17 of the last 23 years, plus three more top-12 finishes--the Williams men have only stood on the podium once since 2009. This team has the depth to get back up there.
FULL MEN'S RANKINGS HERE
Probable Top Three:
SR Ben Decker (14:52 5K; 44th at '16 NCAA XC; 105th at '15 NCAA XC)
SR Austin Anderson (14:30 5K; 81st at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Liam Simpson (14:45 5K; 105th at '16 NCAA XC)
Fourth/Fifth Man Battle:
SR Griffin Colaizzi (14:47 5K; 122nd at '16 NCAA XC; 91st at '15 NCAA XC)
JR Zeke Cohen (15:10 5K; 170th at '16 NCAA XC)
SO Peter Kirgis (15:17 5K)
JR Mitchell Morris (14:51 5K)
FR Aidan Ryan (4:14 1600; 9:09 3200; 13th at '16 NXN NY)
Impact Freshmen/Transfers:
Aidan Ryan via New York, NY (4:14 1600; 9:09 3200; 13th at '16 NXN NY)
Jake Lange via San Francisco, CA (9:18 3200)
Analysis:
It feels like there are two types of national-level programs this year--the ones scrambling to adapt to the unusually hilly course at nationals, and the ones in ridiculously hilly towns who are looking forward to it. Some teams with no hills near campus (Naperville, Illinois, is extremely flat) will do just fine, of course, but Williams is not in that group. "We've had to make slight changes when the courses are so fast--we love the hilly stuff. We can't avoid all the hills in Williamstown," says long-time head coach Pete Farwell.
His 39th team hasn't fallen off a bit. The Ephs have three proven studs in seniors Ben Decker, Austin Anderson, and Liam Simpson. Those three are all in the top 60 returners; if Griffin Colaizzi and Zeke Cohen come back full strength from injuries, then that's five men already in the top 100 returners. But if they don't, there's a large group of dudes ready to replace them. Perhaps the most interesting among them is freshman Aidan Ryan, who was in the top 15 at NXN NY and in the top 10 at the New York Feds meet before running 9:09 on the track. But Farwell says, "I'll be holding [the freshmen] back for a while. I like to let them take a year to adapt to the program, then sophomore year you'll be really good."
Beyond Colaizzi, Cohen, and Ryan, there are at least five more top-seven candidates on this roster, if not more. Farwell likes it that way, telling me that, "We've always tried to have a good second seven, and this year, we're strong [there]. And there are some guys in the third seven who think they could make the top 12 for the NESCAC meet."
Despite being an extremely consistent presence in the DIII top 10--17 of the last 23 years, plus three more top-12 finishes--the Williams men have only stood on the podium once since 2009. This team has the depth to get back up there.
FULL MEN'S RANKINGS HERE